“Get him out of this club”- Spurs fans slams Tottenham flop who let Ange down once again after ‘Really poor’ moment v Ipswich
Radu Dragusin once again failed to meet expectations under Ange Postecoglou as Tottenham succumbed to a frustrating 2-1 defeat against Ipswich Town on Sunday. With 22-year-old Dragusin forced into the starting lineup to cover for the recently injured Micky van de Ven, Spurs hoped he could rise to the occasion beside Cristian Romero in central defense. However, this game only further exposed Tottenham’s defensive vulnerabilities, particularly without van de Ven’s stability at the back.
The opening goal set the tone for a challenging match, as Ipswich’s Sammie Szmodics executed a brilliant overhead kick, slipping the ball past Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario, who was left without a chance to respond. Despite the quality of Szmodics’ strike, it was Tottenham’s defensive organization, or lack thereof, that came under scrutiny. Dragusin, who had already been under the microscope in recent weeks, found himself at the heart of another defensive misstep only minutes later. Liam Delap added to Ipswich’s tally, capitalizing on a mishap in the Tottenham box as Dragusin, in an awkward moment, nearly turned the ball into his own net before Delap quickly converted the loose ball. Commenting on the sequence live on Sky Sports News, Jamie O’Hara didn’t hold back: “Ipswich drive forward, get it out to the left, and pull it back across the box. Vicario makes a save and parries it into Dragusin, who nearly puts it in his own net, and Delap just smashes it into the net. Fair play to Ipswich. They’ve been really good going forward. But it’s really poor defending from Spurs.”
Tottenham’s defensive woes without van de Ven were glaringly obvious, as Dragusin’s performance seemed to underscore the considerable gap in quality between the available center-back options at Postecoglou’s disposal. Statistically, Dragusin’s outing was lackluster, with FotMob recording a troubling array of defensive stats. While his 87% passing accuracy offered some promise, it was among the only positives in his performance. Dragusin made an error that led to one of the goals, was dribbled past twice, and, most concerningly, failed to win a single tackle. His long-ball accuracy was also concerning, with only half of his attempts (3 out of 6) finding a teammate, a limitation that disrupted Tottenham’s attempts to build from the back and shift to counterattacks.
For Postecoglou, this underwhelming performance highlights the urgent need for reinforcements in the upcoming January transfer window. Dragusin’s defensive stats reveal a player struggling to adapt to the demands of Premier League football. According to FBref, Dragusin ranks among the lowest in critical defensive metrics, with a position in the bottom 11% for tackles, bottom 48% for interceptions, and bottom 45% for pass completion among center-backs. Such figures paint a troubling picture and suggest Dragusin is swiftly running out of chances to demonstrate his reliability in Postecoglou’s defensive structure.
As Tottenham grapples with recurring defensive lapses, the significance of van de Ven’s absence grows ever more apparent. Without his stability and game-reading ability, Tottenham’s backline lacks consistency, and Dragusin’s performance against Ipswich only reinforces the need for an upgrade. Tottenham has ambitious goals this season, including a potential top-four finish, and to achieve this, shoring up their defense will be essential. The upcoming January transfer window presents an opportunity for Spurs to address this issue, and it’s likely they will prioritize adding a commanding and dependable center-back to partner Romero. As it stands, Dragusin’s struggles have left Tottenham with limited and less reliable choices in their defensive setup, making defensive reinforcements a priority.
