Tottenham Hotspur's medical team faces a challenging period ahead as manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed two significant injury setbacks following Monday's dramatic 4-1 defeat to Chelsea.
Defensive Pillar Faces Lengthy Absence
Dutch centre-back Micky van de Ven, who has been instrumental in Tottenham's impressive start to the season, suffered a serious hamstring injury during the first half of the fiery London derby. The defender pulled up sharply while chasing Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson and immediately signalled for assistance.
Postecoglou revealed the extent of the damage, stating: "Micky has had a significant hamstring injury. It's a fairly significant one, so we're probably looking at a couple of months." This timeline suggests the 22-year-old could be sidelined until early 2024, dealing a massive blow to Tottenham's defensive stability.
Spence's Unfortunate Loan Spell Continues
Adding to Tottenham's woes, right-back Djed Spence sustained damage to his lateral collateral ligament during a development squad match. The England Under-21 international, currently on loan from Spurs, faces approximately two months of rehabilitation.
"Djed Spence, again a similar timeframe," Postecoglou confirmed. "He's injured his lateral ligament, so he'll be a couple of months."
Tactical Repercussions for Postecoglou
The timing couldn't be worse for the Australian manager, who has implemented an aggressive, high-line defensive system that heavily relied on Van de Ven's exceptional recovery pace. With Cristian Romero also serving a suspension following his red card against Chelsea, Tottenham's central defensive options have been severely depleted.
Postecoglou now faces the challenge of reshuffling his backline ahead of crucial Premier League fixtures, with Eric Dier and Ben Davies likely to form the new centre-back partnership in the coming weeks.
The injury crisis compounds Tottenham's frustrations after their first league defeat of the season, which saw them reduced to nine men amid a chaotic match that featured five disallowed goals and two red cards.
