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Tottenham Hotspur are staring down another game without emergency left back option Djed Spence, as starter Destiny Udogie remains without a time table for return due to his latest injury. In the last game with Spence out due to a calf injury, Spurs manager Igor Tudor bumbled his way into a common mistake his predecessors have made, starting Archei Gray out of position at left back.

And all Tottenham fans want is a voice of reason to tell Tudor to start Souza. The Brazilian phenom was the first signing Spurs made in the winter transfer window from Palmeiras, the most touted defensive player in the Brazilian Serie A. Every time he has played this season, including off the bench in the loss to Fulham over the Premier League weekend, he has impressed.

Yet Tudor is not willing to commit to Souza as the obvious option. At the press conference prior to Thrusday's must win London derby battle against mid table side Crystal Palace, Tudor made a positive admission on Souza but then caged it with the usual frustratingly conservative response.

Igor Tudor won't commit to Souza

Tudor said of his teenage left back, via The Spurs Watch, "He was good, I saw something in him. He is there and waiting for his moment to play."

While it was nice to hear Tudor at least praise Souza somewhat, Tottenham fans will not take too kindly to this response because it is wishy washy from a manager who is usual much more straight to the point than Thomas Frank.

But Ange Postecoglou, Tudor is not. Tudor is talking about how Souza is "waiting for his moment", implying Souza will not start against Crystal Palace with Spence still confirmed to be out injured for one more game. Then, though, who will start at left back? And why not Souza?

Even when Spence is healthy, Souza has already shown that he is the superior option to the England international, as the right back hamstrings the entire offense with his inversion on the left. He simply cannot progress the ball or even play as an attacker, hurting the forwards badly.

Souza, though, is athletic, technically proficient, and further along than expected. If, by his own admission, Tudor is impressed with what Souza has done so far, then what is holding him back from starting his best option at the left back position? Tottenham fans will want to know this, especially if Tudor makes the same blunder again.

If Tottenham are to get themselves out of this mess, some of the squad must come to terms with the fact that they may not actually be as gifted as they, or others, believe them to be.

The proof is in the pudding, with the extremities of Spurs' squad failing to cope with a litany of injuries. Those who perhaps wouldn't have been given much of a chance in the absence of an availability crisis are struggling to make the most of a glorious opportunity, and the Lilywhites risk succumbing to the second tier for the first time since 1977 as a result.

Relegation is no longer a fantasy we could once laugh off, instead an apocalyptic potential. We boast a four-point buffer over 18th-place West Ham United, but the Hammers have been playing far better football than us in recent weeks.

Egos must be stripped and the reality of the situation must be met head on. At the moment, though, there are three overrated players who are aiding the club's demise.

The Italian shot-stopper seemed destined for cult hero status in north London after an excellent first season. Dare I say it, Vicario was even a fan favorite, and we grew to know and love the goalkeeper's family, too.

However, since fracturing his ankle in November 2024, Vicario's form has nosedived. He's been an erratic mess for the past 12 months, and has produced a wretched 2025/26 campaign between the posts.

The 29-year-old is the antithesis of serenity, and his failure to instill calm permeates through this Tottenham team. There's a distinct unsteadiness to his play, and not even his stellar shot-stopping abilities have masked his flaws with his feet and in the air this term. According to Opta, Vicario's save percentage of 63.6% ranks fifth-lowest out of all qualifying Premier League goalkeepers. He's also let in 3.4 more goals than expected, the joint-worst underperformance in the league.

I'd have turned to Antonín Kinsky long ago, but it looks like Vicario will remain our No. 1 for the remainder of this miserable season. I want to love him, but he's made it impossible this term.

There's surely not a single Spurs fan who rates Drăgușin or senses anything but dread when he's included in the starting XI. His agent, on the contrary, suspects his client to be in a similar realm to the likes of Paolo Maldini and Franz Beckenbauer.

This bloke—Florin Manea, apparently—has been attempting to engineer a move away pretty much since the Romanian international stepped foot in north London. Unfortunately, he's been unsuccessful on that front.

A long-term knee injury meant Drăgușin missed much of 2025, and he's been called upon as of late thanks to Cristian Romero's lengthy suspension and Kevin Danso's injury. There was early promise in the North London Derby, but it wouldn't take long for the center back's true form to manifest.

He's just a bad defender, and an even worse footballer. We will be doomed if we have to see much more of him the rest of the way.

I didn't mind the Conor Gallagher signing in isolation. He's a useful squad member with a profile seemingly apt for the Premier League in its current state. However, he was not the midfielder this Tottenham team needed.

So far, Gallagher, who's reportedly the club's highest-earner after we splurged £40m on his services in January, has looked like a fish out of water. His role seems unclear, with Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor thrusting Gallagher into zones of the pitch where he doesn't feel particularly comfortable.

Utilising him as a box-crashing attacking midfielder would be my recommendation for profile maximisation, because the glint in Gallagher's eye has dissipated. He's a lost soul right now, struggling to do anything right.

But hey, at least he's got plenty of Championship experience.

Even as Tottenham Hotspur struggle to actually play Archie Gray in his best position again, the biggest clubs in European football are circling around the talented young English center midfielder with Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Borussia Dortmund all registering interest in a player who could be one of the most underrated on the transfer market if Spurs go down.

Not only do Spurs have to do everything possible to stay up in the Premier League and avoid losing Gray, but they also need to do whatever they can to value Gray right now. There are more ways to lose a burgeoning young talent than just relegation.

As if Spurs needed more evidence that Gray has the potential to be special, another key midfielder, Xavi Simons, gave Gray some effusive praise in a recent interview with Pro: Direct Soccer. Simons stated that his 19 year old teammate is the best player at the club in training. While he praised other Spurs players, including fellow top summer signing Mohammed Kudus whom he called underrated, he saved his highest compliments for the even more underappreciated Gray.

Xavi Simons is a big fan of Archie Gray

There are those even within the Tottenham fan base who refuse to acknowledge Gray's talent, and they are likely shrouded by the fact that he is utilized suboptimally. Even just recently, Gray started as a left back against Fulham and then later played on the right wing in the game, so Igor Tudor is making the same mistakes that Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank did with the teenage star.

Simons has trained with some of the best players in the world at PSG and Barcelona, and he also played with talented footballers at PSV and RB Leipzig. So if Simons is going this far to praise Gray even compared to peers he respects like Kudus, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Dominic Solanke, and more, then Tottenham had better take notice.

Tottenham Hotspur, in general, have had a serious problem with recruitment over the years. For every Mohammed Kudus and Micky van de Ven, there are five Radu Dragusins, Randal Kolo Muanis, and Guglielmo Vicarios to take their place. The latest transfer target from Serie A has interim manager Igor Tudor written all over it, and Juventus center back Federico Gatti is not the kind of player Spurs should be going after.

In general, it has been baffling to see how often Spurs are linked to fairly underwhelming center back options, even as they have about four excellent central defenders on their books - five if you include Kota Takai along with Luka Vuskovic as standout young loanees to the Bundesliga - and this isn't a new phenomenon in 2026 either.

Per a report from Turin based newspaper Tuttosport, new Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti is ready to finally sell the cult hero Gatti this summer, sacrificing him so the club can sign more talented players as the Italian international has predictably floundered in a more modern attacking based system. Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest are the two notable Premier League clubs with interest in the 27 year old, who is no longer remotely a young player with upside.

Federico Gatti is the player version of Igor Tudor

Gatti has been below par this season, and it honestly speaks volumes that Forest are the other club interested. That is the level with which Spurs have regressed to, and it is reflected in the Premier League table by the fact that both former clubs of Ange Postecoglou are locked in a relegation fight.

This season, Gatti has brought little value to Juventus. He has avoided mistakes, which is a positive, but he has also offered very little actual progression in terms of his passing, nor has he been winning the ball for a team that should be playing on the front foot. In a lot of ways, Gatti epitomizes the mediocrity that has seeped Juve; he is OK but nowhere near good enough.

And that is the sort of player Tottenham need to avoid. The interest in Gatti has Tudor written all over it, and what can be said about Gatti can also be said about Tudor, which may be why he liked the center back so much when he was coaching in Turin. Tudor is a cult hero and admirable figure, but he has little in the form of talent or accomplishments. He is inoffensive but nowhere near good enough.

This might just be the biggest fixture the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has ever hosted, but not for the reasons any Spurs fans would've hoped for. The Lilywhites are now without a win in ten Premier League matches, thereby firmly entrenched in the relegation battle, just four points clear of the drop zone. Forget a bounce, Igor Tudor has overseen more of a new manager splat, losing both games to date. So, ahead of Thursday's huge clash with Crystal Palace, he must make a change at left-back, dropping Archie Gray and bringing in Souza.

A major reason behind Tottenham's alarming form is their enormous list of absentees. Richarlison returned during the North London derby, before scoring at the weekend, while Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso were both back in at Craven Cottage, but Spurs could remain without ten first-team players.

Tottenham's current injured and suspended players

This week's clash will be the fourth and final match of Cristian Romero's four-game suspension, meaning he will make his long-awaited return at the Metropolitano against Atlético Madrid next Tuesday. The Argentine aside, of the injured players, only Djed Spence is remotely close to a return, meaning Tudor has to work with what he has got.

In the absence of Udogie, Davies and Spence, Archie Gray filled in at left-back during Sunday's defeat to Fulham. That was his 33rd Premier League start for the club, the second-most of any teenager, behind only Aaron Lennon (39), a record he won't break as his 20th birthday is next Thursday. Well, these appearances have come in a wide variety of roles, spending an elongated period of last season at centre-back as Ange Postecoglou endured a similar injury crisis.

However, while there is no doubting Gray's potential and talent, when he is at left-back, this team lacks balance. This is especially the case given who is playing ahead of him. None of Xavi Simons, Mathys Tel or Randal Kolo Muani are a width-providing left-winger. Wilson Odobert, the only player really capable of offering this is sidelined long-term during a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, which means everything comes inside and frankly goes nowhere.

Thus, Tudor should turn to Tottenham's forgotten man at left-back. During the January transfer window, Spurs signed Souza from Brasileirão side Santos for a reported fee of £13 million. The 19 year old made 38 appearances for the Alvinegro, a regular starter in Brazil's top-flight in 2025.

Since arriving in North London, he's made just two appearances, coming off the bench at Old Trafford and Craven Cottage, an unused substitute on three occasions. Upon his arrival, then manager Thomas Frank described him as a "talented, promising young full-back, who is forward-thinking and technically very good". If true, this is exactly what this Spurs side are crying out for right now.

Of course, the jump up from the Brasileirão to the Premier League is a big one, but perhaps not as gigantic as you might think. According to Global Football Rankings, Brazil's first division is the ninth strongest in the world, just below the Primeira Liga and two places above the Eredivisie.

So, while Souza is far from an ideal solution, one would not wish to throw a teenager with little expirence into this mess, he is the best they have. Rather than putting square pegs into round holes, Tudor should give this kid a chance, otherwise why did Spurs spend £13 million to sign him?

Tottenham Hotspur and Son Heung-min decided to part ways amicably this past summer transfer window after the South Korean superstar sealed his legacy with a Europa League title, but Spurs now miss him more than ever.

Yes, Son was very visibly on the decline and saddled by injuries in the 2024/25 season, but he was also great before the injuries really took hold in the middle of the season under the full weight of Ange Postecoglou's non stop system. And even then, the former Bundesliga star still ended the 2024/25 campaign as Spurs leading goal contributor.

Tottenham made the even more foolish mistake of letting Son leave for MLS without signing an experienced left winger - and they aren't even starting the actual left winger they signed permanently, Mathys Tel, even though he is their best option.

Son Heung-min waltzes into this Tottenham team

The result is that Tottenham are haunted by the ghost of Son, and the uncomfortable truth Spurs have to reckon with is Son, healthy and enjoying his football, probably waltzes into this team as their best attacking player right now, especially with right winger Mohammed Kudus currently injured.

And worse than that, it's even harder to argue against the assertion that Son, Spurs former captain, is more trustworthy with the literal season on the line than any other Tottenham player. Richarlison may have led Everton to safety a few years ago, but Son was the only proven superstar in the big moments - and there is something a lot more remarkable about carrying a team to a Champions League Final than even what Richy did for the Toffees.

So Son leaves behind two mistakes that are tearing Tottenham to bits right now with relegation staring them smack dab in the face. The first was even letting Son go in the first place, because, looking back on it, he would have helped them an awful lot right about now. Then the second was not signing someone like Ademola Lookman with experience to replace him.

MLS or not, Son is on a tear to start the first two games of the MLS season for LAFC with two assists, six key passes, six dribbles completed, and three fouls drawn. It's not just the goals and experience Tottenham miss. Tottenham miss the way he could create chances, move the ball up the pitch, take people on, and lift the entire team. Spurs don't have that either, and Kudus's absence only compounds what they are missing on the left side.

At this point, there is not a clear front runner for the Tottenham Hotspur manager job, as Igor Tudor will surely be succeeded this summer by an actual permanent appointment, especially since he has looked at least as inept as Thomas Frank in the early running (which should come as no surprise).

The main favorite to replace Tudor is former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, and as time has gone on, Spurs supporters are increasingly of the belief that Poch should have never been fired in the first place - a sentiment that had already existed at the time of his firing.

Though Pochettino's excellent work in the past at Tottenham has now been tarnished by poor runs with PSG and Chelsea at the top level, those around the club remain fond of him. The current USMNT manager, Pochettino likely would not be available until after this summer's World Cup, but the rumors continue to swirl in his direction.

Mauricio Pochettino still wants the Tottenham challenge

The latest information comes from Give Me Sport journalist Ben Jacobs who delivered some surprising but also positive news on Mauricio Pochettino for Tottenham Hotspur. Per Jacobs, the affinity Poch has for Spurs remains so strong that if Tottenham were to suffer the biggest humiliation and be relegated from the Premier League this season, Pochettino would still be interested in joining them as their manager in the EFL Championship.

Hopefully, it does not come to that for Spurs, but with four points separating them from rivals West Ham United in 17th in the table, Tottenham are the closest they have been to the threat of going down. And after 4-1 and 2-1 losses to rivals Arsenal and Fulham, Spurs truly are treading water at this point.

In that case, Pochettino may be the only regarded manager with an interest in taking on the Tottenham project if they go down. It can't be an attractive job with all the pressure, all the mismanagement, the lack of any viable people in the front office, the fact that Fabio Paratici bolted for another sinking ship in Fiorentina, and the reality that so many great managers have been promptly canned in the recent past.

Tottenham Hotspur have not won a game in the Premier League since stopping the hemorrhaging in their last terrible run of form with a 1-0 squeak of a victory over a Crystal Palace side in turmoil on Dec. 28. This Thursday, Spurs will face that same Eagles side once more in another state of crisis, coming off brutal losses to London rivals Arsenal and Fulham.

As if the moment could not get any bigger or more important for a Spurs side set to face former Europa League Final hero Brennan Johnson for the first time after selling him this winter transfer window, Spurs now have the opportunity to move up in the tense Premier League relegation battle.

Leeds United just lost 1-0 to fellow Premier League returnees Sunderland, once again reenforcing the idea that they have one of the least talented squads in the Premier League. But they are still two points ahead of Spurs despite a significantly worse goal difference at -11.

Tottenham can jump ahead of Leeds

So Tottenham have a can't miss opportunity to at least move into 15th, leapfrog Leeds, and give themselves potentially more breathing room over a West Ham United side that just got shellacked 5-2 by reigning champions Liverpool over the Premier League weekend.

Tottenham have, if anything, looked even worse than West Ham and Leeds in recent weeks, so Igor Tudor has to finally get a win for Spurs as interim manager. Failing to get three points against Crystal Palace this week would be nearly a disaster, and Spurs have to start proving they can take advantage of other teams slipping up.

This is all about survival at this point, and even though Spurs finished 17th last season in the Premier League for their worst ever league finish, a relegation fight is unfamiiliar territory for them. They were never at risk of going down in 2024/25 due to the sheer futility of the Premier League newcomers at the time, but clubs like Sunderland and even Leeds have proven semi competent.

Tottenham vs. Crystal Palace is a rivalry matchup with a lot of stakes. Spurs have only obtained four points in their last 10 Premier League outings. Now, they must survive Oliver Glasner, Johnson, and the Eagles. No, they must do more than survive. They must win, and it is going to take all hands on deck to do so. Spurs supporters will see exactly what Tudor, hired to save them, is made of.

Tottenham Hotspur star center back Micky van de Ven is cutting an increasingly frustrating figure, and you would be forgiven for thinking he has one foot out the door. As Spurs fight to stay alive in the Premier League, the high profile suitors for the Dutch defender are only angling even harder to sign him, including La Liga powerhouses Real Madrid and Barcelona.

For most players, joining either Real or Barca is the epitome of achievement in world football, and, surely, Van de Ven is not the only Spurs player angling to join these clubs. Thus far, Real Madrid have been linked more closely to the star center back just entering his prime years, but now Barcelona are increasing their interest in the player.

Per a new report from Diario Sport's top journalist L. Miguelsanz, Barcelona are now 'intensifying" their pursuit of Van de Ven, with the outlet also reporting that the 24 year old Bundesliga product is expected to leave Tottenham this summer.

Micky van de Ven is likely to leave Tottenham

So far, there has been no concrete indication that Van de Ven is for sure wanting to leave the N17 this summer, nor is there any indication that Tottenham are open to selling. But the rumor mill is spinning a narrative that neither Van de Ven nor Spurs have gone out of their way to deny, and it does feel like that this is the end for VDV, who, unlike Cristian Romero, isn't the actual captain of the club. And on that subject, his stint as a leader with Romero out has not gone well, including disrespecting the fans again in a loss to Fulham.

Tottenham have Luka Vuskovic shining at Hamburg, Kota Takai impressing at Borussia Monchengladbach, and one of the best third center backs in Europe in Kevin Danso. They might actually feel Van de Ven is more expenadble than his talent level would otherwise indicate, and they may be more willing to lose him than Romero, given the latter is their captain and the former can fetch more on the transfer market.

A bidding war between Real Madrid and Barcelona may be what Spurs front office is secretly hoping for. Whereas the fans would want to keep Van de Ven and any other top talent, Spurs have traditionally been more open to selling, and if they can get something approaching nine figures for the center back with the world's two biggest clubs bidding each other, then so be it.

On the one hand, you can look at Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison as a monumental transfer bust. He came to the N17 with a lot of hype as a top Premier League player for another historic club in Everton and joined for 60 million pounds, scoring fewer than 30 goals (so far) in four seasons.

But on the other hand, if Richy is able to save Tottenham from relegation just as he did for Everton in an achievement that was key to bringing him to Spurs in the first place, then you can consider his legacy rewritten as a hero and savior.

There are a lot of things you can say about Richarlison that are negatives. He is rarely healthy, he is frustratingly inconsistent, he cost Spurs way too much money, and he is not a well rounded striker at all who does not score nearly enough goals to make up for the fact that he struggles to create or win enough dribbles.

Richarlison has been a Tottenham transfer bust

However, there is one thing you always have to say about Richy, even when he is playing at his worst. He will always work hard for your team. Richarlison will work especially hard whenever he senses the team is in trouble or in a dark moment, and just like at Everton, Richy is clearly picking up on Tottenham being in a moment of crisis.

Though it was not enough to turn the tide, Richarlison came into the game on Sunday against Fulham and scored a late goal to salvage something for Tottenham. Again, it ultimately did not mean anything where it truly counts in the table, but Richarlison scoring that goal is a sign that not only does he care about this team, but he is also capable of making a difference right now.

Richy will never be able to fully justify his price tag in an objective, full context view of his transfer deal and tenure at Tottenham, which should come to an end in the summer 2026 transfer window. But the send off and sentimental look back on his transfer could end up being overwhelmingly positive and even the transfer fee repaid if Richy can play a crucial role in helping Spurs avoid the humilitation and financial blow of relegation.

These next months are crucial for both Tottenham and the legacies of the players who are staring down the barrel of a tense relegation fight with the likes of rivals West Ham United. Tottenham need Richy, and Richy needs to remind the world who he is.