Ben Davies pulled his hamstring in Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth
Tottenham Hotspur have struggled for consistency throughout the season. Every time they have got a big result by beating a big side, they have frustrated Ange Postecoglou and the fans by backing it up with a dismal defeat.
At this moment, the Lilywhites are on a five-game winless run across all competitions. They dropped points at the Ibrox following a 1-1 draw with Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday evening, meaning the North London side’s last win was at Manchester City in the Premier League last month.
Injuries have decimated Ange Postecoglou’s squad, ruining the routines and stability required to churn out consistent performances and results. The Greek-Aussie tactician has just one fit available centre-back with Radu Dragusin his only remaining option. He lost Micky van de Ven to another hamstring injury, Cristian Romero has suffered a new quad injury and Ben Davies is also out with a hamstring problem.
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When Romero and Van de Ven were sidelined for over a month, Ben Davies played beside Dragusin in central defence and delivered some strong displays. A left-back by trade, the Welshman was excellent alongside Dragusin in Spurs’ 4-0 thrashing of Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. The 31-year-old was having a decent game against Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium earlier this month before he pulled up.
Facing the media before Tottenham’s trip to Southampton on Sunday, Ange Postecoglou was asked to give the latest update on Davies’ injury. The Spurs boss stated (h/t Football London):
“Ben, that was a week ago and it’s not as bad as we thought. There is a chance he’ll be back, hopefully, before the new year. So, that was positive. Again, initially we were a bit worried but you need to give it a week to settle down. The latest information I got this morning that it’s nowhere near as bad as we thought it was and hopefully a quicker turnaround.”
Postecoglou’s latest injury update on Davies is a positive one, dismissing fears that the defender will be sidelined for a long time with a hamstring injury.
The Wales international potentially regaining full fitness before the New Year will be a big boost, considering Big Ange is down to bare bones as far as centre-back options are concerned. With Romero and Van de Ven out as well, Dragusin is expected to partner Archie Gray in central defence for the forthcoming games.
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Davies has shown reliability with his availability this season, providing valuable backup until this ill-time injury. Big Ange would be looking to be a bit cautious about the Neath-born star, given his importance to the Tottenham side.
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For now, it is vital not to rush the Welsh defender and ensure he fully recovers from a hamstring injury before making his return to competitive action. Dragusin and Gray have big shoes to fill in the absence of Davies as the fixture congestion continues.
