Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur have endured nothing short of a tumultuous season but have still managed to secure automatic passage into the Europa League’s Round of 16 – but that’s not thanks to the competition’s worst-performing player so far: central defender Radu Dragusin.
In Postecoglou’s maiden season in the north London dugout, their fifth-placed Premier League finish saw them enter Europe’s second tier competition. In the new-look league phase, the capital club finished fourth after winning five of their eight games.
Sides from the English top tier – Tottenham and Manchester United, who finished in third place – have fared well in the altered format as both breezed through to the next round without having to embark on a two-legged play-off tie.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Tottenham scored the joint second most goals in the Europa League play-off phase (17), alongside Lazio and behind Galatasaray (19).
Postecoglou, who has previously insisted that he always wins silverware in his second campaign in charge of a club, kick-started his trophy charge with a 3-0 win over Qarabag FK before overseeing a 2-1 victory over Ferencvaros.
They also reigned as victors in a 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar and in a 3-2 win over Hoffeinhem 3-2. Tottenham did lose 3-2 to Turkish outfit Galatasaray, while a pair of draws – a 2-2 draw against Roma and 1-1 against Rangers – damaged their league position ever so slightly.
While the likes of Rangers' Cyriel Dessers and Hoffenheim goalkeeper Oliver Baumann make the worst-performing XI, Dragusin’s rating of 6.11 is the worst of the bunch – which makes it a surprise as to how Tottenham managed to cruise to a top four finish.
Albeit not Postecoglou and his entourage’s first choice in the heart of defence, injuries to Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero have often seen the 26-cap Romania international and Archie Gray, a midfielder by trade, as their central defensive partnership.
Dragusin, who was dubbed as one of the ‘most interesting young defenders in Serie A’ prior to his £25 million move to London, has struggled to prove his weight in gold. He’s played 37 times for the club since moving from Genoa.
In the aforementioned win over Qarabag, Dragusin was shown his marching orders within eight minutes. More recently, in Tottenham’s 3-0 win over Elfsborg, the 22-year-old entered the fray at half-time just to pick up an injury in the 66th minute.
They are two cameos which have, no doubt, contributed to his lowly rating – but it’s evident that the jump up from Italian football to playing in Postecoglou’s high-line is far more onerous than many expected.
While their exact opponent remains unknown until Europa League play-off ties are played out, Tottenham – and Manchester United, for that matter – will play one of Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, Midtjylland or AZ Alkmaar in their pursuit of glory.