How Igor Tudor should set up his Tottenham defence so everyone is in position - Opinion

Tottenham have welcomed two players back to training this week, and that support could not come soon enough for Igor Tudor.

Pretty much all season, Spurs have struggled with injuries. Obviously, Thomas Frank got a lot of things wrong during his tenure, but the medical issues did not help matters.

Thankfully, Igor Tudor is seeing the situation improve slowly but surely. Last week, he got Richarlison back from injury, and this week we have seen Kevin Danso and Pedro Porro in training.

But, with two players returning to action, Tudor will now have some decisions to make regarding his starting XI vs Fulham.

• READ MORE: How to watch Fulham vs Tottenham: Kick-off time, TV channel and team news ahead of London derby

Kevin Danso and Pedro Porro give Tottenham options

Against Arsenal, Tudor was forced to play Joao Palhinha at centre-back and Archie Gray as his right wing-back. That’s far from ideal.

Naturally, then, the return of Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso gives Tudor much more depth in the defensive area, and it would seem the line-up for the next game pretty much picks itself.

If we assume Tudor will stick with three centre-halves, as he has done for much of his managerial career, a trio of Danso, Radu Dragusin, and Micky van de Ven makes sense. While van de Ven has a ‘small problem’, fitness-wise, it’s hoped he’ll be fine for the trip to Craven Cottage.

Meanwhile, it’s a no-brainer for Porro to step in for Gray at wing-back. The Spaniard is great at creating chances, and that’s something Spurs have been seriously lacking of late.

Of course, there’s always the small chance that Tudor switches things up and uses a standard back four. In an ideal world, that would be Porro, Danso, van de Ven, and Spence. If there are any fitness concerns, though, we could see Dragusin remain in the line-up.

Fans believe Porro and Danso can help Spurs win the game against Fulham, with the duo vastly improving the backline. Whether Tottenham win or not is up for debate, but there’s no denying the team is stronger with these two players back.

• READ MORE: Tottenham predicted XI vs Fulham as Pedro Porro and Kevin Danso return

What does this mean for Archie Gray and Joao Palhinha?

For Joao Palhinha, you’d imagine a move back into midfield will be the way to go this weekend. He’s an important and experienced head that Spurs really need at this moment in time.

However, it’s likely Archie Gray will be demoted to the bench for this one. His versatility does make him a valuable member of the squad and there’s always a chance he slots in elsewhere, but as long as Porro and Danso are fit enough, the youngster will find himself on the bench.

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