As Tottenham Hotspur prepare to face defending Premier League champions Liverpool, there is a sense that this is the chance for Spurs to finally make a real statement by taking advantage of a Reds side that is undeniably talented but also reeling with even more controversies than they are after the latest Arne Slot, Mohamed Salah, and Jamie Carragher situation.
Spurs do not have their ducks in a row themselves, of course, and they are coming off a truly embarrassing performance against Nottingham Forest, losing 3-0 amidst another combination of a Thomas Frank and a Guglielmo Vicario disaster class against one of the least talented teams in the Premier League.
Tottenham do not have as many injury excuses, though, as most of the team has a clean bill of health. James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are, of course, out with long term injuries, but all the other guys with nagging issues will be out there, such as Randal Kolo Muani at striker.
Where is Dominic Solanke?
But the other striker, Dominic Solanke, is the one guy with nagging issues that should not be long term who is still yet to be available. Solanke has appeared in just three games this season, all off the bench, and he has done absolutely zero to help Tottenham. Worse yet, the bloated 65 million pound signing from Bournemouth has no real time table for a return.
At the pre game press conference before Tottenham Hotspur face Liverpool in the Premier League, Spurs manager Thomas Frank delivered another fake optimistic bit of injury news on Dominic Solanke. Frank told reporters, via Chris Cowlin, Everyone is doing fine. Last game, it's the same players available. No one new is available in the squad. He (Solanke) is progressing forward..."
"Progressing forward". It is laughable at this point. Progressing where? Progressing to what? Progressing in comparison to how he has been? Solanke is totally missing in action at this point, and the surgery and aggravated foot injury are clouding such a shadow around the player that Spurs supporters might as well count Solanke out for the season.
He is becoming an expensive enigma and an albatross on the club. Tottenham can not count on him, nor can they plan for him. All Spurs fans have are vague, non updates on Solanke that ring out a sense of pseudo positivity, because while Frank is seemingly giving a positive update that Solanke is doing well, without any tangible signs of progress or a concrete time line, they are just empty, almost mocking words from the coach.