Football.London

Tottenham Hotspur are leading the way when it comes to Ange Postecoglou having his hands tied by player injuries in the Premier League.

The Australian has been dealing with a whole list of problems this season across all areas of his squad and the figures show that Spurs sit on top of the table when it comes to players that have missed matches in the Premier League through injuries during this current campaign.

During a segment on Sky Sports News, it was shown that the north London outfit have had an unlucky 13 injuries to their first team players where someone has been forced to miss a game or more this season. That is more than anyone else, with Brighton and Ipswich both on 12, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace on 11, while Arsenal and Manchester City have both had 10 such injuries.

All the way down the bottom of that injury table lie West Ham, who have only had two injuries that ensured players missed one or more matches.

When it comes to days lost to injuries among the Premier League sides this season, Spurs came in sixth with a combined total of 273 days so far, showing that while Postecoglou has had more players out injured and the subsequent disruption that brings, other teams have had longer term injuries. Brighton's amount to 397 days, Ipswich 340, Crystal Palace 319, Arsenal 297 and Wolves 279, with West Ham again at the bottom with 84 days lost to injuries.

The Postecoglou system, both in training and matches, is a high energy one and with the packed schedule brought about by the addition of Europa League football, hamstring injuries have again been a regular blight on Spurs' squad. Micky van de Ven, Richarlison and Wilson Odobert are all currently out with such muscle problems, while Timo Werner is carrying a groin issue, Cristian Romero appears to still be struggling with his foot while on international duty and Mikey Moore has been recovering from a nasty virus.

On top of that, Postecoglou is expected to lose Rodrigo Bentancur to what has been reported as a seven-game suspension in the weeks ahead.

Postecoglou likes to rotate and make a number of changes each match around the hour mark to keep fresh legs in his system but he wants to do so without lowering the quality of the XI on the pitch. The more injuries his squad have, the more difficult that becomes to do.

It's been another season with another glut of injuries and Tottenham and their head coach know they will likely need more depth in the January transfer window.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham by clicking here for in-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

It's certainly fair to say that Tottenham Hotspur have served us up a mixed season so far and it's time to rate the players and Ange Postecoglou for their efforts.

Spurs have now played 17 games this campaign in all competitions and could be sitting third in the Premier League table during this international break were it not for a dismal performance against Ipswich on Sunday. There have been highs with big wins against Aston Villa, Manchester City, West Ham, Manchester United and Everton, but also lows like the displays against the Tractor Boys and Crystal Palace in particular.

Ange Postecoglou's side have won 10 of their 17 matches so far, drawn one and lost six. Now as an international break staple at football.london, it's time to rate the Tottenham players and the head coach for the performances so far. Any player who has played fewer than 90 minutes will simply have a review by their name and as usual, these ratings are more about expectations versus reality for each player rather than a tool to compare them all with.

Let's start with the goalkeepers.

Guglielmo Vicario

On the whole Vicario has made a solid start to the season, but has just three clean sheets to his name from his 14 matches. He had a couple of wobbles against Brentford and might have done better for Arsenal's winner amid a couple of shaky moments from set piece this season, but in the main he's been one of Spurs' more consistent players and he's played the most minutes for the team with 1,260 so far. His distribution with his feet has also been good on the whole and often helped Spurs get around the opposition press. 7.5

Fraser Forster

Three games for the experienced keeper with very different performances. Against Coventry he looked shaky with one poor pass early on, a complete mess when he collided with Dragusin when running out and was beaten easily by Thomas-Asante's goal. Dropped a few crosses as well before gathering at the second attempt. Against AZ in the Europa League, Forster was very good and looked much better but then against Galatasaray, while he made a number of saves to keep the score down, he also looked wobbly and hesitant again in moments. 4.5

Pedro Porro

Headed home Spurs' first goal of the season and has provided some good attacking performances mixed in with some defensively shaky ones. Too many goals have come from that space in between him and Romero. He's played in 13 games and his form has got him back in to Spain's international squad. He's got two assists and probably should have provided more with his quality on the ball, while his set pieces have been mixed, with more like the one for Bentancur's goal on Sunday needed. 7

Cristian Romero

The Argentine has had some good moments, including a thumping header to score against Everton in his 100th game for the club and he was excellent against United and Brentford, while his passing out from the back has been key to getting Spurs up the pitch. However, Romero has switched off a number of times in key moments this season and by his own standards, the World Cup winner has not had the impact he would have wanted so far on the whole. 6.5

Micky van de Ven

Ten appearances for the Dutchman and two fantastic assists for Son and Johnson. There have been a couple of occasions when the young centre-back has looked a bit shaky, like at Brighton, but otherwise it's been another strong start to a season for the young centre-back. However, this current hamstring injury will be a concern as they're starting to mount up since he arrived. 8

Radu Dragusin

Nine appearances for the 22-year-old Romanian. He was solid against Newcastle and Coventry in the main but made a complete mess in the seventh minute against Qarabag and got himself sent off. Then he was very good against Villa and City before struggling against Galatasaray and Ipswich. His up and down performances are reflected in his score. 5

Destiny Udogie

Hadn't played since April so missed most of pre-season and has often looked like a player trying to regain his sharpness since. He's played in 15 games but hasn't really hit the heights yet despite putting in plenty of shifts for the team. He's played more minutes (1,207) than any other Spurs outfield player. Still only 21 - for another couple of weeks at least -so there's plenty more to come from the young Italy international and like Porro he needs to contribute more in the attacking third. 6.5

Djed Spence

It started off as a positive reintroduction to life at Spurs for Spence and he should have got more game time. We won't even talk yet about him being left out of the Europa League squad which still makes little sense. He changed the game at Coventry, scoring a good goal, and was excellent in replacing Udogie at United amid another couple of positive cameos from the bench. He got a new contract but a groin injury interrupted his chances and while he's now back, he hasn't played since. However, on the whole it's a world away from where he was at Spurs before this season began so that's reflected in his score. 7

Ben Davies

Seven appearances for the Welshman but just 29 minutes in the Premier League. Considered a centre-back now by Postecoglou, he's got better as the season has gone on and he's got sharper. He played well against Villa when he came on after doing well against City in the Carabao Cup. It feels like we're potentially seeing his final year in a Tottenham shirt with the lack of game time overall. 5.5

Archie Gray

We're putting the 18-year-old here because he's played at right-back or left-back whenever called up on and once as a centre-back. Had a lot to deal with at Coventry, worked really hard against Qarabag and was excellent at Ferencvaros. His performance against City brought a bit of everything with a tough job on his hands and he was one of the few to earn credit from the game at Galatasaray. He's got 11 games under his belt so far and he's got a great engine, terrific technique and tactical intelligence. It would be great to see him used in the midfield at some point and Bentancur's impending absence might deliver that. 6.5

Pape Matar Sarr

Started the season slowly but back-to-back goals in the Europa League and an assist against United followed by an assist against West Ham and a stunning goal against Manchester City has shown his growth this season. He's keeping Maddison out of the team right now and he's still so young. 7.5

Yves Bissouma

Suspended for the game at Leicester after his own indiscretion, but bounced back with a rocket of a shot in off the crossbar for his first competitive goal for the club against Everton. Was one of Spurs' better players at Newcastle as well and scored against West Ham, but has found himself to be second choice behind Bentancur in the bulk of the Premier League games. Recent displays have suggested he's finding his groove again and he'll be needed in the weeks ahead. 6.5

Rodrigo Bentancur

A painful start to the season for the Uruguayan. He was playing solidly at Leicester before suffering that head injury and then missed the Everton game through the concussion protocol. However, he soon became a key part of Spurs' five-game winning run and was particularly excellent against Brentford and United, before impressing in more recent games and netted his first goal of the season against Ipswich. He's looked more like his pre-ACL injury self but Spurs now appear set to lose him until the end of the year to suspension and he's also on four yellow cards in the Premier League so another absence could be in the offing after he returns. 8

James Maddison

A really strong start to the season in the early weeks. He's got three goals and four assists and was excellent in many of the first 10 or so games but since being taken off at half-time against West Ham, he's struggled to make an impact, that free-kick against Villa aside. His score reflects the credit he'd built up before that. 7

Lucas Bergvall

Still adjusting to the step up to Premier League football. There have been glimpses of just how good he's going to become for Spurs and also moments where you can see where he has to learn and adapt. Was really unfortunate to come off early against Qarabag due to Dragusin's red card and that lack of game time showed as he tired at Ferencvaros. Really looked off the pace against Galatasaray and he's still got plenty of adaptation to do despite his obvious talent. 5

Dejan Kulusevski

Spurs' best player this season without a doubt. He's excelled in the deeper role in midfield and while he's got five assists and two goals, he's contributed so much more earlier in moves and created chances aplenty for his team-mates. Full of confidence and his link-up play and strength has been remarkable. Postecoglou believes he's got a huge ceiling in the deeper position and that's clear to see. Spurs look worse for it when he's not on the pitch. 9

Wilson Odobert

A promising start to life for the teenager at Tottenham. but the injury at Coventry has been a major blow and other than a brief return against AZ, he's already been out for two months. 4.5

Son Heung-min

Three goals and three assists for the captain around a hamstring problem that seemed to linger after returning against West Ham with a goal. Not at his best yet compared to his high standards, but he's still contributed. 7

Timo Werner

The German has been through it so far this season. He grabbed an assist at Brighton and his goal against City felt like a big moment after a real crisis in confidence. He's just fluffed too many big moments in front of goal for Spurs and has been carrying a groin injury which has been dogging him. 4.5

Mikey Moore

A really bright full debut against Ferencvaros and was involved in both of Spurs' goals and has appearances in half of Tottenham's games so far this season. Maddison remarked that he thought Neymar was on the wing during a great spell in the second half against AZ. The teenager got his first Premier League start against Crystal Palace and has got 288 minutes to his name. Hit hard by a virus in recent weeks but it's been a really bright start to the campaign in that respect for that 17-year-old and that's reflected in his mark. 7

Brennan Johnson

Struggled in his first two games before coming to the fore again in an impressive second half at Newcastle, forcing the own goal. Then after a tough day against Arsenal and the subsequent social media abuse, he deactivated his Instagram account for a spell and hasn't looked back since with a goal in each of the next six matches plus another for Wales. He might drift in and out of games at times and his defending can still improve - Sunday was a good example of of that - but he's Spurs' top scorer with seven goals and has been there in big moments for the team. At just 23, there's much more to come as well and the way he bounced back so strongly from the abuse and criticism deserves plenty of respect, which is all shown in his rating. 8

Dominic Solanke

Took a little while to get his sharpness after a pre-season injury, the late summer move to Spurs and then an ankle injury suffered early on at Leicester. He's found his groove now with six goals and two assists. There's so much to his game with his hold-up play, pressing, dribbling and finishing. He's going to be a major player for Tottenham this season. 8

Richarlison

Had a big late chance from Bergvall's free-kick at Leicester but headed it over unmarked and then had a longer cameo against Everton in which he worked hard before getting a muscle injury in training. He came back and provided a great assist for Solanke's goal against Villa only to injury his hamstring badly in the process. A familiar story for the unfortunate Brazilian. 4.5

Will Lankshear

Made his debut at Ferencvaros and did well in a battling performance. Could have grabbed himself a couple of goals with better connections with the ball. The 19-year-old then had his dream moment with his first senior goal against Galatasaray only to get sent off for a second yellow card in the second half, which also robs him of the chance to play against Roma. However, it's still been a big start to the season for the teenager. 6.5

And the boss

Ange Postecoglou

The fine lines in football are summed up perfectly by the fact that right now we should be talking about Postecoglou's Spurs side sitting in third place in the Premier League, above Arsenal and Chelsea, while in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup and in a strong position in the Europa League with three wins out of their first four matches.

However, that woeful display against Ipswich on Sunday, coupled with the defeat at Palace a couple of weeks before, has taken the shine off things and showcased the rollercoaster nature of the results under the Australian despite much better performances on the whole.

Spurs have won nine of their past 13 matches in all competitions but just 10 of the 17 so far this season and the key for Postecoglou is help his team play his football for complete matches rather than in spells.

The Ipswich defeat clouds the fact that there is a better structure within the team and how they play. Spurs are the Premier League's top scorers and have recorded the second most shots on goal per game in the Premier League (17.2) as well as the second most off target (6.3). They have created the third most chances in the league this season with 137 and have duly missed the joint-third highest number of big chances (24).

They have the second highest XG in the Premier League (20.28) and have allowed the second fewest amount of shots per game in the competition (7.8). They have still only conceded from two set pieces in the league all season and scored from four (the joint second most in the Premier League). Going into Sunday's game, only three teams had conceded fewer goals than Spurs.

Yet Tottenham have lost too many games in the Premier League, more than anyone else in the top half of the table, and have fallen 1-0 behind in 13 home Premier League matches in 2024, which just isn't good enough. The away form is also poor with not enough performances turned into the results they probably merited - Palace and the second half at Brighton aside.

Postecoglou isn't blameless and while he's affected some games with his changes, he's also failed to alter them in others. The decision to leave Spence out of his Europa League squad was also a strange one.

As part of a major rebuild, the signs of improvement on what was there before are to be found but there's still so much to do to remove the inconsistency in the performances and Postecoglou needs his team to find their groove again because the run of fixtures are tough after this international break. This rating is very much based on probably how the Australian himself sees the inconsistent results in the Premier League. 6.5

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham by clicking here for in-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Lucas Bergvall has finally responded after Ange Postecoglou warned him about the "levels" he would have to reach at Spurs - insisting he can "learn" from his struggles.

The 18-year-old arrived at Spurs in the summer from Djurgårdens. Bergvall has been limited to just 46 minutes in the Premier League so far and just over an hour against Coventry City in the Carabao Cup.

The Swedish international has found some joy on the pitch however, most notably in the Europa League. The midfielder has featured in all four games so far and bagged two assists.

While he won the penalty for Richarlison’s winner against AZ Alkmaar, and played a part in the 2-1 win over Ferencváros, he was unable to impress in Tottenham’s 3-2 Europa League defeat to Galatasaray. He was also substituted early in Spur's 3-0 win over Qarabag.

After enduring a rough night in Turkey, where he lasted 66 minutes, Postecoglou sympathised with his young star. The Australian hinted that Bergvall would need to be "exposed" to more difficulties however in order to improve as a player.

“The same with Lucas, giving him an understanding of the levels here," The Spurs boss said to Spurs official website. "It is not easy when you are playing away in Europe. You can only allow them to learn that by exposing them to it."

Bergvall has now acknowledged his manager and claimed that he will learn from the occasion. He said: "Yes, it’s clear that there is a lot I can take from that match. It was a tough game for the whole team. We were not up to par.

“We have to do everything we can to improve for next time, because these are the kind of games you play in Europe. With an incredible setting, a lot of fans and a good opposing team.

“Especially us youngsters who haven’t played that many games in Europe can learn from it. It’s part of a career. It’s important to capitalise on it.”

Speaking back in October on Postecoglou's decision to hook him after just 12 minutes against Qarabag, Bergvall spoke to the Swedish Press about relinquishing his disappointment around the game. "Of course you were disappointed, as you should be," he said to Aftonbladet.

"But after that it was just a matter of letting it go and moving on. I completely understand the decision that he is making. It was just a matter of letting it go and moving on.

"It was incredibly fun. Something you've dreamed of since you were little to debut in the Europa League, so it was big for me."

Addressing the media the following day after the win over Qarabag, Postecoglou was questioned about how Bergvall had reacted to the incident. The Spurs chief claimed that the starlet was "flying" in training and he understood that his subbing was simply collateral of a tactical switch-up.

"We entrusted him with starting a really important game for us, so he knows how we feel about him," said Postecoglou. "It was a tactical decision. He was disappointed. I expect him to be disappointed, but he’s going to have plenty of moments like that in his career.

"It’s always about how you respond to those things, how you grow from those things. He was training this morning - and he was flying - so he’s all good."

Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson has now called up Bergvall for the current international break where he could feature in Nations League clashes against Slovakia and Azerbaijan.

Cristian Romero will be an injury worry for Ange Postecoglou again after the Tottenham centre-back had to be taken off at half-time in Argentina's defeat in Paraguay.

The 26-year-old World Cup winner and two-time Copa America champion did not reappear for the second half of the 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat on Thursday evening at the Estadio ueno Defensores del Chaco. With the scoreline 1-1 at the break, Romero could not see out the remainder of his 40th appearance for his country and had to come off. Without the Spurs defender, Argentina conceded just two minutes into the second half with Paraguay's Omar Alderete netting.

Romero had picked up an injury to his right foot an hour into Tottenham's 4-1 victory against Aston Villa and could be seen showing the physios on the pitch at the time that the pain was at the base of his big toe, underneath his foot. The centre-back did not feature in the Europa League defeat at Galatasaray later that week but did return for the loss against Ipswich Town on Sunday.

Reports from the Argentinean media after Wednesday's international defeat suggested that the same foot was the problem against Paraguay and that Romero was going to get further tests on it and was in risk of not playing in the home qualifier against Peru on Tuesday evening in Buenos Aires.

Romero, who announced earlier this year that he's going to become a father for the second time, will now also be a worry for Postecoglou as Spurs return to action on November 23 against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Spurs will be looking to make up for their disappointing display against Ipswich and Pep Guardiola's side will equally be smarting after a run of four straight defeats.

With Micky van de Ven currently out with a hamstring injury, Postecoglou will need his vice-captain Romero, who has played every Premier League game so far this season - three as captain - and skippered Tottenham in the 2-1 win against City in the Carabao Cup fourth round at the end of last month.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham by clicking here for in-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Tottenham Hotspur will be determined to get back to winning ways when they return to action after the international break. The Lilywhites will lock horns with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium next week as the Premier League title race builds a head of steam.

Spurs, who defeated Pep Guardiola's side in the Carabao Cup last month, head into the clash off the back of a disappointing result against Ipswich Town. The north Londoners lost 2-1; had they won, they would've climbed to third in the English top flight.

Now suddenly, Ange Postecoglou faces a somewhat uncertain future at the club. So, with that being said, journalists at football.london have argued whether or not Tottenham should sack their head coach.

Matty Hewitt

Though Tottenham's start to the season has been indifferent, Daniel Levy should give Ange Postecoglou more time at the helm. The wins over Manchester United and Aston Villa were an example of Spurs at their best, while defeats against Palace and Ipswich were them at their very worst.

The Australian boss has a unique style of play but one that delivered Spurs European football last season and he should be given an opportunity to continue to implement those ideas. Comments last season about changing the mentality of the club were telling and sacking him at the first sign of frustration would be more revealing.

Postecoglou has won trophies wherever he's gone and there's no reason he can't do that at Spurs. Of course, they'll need a little luck along the way and injuries haven't been kind in recent weeks.

Sacking him would lead to another period of overhaul and rebuilding and Spurs are nowhere near breaking point - unlike Manchester United and Erik ten Hag who were void of ideas. Spurs may be just a point clear of the Reds, but they're also just three points off the Champions League places.

Levy must give the head coach time.

Josh Holland

Tottenham are such a difficult team to get your head around for so many reasons. After battering Aston Villa and beating Manchester City, it looked as though Postecoglou had found the perfect rhythm.

However, defeats to Crystal Palace and Ipswich, subsequently handing both teams their first wins of the season, has left Spurs lurking in mid-table with frustrations among supporters.

But no, Postecoglou shouldn't be sacked yet. Big picture, the Australian has done incredibly well and his identity is clear. Whether or not it's the right one to implement, only he knows. But there are many managers who lose their jobs over the failure to create an identity within their team, Erik ten Hag being the most recent at Manchester United.

Postecoglou has enough credit in the bank to continue. It's down to him to turn Spurs' season around over the hectic festive period. Should they be nowhere near the top four by the end of January, Daniel Levy will have a decision to make.

Amie Wilson

The short answer is no. To expand on that, I understand why some fans may be frustrated with the inconsistency on show so far this season.

Following a 4-1 win over Aston Villa with a loss against winless Ipswich is bound to frustrate supporters, but the bigger picture needs to be looked at. Overall, since his arrival at the start of last season, Postecoglou has had a positive impact at Spurs.

While they are in 10th place, ultimately, the congestion towards the top of the table means that Spurs are still only three points off the top four positions. While the result and performance against Ipswich was disappointing, it’s no good making a knee-jerk reaction from that.

If Tottenham find themselves mid-table heading into the new year, and still churning out inconsistent performances, then I think it can be looked at again. But, for now, Postecoglou has enough credit in the bank to be given a chance to turn things around.

Jake Stokes

Absolutely not. While I can understand why some supporters may be frustrated with recent results or begin to question Postecoglou, there's not a better manager on the market to lead Tottenham forward.

Would Zinedine Zidane or Xavi take the Spurs job? No. Would fans be happy with a different more conservative play style under either Massimiliano Allegri or David Moyes? No, of course not. What about Edin Terzić or Graham Potter? Possibly, but then you're going back to square one.

Ultimately, it was no secret that the former Celtic boss was brought in to spearhead a project, so he should be given ample time to do so. Postecoglou got off to an excellent start, and now as soon as he's had his first hiccup there are question marks over his future?

The 59-year-old has more than enough credit in the bank to transform Spurs' fortunes. It's hardly as if Tottenham have been that bad either! They have an identity on the pitch, and the foundations for a successful future have been laid.

I'd like to see Postecoglou continue to be backed in the upcoming transfer windows. The north Londoners have forked out hundreds of millions to help build his perfect starting line-up, yet the general squad depth still needs improving.

James Quinlan

Sacking Postecoglou now would be jumping the gun, and then some.

Take Manchester United and Erik ten Hag as comparison. He had over two years at Old Trafford and in that time failed to implement a style of play and failed to bring back the feel-good factor any club hoping to get back on top desperately needs.

Postecogou has done both of those in little over a year at Tottenham and needs time to see his project through. Where the club sit in the Premier League and Europa League tables right now is not down to anything poor they are doing, it is just indicative of how competitive the competitions are. Everything will even out and Spurs will be locked in a clearer fight for the top four in just a few months' time.

I think it was certainly overconfidence from the 59-year-old to say that he was going to win silverware this term, and that certainly hasn't helped the situation, but he deserves the backing to take this relatively young team forward into a new era.

Jack Flintham

Now Erik ten Hag has been relieved of his duties at Manchester United, it is only natural to be looking at managers who find themselves in similar positions and wondering if they are next in line for the boot. Postecoglou is one of those in a difficult position at present especially following the defeat to Ipswich.

However, where he differs from Ten Hag is that you can see a pattern of play and philosophy which Postecoglou is trying to implement at Spurs. Let's be frank, the Australian is not the only person to struggle to make meaningful progress at Tottenham in terms of winning trophies.

But at least you can see what he is trying to do. Results matter and 10th is nowhere near good enough but they are only three points behind Arsenal who occupy the final Champions League spot at present.

That's certainly not insurmountable and as such, I don't think Postecoglou should be sacked.

Ange Postecoglou will be planning for Tottenham's return to Premier League action but he has to wait for most of his players to get back.

Tottenham could have climbed into third place in the table had they not fluffed their lines against Ipswich on Sunday and now Postecoglou must try to get them back on track with a tough trip to champions Manchester City after the break comes to an end. Spurs have a large contingent of players out on international duty during this fortnight, meaning a very quiet Hotspur Way training complex.

James Maddison, Timo Werner, Djed Spence and Sergio Reguilon are the only fit senior outfield players still at the Enfield-based training ground as well as goalkeepers Fraser Forster, Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman. The injured players at Tottenham include Micky van de Ven, Richarlison and Wilson Odobert, while teenager Mikey Moore has been suffering with a virus and will be continuing to recuperate from that during this international break. Werner has also been carrying a groin injury.

Of the international stars, the first three players Postecoglou will get back are all likely to arrive on Monday with Dominic Solanke having been involved with England's Nations League match against Republic of Ireland at Wembley the previous night, while on the same evening Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario will be part of the squad for Italy's home game against France.

Another group of players will return on Tuesday to Hotspur Way, with Radu Dragusin involved the previous night for Romania's home Nations League match against Cyprus, with Pedro Porro in the Spain squad for their game against Switzerland and Archie Gray part of the England Under-21s set for their game in the Netherlands.

Wednesday should bring Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski back to the club after Sweden's home Nations League tie against Azerbaijan on Tuesday night, as well as Ben Davies and Brennan Johnson, who have Wales's home game against Iceland. Earlier that afternoon, Will Lankshear is in the squad for England Under-20s game in Poland.

Among the Tuesday group of fixtures further afield, there is also Spurs captain Heung-Min Son with a World Cup qualifier for South Korea against Palestine in Jordan and Africa Cup of Nations matches for Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr at home for Mali and Senegal respectively. With journeys across the world for those three players, that could mean they return to the training ground on Thursday rather than Wednesday, depending on when their flights home are and how long they take.

The same goes for Cristian Romero and Rodrigo Bentancur, who are both away this fortnight on duty in South America with Argentina and Uruguay and for the latter he could well return and be unavailable anyway if he received the expected ban after his FA charge.

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Rodrigo Bentancur has spoken about his potential seven-game ban from Tottenham's domestic matches while on international duty.

The 27-year-old is awaiting the verdict from the independent commission after an FA charge in September over his comments regarding Tottenham captain Son Heung-min in a controversial interview. football.london reported at the time that sanctions of six to 12 games are recommended on first offences for almost all 'aggravated breaches' of the FA Rule E3 that Bentancur was charged under.

Reports this week have suggested the Uruguayan is set to be handed a seven-game ban from domestic matches. If so, he would miss matches for Ange Postecoglou's side all the way up to and including the Premier League clash against Liverpool on December 22 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Bentancur has just returned from an international ban for throwing objects into the crowd after the Copa America semi-final clash against Colombia and during a press conference with Uruguay this week he was asked about the potential seven-game club sanction.

"My agent called me and said that he had been notified that this was the sanction. So far the club has not contacted me. I already knew more or less where things were going. Now the sanction has been issued, I want to be calm here in the national team and then we will see when it is my turn to go back there," he said, as quoted by ESPN.

Bentancur's return comes against Colombia, the side that ended Uruguay's Copa America chances.

"Colombia is a very tough opponent, I don’t take it as revenge because we did very well in the Copa match, even though it didn’t happen," he said. "I had a knock that made me leave the field, but it’s part of football. We have to take it 100% like we have been taking every match, we are very focused and involved."

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham by clicking here for in-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri has ended his retirement to return to Roma for a third spell.

The 73-year-old, who managed Chelsea between 2000 and 2004, guided Cagliari to safety in May, almost 40 years after his first managerial role, and had said that would be his final job. But on Wednesday Serie A side Roma confirmed Ranieri as the team's new head coach, with the Italian replacing Ivan Juric who was sacked on Sunday.

Ranieri, who enjoyed a two-year spell with Roma in 2009 and a short tenure five years ago, will take charge of the Serie A club until the end of the season. The one-time Roma player will then move into a senior executive role where he will act as an advisor to the ownership group.

“AS Roma is pleased to announce that Claudio Ranieri is the new Head Coach of the First Team,” a club statement read. "At the conclusion of the season, Claudio will transition into a senior executive role, where he will be an adviser to the ownership on all sporting matters at the club.

“The search for a future coach will proceed over the next months. Claudio will have input in that decision as well.”

It brings an end to speculation linking former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard with the Roma job. According to reports earlier this week, Lampard had been discussed as a potential candidate to take the reigns at the Stadio Olimpico.

Tottenham will be keeping an eye on the situation at the Serie A side as the Lilywhites are due to face Roma after the international break. Spurs will first return to action with a huge league meeting with current holders Manchester City, which will be followed by a Europa League home tie against the Italian giants.

Ranieri memorably guided Leicester to a shock Premier League title in 2016 and had other memorable spells in England with Chelsea, Fulham and Watford. The Italian is Roma’s fourth manager of 2024 after Jose Mourinho, Daniele de Rossi and Juric.

Tottenham Hotspur seem set to be without midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur for a lengthy spell and Ange Postecoglou will be looking for solutions to the Uruguayan's absence.

The 27-year-old currently has the threat of a lengthy ban hanging over his head after being charged in September by the FA over his comments regarding Tottenham captain Son Heung-min in a controversial interview. After speaking to the FA at the time, football.london reported that match-based sanctions of six to 12 games are recommended to regulatory commissions for almost all 'aggravated breaches' of the FA Rule E3 that Bentancur was charged under, when they are a first offence.

Accordingly, reports this week have suggested that the Uruguayan is set to be handed a seven-game ban from domestic matches. If that proves to be the case then Bentancur will be missing games all the way up to and including the Premier League game against Liverpool on December 22 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

There's another potential issue on the horizon as while Bentancur scored his first goal of the season on Sunday against Ipswich, he also picked up a yellow card in the 78th minute for an angry moment of displeasure towards the referee after being penalised for a foul. That was his fourth yellow card of the Premier League season, and means he is now one booking away from picking up a one-game suspension to add to whatever comes from the independent commission's decision over his charge.

So how does Postecoglou deal with the lengthy potential absence of a player who has been in fine form in recent weeks and looks back to his pre-cruciate ligament injury levels?

Here are five potential options for the Spurs boss to attempt to absorb the blow:

Rely on Bissouma and hope for no injuries

One option is to do nothing. The potential ban is likely to apply only to domestic games, which means - if it is confirmed during this international break - that Bentancur will be available for the midweek European games against Claudio Ranieri's Roma later this month and then at Rangers in mid-December.

That covers two of the midweek games but leaves two others - the league game at Bournemouth and Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United - potentially requiring Yves Bissouma to play a lot of football in the No.6 role alongside the weekend games.

That's also very dependent on Bissouma remaining fit and not picking up any injuries during this period. It's a risky strategy that will place a lot of pressure on the Mali international.

Archie Gray's time

Archie Gray has got plenty of praise from Postecoglou this season but the £40million teenager has been utilised either as a right-back or left-back by the Australian and even a couple of times as a centre-back.

The 18-year-old's natural position is in the midfield and he starred there at times for Leeds last season, not least during an eye-catching, all-action display against Chelsea in a FA Cup fifth round clash at Stamford Bridge.

Gray is seen as the future of Tottenham's midfield, but perhaps this is the opportunity to be its present.

Versatile Sarr

Pape Matar Sarr, like Gray, is as versatile as they come. The 22-year-old has been selected mainly a No.8 while at Tottenham, but at Metz he played in not only that role, but also as an attacking midfielder, a winger occasionally and also spent a number of games as a defensive midfielder.

Postecoglou trusts Sarr and has used him a lot since arriving at the club. He may well call upon the young Senegal international's tactical intelligence and versatility in a No.6 role, switching in for Bissouma when the fixtures pile up.

Either way, Sarr is going to get plenty of minutes over the next couple of months if he can steer clear of injury.

The Cardoso call

Some Tottenham fans have wondered about accelerating any potential plans to sign USA international defensive midfielder Johnny Cardoso from Real Betis.

When Spurs sold Giovani Lo Celso to the La Liga side in the summer window, they agreed an option to buy the now 23-year-old Cardoso as part of the package, for a fee reported to be £21million. Reports suggest that can only be triggered next summer during a two-week window and if it expires then Tottenham will instead have a sell-on percentage if Cardoso is sold elsewhere.

"Johnny is a player who is of interest not only to Tottenham, but to many other teams, who has great potential and in this case, within the Gio operation, they asked us for an option to buy for a value that was important and interesting for us and we did give them that option," said Betis president Angel Haro in September.

Technically there's two issues here. Firstly, the option appears to kick in next summer, which would mean any January move would not be covered and therefore be more costly. Secondly, Bentancur's potential ban - if it is seven matches and begins soon - will be over by the time the winter window opens. So if Spurs did decide to move for Cardoso at any point, it would be a separate situation.

The Romero wildcard

Here's a wildcard one for you. Centre-back Cristian Romero has not hit the levels he reached for much of last season so far during this current campaign. There could be a case for playing Radu Dragusin alongside Micky van de Ven in the centre of defence when he returns from injury and perhaps giving the Argentine World Cup winner a brand new role in midfield.

The 26-year-old is comfortable sitting on the halfway line, strong in the challenge and uses the ball well. He has not played in the midfield for Tottenham before but could he prove to be a useful option on occasions?

Admittedly this is unlikely to be an option Postecoglou puts high up his list as he wants Romero and his aggression in the backline, but we thought it was something to chew over.

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham by clicking here for in-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.

Yang Min-hyeok is expected to arrive at Tottenham next month ahead of his January transfer, although football.london understands the South Korean teenager will be given plenty of time to adapt rather than be rushed into Ange Postecoglou's plans.

Spurs agreed a summer deal for the 18-year-old Gangwon winger, which has been said to be a record transfer for a player from K-League, with Korean reports estimating it to be around £3.3million (€4million), with the plan that Yang would see out his league season in his homeland and arrive ahead of his January 1 joining date in order to settle in his new country.

The teenager has continued to impress for his club, with 11 goals and six assists in 37 K League matches while playing on either the left or right wing. He has been called up this season on one occasion to the senior South Korea squad after joining Tottenham, alongside his future Spurs team-mate and captain Son Heung-min, but has not made the most recent two squads and instead has been playing for his country's Under-17s.

Gangwon sit third in the K League table with Yang high up in both the goalscorer and assist charts in the competition. He has won the K League Player of the Month award this season and also the Young Player of the Month five times, with four of those in a row from April to July. He impressed against Spurs in a friendly match in Seoul in July with his direct dribbling, not long after signing for the north London side.

The K League season is coming to a close later this month, after the international break, and the expectation has always been that the teenager would have a couple of weeks off to rest before arriving at Spurs next month to start adjusting to life in England and his work permit sought ahead of his January 1 official start date.

Tottenham do currently have winger problems - a month and a half ahead of Yang's move - with Wilson Odobert and Richarlison out with hamstring injuries, while Mikey Moore is getting over the effects of a virus and Son Heung-min and Timo Werner have both had muscle issues in recent weeks which they have only just returned from.

However, football.london understands that Yang will be carefully introduced to life at Tottenham and in the Premier League as he arrives in a new club, league, country and culture rather than be thrown immediately into Postecoglou's matchday squads in January, with the plan always for him to arrive in December ahead of his move.

It's also worth bearing in mind that the 18-year-old is coming to the end of what has been his first season in senior football, one that began all the way back in March and he will have played more than 3,000 minutes of football by the time it ends. To then jump almost straight into a half-season of Premier League football with its pace and power is going to be a big ask physically.

Spurs signed two other 18-year-olds in the summer and Postecoglou has been careful with Archie Gray despite his English football experience and Lucas Bergvall, despite his exposure to European football. The same is expected to be the case with Yang and he will likely first just train with the squad when able to do so in January and acclimatise to a very different kind of football.

There's a chance of course that the teenager could adapt quickly but it is expected that he will take some time to adjust to the physical demands of the English game and the speed of it and Tottenham will be wary of any injury risk after a long season in Korea. Hamstring injuries have dogged the Spurs squad as they've adjusted to Postecoglou's high-energy training sessions and demands in matches.

Yang will at least have the perfect mentor in the shape of his captain Son. The Spurs captain said of the teenager back in the summer: "He is amazing. He is doing a fantastic job in his first season in K-League. I saw him yesterday for the first time, he was being very shy. Obviously, he’s very young, he hasn’t finished his high school yet. How crazy is that? It feels like I’m getting old.

"I told him to practice a little bit his English as well so he has time to practice. Yeah, looking forward, amazing talent, so looking forward to seeing him in a Spurs kit."

"We're delighted to have him as part of the club, somebody who was identified by our scouting department," said Postecoglou after Yang joined. "A young talented player and we're looking always to not just for the present but for the future. He's shown great promise and we're looking forward to having him as part of the club, once he's finished his commitments with his club."

Yang himself said after joining: "First of all, joining such a big club is an honour. I will try my best to show my best. I don’t think that I am that young. And I am chasing my dream. It is a big challenge, I believe I can show and prove my talent. Joining a big club like Spurs means that the Club acknowledges my abilities. I believe that if I do my best and work hard, I will automatically improve a lot.

"When I move [to London], adapting will be important. There is Sonny, this will be a big help for my adapting process since we are both Korean. Sonny is captain of Korea, I would say he had a big influence on my decision."

Listen to the latest episode of Gold & Guest Talk Tottenham by clicking here for in-depth Spurs chat on your preferred podcast platform.