Igor Tudor has favored a three-man defense in the past. This could mean that Tottenham Hotspur are returning to an Antonio Conte style of play.
Although Conte did not have very good memories of the N17 game, Tudor describes himself as a more adaptable, forward-looking manager, someone who adapts to the situation as required.
Despite only managing 38 games in all competitions, Frank oversaw countless poor performances at Tottenham, winning just seven of his 26 Premier League games.
There is no doubt that the Danish coach was responsible for many problems. He carried that burden as manager. But some of his star players have let him down, with Cristian Romero hardly an example and likely to be sold this summer.
Latest information on Cristian Romero’s future
The truth is, Tottenham need a reset and that could mean a number of defenders need to move on. The slump in recruitment is having a major impact on the unstoppable decline.
Tudor has a reputation as a fix-it manager, with only four of his 11 career appointments taking place at the start of a campaign. He could be the solution to revitalize the squad for these crucial final months, and perhaps bring Romero back to the forefront as well.
However, regardless of Tottenham’s form at the end of the season, there is a good chance the Argentina international will leave the club this summer. Following the draw with Manchester City earlier this month, the 27-year-old was branded “disgraceful” by the board for failing to adequately address issues in the January transfer window.
As captain, he displayed a rebellious personality that went against his appointed role at the top of the team tree, yet attuned to the concerns of the fans.
Inevitably, rumors of his eventual departure have surfaced, with journalist Gaston Edul admitting a few weeks ago that there had been “several inquiries from La Liga” as negotiations between the clubs began. Sadly, it doesn’t seem very likely that Romero will put up a strong resistance to a bid from the Spanish marquee.
Defense has been an issue for the Lilywhites for some time now. The days of Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, Belgium’s unflinching bulwark in front of Hugo Lloris’ goals, are long gone.
There have been some assholes during this time, with Vlad Chiriches and Davinson Sanchez at the bottom, but Romero, despite his temper, is nowhere near that level.
Romero is one of the most talented centre-backs in Europe and Spurs would like to keep him, but there is actually another defender in north London, making him the latest member of the unwanted group.
Tudor must dump new Spurs signing Davinson Sanchez
No, not Mickey van de Ven. The Dutch international has been one of the brightest stars of recent years and is probably the most popular player in N17 at the moment.
However, the same cannot be said for Radu Dragushin. His fortunes have not been helped by a knee injury sustained in the Europa League game against Elfsborg a year ago.
Dragusin’s return to fitness comes at a good time for Tottenham, with Romero sidelined through suspension following an illness, but he has yet to prove he can be trusted in the backline and if he does not enjoy rapid improvement in the coming games, Tudor will likely remove him for the greater good of the system.
Take, for example, the draw with Manchester City. Dragusin was at the center of the Londoners’ struggles throughout the first half, distorting clearances for their opponents in the build-up to Antoine Semenyo’s opener. That said, he enjoyed his physical battle with Erling Haaland.
However, in the match against Newcastle United that ended Frank’s stay, he needlessly conceded the free-kick that led to Malik Thiau’s opener in first-half stoppage time, and lacked the solid mobility that Romero and Van de Ven have shown each week.
He hasn’t had disastrous results, but a lot of that is probably due to Dragusin lasting too long on the sideline. Either way, if he can’t turn things around, he will fall into the same category as Sanchez. Former Spurs star Sanchez joined from Ajax in a club-record £42m deal in 2017 and made 207 appearances for England, but found himself held back by too many mistakes and stumbles over the years.
Presenter Jamie O’Hara even called the Colombian “one of the worst players” he had seen in Spurs’ backline. He lacked composure and consistency throughout his Spurs career, particularly in the nightmarish 3-3 home draw against West Ham United in October 2020.
In this respect, Dragusin is in sympathy with his former centre-back, especially given that he joined the club from Serie A side Genoa in a £27m deal in January 2024 and lost out to Bayern Munich in the race for one of Europe’s most talented young defenders.
In five Premier League games this season, Dragusin has made one direct defensive error and has only won 25% of his ground games. This is a shocking statistic that illustrates the risks associated with starting a Romanian player.
Premier League 25/26 – Most errors leading to goals | ||
|---|---|---|
club | Number of goals conceded | error |
Aston Villa | 27 | 10 |
tottenham | 37 | 8 |
burnley | 51 | 7 |
wolf | 50 | 7 |
Fulham | 40 | 7 |
Data via StatMuse | ||
He hasn’t been able to shake off the rust that has kept him out for months, and while Dragusin may be able to play more football for a few months into the season, with options running out, Tudor may have to move away from his favored 3-4-2-1 formation and explore other avenues, such as putting Kevin Danso and Dragusin on the bench and pairing Romero and Van Deven.
Given that a return to Serie A was planned for January but was blocked by sporting director Johan Lange due to the club’s injury rash, there is a good chance Dragusin will leave for a new challenge at the end of the season.
If that happens, Tudor would be wise to keep him aside and promote a player with a future at Tottenham.
No Polo, no Kolo Muani, Defoe 2.0 starts: Tudor’s expected eleven at Spurs
Igor Tudor, who replaced Thomas Frank in the Tottenham dugout, is sure to make a difference.
