Ange's midfield conundrum

The issues that Spurs have in defence are well documented, and justified. They are set to be without their first choice central defender, Cristian Romero, for six weeks. Even Ben Davies, who has deputised admirably for Micky van de Ven, is also injured. Full-backs Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie look out of sorts, and in desperate need of a rest.

However, there is also a pandemic in the middle of the park. Rodrigo Bentancur still has three more domestic games left to serve from his seven game suspension. Now, Yves Bissouma has picked up a suspension, and will also miss the trip to the South Coast to face Southampton on Sunday.

The issues in midfield that Ange Postecoglu currently faces

Both players are eligible to play against Rangers on Thursday evening. There is no doubt that Bentancur will go straight into the side. There you have a player who improves the side, whilst also not having to worry about his workload. Furthermore, you increase his match sharpness ahead of his domestic return.

Ideally, you would also play Bissouma at Ibrox, and give other midfielders a chance to manage their minutes. However, Spurs really need to win this game. Whilst with the Uruguayan midfielder, he improves the team. Can we say that about Bissouma right now? Probably not.

It will be hard to play Gray in midfield, with both Udogie and Porro looking absolutely shattered, he is going to be required at full-back. He might also be needed at centre-back, if van de Ven has not recovered from cramp in time, because if he hasn’t – Radu Dragusin is the only first team option there at the moment.

There is a dilemma with Dejan Kulusevski. Despite his excellent season, and good finish against Chelsea – he hasn’t quite looked himself last few games. Do you give him a rest, or give him a chance against an easier (whilst still hard) opponent, to try and play himself back into form? Considering the stakes, you probably do play him in this one.

We saw a bright cameo from James Maddison against Chelsea, providing an assist for Heung Min-Son late on. Do you start him in midfield, or would him and Kulusevski in the same midfield be too open? It has worked at times in the Premier League, so you probably go with it here.

However, does Brennan Johnson need resting, and therefore moving Kulusevski out to the right? Has he recovered from illness in time? Owing to that illness, he did only play 50 or so minutes against Chelsea, so if he has recovered, he is perhaps in less need of rest than others.

It is unfortunate for Dominic Solanke, who does look spent, but he is going to need to start this one. The ideal is, and it is far from guaranteed, that Spurs can give themselves a healthy enough game state to take some of the starters off in the second half. As for the left-wing, at Son’s age, this is perhaps a game for him to be on the bench, despite not starting vs Bournemouth.

Possible line up for Rangers; Forster; Gray, Dragusin, van de Ven, Udogie; Kulusevski, Bentancur, Maddison; Johnson, Solanke, Werner.

Sunday evening will be a lot harder to pick, without both Bentancur and Bissouma. In an ideal world, Gray would get minutes on Thursday in midfield, to prepare for starting there on Sunday, but that just doesn't seem possible with the full-back issue.