Tottenham Hotspur’s failures in the Premier League have been there for all to see in recent years, with the club desperately lingering in the bottom half of the table.
The Lilywhites ended the 2024/25 campaign in 17th place, which resulted in Ange Postecoglou being handed his marching orders despite winning the Europa League.
His replacement, Thomas Frank, ultimately suffered the same fate in North London, subsequently being sacked in recent weeks with the club only one place higher than their finish last campaign.
The club sit just six points clear of the relegation zone at present, which presents a precarious situation that could see the side suffer a sick relegation to the second tier.
As a result, the responsibility of keeping the Lilywhites in the top division has now fallen into the hands of Igor Tudor after he was appointed until the end of the campaign.
What Igor Tudor will bring to Spurs this season
The Croatian’s temporary appointment until the end of the season certainly raised eyebrows, especially after never managing in England prior to joining Spurs.
However, his arrival could bring the needed change the Lilywhites are looking for, especially if he can implement the three-back system he’s favoured throughout his career.
The 47-year-old utilised such a formation during recent stints at Juventus and Lazio, also joining the aforementioned sides halfway through a season to try and transform their fortunes.
His back three is usually utilised along with two wing-backs, two central midfielders and two number tens in behind a lone striker at the top end of the pitch.
It will certainly bring about a fresh start for the current playing group, whilst also presenting them with a challenge to adapt to the demands after playing in a 4-2-3-1 under Frank.
Despite the injuries, Tudor will certainly have enough quality at his disposal to get the desired result, with the manager desperately needing to improve results as soon as possible.
The Spurs star who should never start under Tudor
Strikers are undoubtedly crucial to a side in a relegation battle, with Spurs previously having a whole array of big-money attacking talents on their hands.
Roberto Soldado is just one player whom the hierarchy have spent a pretty penny on in recent years, as seen with his £30m move to join the Lilywhites in the summer of 2013.
The move generated huge excitement amongst the fanbase at the time, but it’s safe to say, the move was a disaster, with the Spaniard failing to deliver in North London.
He only scored 16 times in his 76 appearances for the club across all competitions, before leaving two years later, resulting in a loss of £16m and moving back to his homeland to join Villarreal.
However, current first team member Richarlison is rapidly falling down the same line in North London, with the Brazilian falling below the standards many anticipated.
Like Soldado, he cost a small fortune, joining from fellow Premier League side Everton in a £60m deal - a move that equalled the Lilywhites’ club-record at the time.
He’s since managed to rack up 121 appearances for the club across all competitions, but he’s only managed to find the back of the net on 28 occasions at present.
Whilst he’s registered seven league goals this season - the most of any player in the squad - he’s nowhere near the level needed for a starting striker in the current predicament.
The Brazilian has also missed 12 big chances in the league this season, which is also the highest in the senior ranks, which demonstrates his lack of cutting edge in front of goal.
The manager’s arrival in North London will hand him the chance to evaluate the options at his disposal and make the changes he craves to drag the side away from the drop zone.
However, his previous period as a manager at Juventus saw him allow Randal Kolo Muani, a player currently at Spurs, to recapture his best goalscoring form in the final third.
The Frenchman netted eight goals under the Croatian’s guidance, something which he’s been unable to do, which could allow him to once again deliver under the manager.
Whilst he’s failed to net a single league goal this campaign, his previous period under Tudor could make him a regular starter - which could push Richarlison down the pecking order.
The Brazilian has also been linked with a move away from the Lilywhites of late, amid recent reports in Brazil that Spurs had set an asking price of €25m (£22m) in the recent January window.
If the club are to secure their top-flight survival, an immediate impact is desperately needed, which could see Kolo Muani strike up a superb partnership with Tudor at Richarlison’s expense.