Tottenham Hotspur’s promising start to the 2024/25 Premier League season has raised serious questions about their defensive capabilities, as the club currently sits in a disappointing eighth place after matchday nine.
Despite managing to score 18 goals so far, making them the third highest-scoring team behind Manchester City and Chelsea in the league, their defensive record tells a different story.

Spurs have managed to keep only two clean sheets in their first nine league matches, highlighting a pressing need for reinforcements at the backline if they’re in serious charge for title challenge this season.
Former Tottenham scout Mick Brown has been vocal about the club’s defensive flaws, urging the board to take decisive action in the January transfer window.

“Tottenham worry me defensively,” Brown remarked. “They fall down at the core, they’re just not good enough at the back. That’s even with their first-choice team on the pitch.”
This inconsistency is particularly evident in the performances of Cristian Romero, who has been far from his best this season.
The Argentine defender, alongside Micky van de Ven, formed a solid partnership last term that played a key role in Spurs securing a Europa League spot.
However, this season, Romero’s mistakes and lapses in concentration have contributed to the team’s struggles in the defence.
Brown emphasizes the importance of having a reliable defensive unit, drawing comparisons with rivals like Arsenal and Manchester City.
“All the best teams have defensive units that you know you can rely upon every week,” he stated, pointing to Arsenal’s solid duo of Gabriel and William Saliba as a benchmark for success.
He added, “Man City… their defence is outstanding with the likes of Dias, Akanji, and Gvardiol and so on.”
As it stands, Spurs’ defensive depth is concerning. Behind the established pairing of Romero and van de Ven, there is a significant lack of quality from the other choices.
Radu Dragusin, who joined the club from Genoa in January, remains the only natural backup and has seen limited action, starting just one league game this season. His potential exit has further intensified calls for a new centre-back at the club.
The January transfer window now approaching, it seems clear that Spurs will need to address this issues.
Brown notes that the club’s lack of depth has made squad rotation difficult, complicating their attempts to maintain form throughout the season.
“From what I’m hearing, they want to bring in someone who can fill in if those two miss out,” he added, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
Big Ange Postecoglou may find himself compelled to enter the transfer market to secure a quality centre-back capable of pushing Romero and van de Ven for their starting spots in the team. F,The need for healthy competition within the squad is crucial for Spurs to regain their feet in the league.