Igor Tudor may have only been in the Tottenham Hotspur hotseat for a few days, but he’s already feeling the pressure.
The Croatian has already stated that his team has enough to remain in the Premier League, although there is a very real possibility of them being eliminated.
Indeed, winning the Europa League in Bilbao now feels like a lifetime away. Since that win, the Spurs have waived both Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank. Neither manager has been able to achieve much success domestically and if they fall out of the Championship, Frank will be blamed more than the new Tudor.
What the future holds for the Lilywhites is uncertain at the moment, but one thing is for sure: regardless of what division they play in, they will need to gut their squad and completely refresh it over the summer.
They are facing problems throughout the team, but it feels like their midfield is one of their biggest problems.
Big problems in Spurs’ midfield
The days of Moussa Dembele, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli running through Spurs’ midfield are long gone. Since the great days of Mauricio Pochettino, the center of the park has become an increasing concern for managers.
It wasn’t long before this fascinating trio was replaced by big-money signings Tanguy Ndombele, Oliver Skipp, Harry Winks and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. Well, this isn’t the most inspiring list of names, is it?
Skip, Winks and Hojbjerg were deft players in the Premier League, but lacked the technical ability to make a big impact on games. They also lacked power and, most importantly, the ability to advance the play. None of them are ball carriers.
Fast forward to 2026 and Tottenham face a similar problem. In the January window, the North Londoners welcomed Conor Gallagher to the club, and on paper it looked like a solid deal.
Gallagher has Premier League experience, having made 22 appearances for England. However, like his predecessors, he too has the problem of not being able to move the ball up the pitch.
In fact, this is a problem seen throughout the central region. Tudor’s other options at the moment are Joao Parinha, who actually played in defense against Arsenal, Yves Bissouma and Papu Matar Sarr.
These two players in particular are a big concern for the Spurs. Bissouma have been out of form for a number of years and their reliance on a player whose career in the capital appeared to be over last summer speaks volumes about the dire situation the club is currently in.
In fact, Frank kept him out of the Super Cup final squad for reasons described as “persistent tardiness”.
Sarr, meanwhile, is becoming, in the words of The Athletic’s JJ Bull, “a big problem under Frank” and showed no signs of improvement in Tudor’s first game, being easily beaten by Bukayo Saka in the build-up to the opener.
Spurs will therefore have a player back from injury in the 2026/27 season, but will need to find a new replacement. Perhaps they could look to the academy to do so.
Spurs’ homegrown midfield solution
If they are to remain in the Premier League next season, one would imagine the Luiz family will invest heavily in improving the central part of the park.
But if they are looking to save some money and promote from within, the Londoners have a number of top young players who could be promoted to the academy.
Despite their struggles, the future is bright from the players’ perspective. Bergvall and Archie Gray are constantly improving, signing up-and-coming young striker James Wilson from Hearts this winter, and Spurs’ next up-and-coming academy product Luca Williams-Barnett joins the ranks.
And let’s not forget Tyrese Hall. While Wilson and Williams-Barnett are the more forward-looking players, Hall is a traded midfielder who has attracted serious attention on loan to League Two side Notts County.
Of course, this is significantly lower than the Premier League. But the Spurs need a solution, and Hall has plenty of qualities to be a strong team player.
I don’t think for a second that a 20-year-old can start, but who better than Sarr or Bissouma?
Those are harsh words, but if Tottenham are looking for a player with a bright future in the game, Hall should tick a lot of boxes.
He has made 31 appearances for County so far this season, scoring six goals and providing two assists. Although he has yet to make his first-team debut for Spurs, it is believed he can solve some of the ball progression issues Spurs have had in midfield. His genius ability to score goals from deep positions is not something to be laughed at.
He can not only play as a holding midfielder, but also often plays as a main attacking midfielder. That has been his most visible role in the Football League this season, and he has impressed throughout.
Hall – Career statistics by position | ||
|---|---|---|
position | game | goals and assists |
central midfield | 29 | 11 |
attacking midfield | twenty five | 9 |
defensive midfield | twenty two | 7 |
center forward | 7 | 5 |
left wing | 4 | 2 |
right wing | 2 | 1 |
If you don’t think Hall is good enough, hand over to White Hart Lane icon Jermain Defoe.
A year ago, the former striker said this about the young midfielder: “He’s probably one of the best players of his age that I’ve seen in this country.”
Defoe didn’t stop there in his assessment of Hall, adding: “He’s someone who I believe is a Premier League footballer. He’s got huge potential and technically he was a bit of a reminder of how smooth he is, a Luka Modric vibe and another big expression of Joe Cole.”
That’s quite a bit of recognition from one of the best players to ever wear a Spurs shirt, and if the youngster lives up to the expectations, there’s no doubt he could be part of Spurs’ midfield for years to come.
Fans will be desperate to see the last of Bissouma and Sarr in a Tottenham shirt, and Hall could very well make that wish come true.
He’s as bad as Bissouma: Tudor must dump Spurs’ failure who is now a ‘big problem’
With relegation fears mounting in the Premier League, Tottenham need to turn things around quickly.
