Tottenham ended the January transfer window with just two signings.
Contrary to a wave of speculation, Tottenham Hotspur endured a very quiet transfer deadline day. Other than signing an unknown talent from Scottish side Hearts, and loaning out two academy starlets, the Spurs fans had nothing to get excited about despite their well-documented struggles in the Premier League.
After the acquisitions of Conor Gallagher and Souza, Thomas Frank was certainly hopeful of adding more to his squad that has been beset by injuries. Key first-teamers such as Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Bergvall, Pedro Porro, and Richarlison are not returning to the pitch soon. To make matters grim, Kevin Danso and Djed Spence were absent from the weekend’s game against Manchester City due to injury issues.
Thomas Frank has had to deal with a lot in recent months and deserves sympathy. The Dane has been under pressure for some time now and needed a squad winter window to help Spurs get out of the rut in the Premier League. However, he wasn’t helped by the transfer business conducted in N17.
Alasdair Gold questions the Tottenham board’s ambition in the transfer market
The Tottenham boss publicly admitted last week that his squad is weaker now than it was at the start of the January transfer window. The reality has been there for everyone to see; the Lilywhites look stretched, exhausted and running on reserve fuel at the moment. There is only a limited group of fit players Frank trusts, and the constant chopping and changing of personnel in almost every game has not given the team any kind of stability or continuity.
Yet, the key decision-makers at the club chose to sit back and watch, rather than address the gloomy situation and condition of the squad at Frank’s disposal. Reputed journalist Alasdair Gold slammed the Tottenham board’s lack of ambition and appetite to back Frank in the transfer market, failing to follow “a rule of thumb” to end the transfer window with a strong squad.
“The fanbase and just the things that we have to try and take on board and take into our brains and process. And look, the main aim for a club in a transfer window is to end it with a stronger squad than when you began. It’s a simple kind of rule of thumb. Tottenham Hotspur cannot say that after their winter exploits,” Alasdair Gold said on his YouTube channel.
“I know there’s more to it, but that is one of the main aims, the main aim out of a transfer window. And yes, if other stuff happens within that transfer window, you’ve got to react, you’ve got to move, you’ve got to get going, and you’ve got to do something about it.”
It is very clear to see that the Tottenham squad has become thinner, fragile and worn out. Spurs entered the transfer window having problems in several areas of the pitch. Rather than addressing a couple of those, they came out with more issues and dilemmas. Cristian Romero also did not shy away from taking a jibe at the owners for their poor planning and execution in the transfer market.
Tottenham fans have been frustrated and upset for years over the board’s incompetence and mismanagement. They are now watching another coach getting little to no help from the hierarchy when the problems have been laid bare for a long time. Following the conclusion of the winter window, the remaining months of the season look to be a slugfest.
