Aaron Lennon's Injured Again: The End of Spurs' Champions League Hopes?

It has been announced that Aaron Lennon has suffered a setback in his return from injury this weekend, as he reported discomfort after weekend training.

A scan found an additional groin tear, which will put him out for at least another two weeks.

The news will come as a serious blow to Tottenham fans, who were hoping to see the fleet-footed winger return in time for a final push at the top four. This won’t happen for at least a fortnight, and it is far from guaranteed that this will be the final return date.

Since Lennon’s injury on 28th December against West Ham, Spurs have failed to score in five out of nine league games. This is in stark contrast to the free-scoring form they displayed in the 20 matches with Lennon in the side, in which they only failed to trouble the scorers four times.

Tottenham’s No. 7 has personally contributed three goals and nine assists this campaign, but his impact on the pitch is much greater than these figures. When he is playing against the sides at the wrong end of the table, he is often double-marked, creating space for his midfield team-mates to bomb forward and fill their boots.

David Bentley, Luka Modric, and Niko Kranjcar have proven their worth in his absence, but none of that trio can match Lennon’s pace and trickery, less still the psychological boost of his presence in the side.

Despite Bentley’s surprising run of form, there can surely be no Spurs fans who would prefer his name on the team sheet to Lennon’s.

Lennon has been pivotal to Spurs’ success this season and their final position is likely to hinge on his presence. Tottenham will face Everton, Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd in the season’s run-in and if they can get Lennon back in the side, they might just pip their rivals to Champions’ League football.

Without him, it gets more and more unlikely every week.