Sports
Frank must finally bin Spurs dud who lost the ball 20 times
Tottenham Hotspur secured their place in the Champions League round of 16 last night, with a superb 2-0 display over German side Eintracht Frankfurt.
Randal Kolo Muani opened the scoring just minutes into the second half, poking home from close range after Cristian Romero leapt highest from an early set piece.
Dominic Solanke was brought off the bench with less than 15 minutes remaining, with the Englishman managing to find the back of the net for the first time this season.
Such a result will no doubt take the pressure off the shoulders of Thomas Frank, with the Dane a man under growing pressure after the recent dismal run in the Premier League.
However, despite the triumph, numerous players failed to deliver in Frankfurt, which could put their long-term future as regular starters under huge pressure.
Spurs’ poor performers against Eintracht Frankfurt
Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was once again handed a start between the sticks for Spurs, but despite keeping a clean sheet, he was often shaky with the ball at his feet in key moments.
The Italian completed 20 passes during the triumph, but failed to complete any high claims in his 18-yard box – something which he’s come under fire for during his time in North London.
He also only managed to complete 50% of the long ball passes he attempted, which once again highlights his poor distribution – another element of his game that has been questioned.
Vicario wasn’t alone in struggling against the Bundesliga outfit, with midfielder Archie Gray dropping a rare poor performance at the heart of the side.
The Englishman failed to make any tackles and registered just one interception, with the youngster unable to break up the play unlike midfield partner Joao Palhinha.
He also only made five forward passes all night, with the 19-year-old drawing criticism for his lack of ability to dictate the play from his deep-lying position.
The Spurs player who needs to be dropped after Frankfurt
As previously mentioned, numerous players failed to deliver despite the victory, with Frank potentially having numerous tactical headaches to contend with.
The injury situation in North London has certainly restricted the number of changes he’s been able to make, as seen with the number of academy stars on the bench last night.
However, the Dane will no doubt want further reinforcements before the window closes to combat such an issue, with the club in desperate need of investment in key areas.
The likes of Conor Gallagher and Souza are the only additions to arrive to date, but given the showings last night, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see more new arrivals before the window closes.
Djed Spence was handed a start at right-back last night, after it was confirmed that Pedro Porro would be missing for around a month after his injury against Burnley.
However, despite the opportunity handed his way by the manager, the Englishman was unable to match expectations, with his figures from the triumph showcasing his struggles.
Spence featured for 90 minutes due to the lack of depth, but he lost ten duels – the most of any player on the pitch – whilst also committing three fouls in the process.
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Djed Spence – stats against Frankfurt |
|
|---|---|
|
Statistics |
Tally |
|
Minutes played |
90 |
|
Touches |
78 |
|
Pass accuracy |
80% |
|
Dribbles completed |
2 |
|
Crosses completed |
1 |
|
Duels lost |
10 |
|
Fouls committed |
3 |
|
Possession lost |
20x |
|
Stats via FotMob |
|
He also attempted six dribbles against Frankfurt, but only completed two, whilst only picking out a teammate with one of his crosses – subsequently highlighting his lack of impact in attacking areas.
The full-back also lost possession a staggering 20 times – also the most of any player in the Spurs side – further reflecting his disappointing showing across the pitch.
As a result of his showing in Germany, Spence was handed a 6/10 match rating by The Standard journalist Sam Tabuteau, further showcasing how poor he was throughout.
Such a performance will no doubt put doubts into the mind of the manager, with the full-back simply falling way below the expectations set for him ahead of the game.
The lack of depth could save Spence from being dropped right now, but the manager should look to utilise other options in the aforementioned position in the near future.
However, it was a superb night all-round for the club, with such a win potentially being the catalyst for the Dane to be a success during his tenure in North London.
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