The pigeon is sidelined for the next seven weeks.
Tottenham Hotspur have a shiny new midfielder in Conor Gallagher that they can take out of the toy box, but there are still a lot of broken players on this island of misfit toys. Today, Thomas Frank gave a press conference ahead of Saturday’s match vs. struggling West Ham, and the news isn’t great on the injury front. In addition to Rodrigo Bentancur being out for three months with a hamstring injury, Richarlison is also out for seven weeks after pulling up holding his hamstring in Spurs’ FA Cup loss to Aston villa.
However, there’s possibly some good news about Lucas Bergvall, Destiny Udogie, and Dominic Solanke. Maybe. Hopefully.
“Richy unfortunately got a hamstring injury that will keep him out for up to seven weeks. Lucas could be available, hopefully available for Saturday. Bissouma is back, so he’s available as well. Yeah, and then both Destiny and Dom are close to finishing a good week of training, so they’re of course obviously a bit closer to, both be involved and available, but closer to play even more minutes. So that’s positive, they look good, both of them.”
Now I’ll believe Thomas Frank will play Yves Bissouma in a competitive football match just as soon as I see it, though if Frank thinks Gallagher isn’t ready to slot straight into the lineup, maybe we’ll actually see Bissouma play football after returning from AFCON. Pape Matar Sarr is still at the African competition, as his Senegal team faces Morocco in the final. Sarr, however, has barely played in the tournament.
There hasn’t been a lot to cheer with regards to Tottenham Hotspur lately, but Frank is still bullish on his chances of turning things around.
“I’m very aware of how this football world works, no doubt about that. I know that we haven’t got enough of the result we want. I know, I can just see the small step we’re constantly doing. I still refer to the last six games with more positive, consistent performances. Not perfect, but there’s some good signs of a team where we are talking about sometimes not being able to deal with enough setbacks and resilience.
“The two second halves against Bournemouth and Villa where it is so easy to fall apart. They actually step in together, they add more. I think that’s talking about a culture that’s getting a little bit stronger, a little bit more, come on, let’s do everything we can to turn this little momentum.
“In football, sometimes momentum changes like that. I can see the small signs of the culture, the training, how the boys have been training here, especially Tuesday, Thursday, very intense, focused, working very hard on the offensive part of the game, because we know the defensive in many ways looks quite good, not through the roof, but quite good. Big improvements, set pieces are there.
“It’s the offensive we need to do better. That’s what we’re working hard on. I think all the small steps we’re doing, with everything from signing Conor, signing John Heitinga as assistant coach, excellent signing, Rafi as football operation officer, I think it’s the correct title, but just a key member in the direction, how we want to do things. Everything is going forward. We just need to add a top performance and a win on Saturday.”
Naturally, there was talk about Gallagher and what he can bring to a struggling Tottenham team that is critically injured in midfield. Frank had the opportunity to express what he likes about Spurs’ new signing, and discuss the nickname Gallagher picked up at Atletico Madrid – “Pitbull.”
“I think it’s a top signing. Can’t praise Fabio, Johan and Vinai enough, the ownership, for doing it and get it done, get it over the line. We went quick.
“I think what he brings in terms of abilities, first and foremost, he’s a very good player, great experience in the Premier League, also in La Liga, captain of two teams. So that character, that leadership, that experience, and still young, 25, with plenty of development to reach, but coming in on a good level, bringing his pressing abilities, his directness, scoring goals, but also being able to find good positions on the pitch, is exactly what we need.
“I think it’s a great nickname. I think it shows Conor has a lot of good offensive abilities. His ability to arrive in the box scoring goals, his way of finishing. I think he’s a clever finisher as well. I think his skill set around the last third is good in terms of arriving in the right positions.
“I told him about the project and the plan with him, and the club and what we are aiming for and all that suited him very well. I think he suited us and I think we suited him.”
Tottenham kick off against West Ham on Saturday at 10 a.m. ET / 3 p.m. GMT. The match is not televised in the USA or UK, but will be streamed on Peacock in the USA.
Category: General Sports
