Fewer touches than Vicario: Ange simply must axe 6/10 Spurs dud who lost 66% of duels

Tottenham Hotspur booked their place in the Europa League semi-finals with a gritty 1-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, setting up a tantalizing clash with Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt.

Dominic Solanke’s first-half penalty proved decisive, securing a 2-1 aggregate win and offering Spurs fans a glimmer of hope in an otherwise disappointing season.

While the result provides temporary relief for under-pressure manager Ange Postecoglou, several players failed to impress in Germany, raising questions about their long-term futures at the club.

The match statistics reveal a tale of two Tottenham performances – the resilient defensive unit that held firm under pressure, and the attacking players who struggled to make an impact.

Young winger Mathys Tel continued his inconsistent loan spell from Bayern Munich, completing just one of five attempted dribbles and finding teammates with only 33% of his crosses.

Alongside him, Rodrigo Bentancur looked a shadow of his former self, winning a mere 17% of ground duels and being dribbled past twice in midfield.

However, the most concerning performance came from £47.5 million signing Brennan Johnson, whose struggles this season reached new lows in Frankfurt.

The Welsh international’s anonymous display saw him register fewer touches (22) than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario (45), while his passing accuracy (69%) and duel success rate (34%) fell well below expectations for a player of his caliber.

Brennan Johnson’s Performance vs Eintracht Frankfurt

Johnson’s performance earned him a modest 6/10 rating from the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick, with the winger failing to register a single shot or completed dribble throughout his time on the pitch.

His lack of influence in such a crucial match raises serious questions about whether he deserves to retain his starting spot for Monday’s Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest – his former club.

In contrast, January signing Lucas Bergvall continues to impress, playing the full 90 minutes and demonstrating why he’s quickly become a vital cog in Postecoglou’s system.

The Swedish midfielder’s emergence highlights the potential rewards of giving opportunities to hungry young players, a lesson that might need applying to Johnson’s situation.

While Tottenham’s European journey continues, the Frankfurt performance exposed several worrying trends.

The team’s over-reliance on individual moments of quality rather than cohesive attacking play remains problematic, and Postecoglou must address these issues quickly if Spurs are to overcome Bodo/Glimt and reach the final.

For now, Tottenham fans can celebrate a rare high point in a difficult season, but the performance in Germany suggests there’s still much work to be done if the club is to return to its former heights.

With key players struggling for form and the pressure mounting, Postecoglou faces some tough selection decisions as he balances European ambitions with Premier League commitments in the weeks ahead.