Tottenham Hotspur’s struggles in the Premier League have once again reared their head this campaign, despite parting ways with Ange Postecoglou.
The Aussie was dismissed in the summer after finishing 17th in England’s top-flight, subsequently doing so whilst ending the Lilywhites’ 17-year wait for silverware.
However, his successor, Thomas Frank, suffered the same fate in North London, with the Dane being handed his own marching orders after winning just seven of his 26 league matches.
As a result, former Juventus boss Igor Tudor has been handed the manager’s job on a deal until the end of the season, with the Croatian tasked with keeping the side in the division.
The 47-year-old will have a huge task on his hands in North London, subsequently working with an injury-hit squad, but it is a side littered with multiple big-money additions.
However, the new boss won’t be able to call upon the services of former star Tanguy Ndombele…
The stats behind Tanguy Ndombele’s struggles at Spurs
The Daniel Levy era at Spurs often saw the supporters voicing their displeasure at the lack of funds being spent in the transfer window to help bolster the first-team ranks.
However, in the summer of 2019, the Lilywhites would break their transfer record after forking out a reported £62m for the signature of Ndombele from French side Lyon.
Tottenham’s most expensive signings of all time
A detailed look at Spurs’ 10 most expensive signings of all time.
Given the nature of the fee, huge excitement was generated over a move for the now 29-year-old, but it truly was a period to forget for the player and everyone involved with the move.
The midfielder only racked up 91 senior appearances in North London, with his attitude and fitness issues consistently being flagged by various managers and the supporters.
However, Ndombele was capable of producing numerous moments of magic, as seen with his outrageous goal against Sheffield United back in the 2020/21 campaign.
Upon his arrival in North London, the Frenchman was handed a five-year deal on a staggering £200k-per-week – taking the club’s total spending on his signature to over £100m.
To make the deal worse from a Spurs perspective, Ndombele would depart the club on a free transfer in the summer of 2024, which finally put an end to his disastrous spell in England.
The Spurs star who’s like Ndombele & should never play under Tudor
As previously mentioned, new Spurs boss Tudor will have a huge task on his hands over the next few months, with the Croatian undoubtedly wanting to implement his own stamp on the senior ranks.
Throughout his managerial career, the 47-year-old has favoured a three-back system, which could see the Lilywhites players operate in a completely different way to how they did under Frank.
Such a change might be a risk, but it’s certainly a radical one that could finally bring about a change in results and pull the side clear of any looming relegation threat.
However, personal changes are also expected, which could see Randal Kolo Muani handed a more senior role, given his time under the new manager at Juventus last season.
Despite the positives around some members of the squad, others shouldn’t be handed the same opportunity to thrive, such as midfielder Yves Bissouma.
The Malian international joined the Lilywhites for a reported £25m back in the summer of 2022, but it’s safe to say the move has failed to ignite – just like Ndombele’s.
Whilst he’s racked up over a century of first-team appearances, it’s his off-the-field antics that have often cast doubt over his long-term future in North London.
He was suspended by the club at the start of the 2024/25 campaign after being pictured inhaling laughing gas, with his attitude coming into question just like Ndombele.
However, despite not featuring in any first-team match until January, the 29-year-old has been reintegrated into the senior ranks – subsequently racking up five appearances in the league to date.
Bissouma started in Frank’s final game against Newcastle United earlier this week, but was dragged off at the break after failing to deliver in the first 45.
The Malian only registered 24 touches of the ball, whilst failing to complete any of his attempted tackles, subsequently highlighting his struggles at the heart of the side.
|
Yves Bissouma – stats against Newcastle |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Tally |
|
Minutes played |
45 |
|
Touches |
24 |
|
Passes completed |
19 |
|
Tackles won |
0 |
|
Duels won |
33% |
|
Chances created |
0 |
|
Interceptions made |
0 |
|
Fouls committed |
2 |
He also only managed to win 33% of the ground duels he entered, whilst committing two fouls – evidently looking off the pace and not at the level required for success.
Tudor’s arrival shouldn’t see the midfielder handed another chance to resurrect his career in North London, with Bissouma simply unable to take advantage of the previous chances he’s been handed.
With his contract set to expire in the summer window, it could well spell the end of his dismal time in the capital, which could see him emulate Ndombele and leave for nothing.
It’s clear from his actions off and on the field that Bissouma has failed to impress the fanbase, with the new manager simply needing to consider other options between now and the end of the season.
Given the precarious situation the club finds themselves in, Tudor will need every player to give 100% to prevent the unthinkable – something which Bissouma has consistently failed to do.
Perfect for Pochettino: Spurs now leading the race to sign £48m “magician”
Tottenham have been shorn of depth on their attacking flanks this season.