Tottenham Champions League push already over as Ange Postecoglou shares Richarlison update
Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou’s dream of Champions League football appears to be drifting out of reach with each passing week in North London.
The Spurs boss needs Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool to do his side against Aston Villa on Monday (13 May) and also will be hoping his side can pull off a remarkable shock win against Manchester City on Tuesday (14 May).
It won’t be easy to stop Pep Guardiola’s winning machine, especially as they close in on yet another Premier League title, but the task has been made even harder with Postecoglou sharing a new update about Richarlison.
As quoted by the Evening Standard (13 May) he said: “Not good, he’ll miss the next two games. Nothing serious but enough to keep him out for the next two games.”
Will Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham start Richarlison against Manchester City?
Injury issues have plagued Richarlison for much of the season. When the Brazilian has been fit, however, he has scored 11 Premier League goals and laid on four assists in just 18 starts this term, according to Fotmob.
In 1492 minutes of league action this year, the 27-year-old has registered 15 goal involvements meaning he is managing to score or assist in every 99 minutes of football. He has become one of the Lilywhites’ most consistent sources of goals.
When compared to other forwards in the league, Richarlison places in the 87th percentile for non-penalty goals scored per 90 minutes, according to Fbref.
On top of that, he sits in the top nine per cent of strikers for shots taken per game. While he can be erratic in the box, he is a goalscorer and that’s what Spurs really need if they want to qualify for the Champions League.
As Spurs slipped to a disappointing 4-2 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield only a matter of days ago, the Brazilian was the shining light in an otherwise grim display. He completed 75 per cent of his passes from the bench while picking up a goal and an assist.
While the game had already been lost when he was introduced, he registered six touches in the Reds’ box and even produced four passes into the final third, more than both Son Heung-min and Brennan Johnson managed.
Spurs’ record against the big six this season hasn’t been the best and arguably their best display against one of the Premier League’s top teams saw them claim all three points at home to Liverpool in controversial circumstances.
Richarlison impressed in that clash, starting from the left wing and completing 81 per cent of his 21 attempted passes while also creating two goal-scoring chances, one of which saw him pick up the assist for Son’s opener.
While his work in possession received a majority of the credit, the Brazilian International was just as effective without the ball, entering 11 ground duels in the contest and coming away with the ball on six occasions.
Few players in the division are as effective out of possession as the Spurs forward. When compared to his peers in the division, he sits in the 99th percentile for blocks made per game and the top 19 per cent for interceptions per game.
Will Ange Postecoglou qualify for the Champions League?
To qualify for the Champions League this season, Postecoglou cannot afford to drop another point and without Richarlison it is next to impossible to see how Spurs will win both of their last two matches.
With other key players also stuck on the treatment table, it feels as though Spurs’ Champions League hopes may already be over before a ball has even been kicked against Manchester City.
In other Tottenham news, Radu Dragusin has been told that he shouldn’t “jump ship” at Spurs after a new transfer admission
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