Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou will not take any risks rushing Cristian Romero back into action as he aims to carefully manage the squad for battles on two fronts.
Spurs followed up their 4-0 win at Manchester City with a 2-2 draw at home to Roma in the Europa League on Thursday night, with Mats Hummels snatching an equaliser for the Italians in stoppage time.
Postecoglou had opted to make just four changes from the side which so impressed at City – one of which enforced as goalkeeper Fraser Forster came in for Guglielmo Vicario, who is facing an extended spell on the sidelines following ankle surgery.
Centre-back Romero has struggled with a toe injury over the last month and had to leave international duty with Argentina early because of the issue before he then sat out both the City game and Thursday night’s European fixture.
Defender Micky van de Ven, Wilson Odobert and forward Richarlison are all still absent, while Rodrigo Bentancur is serving a lengthy domestic ban for his alleged racist remark about captain Son Heung-min.
Postecoglou hopes Romero will soon be back in contention, but is cautious over just when that should be as Spurs face a quick turnaround for Sunday’s visit of London rivals Fulham.
He has still got to get through some things today and the session tomorrow.
“Romero is closer (to returning), he is probably the closest,” Postecoglou said at a press conference.
“He is probably unlikely (to be involved against Fulham), but I am not ruling him out.
“He has still got to get through some things today and the session tomorrow.”
Postecoglou added: “From last night, at this stage, it is a clean bill of health – mind you, I thought that last week and then I had a guy (Vicario) in surgery an hour later.”
It ends level. pic.twitter.com/CdndGKA64s
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 28, 2024
Spurs now sit ninth in the Europa League standings, as they chase a place in the last 16.
Postecoglou insists the identity of his side is not about to change – even if that means dropping points when playing on the front foot.
“There is plenty of room for pragmatism in walks of life and in football as well – but I am just not interested in it,” the former Australia and Celtic boss said.
“I don’t know why I need to change my approach to be like everyone else wants me to be.
Action-packed first half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 😤#UEL pic.twitter.com/AVfij7ngaS
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) November 28, 2024
“I will continue to push this team to be a bit different, to play football in a different way – and maybe when I am long gone you will all pine for my entertainment, and you will have had your fill of pragmatism.”
Postecoglou added: “We haven’t achieved anything yet – we haven’t had success, we haven’t done all the things we want to do, so if I start being pragmatic now, then maybe we will never get there.
“I loved our last 20 minutes of the first half. We should have got a third goal that would have killed the game off, but we were exciting to watch – and that’s what I want.”
