Tottenham Hotspur newcomer Radu Dragucin (22) could finally get his first start.
Tottenham will host Fulham at Craven Cottage in London on Sunday (2:30 p.m. ET) in the 29th round of the 2023-24 English Premier League season. Tottenham’s last-minute win over Aston Villa boosted their chances of securing a spot in the Big Four with a UEFA Champions League spot at stake. The win leaves Tottenham in fifth place with 53 points from 16 wins, five draws, and six losses.
Son Heung-min’s performance was crucial for Tottenham against Aston Villa. He opened the scoring with an assist on Brennan Johnson’s goal eight minutes into the second half for a 1-0 lead. In second-half stoppage time, Heung-min scored himself and assisted on Timo Werner’s goal to complete a one-goal, two-assist performance.
Everything was going well for Tottenham with a big win over Aston Villa in what will be a watershed moment for the fourth-place finishers, but the only change was the injury to Mickey van der Vaal. A hand-picked signing by new manager Ange Postecoglou, van der Vaart has been the driving force behind Spurs’ ability to maintain a high defensive line this season. Despite his height, he is very athletic and has the ability to cover the space behind him.
However, his thighs are often problematic due to the amount of sprinting he does. Van der Penn also suffered a hamstring injury last November when he chased down an attacker against Chelsea. It wasn”t just a niggle and he had to rehabilitate until mid-January this year. After returning and performing well, he regained his place in the starting lineup, but then he went down with another thigh problem.
Van der Penn will not be available for the trip to Fulham. Speaking about van der Penn’s injury, Postecoglou said: “I don’t think he will be available for the weekend. “I don’t think it’s a big problem, but it’s unlikely he’ll be available for the Fulham game,” he said. “We have an A-match break coming up, so hopefully he won’t miss too much time.
Van der Penn’s absence is not a concern. He may not have had a backup before, but now he has the reliable Dragusin. Dragusin was brought in last winter to bolster the center back line and made an immediate impact. He’s proven himself in the Italian Serie A, a league that’s known for its defensive tactics.
Dragusin spent his youth career at Juventus. He then spent time on loan at Sampdoria and Salernitana. He joined Genoa on loan last season. At the time, Genoa were in Serie B (second division), and Dragusin played every game and was a pillar of their promotion to the top flight. After winning promotion to Serie A, Genoa opted to buy him outright. So far this season, Dragusin’s impact has been huge. He has started 57 consecutive games and has been a consistent performer.
One of his strengths is his buildup. In modern soccer, where attacks are built from the back, it”s a fundamental requirement for a central defender. He”s very good at it, which is why he”s attracted attention. Above all, his biggest strength is his physical condition. At 191 centimeters, he has excellent man-to-man defense. This season, he was the best in Serie A in several categories, including second in clearances (87), first in aerial balls won (59), and first in dribble breaks allowed (1).
Along with Tottenham, Bayern Munich were also hoping to sign Dragucin. “I decided to join Tottenham after hearing about their interest. “I decided to join Tottenham after hearing about their interest,” he said. “I took everything into consideration and decided it was the best step for my career. I’ve been looking forward to coming to Tottenham for a long time 안전놀이터 because the staff and players are of a very high standard. It’s an unexpected but amazing decision and I can’t wait to get to know everyone and get on the pitch,” he said at his signing ceremony.
“It’s been an exciting time at Tottenham, but I haven’t played many games so far. At the time of signing, both Van der Vaart and Cristian Romero looked like they would be out for a while with injuries, but both have shown monstrous resilience and have come back from injury to cement their place in the first team with their fitness. Dragusin made his debut against Manchester United, and was a late substitute against Manchester City and Everton.
His introduction against Villa was a surprise, as he was rushed on after an injury to Van der Penne and played 41 minutes, but he was ready to go. He slotted into Tottenham’s defense with ease and helped them to a clean sheet. Now, his long-awaited reward is a starting partnership with Romero.
The faith in Dragosin is huge. His agent, Florin Manéa, gave Spurs’ internal assessment. “Coach Postecoglou always tells him to be patient. “Tottenham have a well-planned season,” he said, “and he waited for his turn. You can only improve through competition.”
“Tottenham checks his performance every day. According to Tottenham officials, he is particularly good in training. He’s called an impeccable player. I watch him in training every day, and he works as hard as if it were an official match.”