Postecoglou urges depleted Spurs to embrace crunch week

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou recognises his undermanned squad are in the middle of an "extraordinary situation", but has urged them to set up a big second half of the season.

Spurs travel to Southampton on Sunday without nine players and after being forced to deep dig to earn a 1-1 draw at Rangers in the Europa League.

Thursday's point in Glasgow keeps Tottenham in the mix to clinch a top-eight finish when their European campaign resumes in January, but Postecoglou's immediate focus is on a crunch week for the club.

A trip to St Mary's is followed by a midweek League Cup quarter-final at home to Manchester United before Premier League leaders Liverpool visit on December 22.

While injury-hit Spurs have registered only one victory in their last eight matches, Postecoglou called on his depleted squad to embrace the challenge.

"Now is the time we have an opportunity. In these next five games between now and new year we can set up our season," said the Australian.

"Thursday was a great point for us because it sets us up for Europe.

"Now we have four league games to get ourselves back up the ladder and make an impact. We've got a massive Cup quarter-final. I'm not interested in anything else beyond that.

"It is an extraordinary situation we are in. Where we are squad-wise with the injuries we have and what we ask our players to do, these are extraordinary circumstances.

The list of absentees has put a strain on the rest of the squad, especially given Postecoglou's relentless attacking philosophy.

Yet the Tottenham head coach explained why he will not tone down his front-foot style of play.

"I have always, in difficult moments, thought that if you stick true to everything you've said from the first day and you get through it, then there is nothing holding you back.

"If you change paths, what's to say players or even staff won't then question further down the track, 'well that worked back then let's change, this doesn't work, let's change again' and then you get into that cycle again. It's a fine line."