Pochettino confirms Alderweireld and Kane unlikely for North London Derby

The terrible Tottenham Hotspur news continues today in the wake of Spurs' 1-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. Mousa Dembele limped off early with what was later described as a twisted ankle, but it gets worse. In post-match interview comments Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino confirmed that it's unlikely that Toby Alderwerield and Harry Kane will be ready for Spurs' trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal in the first North London Derby of the season.

“No [Kane is not ready]. The result [against Bayer] does not change our idea. Maybe Harry Kane will be available but it’s difficult to play him from the start.

“It’s not fair to talk about names of players who didn’t play [on Wednesday]. We are in a bad moment, we need to be critical and honest.”

When asked if anything had changed in Toby Alderweireld's situation, he replied "No... difficult."

I hate writing this article. It's been non-stop gloom and doom for the past few days, and with the NLD looming, Spurs are looking hurt, tired, frustrated, and out of ideas. If you're looking for a glimmer of hope, Erik Lamela was not mentioned as among the walking dead, so there's a possibility that he'll be ready to go against the Gooners. And though Poche said Kane's not ready to start, there's a small chance he could make the bench or even be a late-game impact substitute. That might provide a bit of a spark if Spurs are chasing a result late, or just need an emotional boost.

And, all evidence to the contrary, Spurs may bootstrap themselves out of these injury-riddled doldrums and put together a solid match. Chin up, Spurs fans. After all, if the Cubs can win the World Series, surely Spurs can win at the Emirates.