Spurs could hire a 4-2-3-1 manager who is a better fit than De Zerbi

0 16 3 minutes read

Spurs could hire a 4-2-3-1 manager who is a better fit than De Zerbi

It felt like a good week for Tottenham Hotspur and Igor Tudor, with the Lilywhites rescuing a deserved point at Anfield, before securing a first win under Croatia against Atletico Madrid in midweek.

The north London side delivered when the pressure was off on both occasions, as they seemed to relish their relegation zone.

Back as favorites for the visit of Nottingham Forest on Sunday, however, the hosts are back to square one again, with Tudor firmly under the microscope for his selection decisions.

Indeed, the 47-year-old chose not to start Xavi Simons despite the Dutchman’s impressive performance against Atleti, and promptly ripped the system apart with a few changes at half-time.

Spurs’ last 7 opponents
The day	Objection	24/25 result
April 11	Sunderland (a)	N/A
April 18	Brighton (h)	1-4 (L)
April 25	Wolves (a)	4-2 (L)
May 2	Aston Villa (a)	2-0 (L)
May 9	Leeds (h)	N/A
May 17	Chelsea (a)	1-0 (L)
May 24	Everton (h)	4-0 (W)

Such changes have been seen as a sign that the manager has lost the plot, and Spurs need to act quickly if they want to save their season.

The latest in the Spurs manager’s search and Tudor’s future

The tragic news of Tudor’s father’s death on Sunday has, understandably, calmed the frenzy over his future, with Tottenham’s management unlikely to make an early decision, with the international break now upon us.

However, there are believed to be ongoing talks over the former Juventus manager’s removal, with just one win in seven games in charge and a poor record.

With Spurs still just one point above relegation, the situation is getting bleaker, and it is certain that the club will also be in trouble when it comes to naming a replacement.

As reported this week, while free agent Roberto De Zerbi is keen to take the job this summer, that is conditional on Spurs staying, and the Italian is not believed to be keen on a mid-season change.

With Mauricio Pochettino his best partner and likely to be targeted in the summer, considering the Argentinian will lead the United States at this summer’s World Cup, the Lilywhites will have to look elsewhere for a short-term solution.

Former interim manager Tim Sherwood has thrown his hat in the ring, and the likes of Harry Redknapp and Glenn Hoddle have been sacked, although the Europa League winners could take a more realistic, if surprising, approach if they want to make a change.

Spurs can sign better players than De Zerbi this month

There may be a sense that De Zerbi’s desire to join at the end of the season, rather than now, may turn out to be a blessing in disguise, as the former Marseille boss has a habit of adding fuel to the fire.

Interim manager of Tottenham Hotspur Igor Tudor -1

Tudor replacement: Spurs hold talks to hire their new version of Conte

Spurs should be looking for another new manager.

Indeed, the fiery coach parted ways with the Ligue 1 side earlier this year after a row in charge, memorably refusing to train his players at one point following last season’s defeat to Reims.

After earlier exits from Brighton and Hove Albion after a dispute with owner Tony Bloom over the club’s transfer policy, De Zerbi is not the calm head that Spurs desperately need right now.

With that in mind, it may be time to call in another ‘fireman’, albeit this time a former Premier League manager, with Sean Dyche out of a job following his exit from Forest last month.

Reports at the start of March suggested Spurs were holding talks over a slow move for Dyche, with the Englishman previously guiding Everton to safety, while always resisting disorganization during his ten-year spell at Burnley.

Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche arrives on the pitch before the game

Even in his latest stint at the City Ground, which saw him sacked, the 54-year-old steadied the ship following Ange Postecoglou’s poor tenure, with his sacking coming as a surprise.

In 18 league games in charge at Nottingham, Dyche won six and drew four, collecting 22 points to suggest he might have been on the safe side, had he not been shown the door so quickly.

In any case, while his methods may not be glamorous, the one-time Watford manager has shown time and time again that he can get results in the top flight, having now racked up 350 games as a Premier League manager to date, favoring a 4-2-3-1 formation along the way.

Considering the likes of Hoddle, Redknapp and Sherwood have long been out of action, and with De Zerbi capable of deepening this squad further, Dyche may represent the most sensible, short-term fix for the remainder of the campaign.