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Former Premier League striker Clinton Morrison has explained that, in his view, Tottenham Hotspur are where they will finish in the league this season, following a damaging loss to Arsenal.
Tottenham have been plunged into an injury crisis that has stripped Thomas Frank’s side of creativity, halted their momentum and exposed the thin margins within the squad.
With players such as Yves Bissouma, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski all sidelined, Spurs have been struggling to find rhythm and Frank’s men have collected only four points from their last five Premier League matches.
Spurs’ latest setback came in a bruising 4-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium against rivals Arsenal, where Eberechi Eze delivered a ruthless hat-trick that reopened old wounds and raised fresh questions about the direction of Frank’s project.
One former Spurs star quickly insisted that Frank is not the right manager for the club.
The defeat leaves Tottenham sitting just ninth in the Premier League table and well adrift of the top five Champions League spots, which the club may well have seen as the key aim for this season.
For Morrison, Spurs’ current position of ninth is simply a reflection of where they will ultimately finish, especially given the number of key absences Frank is contending with.
The ex-hitman says the injuries have stripped Spurs of creativity, adding that Dominic Solanke’s absence has left them without a cutting edge in the final third.
Game Last season’s result Fulham (H) 1-1 Newcastle United (A) 2-1 Brentford (H) 3-1 Tottenham’s next three league games
Morrison said on BBC Radio 5 live: “Tottenham are where I think they will be at the end of the season.
“They are without Maddison and Kulusevski and they need creative players in these kinds of games.
“They miss Solanke too.”
The defeat stings all the more given Tottenham’s failed pursuit of Eze in the summer, when a deal appeared within reach before collapsing as the midfielder opted for Arsenal instead.
Currently sitting ninth in the table, Frank’s side are heading into a relentless December packed with fixtures.
With a tough trip to St James’ Park, a home clash against Liverpool, and midweek Champions League games, it remains to be seen whether the Lilywhites can steady themselves and push for a finish that secures European football next season.
Without key reinforcements, possibly in the January transfer window to add creativity, Morrison’s claim may soon harden into an unavoidable reality.