Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham are still in a "mess" with Christian Eriksen's future being up in the air contributing to their struggling start to the season.
Pochettino has been openly critical of the European transfer window staying open longer than the self-imposed deadline the Premier League set. and no wonder given one of his star men Eriksen still seems to be angling for an exit.
Jan Vertonghen, in the final year of his contract, has not played at all this season with his future in doubt, while Toby Alderweireld is also a free agent next summer.
Elsewhere, Danny Rose was told he could find himself a new club before the campaign began but is still in a Spurs shirt, and Victor Wanyama has been linked with a move to Belgium - and all the confusion has been blamed for Spurs struggling this season after their shock 1-0 loss against Newcastle.
"You know very well and I told you in pre-season, before Aston Villa, after Aston Villa, positive result or negative result, the group is still unsettled," Pochettino said.
"We need to find solutions. We have one week more to wait and see what happens in the last 10 days.
"I think this is my sixth season and the most unsettled group we are working with. That is why we are relaxed and calm. Some situations we cannot fix. Nothing to say about that, situations that are going on in the squad. Still we need to wait.
"That is the circumstances after playing the Champions League (final) on June 1, we knew that some situations like this would happen but for us and the club it's difficult to handle. What can we do? We can only wait.
"I cannot do more than try to help the team find the best dynamic to train and not to create too many problems and be a person who is not being very emphatic, but understand every single situation and try to get a good result."
Eriksen departure imminent?
Pochettino was evasive when asked whether Eriksen was left on the bench because his departure is imminent.
"I don't know. I don't know. Why you ask me? Maybe you know something," he said. "It's so difficult, the situation. We cannot blame one party or another. That is the situation, the circumstances.
"We arrive today with different players and different situations in the squad but I don't want to justify our performance because of that. I want to make clear the point.
"When you play football and are on the pitch, you don't think about these situations."
Pochettino says he knew his decision to leave Eriksen on the bench would attract criticism if the result went against them on Sunday.
He said: "I cannot pick more than 11 players. A decision like that when you have plenty of players, but I understand a question like that.
"Should the result be 3-0 or 4-0 you're not going to ask me that question but of course I accept it. The players who are out are always good when you don't win."
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