Tottenham Hotspur were a massive disappointment in the 2024/25 Premier League season. They finished 17th in the table after losing 22 of their 38 games.
Not only did they record their worst-ever finish in their top-flight history, but they also set a new record for the most defeats by a side that managed to avoid relegation.
Tottenham’s rollercoaster campaign ended in the best way possible. They beat Manchester United to win the Europa League title, ending their 17-year drought.
However, that didn’t factor into the board’s decision, as they ultimately decided to send Ange Postecoglou packing due to their abysmal result in the league.
There were many factors blamed for Tottenham’s woeful campaign, but their injury record certainly played a part.
Last season was brutal across the board. According to statistics from OLGB, over 21,000 days of playing time was lost to injuries.
However, only Brighton & Hove Albion felt the sting of physical setbacks more than Tottenham, who endured one of the darkest seasons in their modern history.
Did Tottenham’s woeful injury record contribute to their 17th-place finish?
Tottenham suffered a total of 41 injuries last season – a tally trumped only by Brighton (48).
They started the season in fine form, but the wheels began to come off when trips to the infirmary became alarmingly rampant.
James Maddison’s untimely setback started a chain of events that ultimately led up to Postecoglou’s exit.
The England international couldn’t catch a break from ankle problems, and Tottenham struggled to create worthwhile chances in the final third without their creative heartbeat.
Things went from bad to worse when Dejan Kulusevski also became scarce in the starting line-ups.
At one point, first-choice defensive pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven were both sidelined, while Destiny Udogie and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario also spent time in the hospital.
Postecoglou was often forced to shuffle through makeshift solutions, but they were always far from convincing and ultimately exposed at every opportunity.
Without his key players at his disposal for much of the season, it was difficult for Postecoglou and Tottenham to string a run of positive results.
The Australian manager wasn’t without his faults. He refused to adapt to the situation, stuck to his guns and paid the price. But the injuries took their toll on the Tottenham squad.
What to expect from Spurs this season
Injuries would always be a part of football, so to pin Tottenham’s capitulation on those setbacks would be simplistic.
Regardless of the situation, a 17th-place finish for a club of Tottenham’s stature is a sackable offence, and the board were right to deny Postecoglou a third season.
Brighton’s eighth-place finish with even more injuries proves that Tottenham were the architects of their own doom. Injuries may have lit the fuse, but failing to adapt caused the explosion.
Looking to reinvent themselves this season, Spurs have started the Thomas Frank era with two wins and a shocking 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth in their opening three games.
There are already murmurs of discontent after the loss to Bournemouth, but impressive victories against Burnley and Manchester City, as well as a number of exciting new faces, have sparked renewed hopes.
Tottenham now have a decent enough squad to return to the upper echelons of the Premier League.
It’s too early to predict if they can reclaim a spot in the top six this season, but if it’s any consolation, Frank can hardly do any worse than his predecessor.