Tottenham aren't exactly struggling in the league this season with six wins and two defeats from their eight games thus far, but neither are they setting it alight.
Spurs make a habit of starting the season slow and you could argue they have this term, despite on paper collecting 18 points, two points better than last year their performances haven't been great, soundly beaten by Liverpool at Wembley and turned over by Watford at Vicarage Road.
Mauricio Pochettino's side bounced back from those back to back defeats with wins against Brighton, Huddersfield and Cardiff, but creativity has been at a premium with the team missing injured playmaker Christian Eriksen and the team have lacked his calm authoritative presence on the pitch.
Ruled out of the last three games for Spurs including the Champions League defeat at home to Barcelona, worrying quotes emerged on Monday from his national team manager Age Hareide who claims the midfield star has a "long term abdominal injury".
Before the Barca game, Pochettino announced that Eriksen would be missing until after the international break, but the Danish boss claimed that the injury could be far more serious.
Talking to Denmark's Canal9, Hareide claimed:
"Christian has a problem with his abdominal muscle, and Tottenham have reported that it is of long-term nature."
The Dane went on to explain that they had looked to select Eriksen for their upcoming games against the Republic of Ireland and Austria, but Hareide said that Spurs "weren't particularly keen on that".
"Such an injury can be chronic, and it is true that Tottenham are worried."
It will be a worry to not only Pochettino but the Spurs fans who saw their team slip behind Arsenal on goal difference into 5th place in the League at the weekend, despite their win over Cardiff.
Unai Emery's guided Spurs' bitter rivals Arsenal to nine straight wins in all competitions whilst Tottenham have struggled with form and injuries.
It looks like the World Cup may be taking it's toll with so many Tottenham players involved deep into the competition, all of the England, Belgium and France players returning for pre-season just a week before the first game against Newcastle and injuries to the likes of Dele Alli, Jan Vertonghen, Moussa Dembele, Hugo Loris and now Eriksen.
Spurs will be bidding to get the Dane back playing in their next Premier League game away at West Ham on the 20th October.
