Tottenham Hotspur created a triumphant atmosphere toward the end of their frenzied Premier League clash with Manchester United down N17. Two late goals had turned the clash on its head and the home side were moments away from three points.
But Red Devils defender Matthijs de Ligt headed home from a corner at the eleventh hour, and Thomas Frank’s side had to settle for a draw.
The deflation was felt across the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with this team of talented players still caught in a continuous state of ebb and flow. They may sit third in the Premier League after 11 matches, but improvements are needed both mentally and in attack.
The truth is that Tottenham weren’t up to scratch throughout the first half, and while they improved after the break, it didn’t prove to be enough as Ruben Amorim’s mini-revival continues.
Spurs' worst performers vs Man Utd
Tottenham’s draw to Manchester United was as dramatic as they come. However, it was a game that accentuated the flaws in Frank’s team, having struggled to create chances in the first half and finally up things around on home soil, with the Londoners having won only seven of 24 home matches since the start of last season.
Several stars weren’t at the races. Guglielmo Vicario should have been stronger in repelling De Ligt’s last-gasp effort, while Pedro Porro toiled from a defensive standpoint at right-back.
Randal Kolo Muani will feel aggrieved to have been withdrawn at half-time, but the French centre-forward drifted through the opening half and struggled to latch onto any balls and find space to strike on goal. Across 191 minutes of Premier League action this season, Kolo Muani has taken just one shot, and he is yet to score or assist.
Ahead of Spain international Porro was Brennan Johnson, who continues to be something of an enigma, endowed with such speed and an eye for goal, and yet drifting through matches all too often.
Johnson needs to do better, but he was arguably more energetic and active in his display than his counterpart on the other wing. For sure, Frank will be left frowning over his combination on the left, having witnessed a discordant performance.
Frank must never start Spurs duo together again
Credit must be handed to Richarlison for his striker’s instinct in flicking Wilson Odobert’s shot past Senne Lammens and into the back of the net, but he flattered to deceive for much of the contest and did little to suggest he is the talismanic force Tottenham need to sustain a place at the very top of English and European football.
Regarding Djed Spence: one analyst remarked that the placement of the 25-year-old on the left is “killing Tottenham on the flank”, with the side finding “zero balance in possession” when he is flipped onto his left side.
Had Mohammed Kudus been fit and darting about in front of him, it might have been less apparent against United, but Richarlison was not at the races, even though he scored late on.
The truth is that Richarlison’s fine flick masqueraded over another poor performance, lots of huff and puff, but not enough by the way of impact.
And, as we already know, the contest reaffirmed the truth of Spence, who is not a left-back and does not promote Tottenham’s full efficiency and fluency when placed there, especially behind a wide forward in Richarlison, who was described by writer Halal Wyler as being a “real-life cartoon villain”.
Once Destiny Udogie and Odobert, who impressed and then some in his cameo, had entered the field and dynamised the left-hand side, Spurs looked a cleaner, more polished outfit for it.
It is for this reason that the duo cannot be allowed to play down that channel together again. Richarlison is limited in technical scope, and Spence is left trying to connect in an unnatural role with an imperfect attacking partner. In harsher terms and as analyst Raj Chohan put it, it’s a pretty “garbage” duo when they play together.
The duo’s statistics from the clash underscore this. While the left-back produced some convincing defensive numbers, and Richarlison indeed bagged himself a goal, neither can be truly content with their performances.
Minutes played
90′
90′
Goals
0
1
Assists
0
0
Touches
68
38
Shots (on target)
0 (0)
3 (1)
Accurate passes
33/42 (79%)
17/22 (77%)
Possession lost
16x
9x
Chances created
0
0
Crosses
0/2
0/0
Dribbles
0/2
0/1
Recoveries
5
1
Tackles won
3/3
1/2
Clearances
3
2
Duels won
4/11
4/10
Writing about the respective performances after the match, football.london’s Alasdair Gold saw it fit to hand Spence a 6/10 match rating and a 7/10 score to Richarlison. However, this is somewhat generous, and there’s no question that Tottenham are a more fluent outfit with a different combination running down the left.
The left-sided pair, who earn a combined salary of £130k per week, will have brighter days ahead of them in a Spurs shirt, but as Frank continues to develop his understanding of this team, he will surely accept that this is a duo who cannot be fielded together again.
Richarlison may well be playing his final season with the Lilywhites, but Spence will no doubt have taken note of Porro’s “disaster” of a performance at right-back, as was said by Polish journalist Michael Okonski during the match, and set his sights on a return to his natural berth.
In any case, tactical changes are needed when Tottenham return to action after the imminent international break. Frank has the potential to succeed in north London, but he has to start getting the big calls right.
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