The arrival of a North London derby usually brings a sense of electric anticipation to the streets of N17, but this time, the atmosphere is heavy with a different kind of tension. Tottenham Hotspur find themselves at a crossroads that few could have predicted a year ago.
The tenure of Thomas Frank, once viewed with such optimism, has concluded as a definitive failure, leaving the squad sapped of energy and the club’s identity in tatters. Now, the responsibility of salvaging a season that is spiraling toward disaster falls to Igor Tudor.
The Croatian manager inherits a team that is not just underperforming, but one that is dangerously embroiled in a relegation scrap, sitting a mere five points above 18th-place West Ham United.
To understand the scale of the task facing Tudor, one only needs to look at the historical data. Frank’s time at the helm produced some of the most concerning numbers in the club’s modern history.
In terms of win percentages for managers with at least ten games in charge, Frank’s record places him at the very bottom of the list, even below names that Spurs fans recall with a collective shudder.
Tottenham’s Historical Struggles: Lowest Premier League Win Percentages
| Manager | Games Managed | Win Percentage |
| Thomas Frank | 26 | 26.9% |
| Jacques Santini | 11 | 27.3% |
| Juande Ramos | 36 | 27.8% |
| Osvaldo Ardiles | 54 | 29.6% |
| Christian Gross | 27 | 33.3% |
This Sunday’s clash against Arsenal is more than just a rivalry; it is a vital survival test. For Tudor to prove that there is a pulse left in this Lilywhites side, he must find a way to reignite a creative spark that has been missing for most of the campaign.
The irony of their creative drought is amplified by the presence of Eberechi Eze in the opposition lineup. Many forget that Eze was almost a Tottenham player this past summer. A deal to bring the electric attacker from Crystal Palace to North London was essentially finalized, only for Arsenal to swoop in at the eleventh hour with a £67 million bid.
The sting of that missed opportunity was felt most acutely in November, when Eze scored a hat-trick against Spurs to secure a victory for the Gunners. However, a closer look at the season as a whole suggests that missing out on the 27-year-old might not have been the tragedy it first appeared.
While Arsenal are fighting for the league title, Eze’s personal output has been somewhat modest, with just five goals and six assists across 36 appearances. A significant portion of those returns came from that single afternoon against a disorganized Spurs defense.
At Arsenal, Eze is a luxury player in a high-functioning machine; at Tottenham, he would have been asked to be the talisman, a role that might have been difficult to sustain given the club’s internal chaos.
In hindsight, Tottenham may have secured the better long-term investment by shifting their focus to Xavi Simons. After the Eze deal collapsed, Spurs moved quickly to sign the 22-year-old from RB Leipzig for £52 million.
While Simons initially struggled with the physical demands of the Premier League and the toxic atmosphere of a failing regime, he has emerged as one of the few bright spots in recent weeks. Under the guidance of Frank, Simons often looked like a player trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces. Under Igor Tudor, he might finally find the structure he needs to dominate.
Tudor is expected to implement his signature 3-4-2-1 formation for the derby. This tactical shift is a necessity, especially with club captain Cristian Romero currently suspended. To compensate for the lack of defensive leadership, Joao Palhinha is likely to drop into a deeper, hybrid role between the midfield and the back three.
This defensive stability should, in theory, grant Xavi Simons the freedom he craves. Positioned as an advanced playmaker shadowing Dominic Solanke, Simons will be the primary engine of the Tottenham attack.
Despite the team’s overall struggle, Simons’ individual metrics remain impressive. He has created six big chances from just fifteen starts and provided four assists. Former players and pundits, including Jamie O’Hara, have gone as far as to say that Simons possesses a higher ceiling than Eze.
While Eze is a direct, explosive runner, Simons offers a level of technical vision and versatility that makes him a “work in progress” with world-class potential. In the disjointed mess that was the previous management, Eze might have been swallowed up by the frustration. Simons, however, has shown a resilient streak, showcasing his quality even when the team around him was plummeting to its lowest point.
The derby offers a chance for Simons to eclipse his rival on the biggest stage. If he can outshine Eze on Sunday, it will validate the club’s recruitment strategy and, more importantly, provide the points needed to breathe some life back into their survival bid.
Tottenham fans have spent months watching their team fight beneath their weight class. Now, with a new leader in the dugout and a young playmaker ready to spread his wings, the goal is simple: disrupt Arsenal’s title charge and ensure that the only “relegation” discussed in North London involves their rivals’ neighbors, not themselves.
