Tottenham Hotspur defender Toby Alderweireld has been out injured since mid-October.
Television pundit and former footballer Phil Neville
BBC pundit Phil Neville has had his say on the current plight at Spurs, highlighting the absence of centre-back Toby Alderweireld as key to their recent failings, when speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live.
Despite being the only remaining unbeaten side in the Premier League, Mauricio Pochettino’s men have managed to win only one game from their last nine fixtures, and Neville could have a point, because that run began when the Belgian picked up his injury against West Bromwich Albion.
Tottenham’s season reached a new low on Tuesday night when they were dumped out of the Champions League after a 2-1 defeat to Monaco, and Neville offered his option on what has being going wrong at the club of late, when speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live:
“I think they’re missing him more than anyone, because I think Alderweireld and Vertonghen, two Belgium internationals, know each other really well. They made three changes to the back four today. Dier and Wimmer haven’t played together at all, Trippier at right-back, so it was a gamble by Pochettino to change his back four. But Alderweireld, he holds them together and they need to get him back very quickly.”
Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld
Spurs face a huge London derby on Saturday away at Chelsea, as they look to bounce back immediately from their disappointing European excursion.
It is a game that they absolutely must not lose, with the Blues already holding a four point advantage over Pochettino’s side.
With morale in the camp bound to be running low, the Argentine will have to ensure that he motivates his players so they can, in turn, compete at the necessary levels that will be required to take something from the game at Stamford Bridge.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
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