Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has had to deal with a long list of injury issues this season, which has massively disrupted his time in North London so far.
As per the official Tottenham website (14 December), James Maddison, Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, Rodrigo Bentancur, Ashley Phillips and Micky van de Ven are long-term absentees.
And Postecoglou has now been handed yet another blow for the upcoming clash with Nottingham Forest, with Giovani Lo Celso joining those on the injury list.
The midfielder picked up a knock in training and will now be unavailable for the Premier League meeting at the City Ground on Friday (15 December), as per the official Tottenham website (14 December).
Having looked likely of leaving the North London club not so long ago, Lo Celso has proven to be a very reliable player under Postecoglou, with the Argentine netting in back-to-back matches against Aston Villa and Manchester City earlier this season.
But the 27-year-old could not continue that run against West Ham and Newcastle United, and now he won’t get the chance against Nottingham Forest due to injury.
The lengthy injury list means the Lo Celso issue is a major blow for Postecoglou, but the player’s form is also a major reason why Tottenham will be up against it at the City Ground.
As per FBRef, over the last 365 days, the midfielder boasts a pass completion rate of 86.3%, 8.67 progressive carries per 90, 1.91 tackles per 90, and 5.54 shot-creating actions per 90.
Moreover, Lo Celso has registered seven accurate long balls from his seven league games this season, as well as 23 duels won, eight shots and two interceptions [official Premier League website].
The figures, along with his versatility – with the Argentine able to play in central midfield and attacking midfield – prove that he is a key man for Postecoglou.
But now the manager has been handed an unwanted headache ahead of the trip to Nottingham, with the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Oliver Skipp and Bryan Gil certainly not as versatile and able to adapt as the now-injured Lo Celso.
While the City Ground has proven to be a tricky place to visit, Postecoglou can relax somewhat despite the injury, with only Sheffield United (12), Crystal Palace (15) and Burnley (16) scoring fewer league goals than Nottingham Forest (17) this season, as per the official Premier League website.
The blows just keep on coming, when will it stop?