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Tottenham coach Ange Postecoglou has been urged to make a ruthless decision on Harambee Stars prospect Djed Spence ahead of their Europa Legaue clash against AZ Alkmaar.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has been urged to take a ruthless decision and drop Djed Spence for Thursday’s crucial Europa League clash against AZ Alkmaar, following the defender’s costly mistake in the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.
Spurs were fortunate to salvage a point at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday (9 March), with Pape Matar Sarr’s long-range strike and Son Heung-min’s late penalty sparing their blushes after the Cherries had stormed into a two-goal lead.
The performance left plenty to be desired, with Cristian Romero struggling on his return and several players looking off the pace.
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One of the biggest concerns was Spence, who has been one of Spurs’ more reliable performers in recent weeks, earning attention as a potential international for both Jamaica and Benni McCarthy’s Kenya.
However, he was caught ball-watching for Bournemouth’s opener, failing to track Marcus Tavernier at the back post after a dangerous delivery from Milos Kerkez.
While Pedro Porro bore much of the blame, former Spurs scout Bryan King believes Spence should have done much better and has called for him to be dropped for the second leg of their Europa League Round of 16 tie.
“I must admit Spence was asleep for the first goal,” King told Tottenham News.
“It was a great ball in from Kerkez, and a great finish. However, I think Spence should have done a lot better defensively. He was caught ball-watching, and you don’t want too much of that in the game coming up.
“Therefore, I would like to see a back four of Porro, Romero, Micky van de Ven and Destiny Udogie, which would see Spence make way.”
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Postecoglou’s job could be on the line on Thursday, with Tottenham needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit to avoid crashing out of the Europa League. Reports have even linked former boss Harry Redknapp with a shock return should things unravel for the Australian.
Given the mounting pressure, Postecoglou must field his strongest possible line-up, prioritising victory over squad rotation or injury concerns.
That could spell bad news for Spence, whose defensive lapse has put him under scrutiny ahead of a defining moment in Spurs’ season.
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The 24-year-old’s form has sparked international interest, with Kenya and Jamaica both keen to secure his services. However, with his club future uncertain, Spence will need to prove himself once more to remain in Postecoglou’s plans—and potentially stake a claim for a place in the Harambee Stars squad should he opt for Kenya.
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