Tottenham full time ratings vs Crystal Palace: Antonin Kinsky was solid but 1/10 teammate was embarrassed all game

The final whistle at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium marked the end of a disappointing afternoon for Ange Postecoglou’s side, as Crystal Palace secured a comfortable 2-0 victory in a match that exposed several worrying deficiencies in Spurs’ squad.

With both teams prioritizing upcoming cup finals – Tottenham in the Europa League and Palace in the FA Cup – the match served as a final tune-up before their respective showpiece events.

However, while Palace emerged with confidence boosted, Tottenham’s performance raised more questions than answers ahead of their crucial encounter with Manchester United.

Postecoglou’s decision to make eight changes to his starting lineup backfired spectacularly, as Spurs produced one of their most disjointed displays of the season.

From the opening minutes, Palace dominated proceedings, exposing Tottenham’s makeshift defense with alarming ease.

The home side lacked cohesion in every department, with only goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky emerging with any credit after making several important saves to prevent an even more embarrassing scoreline.

The defensive unit, featuring several fringe players, endured a torrid afternoon. Kevin Danso and Ben Davies formed an unconvincing partnership at center-back, repeatedly caught out of position as Palace’s attackers ran riot.

Summer signing Djed Spence had a nightmare at left-back, with his poor positioning directly contributing to both Palace goals. His body language suggested a player low on confidence after being dropped from the first team in recent weeks.

On the opposite flank, Pedro Porro failed to provide his usual attacking threat and was eventually substituted in the 57th minute.

The Spanish full-back struggled to contain Palace’s lively wide players and offered little going forward, a worrying sign given his importance to Postecoglou’s system.

Midfield Misfires

The midfield trio of Pape Matar Sarr, Archie Gray, and stand-in captain Rodrigo Bentancur failed to establish any control over the game. Sarr in particular had an afternoon to forget, consistently allowing Palace players to run beyond him while misplacing simple passes.

Bentancur, handed the armband for the first half, looked off the pace before being replaced at halftime in what appeared to be a pre-planned substitution.

Yves Bissouma’s introduction at halftime did little to improve matters, with the Malian midfielder partially at fault for Palace’s second goal.

The lack of midfield dominance will concern Postecoglou, especially with Manchester United’s talented midfield awaiting in the Europa League final.

Attacking Frustrations

Up front, Tottenham’s attackers starved of service. Mathys Tel worked hard but received little support, while Wilson Odobert showed only flashes of his potential.

The biggest concern came when Dejan Kulusevski limped off following a heavy challenge from Marc Guehi. The Swedish playmaker, who had been one of Tottenham’s better performers before his injury, headed straight down the tunnel for treatment, casting doubt over his availability for the final.

Substitute Mikey Moore found it difficult to make an impact on his introduction, while Heung-min Son’s return from injury offered the only positive note in an otherwise dismal performance.

The South Korean captain looked understandably rusty but will be relieved to have gotten minutes under his belt before the season’s climax.

Looking Ahead to Bilbao

This performance served as a stark reminder of Tottenham’s squad limitations. While rotation was understandable given the upcoming final, the gulf in quality between first-choice players and backups appears worryingly large.

Postecoglou now faces several selection headaches ahead of the trip to Spain, particularly in defense where the absence of Micky van de Ven was sorely felt.

The Australian manager will hope Kulusevski’s injury proves minor, as the creative burden will fall heavily on his shoulders with James Maddison already ruled out. There were few positives to take from this match, though Son’s return and the avoidance of further injuries at least provides some comfort.

As the players left the field to muted applause, the realization set in that significant improvement will be needed if Tottenham are to overcome Manchester United and lift their first European trophy in over forty years.

With just days to prepare, Postecoglou must quickly address the defensive frailties and midfield vulnerabilities exposed by Palace if his side are to stand any chance of continental glory.

For Crystal Palace, this victory provides perfect momentum ahead of their FA Cup final against Manchester City. Oliver Glasner’s side looked sharp and organized, with Eberechi Eze in particular causing constant problems.

While Tottenham’s focus now shifts entirely to Bilbao, this performance suggests their path to silverware remains fraught with challenges.