Ange Postecoglou is already proving that he is both a good and a lucky manager, although bold teams like the Australian tend to make their own luck.
Thehead coach’s luck likely extends to injuries after Manor Solomon was the latest Tottenham player to be sidelined.
For Solomon, injuring his medial collateral ligament (MCL) in training was unlucky, which could see him out until Christmas, and the summer signing accompanies Ivan Perisic into the treatment room after the Croatian underwent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery last week.
Solomonhas appeared in six of Spurs’ eight games this season, starting three of them. Therefore, his absence is a blow for Postecoglou, but – assuming every club will lose players due to injuries – the Israeli and Perisic at least play in a position where the coach is covered.
Ryan Sessegnon has been injured so far this season/ Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty ImagesTheir absence means Spurs will be without three wingers for Saturday lunchtime’s visit to Luton, with Brennan Johnson only expected to be fit after the international break, but Postecoglou is still capable of leading a threatening three-man squad featuring Richarlison , Heung-min Son and … Dejan Kulusevski. Conversely, if Spurs found themselves without three players from another position, Postecoglou would be reliant on young players and their encouraging debut would quickly falter.
Jamie Donley and Alejo Veliz can expect to remain on the bench at Kenilworth Road – and could be joined by 20-year-old winger Yago Santiago, who has impressed in the development squad – but Postecoglou should soon have Bryan Gil and Ryan Sessegnon is back
Gil returned to first-team training following groin surgery in the summer, while Sessegnon is working away after going under the knife in July due to a persistent hamstring problem.
Both players were expected to leave this summer before suffering their injuries, but one or both now have the opportunity to be part of Postecoglou’s revolution.
Asked Gillast week, the coach said:
“He plays in a position where people with his characteristics certainly fit into our structure.
” “It will be good to see Bryan get up to speed over the next few weeks, training with the team and then with Ivan out. Obviously we are behind in those big areas, so it’s safe to have him at the club.
” “.Another impressive result from Spurs last weekend was completely overshadowed by the fallout from the VAR error in their 2-1 win over Liverpool, which intensified on Wednesday when Jurgen Klopp called for a replay.
The Premier Leaguehave already ruled out this possibility, while Spurs would of course have rejected it in the strongest possible terms, not least because they, like all clubs, feel they have suffered their own injustices as that referees and that a replay of the match would be a mistake.
worms with open holes.Staying under the radar could be a good thing for Postecoglou, easing the pressure and hype on his young team, which is undefeated and could move to the top with a win on Saturday.
