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There is no denying it: this season is not going to plan for Tottenham Hotspur.

The North Londoners have looked incredible in some games but utterly dire in others, and over the last week, they have dropped points against Fulham, AS Roma, Bournemouth, and most recently, Chelsea.

It's a run of results that has piled the pressure on Ange Postecoglou, and while plenty of fans are desperate for him to succeed, there are murmurings that he may not get the chance.

In fact, even before the devastating loss to Chelsea, reports were linking the club with another manager, someone who has already got the better of the Australian this season.

Postecoglou's Spurs career

Tottenham made the shock decision to appoint Postecoglou in the summer of 2023, and while there were plenty of detractors at the time who claimed his success with Celtic wouldn't translate, it didn't take long for him to start impressing fans and pundits alike.

For example, they went undefeated in their first ten league games and were actually sitting in first place for the October international break.

However, in their 11th league game of the season, they lost 4-1 at home to Chelsea, in a game that saw James Maddison and Micky Van de Ven come off injured, and Cristian Romero receive a red card.

That result saw the North Londoners' campaign turn entirely on its head, and by the time the final whistle was blown in game week 38, they had fallen to fifth place, with a record of 20 wins, six draws, 12 losses, a goal difference of just 13 and 66 points - 25 off Manchester City in first.

Unfortunately, while some hoped that a fresh start this season would see the team return to their pre-Chelsea form of last year, that has not happened.

Instead, Postecoglou's side now sit in 11th, on 20 points, with six wins, two draws and a staggering seven defeats to their name already.

In other words, Tottenham have lost 19 of their 53 Premier League games under the Australian's stewardship, and while there is undoubtedly a chance that his incredibly entertaining brand of full-throttle football could eventually turn things around, it's no surprise that they already have a shortlist of potential replacements should they pull the plug.

Postecoglou's potential replacement

So, according to a report from Football Transfers, Spurs have shortlisted Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna as their first choice to replace Postecoglou should they choose to sack the Australian.

The Northern Irishman has a strong connection to the club, as he spent time in the academy before injury forced him into retirement, then returning a few years later as a scout and then the U18 manager after that.

His success in North London saw him snapped up by Manchester United, where he spent more time as a scout and U18 manager before then earning a place as an assistant manager for Ole Gunnar Solskjær, José Mourinho, Ralf Rangnick and Michael Carrick.

However, after years of learning from some of the best in the business, the 38-year-old accepted his first senior manager job, joining League One Ipswich in December 2021.

Over the next few years, the "sensational" tactician, as John Barnes dubbed him, led the Tractor Boys on a stunning journey from the third tier right up to the Premier League in back-to-back promotions, and while they currently find themselves in the relegation zone, they've shown enough to indicate they could well stay up.

For example, they picked up points against Aston Villa, Manchester United, and Brighton & Hove Albion and even beat the Lilywhites 2-1 away from home just before the last international break.

Now, one added benefit to appointing McKenna is that his preferred formation of 4-2-3-1 could help the club to tighten up at the back, as a double pivot would both provide the back four with that bit more cover, as well as the two in the pivot.

Moreover, it could see Maddison unleashed in a more traditional number ten position, which would allow him to do what he does best and create incredible chances for his teammates.

Ultimately, there is a sense that as things stand, fans would still rather stick by Postecoglou and see if he can turn things around, but if the board has other ideas, McKenna could be the ideal replacement.

Tottenham's chiefs are becoming increasingly interested in a new manager as pressure builds on current Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, it has been reported.

Tottenham's season in tatters

Tottenham threw away another lead this season as they fell to a 4-3 home defeat to Chelsea in their most recent Premier League outing. The Lilywhites roared into a 2-0 lead courtesy of two errors from Marc Cucurella, but were pegged back by goals from Jadon Sancho and Cole Palmer, before Enzo Fernandez and second Palmer penalty left them 4-2 down.

They clawed one back in stoppage time, but it was too little, too late and it was their London rivals who escaped with all three points.

The result, Tottenham's third loss in four Premier League games, leaves the Lilywhites marooned in 11th in the Premier League with more defeats than wins, though they only remain five points off fifth placed Nottingham Forest.

Postecoglou was keen to stress the positives of the game though: "We had moments to get our third and at half-time we were in a decent position. The second half is a ding dong, especially at the start, they scored but we had a big chance with Son, we didn't take it and then they [are] 3-2 up.

"I think there were quality opportunities but I don't think there was an abundance of them. I can't remember the keepers making a load of top quality saves.

"We more than matched a good side in that department and when there is quality out there you are going to have moments. There were things we could have done better for sure."

Despite this, there are concerns mounting in north London, with the Spurs boss having been booed by his own fans during their midweek defeat to Bournemouth, and should results not pick up a change could be inevitable.

Should he depart, one man is creeping his way up Tottenham's radar.

Tottenham chiefs increasingly impressed by Fulham boss

That is according to The Independent, who report that Tottenham's hierarchy are casting "increasingly admiring looks" in the direction of Fulham boss Marco Silva.

The Portuguese coach, who sets his team out in a much more rigid and traditional 4-2-3-1 at Craven Cottage, has helped Fulham into 10th place this season, and picked up a credible point against Tottenham's north London rivals Arsenal in his most recent outing.

Evening Standard reporter Dom Smith dubbed him an "underrated manager", and now it appears that Tottenham have their eye on him should they be forced into making a decision over Postecoglou.

Even having sold his best player in back to back summers, Silva's side have gradually improved since their arrival in the Premier League, and their draw with Arsenal left them three points above Spurs in the table, with far fewer resources.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is suddenly under pressure. It seemed as though the Australian was building something positive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, although things have begun to go wrong in recent weeks.

Although the Lilywhites have beaten Aston Villa 4-1 at home and Manchester City 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium, they have also had some shocking results.

That includes a 2-1 defeat against Ipswich Town in North London and most recently a 1-0 loss away to Bournemouth. Former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara told talkSPORT that he thinks the club “will sack him” if Postecoglou doesn’t improve results soon.

His side certainly underwhelmed against the Cherries, and some of his players were far from their best.

What went wrong for Spurs vs Bournemouth

It was a very frustrating evening on the South Coast for the Lilywhites. Despite dominating possession across the game, Bournemouth absolutely battered Spurs and had far more shots than the visitors.

Andoni Iraola’s side managed 21 shots and eight on target to the North London side’s 12 shots and four on target, as per Sofascore.

Not only that, the South Coast outfit created far more big chances, many of which they missed. Bournemouth had seven big chances against the Lilywhites, missing six of them, and on a different day, it could have been a far more embarrassing scoreline for Spurs than the 1-0 it ended up being.

Spurs’ Achilles heel of defending corners once again hurt them at the Vitality Stadium. Young centre-back Dean Huijsen got his first goal for the Cherries, managing to run behind the Lilywhites' zonal marking system and convert a free header at the back post. It was poor defending.

There were also some poor individual performances littered throughout Postecoglou’s side. James Maddison was someone who struggled, having endured something of a horror show on the night.

The England international certainly did not have much of an impact in the middle of the park, and although he created two chances, struggled to keep hold of the ball. Maddison lost possession 17 times and missed a big chance which could have been pivotal for his side.

After a poor performance from the former Leicester City man, Postecoglou might well decide to reshuffle his side ahead of a crucial clash against Chelsea. Pedro Porro is someone who could come back into the side to replace the Spurs number 10.

Why Porro could start vs. Chelsea

Porro himself was actually rotated out of the side last Thursday against the Cherries, although it was clearly not a decision that paid off for Postecoglou.

He has been a key player for much of the season, playing 17 times in all competitions, so it was something of a surprise he was dropped.

Now, he could well be brought back into the side, although not for Archie Gray who replaced him at right back. Instead, Maddison could drop out of the side with Gray moving into his natural midfield role and Porro slotting in at full back.

That would perhaps reduce Spurs’ attacking output in the centre of the park, although Gray is a player who can contribute in the final third, having provided two assists for Leeds United last season.

As for Porro, he would have a big job to do defensively against Cole Palmer. The England international has something of a free role and roams around the pitch, meaning the Spaniard would have to likely deal with him.

However, he will surely be up to the task. As football statistician Statman Dave explained, he is a “complete” fullback and has some impressive defensive numbers from this term.

Over the past 365 days, the former Sporting CP defender has averaged 3.61 combined tackles and interceptions and 5.95 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, according to FBref.

It will certainly be a tough day for Porro against Palmer, but he has the opportunity to bully the Chelsea winger. He already has nine goals and six assists in 14 Premier League games this term, so he will be hard to stop.

However, the Spurs defender has a fantastic chance to put in a statement performance and keep a player quiet who averages more than one goal and assist per game in the top flight this season. Bring it on.

Tottenham Hotspur have some tough fixtures coming up in December, most recently losing 1-0 away to Bournemouth. The Lilywhites have been on a frustrating run of form in recent weeks but will be hoping to turn that around, starting with a trip to Rangers in the Europa League.

It will see a return to Glasgow for Ange Postecoglou, where he is sure to get a hostile reception as a former Celtic manager.

The North Londoners also host Manchester United in the Carabao Cup quarter-final on the 19th of December, before Liverpool make a trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium just three days later.

Postecoglou will need to make full use of his full squad over the festive period, meaning 17-year-old sensation Mikey Moore is likely to get plenty of minutes.

Mikey Moore’s rise to the top

It has been a sensational rise for highly-rated teenager Moore. Postecoglou has put great faith in him this season, after giving him his debut last season.

The London-born starlet became Spurs’ youngest-ever Premier League player at 16 years, nine months, and three days old when he came on against Manchester City in the penultimate game of 2023/24.

The teenager has become far more prominent this season in the first team. He has played eight times in the first team, playing 288 minutes in total.

Impressively, the youngster has three starts, with two coming in the Europa League against Ferencvaros and AZ Alkmaar. The other came in the top flight, his first start in the competition, away to Crystal Palace in a 1-0 loss.

Moore, who is an England under-19 international, has certainly left a big mark on his teammates. James Maddison was full of praise for him after the game against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, comparing him to legendary winger Neymar.

Maddison said “I thought we had Neymar on the left wing”, which is very high praise for one so young.

It certainly seems like Moore is the future of Spurs. The 17-year-old recently signed his first professional deal, putting pen to paper at the start of August. The Lilywhites will certainly be hoping they can keep hold of him in the long run.

Talents like the Spurs number 47 do not come around very often, but the Lilywhites may have fumbled someone over a decade ago who could have been their original Moore.

Spurs’ original Mikey Moore

The player in question here is Moroccan midfielder Adel Taarabt. The now 35-year-old, who is considered by many as a cult hero of modern-day English football, now plies his trade in the UAE for Al-Nasr SC. In his prime, he was an extravagant attacker who played without fear and with plenty of flair.

He made the move to White Hart Lane in 2007 as a 17-year-old from French side Lens. Originally, the attacker moved to North London on loan but made the move permanent after breaking into the first team.

Sadly, Taarabt never really lived up to the hype at Spurs, making just 15 appearances across three seasons for the club, just five more than Moore already has. However, the talent was most certainly there for all to see, just as it is with Moore.

Goal journalist James Westwood said there are “similarities to be drawn” between the former Spurs prodigy and the up-and-coming star. He explained that Moore “boasts the same level of skill” as the Moroccan, although will no doubt hope to be a regular for the Lilywhites, unlike Taarabt.

The former Morocco international left Spurs permanently in 2010 for £1m, who were managed by Harry Redknapp at the time. He made the move to Queens Park Rangers, after spending the previous season on loan at Loftus Road.

Although his talent never shone through in North London, the same cannot be said for his time in West London. Taarabt made 164 appearances for the Hoops, scoring 34 goals and grabbing 40 assists, dazzling fans with his quick feet and bags of skills.

After spending six seasons at QPR, Taarabt has since played for the likes of Fulham, AC Milan and Benfica. It will surely always be a real shame for Spurs fans to think about what could have been with the Moroccan prodigy.

Had he lived up to his potential, the Lilywhites could have had a world superstar in their side, but it was not to be. They will no doubt be hoping Moore can reach Neymar levels, as Maddison suggested, rather than struggling to live up to the hype like Taarabt.

Tottenham Hotspur have endured an extremely stop-start 2024/2025 season under Ange Postecoglou so far, blowing hot and cold, with one player very keen to quit the club in January.

Tottenham face high-flying Chelsea after disappointing Premier League results

There have been reports in the last 48 hours clarifying Tottenham's stance on sacking Postecoglou, which is never a good sign for any manager as pressure slowly starts to build on the Australian.

The notion of Postecoglou's dismissal was far away from anybody's mind after Spurs thumped Premier League champions Man City at the Etihad Stadium just two weeks ago, but a dismal run of results has since followed that memorable night in Manchester.

Tottenham failed to beat Serie A strugglers Roma in the Europa League, and then couldn't secure all three points at home to mid-table Fulham. The most disappointing result of them all occurred soon afterwards, with Postecoglou's side losing 1-0 to Bournemouth on Thursday evening.

It was an abject display where the Cherries cut Spurs open at will, and the Lilywhites could only muster four attempts on target despite enjoying the bulk of possession down south.

Postecoglou hasn't been helped by the fact goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero - who form a major part of their spine - have been sidelined recently, but you could also argue that Tottenham's inconsistency was present even with the trio fit and available.

Luckily, some reports have suggested that Spurs could go after a new defender and winger in January, which is apparently in chairman Daniel Levy's thinking for when the transfer window reopens next month.

While it isn't certain who they could sign in the winter, or if they'll be able to complete a single deal at all, Postecoglou's side need some form of inspiration from somewhere.

Spurs face-off against London rivals and high-flying Premier League hitters Chelsea this weekend, and a win against the Blues would do wonders to lift spirits at N17, at least for now.

Sergio Reguilon desperate to leave Tottenham as Getafe open early talks

One man who is unlikely to play any part in the encounter is left-back Sergio Reguilon, who has failed to make a single appearance under Postecoglou this term.

The Spaniard is being regularly linked with a January exit as a result, with Getafe expressing a real interest, amid claims Reguilon could even terminate his Spurs contract and leave before it expires in the summer.

Reports from his homeland indicated this week that Getafe may open talks for Reguilon ahead of January, and now Estadio Deportivo have provided a further update on the matter.

It is believed Getafe are in talks to sign Reguilon from Tottenham, and while they're at an "embryonic" stage, meaning early, the 27-year-old is said to be desperate to leave north London before the expiry of his deal.

Tottenham are preparing to "engage" with a £60 million forward through his representatives, and it is believed they're determined to sign him for manager Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham lose 1-0 to Bournemouth as inconsistent Premier League form continues

Spurs showed very little in their latest damning defeat, losing 1-0 to Bournemouth and carrying on their incredibly inconsistent Premier League form.

Dean Huijsen became Bournemouth's youngest ever top flight scorer as the Cherries shut out a weak Spurs side who conceded chance after chance on the night, and in all honesty, it could've been a much greater scoreline for the home side.

Their 4-0 win away to English champions Man City seems like a distant memory, with Postecoglou watching on from the sidelines as his team also failed to beat Serie A strugglers Roma and mid-table Fulham since that night at the Etihad Stadium.

Postecoglou branded Tottenham's performance against Bournemouth "very disappointing", with a very in-form Chelsea side awaiting his injury-ridden squad this weekend.

"Very disappointing," said Postecoglou on Spurs' 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth.

"We started the game well. Started the game the way we wanted to and started controlling it but we give away a poor goal, a really poor goal. Again. That allows the opposition to, and it is a difficult place to come to anyways, sit back and play the football they want. To counter-attack and we have to open up. It is disappointing and not good enough. It is not something that is a one off. We have done that now three or four times and paid a price for it.

"We started the game well but football is a game where you try to control it and dictate it to play the way you want to but when you give goals away like we did tonight, and we have done that consistently not just with set-pieces but just in general this year, it just gives the opportunity then for the opposition, particularly a team like Bournemouth, to play on the counter which is what they want to do. We have to open up. They can sit back. Just really disappointing it has happened again. Something for me to mull over and do something about."

Tottenham are currently having to contend without star defensive duo Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, with number one goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario also out for months after surgery on his right ankle.

This certainly hasn't helped matters, and it is clear Spurs need to strengthen their depleted squad over the next few windows.

Tottenham preparing to open talks with Wolves forward Matheus Cunha

Gary O'Neil has emphatically ruled out a January exit for Wolves star Matheus Cunha, but that apparently won't stop chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange from testing the Molineux side's resolve.

Levy is reportedly considering a new forward for Tottenham in the winter, and Cunha would be quite the statement capture.

The £60 million Brazilian has been Wolves' superstar player this season, bagging seven goals and three assists in all competitions, with Cunha being deployed in a variety of roles as a second striker, centre-forward, winger and attacking midfield player.

This has attracted interest from N17, with Football Transfers suggesting that Tottenham are preparing to open talks with Cunha's representatives. This signals their "determination" to seal a deal for the South American,

Wolves will apparently fight tooth and nail to keep Cunha in the Midlands, though, and are eager to hand him a brand-new contract to ward off elite suitors.

A club are preparing to push hard for one member of Ange Postecoglou's squad in January, as the player looks for a way out of Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs face Bournemouth after disappointing 1-1 draw to Fulham

The Lilywhites take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium tonight, and it is quite uncertain which version of Spurs we'll see.

Postecoglou's side thumped Premier League champions Man City 4-0, thrashed London rivals West Ham in a London derby, beat top-four rivals Aston Villa by three goals and dominated Man United at Old Trafford, but they also handed both Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace their first wins of the season.

Tottenham's inconsistency has been a real chink in their armour so far, and it could seriously endanger their prospects of clinching a first piece of silverware since 2008 and a place in the top four at the end 2024/2025.

It will be interesting to see how Spurs decide to show up on the south coast this evening, but they also are not helped by the plethora of absentees in their squad right now.

Postecoglou is without his number one keeper Guglielmo Vicario for the foreseeable future after surgery on an ankle fracture, while he's also missing his star central defensive duo Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

Wilson Odobert, Richarlison, Mikey Moore and Rodrigo Bentancur are also set to miss tonight's trip, while doubts surround summer signing Dominic Solanke, which has left Spurs very short on the field.

"Everyone from the weekend got through OK, Archie [Gray] obviously got a knock, but he's recovered well," said Postecoglou on Tottenham team news before Bournemouth.

"Dom's due to train today, he's still not 100 per cent, but he's definitely improved from the weekend, so we'll see how he goes through training today. The other injured guys are inching closer but not available."

Due to the severe shortage of options, Postecoglou has even suggested that they could turn to £120,000-per-week outcast Sergio Reguilon, who is yet to make a first-team appearance and this season and was included on the bench for the first time in months against Fulham.

"He is ready. He is training every day so part of the squad and we're down in numbers, but there is also a reason why Reggy is in the last year of his contract with us," said Postecoglou on Reguilon.

"We'll see how that all transpires but nothing wrong with his attitude. He is training every day and we literally have schoolboys on the bench, so we're low down on numbers and he'll probably be involved again tomorrow."

Getafe prepared to open talks for Tottenham defender Sergio Reguilon

As a result of his exclusion from the team, Reguilon is attracting interest from La Liga, as he reportedly looks for a way out of N17.

There have even been reports that Reguilon wants to terminate his Spurs contract, with SuperDeporte now providing an update on the former Real Madrid defender's future heading into January.

The Spanish news outlet writes that Getafe are prepared to "negotiate hard" to sign Reguilon from Tottenham, as they look to take advantage of this situation and shore up their left-back department.

"Frustration" is emerging from Reguilon and his camp over the lack of game time, with Getafe apparently ready to offer him a route out of north London. Reguilon is accomplished at the top level, spending last season on loan spells at Man United and Brentford, so he could be a very astute option on loan mid-season.

According to SuperDeporte, Tottenham will demand around £10 million to sell him outright in January, despite his contract expiring at the end of this campaign.

Over the last year and a half, Ange Postecoglou has turned Tottenham Hotspur into one of the most exciting teams in the Premier League.

The North Londoners are the leading scorers in the competition and look a million miles from the underwhelming side managed by Antonio Conte and José Mourinho just a few years ago.

However, for all the success the Australian has enjoyed in N17, he hasn't been able to banish the club's inconsistent streak, which has been on full display over the last week or so, as they beat Manchester City 4-0 away only to draw against AS Roma and Fulham at home.

So, tonight's clash with Bournemouth is a must-win to ensure the team don't go into the weekend's match with Chelsea in terrible form, and to ensure the team do pick up all three points, Postecoglu must drop club captain Son Heung-min.

Why Son should be dropped

Okay, so the first thing to say is that Son's impact at Spurs over the last nine years or so is perhaps only surpassed by his old partner in crime, Harry Kane.

However, therein lies the problem: the South Korean superstar has had an incredible impact on the club, but as most fans will likely attest, he's struggling to have that same impact this season.

For example, against Roma, he may have scored the penalty, but after that he was a passenger, taking just 36 touches, failing to complete a single cross, registering an expected assists number of 0.08 and generally making the wrong decisions when in dangerous positions.

Unsurprisingly, such a performance saw Spurs writer Alasdair Gold award the 32-year-old a paltry match rating of 6/10 at full-time, writing that he was 'not quite in his full rhythm.'

Postecoglou tried to reduce how much running the former Bayer Leverkusen ace would have to do in the game against Fulham by starting him in the number nine position, but it only led to an even more underwhelming display.

In his 97 minutes of action, he amassed a combined expected goals and assists figure of just 0.21, took a single shot on target, misplaced all three of his crosses, lost the ball ten times despite taking just 40 touches and missed one big chance, which led to Gold giving the Chuncheon-born star just a 4/10 rating, writing that he was 'very quiet' and 'contributed very little.'

In short, with him struggling on the wing during the week and looking even worse at centre-forward on the weekend, the manager should drop him and reintroduce someone who could terrorise Bournemouth's defence.

The Spurs ace who must start in place of Son

So, if Son is to be removed from the number nine position ahead of tonight's game with Bournemouth, there is only one player who can and should come in to replace him, a player the opposition will be more than a little familiar with, Dominic Solanke.

Now, some might say the Cherries' knowledge of how the Englishman plays could be a disadvantage for him, but that is more likely going to be the other way around, as Solanke will have a better understanding of things like their defensive shape, trigger presses and general tactical approach.

However, away from that, there is one incredibly straightforward reason why the former Liverpool gem has to start in the game: his output.

Despite a slowish start to the campaign, likely down to his need to adapt to Postecoglou's demanding system, the 6 foot 2 "phenomenon", as dubbed by Ian Wright, has still scored six goals and provided three assists in 17 appearances, which equates to a reasonably impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.88 games.

On top of that, the Basingstoke-born ace will give his teammates far more of a target to aim for and play off of than Son did against Fulham, which should help the team play higher up the pitch and generally create more chances, as defenders won't be able to rest for even a moment.

Ultimately, Spurs need to pick up a win after last week's disappointing results, and the best way for Posetcoglou to ensure that happens is by dropping Son and, in his place, starting Solanke.

After the incredible highs of smashing Manchester City 4-0 at the Etihad, last week was a real downer for Tottenham Hotspur.

First, the North Londoners drew at home to Serie A side AS Roma, and while that's not necessarily the end of the world, it was the manner in which it happened that hurt the most, a last-minute equaliser after having ample chances to put the game to bed earlier.

Then, despite taking the lead once again and being a man up for the last 15 minutes or so, they drew with Fulham in the Premier League, which was the fourth game in all competitions that the club have dropped points at home this season.

So, with a game away to the high-flying Bournemouth to come tonight, Ange Postecoglou has plenty of decisions to make, and one of those is dropping arguably the team's best performer from Sunday afternoon.

Spurs' best performer against Fulham

So, the truth is that the list of best performers on Sunday afternoon for Spurs is tiny, with perhaps only a few names on it.

However, one of those names is certainly Timo Werner, who actually looked reasonably effective at times, providing the assist for Brennan Johnson in the second half, creating two big chances and earning himself a 6/10 match rating from journalist Alasdair Gold, who claimed he was the 'most threatening of the front three.'

Yet, if Postecoglou wants to give his team the best chance of picking up all three points against the Cherries this evening, he must boldly drop the German international, for as good as he was, he still wasn't good enough to help his team win the game.

Moreover, while his form has certainly improved in recent weeks, the former Chelsea ace still has the capacity to seriously underwhelm when it matters most, and his tally of one goal and three assists in 16 appearances this season is hardly good enough to demand his continued selection, especially not when there were far more dangerous players on the bench against the Cottagers.

The player Ange must start vs Bournmouth

So, with Johnson being his most effective off the right and Son Heung-min being even more disappointing than Werner against Fulham, the ideal candidate to start off the left against Bournemouth is Dejan Kulusevski.

Now, it's certainly true that he's more experienced off the right, but with his Welsh teammate now a nailed-on starter in his old position and there being few, if any, genuine options off the left, it almost feels like the manager must start the Swede there.

Moreover, the former Juventus star is undoubtedly one of the club's most technically gifted and naturally talented players and has some experience playing off the left from his time in Italy.

Furthermore, as talent scout Jacek Kulig points out, the 24-year-old is an absolutely "world-class" player, and as this season has shown us, he's more than capable of transitioning to a new position within the team.

For example, of his nine goal involvements this season, the Stockholm-born maestro has produced seven of them from midfield, showing that he is incredibly adaptable.

Ultimately, if Postecoglou wants to give himself and his team the best chance of winning tonight, he needs to ensure he's starting his best and most inform players, which means Kulusevski simply has to start, even if its off the left.

It's been almost a year and a half since Ange Postecoglou was appointed manager of Tottenham Hotspur.

The Australian has undoubtedly had his issues in North London, but it would be fair to say he has successfully brought attacking football back to N17 after José Mourinho and Antonio Conte subjected fans to years of dire displays that were no more successful.

However, while the majority of fans were happy to see the back of the latter last year, he was at least responsible for a few successful signings, including one who's now being compared to a £60m superstar.

Conte's other star signing

So, before we get to the player in question, let's look at another of Conte's best signings he made while at Spurs, Dejan Kulusevski.

The Swedish international joined the Lilywhites on an initial 18-month loan deal with an obligation to buy in January 2022, which was made permanent in the summer of 2023.

However, it was under the Italian manager that the incredible talent first made his way to North London, and while there have been a few issues along the way, it would be unfair to describe his time with the club as anything other than a roaring success.

In all, the former Juve gem has made 116 appearances for the club, in which he's scored 17 goals and provided 26 assists, equating to a goal involvement every 2.69 games, and based on his form this season, we wouldn't be surprised to see that average continue to improve.

We say that because, even though he has been an essential player throughout his time at the club, Postecoglou's decision to move into midfield more regularly this year has seen him become practically undroppable.

For example, of his nine goal involvements this season, seven of them have come when he's played in attacking or central midfield, and it was in the middle of the park that he became the first away player since the 03/04 season to create nine chances from open play at Old Trafford.

Overall, signing Kulusevski was undoubtedly one of the very best things Conte did while at Spurs.

However, signing another first-teamer, now being compared to one of the best in his position, was a close second.

Spurs' megastar in the making

So, the player in question is right-back Pedro Porro, who, like Kulusevski, initially joined Tottenham on a loan deal under Conte, only this time it was in January 2023, and the deal included an obligation to buy for £40m.

The Spaniard didn't get much time to play with the former Chelsea boss, as he left that March, but he still enjoyed a reasonable first six months in London, making 17 appearances, scoring three goals and providing three assists.

Fortunately, Postecoglou opted to keep the "titanic" defender, as dubbed by The Athletic's former Spurs correspondent Charlie Eccleshare, in his team, and across all competitions last season the Don Benito-born dynamo made 37 appearances, in which he racked up a seriously impressive tally of four goals and seven assists.

It's been more of the same this year as, in just 16 games, the 25-year-old has already scored twice and provided two assists, which is the sort of form that makes his comparison to the sensationally talented Trent Alexander Arnold, who has a career tally of 102 goal involvement, unsurprising.

Yes, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the most similar full-back to the Spaniard across the last 365 days.

While their incredibly attacking ability is already a massive similarity between the pair, we can gain a better understanding of how FBref has reached its conclusion by examining the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, such as progressive passes and carries, assists, live and attempted passes and shot-creating actions, all per 90.

Now, seeing one of your starters compared to someone widely regarded as one of the best in their position is already reason enough for Spurs to celebrate, but it also suggests that the former Sporting ace could be worth a small fortune.

For example, according to FOTmob, the Liverpool star is currently worth around €72m, which is about £60m, and if Porro is the same age, playing a similar role, and producing incredibly similar underlying numbers, why shouldn't he be worth just as much?

Ultimately, while Conte got a lot wrong during his time at Tottenham, signing the Spanish full-back was not one of them, and if the club are ever to sell him for a massive profit, they may owe him a thank-you.