Igor Tudor faces defensive crisis for Tottenham debut against Arsenal
New Tottenham head coach Igor Tudor faces a defensive crisis ahead of his first match in charge against Arsenal on Sunday with 12 senior players unavailable.
The Croatian takes the reins for the North London derby amid a battle to avoid relegation, having replaced Thomas Frank earlier this week.
Spurs are currently 16th in the Premier League table and sit just five points above the drop zone following an eight-game winless run.
Selection headache for new boss
Tudor acknowledges the difficulty of implementing his preferred tactical setup immediately due to the depleted squad.
We have a lot of injured players, so we need to first find the best system that suits the players that are available at this moment, so a very particular moment.
Igor Tudor, Tottenham head coach
The former Lazio manager must navigate the suspension of captain Cristian Romero alongside 11 other injury-enforced absences.
While Tudor’s statistical history in Serie A and Ligue 1 demonstrates a clear preference for a three-man defence, he lacks the specialist personnel to field it effectively.
Makeshift solutions required
Micky van de Ven and Radu Dragusin are currently the only recognised centre-backs fit for selection.
If the new head coach insists on a back three, he may be forced to utilise Joao Palhinha as an emergency central defender.
The Portuguese midfielder was deployed in that role by Tudor’s predecessor during the latter stages of his eight-month tenure.
Frank had predominantly used a back four but experimented with a three-man system shortly before his dismissal.
Arsenal’s record against the system
Sunday’s opponents have enjoyed significant success against teams deploying three at the back.
Since the start of last season, the Gunners have lost only once in the Premier League when facing that specific formation.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side recently dropped points against bottom club Wolves, who utilised a 3-4-2-1 shape.
Tudor will be hoping his tactical familiarity with the system can provide the solidity Spurs have lacked, having failed to keep a clean sheet in their last seven outings.