MusaTottenham Hotspur expert John Wenham has questioned the club’s decision to give several first-team players a week away from training during the international break.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side have endured a difficult start to the Premier League campaign, collecting just two draws and suffering three defeats in their opening five matches.
While nine Tottenham players have been called up by their respective national teams, several key first-team players will remain at Hotspur Way during the international window.
James Maddison, Mohammed Kudus and Dominic Solanke are among those who were not selected for international duty.
However, the decision to give those players a week away from training has not gone down well with Wenham, who believes the squad should instead be using the break to improve their fitness and address the problems that have affected their performances.
Wenham questions Tottenham’s week off
The owner of the Lilywhite Rose account admitted that he was surprised by the decision and struggled to understand why Tottenham’s players were being given additional time away from the training ground.
Wenham pointed to repeated concerns surrounding the squad’s fitness and match sharpness, arguing that the decision appeared difficult to justify given the circumstances.
Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said:
“We’ve had it confirmed this week that the players are going to get a week off.
“I find that very strange.
“The players are going to have a week off, and then obviously two weeks of training, but on what basis do they warrant a week off? Why?
“We keep hearing, ‘they’re not fit enough, and they’re not in the right match frame,’ or whatever.”
Why more training could benefit Tottenham
The international break provides De Zerbi with valuable time to work with the players who remain at the club and address some of the weaknesses that have contributed to Tottenham’s poor start.
There are issues to improve in both attack and defence, and an additional period on the training pitch could have allowed the manager to work more extensively on his tactics, fitness levels and team cohesion.
Of course, a short break could also provide the players with an opportunity to mentally reset and return refreshed after a difficult opening to the season.
However, with Manchester United and Coventry among Tottenham’s upcoming opponents, Wenham believes every available training session could prove important.
If Spurs struggle to collect maximum points from those fixtures, the decision to give the squad additional time away from training could come under even greater scrutiny.
Ultimately, only the results of the coming matches will determine whether the decision was beneficial, but given Tottenham’s current situation, it represents a significant gamble.
Musa
