3 players who need to prove they still belong at Tottenham after the break

Tottenham Hotspur are in a difficult spot again after losing 1-0 to Leeds United prior to the November international break, and they now head into these two weeks off needing to both regroup and be brutally honest about their weaknesses.

Some of their biggest named players whom Roberto De Zerbi was counting on to be crucial to the cause have been deeply disappointing. These three players need to step up really soon or be worried about their futures after the 2026/27 Premier League season - or even as early as the winter transfer period.

Dominic Solanke is first on the list for the chopping block if you ask most Tottenham Hotspur fans, and there are many fans who would much rather see Richarlison back in the official squad than Big Dom. That's never going to happen after the ridiculous falling apart between Richy and Roberto De Zerbi, who are both two of the most stubborn personalities in the Premier League, but that statement serves as a reminder of how far Solanke's stock has fallen. Even when Spurs play well, Solanke plays poorly, and he is genuinely one of the worst strikers in the Premier League.

James Maddison is a great player and crucial to Spurs, but he is never healthy. And Spurs can't keep counting on a player who can't play, pay him high wages, and give him a roster spot. If Maddison can't make a big impact over the next couple of months, Tottenham may have no choice but to replace him with a younger, even better attacking midfielder who is more available - someone like Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest.

Manchester City signing Omar Marmoush has not worked out as well as his teammate Savio, who was the player Tottenham Hotspur wanted for longer. Marmoush should be offering more goals and a better presence up top, but he has been as ineffectual in front of goal as his old Man City teammate, who is a more traditional winger, while offering half the electricity and consistency of the Brazilian international. Marmoush would be getting even more negative press if it weren't for Dominic Solanke being even more inept. The probelm is that Spurs are on the hook for 60 million pounds at the end of the season for Marmoush, but if he can't turn it around, Spurs might have to try and get Manchester City to agree to terminate the loan for a small fee.