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Mauricio Pochettino is set to return to the spotlight on Thursday as the former Tottenham Hotspur boss will feature on the Overlap podcast.

A lot has been made about Tottenham Hotspur’s struggles this season as they continue their fight to stay in the English top flight.

Different pundits and ex-players alike have staked their claims, with some offering insight into what has truly gone wrong at Tottenham and what the club has to do to get out of what is a crisis.

Spurs Web recently relayed comments from former Premier League player Gareth Barry, who claimed that while Spurs are struggling, should they go down, they are sure to return to the Premier League with relative ease.

The former midfielder also urged the club to learn from its past mistakes as they continue their fight to stay in the Premier League.

Tottenham fans to hear from Mauricio Pochettino on The Overlap

We also heard from Ange Postecoglou earlier this season when he appeared on The Overlap following his sacking from Nottingham Forest. The Australian gave some insight into why he believes Spurs have fallen off in recent times, stating that they are confused of their own DNA.

Tottenham fans will now have the opportunity to hear once more from an insider this Thursday, as Mauricio Pochettino is set to join The Overlap and will surely touch on the happenings around north London.

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Tottenham continue their fight against relegation as they sit two points adrift of 17th place with four games to play.

That is a far cry from where they were under the guidance of the Argentine, who had them finishing in the top four, took them to a Champions League final and had them in the fight for a title.

Spurs still linked with Mauricio Pochettino return talk

Pochettino clearly still has some love for Tottenham, and he continues to leave the door open for a potential return.

However, Spurs’ appointment of Roberto De Zerbi is set to make a return any time soon very unlikely, as the Italian has committed to staying for the long term.

Speaking recently about a potential Tottenham return and addressing his connection to the club, Poch said: “Yes, why not [go back]? If the right conditions are there, of course. Tottenham feels like home to us. We identify with the club’s idiosyncrasies, values and supporters.

“Right now it is about enjoying the World Cup,” he added. “After that, I have always said I came so close to winning the Premier League and Champions League, and want to try again. I would like to be part of a project with the ambition of winning both.”

Spurs fans could also hear once more about a potential return to north London when he joins the overlap this Thursday.

Xavi Simons became the next victim of Tottenham’s terrible injury crisis with his season-ending ACL rupture, but the statistics tell an even more depressing story.

Saturday afternoon was a mixed bag for Tottenham. If you’d have asked a fan before Spurs’ 3 PM kick off against Wolves whether they would have taken a Spurs win but two of their highest profile attackers would wind up receiving season-ending injuries, how many of them would take up that deal? Break Tottenham’s 118-day winless streak in the Premier League, but severely hamper their attacking options and thus decrease their chances of Premier League survival?

It shall forever remain a moot point because this is exactly the reality Tottenham Hotspur have found themselves in.

Spurs earned a hard fought 3 points in a frankly stodgy 1-0 win against Wolves at Molineux thanks to a late goal from Joao Palhinha. Both Dominic Solanke and Xavi Simons went down with season-ending injuries during the Premier League fixture.

From the two, Xavi’s injury is the much graver one as the young midfielder ruptured his ACL. It’ll keep him out of the team for at least 9 months, making it entirely possible that his next appearance for the club could be against Lincoln City in January next year…

Solanke is suspected to have suffered a grade two hamstring strain, which also all but rules out any involvement in Spurs’ end of season run in as they battle against the drop.

This leaves Tottenham with exactly three senior attacking players available to face Aston Villa on the weekend – Mathys Tel, Randal Kolo Muani and Richarlison, all of whom are natural centre forwards rather than wingers.

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Roberto De Zerbi is sparing no effort in his quest to carve out a narrow path that saves Tottenham from relegation, but it feels like due to luck, mismanagement or otherwise, his options have been systematically culled since his arrival.

With earlier injuries to Mohammed Kudus and Christian Romero, De Zerbi now averages one season ending injury per week in charge, possibly yet another bizarre Premier League record Tottenham Hotspur can add to their books.

Painting Tottenham’s injury crisis by numbers

It is no longer a surprise to anyone to say that Spurs have suffered an unprecedented injury crisis, but such terms and what constitutes a crisis is too often the nomenclature of punditry, media.

In these conversations reality can sometimes give way to emotional narrative so as it is with almost anything, it’s worth grounding ourselves (maybe to stave away the existential threat facing your club) with some numbers.

While player availability is not the instant hallmark of a high quality team, it is almost banal to say that availability has an effect on performance. The less players available a team has, the lower its tactical flexibility, the higher the players exhaustion, their risk of injury.

Well, in their Premier League campaign this season, Spurs’ senior players through injury, suspension or other unavailability, have missed a total of 263 potential individual appearances.

It might be hard to put that into context at first, so here’s a little explainer. This is Tottenham’s availability list for this season in the Premier League, which seems closer in comparison to the core map from the Chernobyl reactor control room than an availability list.

From all possible appearances that Tottenham’s players with more than 100 minutes played for the senior team can make (833), across the 34 matchweeks so far this season, player unavailability has reduced that number by 263. In even simpler terms, Spurs have lost 30% of their capacity to field senior players in this Premier League season.

Maybe it’s difficult to verbalise this with sufficient weight but the impact of not being able to field almost one third of your squad, of being denied that much firepower, is almost unimaginable.

For immediate comparison, Tottenham’s relegation rivals West Ham, lost just about 10% of that same capacity (77/782).

It feels like Spurs were given little leeway this season for as completely unprecedented this level of unavailability is.

But it’s not just the raw unavailability that hurt Spurs so deeply this season. Their rate of concurrent injuries, meaning how many injuries they had going on at the same time, is also incredibly high.

Spurs have had at no point this season less than 5 senior players injured, a state of affairs that lasted only for three gameweeks in total anyway. At its worst, they were missing 13 senior players at one time (fans will remember their draw at Anfield as that occasion), and 10 or more on seven separate occasions.

It is not exactly a grand discovery to say that there probably exists a negative corelation between a team’s form and the fitness and availability of their players.

But it is absolutely clear that Tottenham’s season unravelled along with their injuries. Issues with style and performances notwithstanding, it is nearly impossible to imagine that Spurs would’ve been relegation frontrunners with 11 senior players consistently available.

The drop-off has been so drastic its worth visualising.

Tottenham were particularly impacted by injuries to Mohammed Kudus, around matchweek 21 (Bournemouth A), on whom they over-relied for chance creation. Porro’s absences were keenly felt not just in terms of their points per game but also clearly impacted Tottenham’s performances. Spurs’ xG has been consistently lower without him in the team.

Lastly, the perhaps biggest indictment of Tottenham’s medical team, is their injury recurrence rate.

Fears of a curse are probably wide off the mark (the last time I checked there were no burial grounds in Enfield that Hotspur Way could have been built on) but they are not unsolicited.

Spurs’ medical team boasts an impressive 57% re-injury rate. Across 36 distinct injury spells among Tottenham’s 21 senior players with at least one injury this year, 12 players suffered relapses and ended up back in the medical room at a later date.

And what does this say about the Spurs medical team?

It’s difficult to say what exactly is going wrong in Tottenham’s medical department. The issues with injuries had been so persistent across the last three seasons that it can no longer be considered an issue of playing style or training methods.

The injury plague has reaped its toll across four different managers with playing styles that ranged from ultra-conservative to ultra-attacking.

The one constant across that period at Tottenham Hotspur has been instability, both behind the scenes and on the grand stage. The grand Succession style intrigues that were playing out within the leadership structure had left their mark on the medical department all the same.

While this season saw the arrival of Nick Stubbings as the new head of medical, joining from a lead physiotherapist role at Brentford, supposedly during Ange Postecoglou’s last season in charge, the medical department saw a major revamp as well.

Geoff Scott departed Spurs after almost a 20-year involvement after unconfirmed disagreements with Ange Postecoglou. During his time in charge of the medical department at Tottenham, Scott oversaw multiple season were Spurs had some of the best player availabilities in the Premier League, making his departure all the more puzzling.

While the flurry of questionable managerial appointments, bad recruitment, and honestly a dose of bad luck certainly haven’t helped Spurs this season, their current crisis had been in the works for years already and stands on foundations of terrible boardroom leadership and baffling decisions.

What we’re seeing at Tottenham is finally the result of accruing years of instability covered up by first team performances.

Former Everton striker Jermaine Beckford thinks Tottenham have had two standout players this season as they have continued to struggle to pick up results.

Tottenham find themselves in an extremely precarious position heading into their final four league games of the campaign.

The Lilywhites are two points adrift of safety and need at least a couple of wins in order to avoid being relegated for the first time in nearly half a century.

Many of their star players have performed much below expectations this term, and the club have not been helped by their injury situation, but one pundit has been impressed by two Spurs stars.

Xavi Simons and Archie Gray named as Tottenham’s two standout performers

Spurs’ chances of survival received another major blow on Monday when it was confirmed that Xavi Simons faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after tearing his ACL.

Jermaine Beckford believes that the news comes as a serious setback for Roberto De Zerbi’s men in their quest for survival, suggesting that the Dutchman and Archie Gray have been the club’s standout performers across the campaign.

Reacting to Xavi’s injury, Beckford told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast: “He has given Tottenham a bit of a spark this season. The club hasn’t had many players who have looked like they have something to genuinely offer or who could be proud of leaving everything on the line week in week out this season.

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“He was a bit of a slow burner at first, but he has been one of two standout performers for me this season along with Archie Gray. {ACL] is such a difficult injury to come back from. It is a bad one.

“The recovery period is between seven and nine months, if you’re able to do your rehab properly, but he does have youth on his side and he should be able to recover fully. However, it will take him a bit of time to catch up with the pace and trust his own body again.”

Roberto De Zerbi and the Spurs players have not lost belief

After overseeing the club’s first league win of the calender year against Wolves, De Zerbi insisted that he believes Tottenham can stay up.

That belief seems to be shared by his players, with Kevin Danso promising Spurs fans that he and his teammates will fight till the end, and admitting that the players need the fans’ support.

Alasdair Gold has revealed whether Tottenham Hotspur could recall some of their loan players to aid their efforts to survive in the Premier League.

Spurs find themselves two points off 17th place, with four league games left to go, and they have suffered some major injury blows recently.

Joining long-term absentees such as Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, and James Maddison, Tottenham have also lost Xavi Simons to an ACL injury, with the Dutchman not expected to be fit for the rest of the year.

Cristian Romero may also not play again this season, while there is also some uncertainty regarding the fitness of Dominic Solanke, who was forced off against Wolves.

Tottenham’s loan players cannot feature for them this season

Some may wonder if the Lilywhites could potentially recall the likes of Will Lankshear, Mikey Moore and Luka Vuskovic to aid them at this time of crisis.

However, Football.London’s Alasdair Gold has now explained that Tottenham cannot go down the route of recalling and playing the young players who are out on loan.

He reveals that Premier League loan players are de-registered from the parent club and re-registered elsewhere, and this cannot change until the summer transfer window opens.

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Other than the early recall of a goalkeeper in exceptional circumstances, no other player out on loan will be permitted to feature for De Zerbi’s men in their final four league games of the season.

Jamie Carragher reveals why Spurs may be dead and buried

Speaking after Tottenham’s win over Wolves, Jamie Carragher insisted the injury to Xavi Simons comes as a major blow to the Lilywhites’ chances of survival.

Carragher named James Maddison as the only one who can offer the creativity Spurs desperately need to win matches.

The Sky Sports pundit suggested that, unlike the other relegation-threatened clubs, it is difficult to see who is going to score goals for Tottenham, given the personnel De Zerbi’s men are missing.

Tottenham Hotspur have been credited with an interest in an exciting Brazilian starlet ahead of the summer transfer window.

Spurs could be set for major changes to their backline this summer, with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero facing uncertain futures in North London.

Tottenham showed with their acquisition of Souza in January that they are keeping a close eye on the best young talent emerging from Brazil.

Additionally, Spurs’ scouts have been spotted in South America on a few occasions of late, and it has now been revealed that a teenage defender is on their radar.

Tottenham have expressed their interest in Arthur Dias

According to journalist Monique Vilela, as well as outlet Globo Esporte, Tottenham are fans of Athletico Paranaense centre-back Arthur Dias, who has been turning a lot of heads with his performances this season.

The 19-year-old is emerging as one of the best young defensive stars in the Brazilian top-flight and could be one of their next major exports to Europe.

It is revealed that Spurs sent their representatives to the Arena da Baixada to watch him closely in the two recent matches against Atletico-GO and Vitoria.

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The report adds that the Lilywhites have expressed their interest in their teenager to Athletico Paranaense ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

Spurs have work to do to win race for Dias

The update reveals that Athletico Paranaense have made it clear that they do not wish to sell the centre-back during the summer window.

The club want to keep Dias at least until the end of this year and are in a strong negotiating position since his deal runs until the end of 2028.

It is revealed that the Brazilian side are likely to demand between £17m and £21.5m for the young centre-back’s services.

Tottenham youngster James Rowswell has now opened up on what signing a new deal with Tottenham Hotspur means to him.

It sure is a surreal moment for James Rowswell, who has signed a new Spurs contract just 45 days after making his Tottenham Hotspur debut.

That milestone could not have come on a grander stage, as the 19-year-old came on in the dying moments of Spurs’ Premier League encounter with Liverpool.

The teenager played his part in that clash, getting in a crucial block in the closing stages following a Liverpool counter-attack.

But that is a culmination of all the hard work the youngster has put in from a very young age, as he worked his way to the very top.

Tottenham youngster James Rowswell reacts to new contract

After putting pen to paper, James Rowswell sat down with the official Tottenham media team to reflect on his journey and what the new deal means to him.

Speaking about his delight at signing a new contract and the work he has put in to reach this point, he told the club’s official channels: “Signed my second professional contract at the club, I’m over the moon with it. It’s what I’ve been working towards, so just happy to get that over the line and push on from now.

“It’s just like my hard work has been rewarded. I’ve been grafting every day since I came in, since I was nine, and yeah, just over the moon.

“When I was six or seven, when I was really young at school, I managed to get into one of the after-school clubs, something linked with Tottenham, and I went through the development stages into the elite phases and got the chance to come on trial at the academy at nine, I think, and since then I’ve just kicked on at the academy.

“I always thought if I graft and put the extra extra mile in every single day in training, then it would show in my performances at some point. This season I’ve managed to really kick on, all of them little bits, little extra training bits and stuff I’m doing with specific coaches, from my defending to my passing, it’s really helping.

“I’ve definitely got more physical, a lot better with my feet, so I think them two things have just worked hand in hand. I did a lot of ball striking work with the coaches over the years, a lot of defending, specifically on one-on-one stuff, and it has all helped me.

“Obviously, just being over there a lot more just helps adapt you to the men’s game. I think for someone transitioning from Under-21 to first team, that’s massive and it is what every young player needs.”

Spurs youngster James Rowswell reflects on Liverpool debut moment

Reflecting on his debut against Liverpool and the emotions of stepping onto the pitch at Anfield, Rowswell explained what the moment meant to him and how it unfolded.

He added: “The whole thing is just unreal, just being part of the squad at Anfield, so surreal, and then I got the opportunity to come on and it was unbelievable. I think it was 89th, 90th minute and Bruno said, ‘Oh James, get ready’ and all that, so I was just buzzing. I did not really take it all in until a couple of days later, but that was a really good moment.

“I mean, I thought I was going to come on, get in the box, hopefully score the winner, but no, I got told to get on the edge of the box and just sit in the centre of the back five. When I came on, they managed to get a counter-attack on us, I just tried my best to stop the attack and it worked.

“I got the men behind the ball, I made a really good block, managed to get a point. I just felt so part of it, just brilliant seeing the fans, they loved it, their support was unreal the whole day, all the players’ support, my family’s support, it was just brilliant within that group, it’s just quite a surreal moment.

“I try to never take it for granted, being over there every day, training, being involved in the matchday squad, so I just try to give it my all, make the best impression possible whenever I can. I just want to keep playing for Tottenham, get as many appearances as possible.”

Radu Dragusin’s outspoken agent, Florian Manea, has revealed whether he has had conversations with the centre-back over a potential summer exit from Tottenham Hotspur.

The summer window is fast approaching, but the decision-makers at Tottenham will be preoccupied with the club’s pursuit to remain in the Premier League.

Roberto De Zerbi’s men sit two points off safety with four games to go, and relegation to the Championship will drastically change Spurs’ plans for the upcoming transfer window.

The agent of a Spurs centre-back, who has found game time hard to come by this season, has now revealed what his client’s stance is ahead of the summer.

Radu Dragusin has not told his agent to sort out Tottenham exit

Tottenham are expected to undertake an ambitious rebuild of their squad in De Zerbi’s first transfer window at the club, and it remains to be seen if Dragusin is part of the Italian’s plans.

The Romanian international’s agent has now revealed that the 24-year-old remains fully focused on keeping Spurs in the Premier League, and that any conversations regarding a summer move will only be had at the end of the campaign.

When asked if his client wants to leave North London in the summer, Manea told Digi Sport (as relayed by Sport Witness): “Radu didn’t ask me for anything. I said we won’t talk until the end of the championship; he’s focused on saving Tottenham.

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“I also talked to him last night, we have time, no one is rushing us for now. If someone calls me, you’ll realise I’m talking, but I haven’t been contacted, I’m telling you the truth.

“As I said, his priority now is saving Tottenham. I haven’t talked to Fiorentina, Juventus or even Tottenham. I’ll arrive in England next week, I’ll meet with Radu and we’ll see.”

Why Spurs may not cash in on Dragusin this summer

The former Genoa man could still have a part to play in Tottenham’s quest to remain in the Premier League, as he is just one injury away from being a starter.

Additionally, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven continue to be linked with moves away from Spurs this summer, with the Argentine and the Dutchman both of interest to elite clubs across the continent.

Spurs may thus not be too keen to listen to offers for Dragusin at the start of the window, and the 24-year-old’s future could also depend on whether the Lilywhites stay up.

Tottenham Hotspur have now moved to secure the long-term future of an academy talent who has featured once this season and has been named on the bench on 14 occasions.

Tottenham Hotspur’s senior team have had their fair share of struggles this season, with results on the pitch not going their way.

They continue to battle to avoid relegation with four games to go, and should they lose that fight, the Spurs squad as we know it could look very different.

It is believed that a handful of first-team stars could seek moves elsewhere as they aim to continue to play at the highest level should the Lilywhites go down

Of course, with such uncertainty, Tottenham will want to make sure of their future, and beefing up their academy is one good place to start.

Tottenham confirm new James Rowswell contract

Spurs have now confirmed that they have secured the future of academy talent James Rowswell, who has signed a new contract with the club.

The 19-year-old is no stranger to first-team football, having made his Premier League debut off the bench under Igor Tudor in Spurs’ 1-1 away draw against Liverpool a few weeks ago.

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He was also on the bench in Tottenham’s Carabao Cup clash with Newcastle earlier this campaign and has been named in the senior squad on 13 occasions.

The defender was part of Tottenham’s Under-17 Premier League Cup-winning squad in 2022/23, before going on to sign his first professional contract during the following campaign.

This term, he has established himself in the Under-21 side, captaining Tottenham at that level on several occasions while also starring in the club’s Under-19 UEFA Youth League team, scoring four goals in six league stage matches.

Spurs continue to invest in youth amid uncertainty

Of course, it makes absolute sense for Tottenham to secure the future of several of their young talents, especially with a rebuild in the summer looking increasingly likely.

Whether they maintain their top-flight status or go down, ensuring their academy remains one of the best in the country has to be a top priority, as that represents the future of the club.

Tottenham have always been at their best when they’ve looked forward rather than inward – and in the middle of this injury crisis, that truth may matter more than ever.

The first win of 2026 felt enormous. It lifted a weight, restored a little belief, and most importantly kept survival firmly within reach. But it came with a cruel price.

Injuries have once again torn through the squad, with Dominic Solanke’s hamstring issue and the devastating ACL injury to Xavi Simons adding to an already brutal list. With Wilson Odobert, Mohammed Kudus and Dejan Kulusevski sidelined, and James Maddison still working his way back, the attacking depth is stretched to its limit.

And yet, maybe this is not just a crisis. Maybe it is an opportunity.

For all the understandable concern, there is something undeniably exciting about the possibility this opens up: a genuine chance for Tottenham’s young talent to step into the spotlight.

With a front three likely to feature Mathys Tel, Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani, and one of Conor Gallagher or Lucas Bergvall operating behind them, the bench could suddenly have a distinctly academy feel to it. And rather than seeing that as desperation, Spurs supporters should see it for what it could be — a glimpse of the future arriving early.

James Wilson is a Tottenham striker with no fear

There is something very “Tottenham” about the idea of a young striker being thrown into the chaos and thriving.

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At 19, James Wilson already carries himself like someone ready for bigger stages. His Scotland debut, becoming the nation’s youngest ever player in March against Greece, spoke volumes about how highly he is rated. His return of eight goals in 45 games at Hearts might not scream superstar yet, but those numbers rarely tell the full story with young forwards.

What stands out is his instinct. Wilson has that natural striker’s knack of appearing where danger is. He plays fearless football, attacks spaces aggressively and has the kind of confidence young players need if they are going to make the leap.

In a survival fight, that fearlessness matters.

Luca Williams-Barnett has the X-Factor but injury issues of his own

Every academy generation has one player that supporters whisper about. Luca Williams-Barnett feels like that player. With the number of fans calling for his inclusion at the moment, we had to at least mention him. But there is a reason he isn’t even on the bench at the moment…

At just 17, he already has that rare trait that cannot be coached: he makes people rise out of their seats. There is unpredictability to his game, a spark that can turn stale moments into magic. His five-goal haul against Slavia Praha in the UEFA Youth League was outrageous, but it only confirmed what many already suspected.

He is special.

And in a squad missing creativity, maybe this is exactly the moment to trust someone capable of producing something from nothing. Sometimes survival is not about control – it is about moments. Williams-Barnett can create them.

There is just one problem. Tottenham even need to wait for their brightest academy spark to come back from injury, as Williams-Barnett is nursing a problem at the moment. Unfortunately, Spurs fans might have to put a pin in that one for now.

Tottenham’s Callum Olusesi is calm beyond his years

Not every young player announces themselves with flair. Some do it with composure.

Callum Olusesi belongs firmly in that category.

Already trusted in major moments — from a Champions League appearance against Atlético to minutes at Anfield — he looks remarkably comfortable around senior football. He can play as an eight or a ten, carries the ball intelligently, and has an eye for the progressive pass.

There is maturity in his game that should not be underestimated.

In difficult seasons, calm players become priceless.

Tynan Thompson is a natural winger, and Spurs need that

Every great escape needs an unlikely hero.

Why not Tynan Thompson?

The 18-year-old winger is flying in the youth setup and offers something this injury-hit side desperately needs — pure unpredictability. He is quick, direct, fearless and gloriously unrestrained.

There is something wonderfully old-school about a winger who just wants to beat his man.

And if Tottenham are going to fight their way to safety, maybe a freestyle-loving wide player playing with nothing to lose could be exactly the kind of chaos this team needs.

Survival will require courage from Spurs and De Zerbi

It is easy in difficult moments to retreat into caution. To trust only experience. To play safe. But safe does not always save you.

Tottenham’s history is built on daring — on backing youth, playing brave football and trusting talent before the rest of the world sees it. That identity should not disappear when things get hard. In fact, it matters more now.

Because survival may not come through grinding out predictable solutions. It may come through taking risks.

Throwing a teenager on when a game needs changing. Trusting academy players in pressure moments. Believing youthful fearlessness can achieve what caution cannot.

Yes, injuries have left Spurs depleted. But they may also have opened the door for something uplifting in a season that has needed it.

Maybe this is where new heroes emerge. Maybe this is where futures begin. And maybe, just maybe, survival will be secured not despite trusting youth – but because of it.

Because sometimes, when your back is against the wall, the boldest move is the only move left.

And for Tottenham to survive, bold may be exactly what’s required.

With no natural wingers in the squad and an injury list that seems to grow by the day, Tottenham Hotspur find themselves, yet again, at a tactical crossroads.

The absence of width has not only blunted the attacking edge but also sparked a growing chorus among supporters calling for a shift in formation.

So with the shortening list of players available, the question is no longer whether Spurs should adapt but how.

Tottenham have had some unconvincing cameos out wide

Since joining the club, Roberto De Zerbi has been searching for his perfect wing combination and has had no success.

Traditional wide men in his system must perform very specific tasks. They must stretch the play, rotate with teammates, take on their man 1v1, and provide a constant goal threat.

These attributes almost perfectly describe Mohammed Kudus. De Zerbi identified the Ghanian as a key player in his system, but the club later confirmed he would not return from injury as soon as expected.

This isn’t a new problem, however. Throughout this season, all three managers have shoehorned players outside, desperate to find some sort of solution.

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Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Conor Gallagher are all central midfielders who have been shoved out wide. While Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani are traditional 9s, receiving the same fate.

So, should Spurs move away from wingers altogether?

On the surface, moving away from a system reliant on traditional wide players makes sense. A switch to a narrower setup could allow Spurs to play to their current strengths.

Many fans online have been calling for a 4-3-1-2 or a 3-5-2. By crowding central areas, they can maximise the influence of industrious midfielders. And playing two strikers could help improve the team’s lack of goal threat.

A five-at-the-back formation could also see the introduction of wingbacks, roles that could suit Djed Spence and Souza.

There’s also a defensive upside. A more compact shape naturally limits space between the lines, making Spurs harder to break down. With injuries already stretching the squad, simplifying defensive responsibilities could provide some much-needed stability.

But abandoning width comes at a cost for Tottenham

Modern football, especially how De Zerbi typically plays, thrives on stretching opposition defences.

Without wingers, Spurs risk becoming more predictable and could find themselves struggling to create chances even more than before.

Narrow systems can congest central areas, making it easier for opponents to sit deep and frustrate attacking moves. They also rely on full-backs to provide width, placing enormous physical demands on them.

Any added physical burden right now is frightening, especially risky given the current injury concerns.

Roberto De Zerbi could switch things up for the Aston Villa game

The timing of this tactical dilemma is far from ideal. The upcoming clash against Aston Villa presents a very specific challenge.

Under Unai Emery, Villa play with discipline, stay compact, and pose a constant threat in transition.

They are comfortable defending in a mid-to-low block before springing forward quickly, often exploiting space left behind by advancing full-backs.

Against Villa, the absence of natural wingers could cut both ways.

On one hand, a narrower Spurs setup might help them dominate central areas and disrupt the Villains’ build-up, potentially limiting the effectiveness of their transitions.

Packing the midfield could also help control possession and dictate tempo, something the club hasn’t been able to do all year.

On the other hand, failing to stretch Villa’s defensive shape could play directly into their hands.

Emery’s side thrives in transitions; if there is space to be exploited, they will exploit it. This only worsens if De Zerbi does look to his full-backs for width, leaving acres of space behind them.

Ultimately, the decision is a balancing act. Adaptation may be necessary given the circumstances, but it must be carefully managed.

Changing formation at this point of the season, especially when it appears the players are beginning to buy into De Zerbi’s ideas, will be a massive risk.

But maybe a necessary one.

Whether a new formation becomes a solution or another complication remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Spurs have to adapt.