Spurs could hire 4-2-3-1 manager who’s a better fit than De Zerbi

It felt like a week of positivity for Tottenham Hotspur and for Igor Tudor, with the Lilywhites rescuing a creditable point away at Anfield, prior to sealing a first win under the Croatian against Atletico Madrid in midweek.

The north London side had delivered when the pressure was off on both of those occasions, having seemingly relished their underdog status.

Back as favourites for the visit of Nottingham Forest on Sunday, however, the hosts regressed back to square one again, with Tudor firmly under the microscope for his selection decisions.

Indeed, the 47-year-old had opted not to start Xavi Simons despite the Dutchman’s dazzling display against Atleti, while then ripping up the plan too swiftly with a handful of changes at the break.

Such alterations appeared to be the hallmark of a manager losing the plot, with Spurs needing to act again swiftly if they are to save their season.

Latest on Spurs’ manager search and Tudor future

The sad news of the passing of Tudor’s father on Sunday has, understandably, quietened the frenzy regarding his future, with the Tottenham hierarchy unlikely to be in any immediate rush to make a decision, considering the international break is also now here.

Even so, there are believed to be discussions taking place regarding the removal of the former Juventus boss, with one win from his seven games in charge not exactly making for pretty reading.

With Spurs still only a point above the drop, the situation is getting desperate, ensuring the club will also be hamstrung somewhat when it comes to naming a potential replacement.

As reported this week, while free agent Roberto De Zerbi is interested in taking the job this summer, that is conditional on Spurs staying up, with the Italian not believed to be keen on making the switch mid-season.

With fellow frontrunner Mauricio Pochettino also likely to be a summer target, considering the Argentine will lead the United States into this summer’s World Cup, the Lilywhites will have to look elsewhere for a short-term solution.

Former interim boss Tim Sherwood has thrown his hat into the ring, while the likes of Harry Redknapp and Glenn Hoddle have been mooted, although the Europa League winners could take a more realistic, albeit surprise path instead if they are to make a change.

Spurs could hire a better fit than De Zerbi this month

There may be a sense that De Zerbi’s desire to join at the end of the season, rather than now, could prove a blessing in disguise, with the former Marseille boss having the tendency to add fuel to the fire.

Indeed, the combustible coach parted ways with the Ligue 1 side earlier this year after a turbulent time at the helm, memorably refusing to train his players at one stage following a defeat to Reims last season.

Having also previously exited Brighton and Hove Albion after a dispute with owner Tony Bloom regarding the club’s transfer policy, De Zerbi is not the calm head that Spurs desperately need right now.

With that in mind, it could be time to call in another ‘firefighter’, albeit this time one who has actually managed in the Premier League previously, with Sean Dyche still out of work following his exit from Forest last month.

Reports earlier on in March suggested that Spurs had actually held talks regarding a tentative move for Dyche, with the Englishman previously steering Everton to safety, while routinely defying the odds during his decade-long stint at Burnley.

Even in his recent post at the City Ground, which ended in the sack, the 54-year-old creditably steadied the ship following Ange Postecoglou’s brief, ill-fated tenure, with his dismissal having come as something of a surprise.

In 18 league games in charge in Nottingham, Dyche won six and drew four, collecting 22 points to suggest he may well have chartered a course to safety, had he not been shown the door so swiftly.

In any case, while his methods may not be glamorous, the one-time Watford boss has repeatedly shown that he can get results in the top-flight, having now racked up 350 games as a Premier League manager to date, favouring a 4-2-3-1 formation along the way.

Considering the likes of Hoddle, Redknapp and Sherwood have long been out of the game, and with De Zerbi having the ability to sink this team even further, Dyche might well represent the most logical, short-term fix for the remainder of the campaign.

Either way, after the debacle at N17 on Sunday, this Tudor experiment can last no longer – something has to change.