Return of the heroes, Tottenham welcome the 11 injured players, including Romero and Van de Ven fans rejoicing for their return
Tottenham’s Season in Turmoil: Two Cup Exits in a Week as Injury Crisis Deepens
Tottenham Hotspur’s season has taken a major hit, crashing out of two cup competitions in the space of a week while grappling with an unprecedented injury crisis. The latest setback came in the form of a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa in the FA Cup, leaving Ange Postecoglou’s side with only the Premier League to focus on.
Despite the frustrating run of results, Postecoglou has defended his squad, pointing out that no team could truly function at its best with so many key players missing. “It’s not an excuse—it’s reality,” the Spurs boss stated. “You take this many first-team players out of any side, and they’re going to struggle.”
Tottenham have been forced to cope without their first-choice defensive pairing of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, while attacking stars like Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, and Brennan Johnson remain sidelined. With such a depleted squad, Spurs’ once-promising season now hangs in the balance.
However, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Several injured players are expected to return in the coming weeks, which could provide a much-needed boost for Postecoglou’s men. So, when can Tottenham fans expect to see their sidelined stars back in action?
Tottenham’s Injury List and Expected Return Dates
Dominic Solanke – Expected return: February 22
The England international has been sidelined with a knee injury but is on track for a return in late February. On January 31st, Postecoglou provided an update on his condition, stating:
“Dom is probably a week behind the others, but the rest are slated to be back in the next week to ten days.”
Solanke’s absence has been particularly damaging for Spurs, as they struggle to find a consistent goal threat in his absence. His return could help ease the pressure on Richarlison, who has been leading the line in recent weeks.
Cristian Romero – Expected return: February 22
Like Solanke, Romero is eyeing a return around February 22nd. However, Postecoglou admitted that the Argentine defender’s recovery has been slower than expected.
“Romero is a tricky one. We’re not really sure yet. He still has some work to do. It’s just healing slower than we hoped, so we’re taking it week by week.”
Spurs have sorely missed Romero’s aggressive defending and leadership at the back. With him and Van de Ven out, the defensive partnership has lacked cohesion, resulting in costly mistakes.
Micky van de Ven – Expected return: February 16
The Dutch centre-back actually made a brief return in Tottenham’s recent 3-0 UEFA Europa League win over Elfsborg but admitted that he isn’t quite ready for Premier League action.
On February 5th, Postecoglou explained:
“Micky got through the (Elfsborg) game with no problems, but he feels he’s not ready for the Premier League just yet. And after losing Radu (Dragusin), I’m not going to risk these guys.”
Spurs have struggled defensively without Van de Ven’s pace and composure, so his return could be a game-changer for Postecoglou’s side.
James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner, Wilson Odobert, Destiny Udogie & Guglielmo Vicario – Expected return: Mid-February
Tottenham’s midfield and attack have been hit just as hard as their defense, with multiple key players sidelined. The likes of Maddison, Werner, Johnson, Odobert, Udogie, and first-choice goalkeeper Vicario are all expected to return around the same time.
Postecoglou provided an update on January 31st, saying:
“They’re all around the same timeframe—about ten days. That includes Vicario, Johnson, Destiny, Wilson, and Timo. Madders is in the same bracket as well.”
Maddison’s absence has been especially noticeable, as Spurs have lacked his creativity and ability to dictate play. His return, alongside the likes of Werner and Johnson, should significantly strengthen the squad.
Radu Dragusin – Expected return: Out for the season
One of the biggest blows to Tottenham’s squad has been the loss of new signing Radu Dragusin, who suffered a serious knee injury in the Europa League win over Elfsborg. The Romanian defender is not expected to feature again this season.
Richarlison – Expected return: Late February
Just as Spurs thought they were getting some attacking reinforcements back, Richarlison suffered yet another setback. The Brazilian forward started in the 4-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool but was forced off with a calf injury after just 46 minutes. He is now expected to miss at least a couple of weeks.
Postecoglou expressed his disappointment over Richarlison’s latest injury:
“It’s frustrating for him. He was emotional last night because he worked so hard to get back, and now he’s dealing with another setback. We’ll do everything to get him back as soon as possible.”
The Road Ahead for Tottenham
With Tottenham’s injury list finally beginning to shrink, there is hope that they can turn their fortunes around in the coming weeks. However, with key fixtures on the horizon, Postecoglou will be desperate to see his returning stars hit the ground running.
The upcoming return of Maddison, Romero, and Van de Ven could be the catalyst Spurs need to reignite their top-four push. But until then, Postecoglou must find a way to steady the ship with the players at his disposal.
The next few weeks could define Tottenham’s season—will the injury crisis derail their ambitions, or can their returning stars help them finish strong?
