Spurs' injury crisis - do they have enough for Premier League survival? | #SkySportsFC

So no Xavi Simons for the final few games. Tim, how big a blow is that?

Well, he played very well, didn't he, against Brighton? Didn't do anything in the weekend, 60 minutes, then he comes off. Unfortunately, it looks like a bad one. And we're sad for Xavi Simons, obviously. But injuries have derailed Tottenham's season, all season. And it can't be bad luck. They need to look, they need to review

and they need a good look at what's happening to their players because listen, we can all get injured from a contact, but a lot of these injuries are not contact. They're not contact, they're twists, they're soft tissue injuries.

And ultimately it looks like they might have to pay the price for it and the ultimate price, which is relegation, because if you're a manager you're going in, your players and some of your best players keep getting injured and you can't get them back to fitness as well. I mean, like Sekulicewski and Maddison, it's been a hell of a long time since they've been injured and not getting them back on the field so they're going to need a good look at that in the summer. I want to pick up on something you said in a moment, but Michael, can you just

kind of remind everybody of just how bad the injuries have been for Tottenham?

Well, we've only gone out. I mean, this is absolutely ridiculous now. You know, you've got Dominic Solanke as well with a hamstring injury. Let's just read out the list of players currently out. Vicario, who's probably in training this week. Destiny Odogi, out. Ben Davis, out for the season. Romero, out for the season.

Pape Sarr, out. James Madison's been out for nearly a year now. Kudosewski's been out for a year. Xavi will be out until, what Spurs have now confirmed, he has ruptured his ACL. That is the worst possible news for him and the club. Mohamed Koudes, 55 million pounds signing from West Ham, has been out since January.

He was supposed to be coming back from a quad injury and all of a sudden he does it again. The guard questioned that. Wilson Odebeer, ACL, Dom Solanke, hamstring. I mean some of these, I mean you could have a scenario If Tottenham do get relegated, they could still have James Madison, Dejan Kulishevsky, and Xavi Simmonds, three very big names, three very high-profile players

at the club in the championship. But obviously, Xavi might not be back now till... That's a ruptured ACL. That's like, you can forget this year. That's like, you can forget this year, that's done. So with his wage and everything as well,

you gotta look at it, the financial side of it as well. I'm sorry to say, you know, but this has to be looked at. This is ridiculous now.

So it's a good point that you've both made there now about what can they change, Tim? Because this season, they've changed the managers a lot, Tottenham. In the past you've mentioned how their recruitment needs to change in the summer, a review about that. And in terms of these injuries, what can they do about that? What needs to change when they do this review?

We need to look at what they're doing every single day. It's not only game day, but it's what they're doing in training every day. It doesn't help when you keep changing managers with a different mindset of how the players need to train. Every manager who comes into Tottenham or a new manager goes into any club always says the same thing, these players are not fit enough. So all of a sudden they change completely what they've been doing for the last however months and maybe the intensity of the training gets higher or it goes the other way, maybe they step back on the

intensity. So it's difficult. It's difficult to balance it out, but that's what the sports scientists are there for. That's what these experts are there for. I always, as a manager, I always looked at the guys training and I could trust my eyes.

Before anything else, I didn't need the data. I could tell if someone looked tired. I could tell if the boys had got a little bit more in them and if they had then we would carry on training till I got what I wanted to achieve from that session. So I think football people need to start running football clubs and not let these scientists take over the asylum.

I mean if Michael you were one of many people last week who say Spurs have to beat Wolves otherwise Tottenham are going down. So

most obvious question I've ever asked how big a win was that? Yeah I mean they had to win it but it doesn't help with West Ham and Forest in title winning form. I mean it I have I mean Gio Pallini I'm not just saying because he scored I feel like he's been underused this year. Will he come in now? I mean Roberto Deserbi is a very good coach and he will obviously be devastated with the news today, but he will be even thinking now

about a system change. Spurs won the Europa League final without any creativity, so he's got what he's got, last few games. But I have to be honest with you, Tom, taking my work hat off, I do feel slightly deflated with this news and I'm kind of fed up with it now because it's the worst possible injury and then when I saw it I think why are they getting him, why is he walking, why are they getting him to walk it off? I'm just asking questions out loud here you know it looked like a bad one when you see it and it is, it's the worst possible one. And it's got to a point now, it's like, I mean, I'm a lot of Tottenham fans,

I don't know about Tim's, they're just like, Ron, they're just giving, they feel a bit deflated off the back of it, you know?

I mean, you should be more positive after a win. It's been, I mean, they haven't won in- Just everybody else went and won, that's the- I was so disappointed with a performance. And I know it doesn't matter. And it really doesn't matter. But there's just something inside me just thinks, I didn't see enough there.

I didn't see enough. Do I really believe that that team, and I'm hoping that the shot in the arm, the confidence, what the three points might give them, might change the outlook of a lot of players. And like I said before,

you might start looking at the top players and going, oh, I don't recognize him.

He looks very good.

But at the moment, from what I saw in that game, you're playing against a team that's already relegated and your XG is so low. At first half, I think it was 0.04 XG. Creativity is zero. And Jerry Simmons was on the pitch then. We know he's capable of producing moments.

We need, we're going to need their moments. And I think Bridgie's right. He's going to have to find a different way to find their moments now. Cause when you look at West Ham up the road, Fernandez drops his shoulder,

Gerard Bowe, it's got pace. You know, Somerville goes past people. They got a spark. When I look at Tottenham, I go, where's the spark coming from here? It's ponderous, it's sidewards, it's backwards. The very good coach we were talking about, De Zerby, and I know he's only been in there for 10 minutes,

but he's going to have to find a way. So I am deflated. I wouldn't be so deflated if the referee done his job at London Stadium and give the penalty to Everton. I think if they would have scored that, I think Tottenham would have been more upbeat.

You've just said that you saw a lot from West Ham but again they were a refereeing decision away

from dropping points. Yeah. So it's not exactly as though Tottenham have got no hope. Oh no, no,

cool. No, no, no. It's still hope but the hope has to come from that confidence, what they're going to get from that result against Wolves. Because for the performance, and I know it's not about performances now, it doesn't matter how they play, just get results. But was there enough there for me to grab hold of and think, right, this manager's got them totally in the correct direction.

Now, no, not at all. It was poor. So, Tottenham won, but obviously West Ham won as well. And Friday night, Michael, what was your reaction watching the Forest game away from Tottenham?

I laughed.

Well, I didn't laugh.

No, I know you didn't, but... Because everyone's winning. Are we in a title race here or a relegation? But look, Tottenham can't be relying on others to not have won since December. It's their own fault, it's their own doing. But going back to these injuries, they've not had so many key players for the whole season. We talk about certain other clubs with other individuals,

oh, they've been out for a bit of time. This is, what's it like, a year for this guy, a year for this guy. Now, probably a year for Javi Seamans.

It's unbelievable. But for a forest win, that didn't look like a team who were going to go down. So are they out of the relegation battle now? And if they are out of the relegation battle, you've got to say that's a huge...

I think we have to give Maranakis a lot of credit. He makes big decisions. He's not afraid to make unpopular decisions. He did that with Nuno he took in Sean Dyche you think anyone who's struggling in the bottom of the league you go well he's the man you need we need to go and get Sean Dyche. Vitor Pereira has come in there he's completely ripped it up and he's gone you know what

we're not gonna sit back we're not gonna be pragmatic what we're gonna do is get width we're gonna get midfield runners, Morgan Gibbs White's been outstanding, he should have a white shirt on, but unfortunately there's another one we couldn't get over the line, and they look solid at the back. So they're finding a way, unconventional way,

to what we believe someone in a manager who stands on a relegation battle should be going to perform like. And I think that is the way Tottenham need to go. Have they got the creativity to be able to do that? On hindsight, you look at the Forest players, you go, oh, they got loads more.

Hutchinson looks fantastic. Hudson-Odoi when he's fit. Certainly Morgan gives white. They got Chris Wood back now. You know, Elliot Anderson's all over the pitch and not playing sideways and backwards,

driving with the ball in midfield. You know, on the negative side, you look at them and you go, I wish they played in a white shirt, but they don't. So we just got to find a way ourselves.

You said that 42 points would be enough to keep you up, but goal difference, right? So you'll basically need 42 points to stay up. Michael, that's where I would find Newcastle United. They've got 42 points to stay up. Michael, that's where I would find Newcastle United. They've got 42 points.

Tell us about their form at the moment. There's something that which never used to, I give it, look with it, Newcastle. Newcastle were tough to beat. Everyone's beating them now. So they probably can't wait for the season to end.

And then they've just got to, they've got to reset, don't they? Whether that's with Eddie Howe or not, we'll wait and see. But I'm not going to be dragged into PSR or anything like that. They spent big money last summer. You know, they spent a lot of money, Volta Mada. Joao Vissa was a lot of money.

Jacob Ramsey was a lot of money. So it's been a tough season for them. And they're probably lucky that the season's ending when it is because I think they're all right. I think they're all right, personally. I still think it's between Spurs and West Ham. I really do. I look at Forest, I think they're fine. Leeds are fine. I think it's between Spurs and West Ham.

I think that result on the weekend for both Spurs and West Ham drags the other two into it.

What about the other three, though? Because they've got 42 points. If you're saying you need 42 points, could Newcastle lose the last four and still be in it?

Listen, my heart tells me that Tottenham can possibly get to 42 points. And if they do that, then they need these other teams not to get another point. But certainly Newcastle. And I think Newcastle will. So I believe they can get the job done. Leeds, possibly not. Possibly, I'm trying out,

Leeds have done brilliant, don't get me wrong. But they have to come to Tottenham. They have to go to West Ham in the last game of the season. So this is an opportunity for the ones below them to gain on them. So they had a magnificent result.

I mean, the standout one is obviously Old Trafford. I think they've got very good players. They're now disappointed because they're not going to be in an NFA Cup final. So you just never know. I'm just thinking of...

Home to Burnley Friday night.

I'll get a lot of...

That's the one.

I can't, I can't say. I think it's between what, if West Ham stay up, I suppose it's their big derby, like Chelsea. I won't live it down.

So at the moment, you would think on the back of, alright, they won yesterday in the FA Cup semi-final, but their performance against Brighton, notoriously, we always believe, doesn't matter if it's at home or away, the Chelsea fix is not a good one. On the back of that performance, you think, you know what? These Chelsea players want to turn up when they want to turn up. The change of manager has probably not done us any favours as a Tottenham man.

But, because after that Brighton result, I thought, you know what? We can beat them. But it's Tottenham. And there's an opportunity for them Chelsea fans to celebrate putting Tottenham into the championship.

That might be bigger than a cup final for that group of fans.

Send some shivers down a few Tottenham fans' spine. We'll be coming to a Spurs fan in a moment. But first, here's how you get involved in the Fnalysis app. Scan the QR code here for more details. This is what you'll have at your fingertips. Fnalysis has partnered with Sky Sports to empower fan opinion.

On the Fnalysis app you share your player ratings, your manager ratings, and your opinions on everything to do with your club. So that Sky Sports can put fan opinion at the heart of their football coverage. Scan the QR code to download the analysis app. Right Spurs fan Chris Cowling joins us.

Chris, you got a win, that should make you happy, but I know everyone else around you won as well.

Tom, Tim, Michael, good morning to you.

Morning.

Yeah, we should all feel a little bit better, but of course the news about Javi Simmons and you know, there always seems to be something with Tottenham. It just doesn't rain. It absolutely pours and there's thunderstorms all the time at Tottenham. And it's just deeply frustrating. We've got four games left now. You know, Roberto De Zervia has come in. He's a very, very positive guy. He's managed to get Tottenham over the line and getting that first winner 2026, but you know like Tim said earlier

You know is that performance said earlier you know that against Aston Villa or any of these?

We're lacking real creativity and now Javi Simmons is out

I really do worry for us and like you guys have just said you know when you've got the likes of Jarrod Bowen in that forward line, for the likes of West Ham, they've always got a chance. Yeah.

You don't sound particularly positive and confident, Chris. I mean, you have just got that first win.

Yeah, but one win can often lead to two. Yeah, we've got so many injuries. And we've lacked confidence all season. And like I said, I'm trying to be positive in some ways. Roberto de Zerbia is a very, very positive guy. I love the way that he speaks and I love the way that he's trying to get positivity and confidence into this group, into this playing group. But when you look at the last four games, what is an easy game in the Premier League and the amount of injuries that we've got, I do agree with Michael, I think it is between Spurs and West Ham. And when you look at the results and the performances from all of the teams around us, it's ridiculous.

You know, they're playing out their skin and, you know, do we have enough in this squad to get the results? You know, Tim's saying 42 points. If that is the result, you know, Tim's saying 42 points. If that's the case, that means two wins and two games. Is that realistic? Or even three wins in our last four. Is that realistic? I'm not so sure. But Tim, sorry Chris, we can talk about injuries and it's not an excuse whatsoever, but Solanki, Kudus, Xavi, Kulishevsky, Maddison, that's top pretty much 95% of Tottenham's forward line. If anyone, any other clubs had that situation,

yes, that's the killer isn't it? They've made managerial mistakes, they've made errors in January in terms of not bringing in enough players. But that's what I can't get. I can't get, I don't

know any other club has had to deal with that. But Bridgie, the two best players there, two best players, the ones they missed the most are Kulishevsky and Madison, they're the ones who missed the most this year because they haven't been fit enough to. We've had Dominic Solanke, yeah albeit he's been fits and starts, and Jaree Simmons and they've scored six goals between them. I mean come on, they ain't as if they're ripping the, I mean they aren't great. They ain't great. So it's a case of the ones who we're missing, the ones who we said we need, are the ones who ain't performed anyway. So you're becoming better players

by not performing at the moment in a Tottenham shirt.

It just seems a real shame that the likes of Javi Simmonds now being out for some time because that performance against Brighton, you know, the assist, the goal, you know If you want someone to have that spark and have that confidence that someone's actually going to create something It was going to be Javi Simmons, but you know Michael you touched in it earlier You know, he went down and the medical team come on

They made him walk it off and not only did they make him walk it off They made him run on the spot and that's when he went down Crying in pain and agony and then of course being stretched off. So that's another area and we've spoken about this a lot on this show in the last couple of years even under Ange Postacoglu last season. The amount of injury problems that we have had, this

definitely needs to be looked at because this can't continue like this. There's two points in it with West Ham, everybody here has said it's between the two of you. Gary Neville also said it's between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United as well. Alright, you've got Aston Villa away but they've got their eyes on other things next. Whereas West Ham are away at Brentford and that's certainly not easy as well. I mean, you could be above them.

Yeah.

Tom, back in January, you know West Ham, we were 13 points above West Ham and now there's been a 14 point swing and that's the way things are the game. I think we've got four games left. We've got to get on with West Ham. We were 13 points above West Ham. And now there's been a 14 point swing, and that's the way things are, and that's the

situation we're in at the moment. But you know, I get your point. I'm not sitting here being overly negative. I'm being realistic. I'm thinking we've got four games left

Aston Villa leads Chelsea the season. We've got to get on with it. We've got to get the job done. You know, also what Tim said their players have underperformed when they've been in this squad when they've been in the starting 11 this

season just simply hasn't been good enough. As Michael said in their recruitment, you know, in January, Johan Lange said that we've got players coming back from injury and we should be okay. We all knew as Spurs fans earlier on in the season

things weren't good under Thomas Frank. A change should have been made earlier then. January transfer window would have given us an opportunity to go out in the market to bring quality players in and give us that depth as well. because injury problems, we could talk all day about injury problems. We were in this same situation last season and it's happened again. What is going to happen next season, whatever division we're in, we can't be in this position again. What is going to happen next season, whatever division we're in, we can't be in this position again.

Dreadful decisions have been made or haven't been made in my opinion.