Tottenham Hotspur have been dealing with a bit of an injury crisis, especially on the defensive side of things, where starting centre-back duo Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven have been spending consistent time on the sidelines, and backup defender Radu Dragusin has been forced to step up in their absence.

Spurs recent defeat to Chelsea at White Hart Lane last weekend gave Ange Postecoglou multiple headaches, as all of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Brennan Johnson were forced off the field owing to injuries, and at the moment it looks like players are falling like flies every time the Lilywhites take the field, with the aforementioned trio joining Wilson Odobert, Richarlison, Ben Davies, Mikey Moore, and Guglielmo Vicario in the treatment room.

Tottenham’s injury woes expose Dragusin frailties?

Radu Dragusin has been on the bench looking for opportunities, and they have finally come in abundance for the Romanian defender; however, former midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker has come to the criticism of the former Genoa centre back, insisting that English top-tier football is a level too much for the 22-year-old who snubbed Bayern Munich for White Hart Lane.

Speaking on the Premier League Review, the 40-year-old CBS pundit said:

“Injuries are a part of football, yes. You question Romero and van de Ven starting whether they were fully fit enough to start, and you lose two of your centre-backs. As soon as Dragusin comes in, he’s starting to show now maybe that the Premier League is a bit too much for him.”

The system that Ange Postecoglou has deployed at N17 relies on aggressive pressing and quick transitions, which in turn places significant demands on the defenders, and that makes Romero and van de Ven’s absences more impactful. 

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For Dragusin, this is an opportunity to not only grow but also face a daunting test, one that he must come out with flying colours if he is to cement his place in the squad.