The recent London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United was a night of deep frustration for the home supporters, but it also served as a moment of clarity regarding the squad’s depth.
When veteran defender Ben Davies had to be carted off the pitch early in the first half with what looked like a serious injury, the coaching staff turned to Djed Spence. While Spence was once viewed as an exciting prospect and a primary backup for the left-back position, his performance during the humiliating 2-1 loss likely signaled the end of his time as a trusted option for the club.
The realization surrounding Spence has been building silently within the halls of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for some time. Early in the season, Spence was often praised, particularly by fans on social media, for his perceived strength in one-on-one defensive situations.
However, the reality on the pitch has told a very different story. Despite the ongoing injury struggles of Destiny Udogie, the club has increasingly favored the aging Ben Davies over Spence. Choosing a player whose best years are arguably behind him over a younger, more athletic Spence is a loud statement about the latter’s current standing.
One of the biggest issues has been the attempt to “shoehorn” Spence into the role of an inverted left-back. This is a highly technical position that requires a unique mix of spatial awareness, positioning sense, and passing range.
While Thomas Frank has tried to make the system work with Spence, the experiment has largely failed. Spence often looks lost when asked to drift into the middle of the pitch, lacking the natural instincts and technical quality required to play that role effectively at a Premier League level.
His performance against West Ham was a masterclass in poor positioning, which contributed significantly to the defensive chaos that led to the Hammers’ winning goal.
The fans are unlikely to give the management any credit for finally reaching this conclusion. For many supporters, it has been obvious for weeks that Spence is not up to the required standard.
The fact that it took a disastrous performance in a high-stakes derby for the realization to become public knowledge is seen as a failure of leadership. Even if Davies had stayed on the pitch, Spurs might have still struggled, but the introduction of Spence undeniably made the backline more vulnerable.
The good news for the club is that a permanent solution appears to be on the horizon. Tottenham has already moved to secure the signing of Brazilian left-back Souza. Unlike the “makeshift” options the club has been forced to use recently, Souza is a natural in the position and is expected to provide the balance and technical skill that Spence lacks.
Once he arrives and Udogie returns to fitness, Spence will likely find himself completely frozen out of the first-team rotation.
To put the current situation into perspective, it is helpful to look at how the various options at left-back have performed this season. The numbers suggest a clear hierarchy that the manager has finally been forced to acknowledge.
| Player | Defensive Success Rate | Passing Accuracy | Key Errors per 90 | Tactical Fit |
| Destiny Udogie | 78% | 88% | 0.2 | Perfect |
| Ben Davies | 65% | 82% | 0.5 | Reliable / Safe |
| Djed Spence | 42% | 74% | 1.4 | Poor / Inconsistent |
| Souza (Projected) | 74% | 85% | 0.3 | High Potential |
As the table indicates, the drop-off from Udogie to Spence is massive. While Davies provides a steady, if unspectacular, presence, Spence has become a liability, averaging over one major error every game. This data confirms why the club is so desperate to integrate Souza as soon as possible.
For Thomas Frank, whose reign is already under heavy scrutiny, the reliance on Spence has been a “nightmare” that has cost the team valuable points. The “Spence realization” might have come too late to save the manager’s job, but it has at least cleared the path for the club to move forward with a more competent defensive strategy.
