Tottenham Hotspur's malaise has deepened into something far more concerning, with the abject failures throughout the season now threatening to consume the Londoners.
While Tottenham still haven't fallen into the Premier League relegation zone, they are perilously close, and the recent improvements of West Ham United underline the desperate need for an upturn in results.
One spirited draw at Anfield aside, Spurs have lost every league game since the 1st of February, when Manchester City were held to a draw at the Etihad Stadium. They have been unable to build on the Europa League triumph of 2024/25, instead drinking from that poisoned chalice and now staring at relegation to the Championship.
Igor Tudor was only drafted in last month, but the Croatian interim coach has failed to get a tune out of this struggling squad, and a familial bereavement after the recent defeat to Nottingham Forest could see a mutual parting of ways before action resumes after the March international break.
Who Spurs could replace Tudor with
Roberto De Zerbi is the leading contender to take the job at Tottenham, but the Italian appears to have major reservations over taking on the role as the Lilywhites fight against relegation.
Whether they will succeed in that bid remains to be seen, and with Tudor's future uncertain, Sean Dyche has emerged as an alternative, but despite his relegation expertise, the former Burnley, Everton and Nottingham Forest is not the most inspiring name on the list.
However, this all feels like Mauricio Pochettino is being somewhat overlooked. Yes, the ex-Tottenham manager is firmly on ENIC Group's radar, and while the Argentine is set to lead USMNT out for the World Cup this summer, there's a sense that he'd jump at the chance to return to the Premier League and N17.
It's unlikely, but former Spurs and USA goalkeeper Kasey Keller reckons Tottenham could convince their former boss to jump ship before the end of the season, thus forfeiting his position at the helm.
Why Spurs should appoint Pochettino
It's nearly been seven years since Tottenham and Daniel Levy decided to sack Pochettino, months after he led them to the Champions League final.
Speaking at the time, journalist Alex Keble hailed the South American as a "genius", suggesting he was "too good" for Levy and for Spurs.
There was a strong argument to the decison - at the time - but it's hard to make a case for Tottenham having headed in the right direction since, and appointing either Dyche or De Zerbi may well be a continuation down that same errant track.
Frank and now Tudor have failed to spark any fluency or form from Tottenham's players. This is a talented team and, even against the backdrop of endless injuries, they should not be battling against relegation at the business end of the season.
But this is the Lilywhites' reality, and time is running out to preserve their status in the top flight. The defence is porous and the frontline lacks any kind of balance and sharpness. Pochettino's typical 4-2-3-1 formation and his controlled, front-footed style would align with the capabilities of the squad.
Whether ENIC Group and sporting director Johan Lange could prise Pochettino away from the USMNT before the World Cup is one thing, but if there is a glimmer of a chance in that regard, it must be taken, with the 54-year-old capable of giving rise to confidence and coherence, tying the squad together and maybe directing them toward form that would edge them away from the drop.
Dyche, though a relegation-fighting specialist, is simply not an inspiring coach, and his pragmatic tactics may well run at odds with a group of players whose confidence has been shot to pieces and whose connection is rather brittle.
De Zerbi, meanwhile, is a top tactician but has a volatile nature and a track record of contentiousness. Both managers have been sacked from their posts in 2026, whereas Pochettino understands Tottenham and has a rousing interpersonal style that would ensure the players have the fuel and focus to end this continent-wide discussion of Spurs' potential relegation from the Premier League.
Moreover, he could carry them forward over the next few years, building a project once again.