Speak to those behind the scenes and they will explain injuries have been the most pertinent factor behind Tottenham’s predicament.
Son Heung-min, Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison and Guglielmo Vicario among many others have spent extended spells on the sidelines this season – many of them with muscular issues.
James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Kulusevski were all unavailable in Bilbao. Son started on the bench because he was deemed unfit having only recently returned from injury.
Indeed, multiple sources have told BBC Sport that the club’s crippling injury record has been at the centre of some friction between members of the coaching team and medical and strength and conditioning staff over the course of the season.
“It’s been the blame game,” one well-placed source said.
According to sources, Richarlison’s injury-disrupted campaign has proved a bone of contention, particularly in the aftermath of the 4-0 Carabao Cup defeat by Liverpool in February when, having only recently returned from respective hamstring and groin injuries, the Brazil international suffered a subsequent calf injury.
There have been other examples this season where Postecoglou’s team and the medical and fitness department haven’t seen eye-to-eye.
Has Postecoglou pushed players too hard? Or are the strength and conditioning and medical departments at fault? The answers will vary depending on who you speak to.
Interestingly, it is understood there were similar strains during Postecoglou’s reign at Celtic, with medical staff and the manager not always aligned.
It’s pertinent to add that those tensions at Tottenham have eased in recent weeks as the club’s walking wounded returned to availability, while Postecoglou has sought to factor in more days off for his players in recent months – their elimination from the Carabao Cup and FA Cup allowing him extra leeway.
Nevertheless, the sheer number of muscular injuries the club have suffered this season indicates an issue that requires rectifying.
As is normal at the end of the season, Tottenham will review the campaign with a view to making departmental improvements ahead of the next.
With the incoming arrival of Vinai Venkatesham as new CEO, it’s probable that current chief football officer Scott Munn’s position will come under scrutiny at the end of the season.
Tottenham have also held talks with former managing director of football Fabio Paratici over a return to the club following his exit in 2023 after an appeal against a two-and-a-half-year Fifa ban for alleged financial irregularities while at Juventus was rejected by Italy’s highest sports court.
It is also fair to assume the club’s horrendous injury record will be part of the review process.
The upside of the club’s injury issues has been the development of 19-year-olds Bergvall and Archie Gray this season.
Both teenagers were expected to be eased into first-team duty this season – but the pair have made 88 appearances between them so far.
While there is acknowledgement that the experience will be invaluable to the development of both players, there is also an acceptance that the situation has been far from ideal for a club expected to be challenging for a top-five spot.
