This Premier League season has been hard to predict for several reasons, not least of which includes Nottingham Forest’s surge to the top and Manchester City’s skid down the table. Few things are as surprising as Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur’s inability to escape the bottom half of the table, with the two sides seemingly competing to see who had the worse weekend – and the worse season.
Much like it was on Sunday, it can be difficult to distinguish which team was poorer than the other. United collected yet another loss at home, this time a 3-1 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion in which their only shot on target was a penalty. Spurs, meanwhile, somehow kept things tighter in a 3-2 loss at Everton but the stain of being 3-0 down at halftime looms large over the result. United end the weekend in 13th place and Spurs sit in 15th, much closer to the relegation contenders than the top-four race.
Though their downward turns are unusual, even considering the inconsistent performances of recent years, their dismal seasons are not exactly the result of new decisions – or decision-makers – steering well-run clubs in the entirely wrong direction. The specific circumstances for United and Spurs’ poor run of form may be different, but the teams share one notable commonality – the issues plaguing both of them are years in the making and will take time to adequately fix.
Squad Building Crises
If one was to diagnose the specific on-field issues plaguing United and Spurs this season, the list would be fairly different. The Red Devils have a paltry 27 goals scored in 22 league games, for example, while Tottenham boast a plus-10 goal differential but the 35 goals they have conceded are a true cause for concern. No matter how you slice it, though, it is hard not to argue that both teams’ issues would be resolved by signing new players. That forces the question – why haven’t they?
The idiosyncrasies of their leadership groups may differ, but the higher-ups at both United and Spurs have been happy to launch a fresh rebuild and then pull the plug somewhat quickly. It has left both teams with imbalanced rosters that are a mix of quality talent, promising young players and a host of players who feel like the wrong fit. The top-tier players can only do so much to cover up the holes in the team, while mixing in that many youngsters – and doing so too quickly – can mean a steep learning curve that’s unideal for everyone involved.
Their transfer strategies are varied but problematic. United have invested heavily in several high-profile players, defender Matthijs de Ligt among the latest after joining in the summer. They also attempted to find diamonds in the rough yet have seen little success – forward Rasmus Hojlund still has not made his mark. Spurs, meanwhile, built a new-look starting lineup in time for Ange Postecoglou’s first season but signed forward Dominic Solanke and five teenagers in the summer, which has not allowed them to vastly improve.
This season, Tottenham have the added challenge of an unprecedented injury crisis, leaving them without 10 first-team players for their loss to Everton. The absence of these players reveals a harsh truth about Spurs’ squad – they may have a respected lineup, but the quality significantly drops when first-choice players are missing. This lack of depth puts them in a difficult position as they compete across four competitions.
There’s only so much a team can do to overcome these issues in the short term, signaling another critical summer transfer window for both teams ahead. It’s unlikely either side will see major improvements in January – although Spurs secured 21-year-old goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky while Guglielmo Vicario is injured, that’s it for both teams in terms of business so far. Spurs may improve with returning injured players, but the overarching need for enhancements remains critical.
New Managers, Same Problems
Both Postecoglou and United’s Ruben Amorim have faced increasing scrutiny as their teams continue accruing losses, overshadowing the initial optimism surrounding their appointments. Amorim, being new, avoids the pressure faced by Postecoglou in his second season, but both managers contend with challenges beyond their control.
Despite being the most visible representatives of their teams, responsibility for squad building often lies beyond the manager’s control. However, this January will mark the first time Amorim has input, while Spurs’ midfield issues date back to Mousa Dembele’s departure in 2019.
Both managers are under pressure to deliver results, but it is important to acknowledge that they are constrained by circumstances. While Amorim is not in immediate danger, Postecoglou may see his position challenged as injuries impact Spurs significantly. Ultimately, both clubs’ frequent turnover in managers complicates the construction of a cohesive strategy, leading to a lack of clear direction, which has persisted for several years.
