Ange Postecoglou says Tottenham Hotspur are facing an "extreme situation" as they continue a poor run of form that has dropped them to 15th in the Premier League table, closer in points to the relegation zone than to the top half.
Spurs lost 3-2 at Everton on Sunday, their sixth consecutive league outing without a win, conceding three first-half goals to a team who had scored only once across their previous six matches.
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Spurs' form has not been helped by their ongoing injury crisis. Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson and Yves Bissouma all missed the trip to Goodison Park, with Spurs' list of absentees now increasing to 10 senior players, including three of their first-choice back four and their starting goalkeeper.
Postecoglou says his players need help but that no signings are imminent, despite the January transfer window closing in just two weeks, on 3 February. He also says only one of his injured players is close to returning.
"It's a pretty extreme situation," Postecoglou said in his post-match press conference. "We’ve lost three significant players since the last game.
"It was pretty evident before [that we need reinforcements]. Apart from Rodrigo [Bentancur], no one really is due to come back.
"The club is well aware of our situation and they're doing their utmost. As far as I know there’s nothing imminent, but hopefully before the end of the window something comes up.
"But I have a responsibility with the group of players I have. That’s what I have to focus on and I’m determined to get us out of this. We're asking massive jobs of 17 and 18-year-olds to try to win games for us. It's more about getting the players help, not for me.
"I still believe the responsibility lies with me to get this right, whatever the circumstances are. I’ve still got to steer us through with the cards we’ve been dealt."
Solanke out for a 'few weeks'
Postecoglou revealed that Solanke, who has scored seven goals in 18 Premier League appearances this season, does not seem to have a serious injury and should only be out of action for a few weeks.
But Spurs' top scorer, Johnson, could be missing for a month with a calf injury picked up in the north London derby defeat to Arsenal in midweek.
Spurs' injured players
| Player | Injury | Latest Update |
| Rodrigo Bentancur | Head | Details |
| Cristian Romero | Muscle | Details |
| Destiny Udogie | Hamstring | Details |
| Micky van de Ven | - | Details |
| Guglielmo Vicario | Ankle | Details |
| Wilson Odobert | Hamstring | Details |
| Timo Werner | Hamstring | Details |
| Yves Bissouma | Knock | Details |
| Brennan Johnson | Calf | Details |
| Dominic Solanke | Knee | Details |
'We'll get something out of this season'
This is the first time since 1997/98 that Spurs have lost as many as 12 games from their first 22 matches of a league season, with Postecoglou's side sitting just eight points above the relegation zone ahead of a home match against 19th-placed Leicester City next weekend.
But Postecoglou says he and his players still have the motivation to turn Spurs' fortunes around and that they can salvage something from 2024/25, with the club also still in the UEFA Europa League, FA Cup and EFL Cup.
"There’s plenty of motivation," he said. "We're still in four competitions. Eventually our players will come back, there’s significant talent coming back. There’s motivation that when we get our players back we’ll get something significant out of this season."
'Postecoglou has to change his tactics'
Former Spurs forward Jermain Defoe believes Postecolgou must tweak his tactics to try and bring an end to the north London side's winless run.
"You have to find a way to win football matches," said Defoe. "You have to be able to adapt, because when you keep making the same mistakes and are conceding that many goals, it can't be right."
