Opinion: How Can Tottenham Cope Up Without This Consistent Belgian Forward?

Tottenham Blog

Injuries are part and parcel of every sport and football is no exception. While their North London rivals seem to be perennially under an injury hoodoo, Tottenham have received a bit of bad news regarding their Belgian attacker, Nacer Chadli. The winger was injured in the 0-0 draw against Liverpool during the weekend and it seems that the player will be out for longer than expected with ankle ligament damage, six weeks could be the time taken to heal this injury.

The Belgian was one of the bright sparks for Tottenham last season, but he has scored just once this entire season though Tottenham have the longest active unbeaten streak in the Premier League. Mauricio Pochettino would need to replace the Belgian attacker in the starting line-up but with the likes of new signing Son also facing a lot of time out, who should replace Chadli?

Time for an old boy or a new signing?

The trio who play behind the main striker are the positions that need to be rejigged, Harry Kane is the man who will lead the Tottenham attack, no matter how poorly his season goes and it is the Danish attacker, Christian Eriksen who plays behind him, though Eriksen can play out wide, the only time that should happen is when the Son Heung-Min is fit for the side. The South Korean is better off playing behind Kane, rather than out wide and Eriksen is talented enough to still be a major influence on the right of the attacking trio.

The left of the team is balanced by the mercurial and often frustrating figure of Erik Lamela. The Argentine blows hot and cold but is a game changer and cannot be dropped, he could play down the right also and switch with the other attacker, so who should be playing in the open slot of Chadli’s?

Andros Townsend was once the hottest winger in the Tottenham lineup, but that has gone extremely cold for him. The English forward might get his chance to play in the right-side of the attack and must make it count if he wants to become a fixture in the starting lineup against Pochettino, who does give his young players a chance.

However, it could be that a new signing, Clinton Njie would be given the role of playing down the right. The Cameroonian forward doesn’t always play down the right, and is often seen as a striker but he has a history of playing as a winger for Lyon and that is a similar role to what he would have to do in the Tottenham lineup. Njie was brought in to probably provide cover to Harry Kane, but he should be used in this role by Pochettino until Chadli comes back.