Kulusevski Criticises Spurs’ Squad Depth After Forest Defeat: “We’re Not Handling It Well

Kulusevski Criticises Spurs’ Squad Depth After Forest Defeat: “We’re Not Handling It Well

Dejan Kulusevski has voiced his concerns about Tottenham Hotspur’s squad depth and preparation following the club’s disappointing 2-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Monday. The result marked Spurs’ 18th Premier League loss of the season, further deepening their woes in what has been a dismal campaign under Ange Postecoglou.

The north London club currently sits 16th in the Premier League table, a far cry from their usual top-six aspirations, despite heavy investment in the summer transfer window. Players like Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray, and Wilson Odobert were brought in with hopes of bolstering the squad, but those additions have failed to translate into consistent performances on the pitch.

Kulusevski, speaking to reporters after making his first appearance since February, didn’t hold back in his assessment of the situation.

“[The top clubs have] been doing it many years. They know exactly what they’re doing. They’re bringing in a lot of players that are ready to play both competitions. And they are prepared for it,” he said. “This year we cannot say that we’re prepared for it because we had so many injuries and we did a lot of things wrong from the beginning of the season and we’re paying for it right now.”

Tottenham have struggled to balance their domestic commitments with European fixtures, something Kulusevski feels the team is simply not equipped for. Referencing the Forest game, he added,

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Despite showing flashes of good football later in the game, Spurs couldn’t overturn the early deficit. Kulusevski admitted that the performance was simply not up to the required standard: “It’s not good enough. Then we played some good football but if you’re not doing everything right, you will not win games.”

On a personal note, the Sweden international was upbeat about his return to action after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

“I felt great honestly. I’m so angry about the result but I’ve got to see the bigger picture: I’m back, I’m healthy and we’ve got important games coming up, so I’ve got to stay focussed,” he said.

Reflecting on his recovery, Kulusevski shared how he used his time away from football. “I had more time to be with my daughter and wife, and do other things in life. I still worked extremely hard because I know that when you come back, it can be hard. But I did all the work necessary to feel good right now. I did everything right.”

Tottenham now face a daunting run of fixtures. Next up is a trip to Anfield to take on title-chasing Liverpool, followed by the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt. With little margin for error left in the season, Spurs will need a drastic turnaround to salvage something from a campaign rapidly spiralling out of control.