Tottenham Hotspur insider John Wenham fears Lucas Moura’s most recent injury setback is a ‘massive’ blow for Antonio Conte and Spurs.
The Lowdown: Moura’s injury
The Brazilian is currently suffering from a calf injury which he sustained in mid-August, having last played for the Lilywhites against Chelsea in the Premier League nearly two months ago.
Prior to the injury, the 30-year-old had played just 12 minutes of football for Tottenham this season, having fallen down the pecking order at Hotspur Way following the January arrival of Dejan Kulusevski and the summer arrival of Richarlison.
However, as quoted by Spurs Play after the Lilywhites' disappointing 3-1 loss to Arsenal on Saturday, Conte admitted: “Moura, I’m really worried because he’s really far to recover”.
The Latest: Another setback
With Spurs’ schedule set to become all-the-more hectic in the coming months, Wenham, an insider who breaks news on his Lilywhite Rose social channels, worries Conte’s squad options will be too thin with Moura’s injury absence.
Speaking with Football Insider, the N17 pundit said:
“Conte seemed very, very worried about Moura’s latest knock.
“I was surprised he wasn’t in the squad yesterday because he has been back in training for the last weekend and a half.
“It seems like he has picked up a knock in the final session before the Arsenal game. People might say to me that Lucas Moura doesn’t start anyway.
“We have so many games coming up until the World Cup, we need all of our options. The fact is that against Arsenal the only attacking option we could have brought on was Bryan Gil.
“Conte has made it abundantly clear that he is not fit for Premier League football. It shows we need Lucas back desperately, it’s a massive blow that he is unavailable.
“I hope it’s weeks rather than months.”
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The Verdict: Major blow
When looking at Moura’s underlying stats, it is easy to see where Wenham is coming from, with numerous figures illustrating his ability to perform at the top level.
As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, the winger ranks in the 95th percentile for assists and aerials won per 90, in the 92nd percentile for expected goals assisted and in the 85th percentile for clearances made, offering a good mixture of creativity and defensive work rate.
With current injuries/suspensions to Kulusevski and Emerson Royal, Moura would have been an incredibly useful option for Conte to have at his disposal, as he could be utilised in either position due to his varied skill set.
Spurs will be hoping the rest of their wide players can stay fit; otherwise, they could be in serious trouble.