The final whistle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium brought a sense of frustration rather than celebration.
What was supposed to be a home game to build momentum turned into a disappointing afternoon, with Spurs needing a very late goal just to scrape a 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The performance was well below the standard everyone expects, and it left the players and fans alike feeling like two points had been lost.
Now that the dust has settled, it’s time to look at how each player performed on an individual level. Here is a breakdown of the player ratings from the match, on a scale of 1 to 10.
Guglielmo Vicario – 3
It was a surprisingly quiet game for the goalkeeper for long periods, but when he was called upon, he made a crucial mistake. Instead of securely catching a cross, he chose to palm the ball away, which directly led to the dangerous situation that resulted in Wolves’ goal. His distribution with his feet was also uncharacteristically shaky, adding to the team’s nervousness.
Djed Spence – 5
A very average performance from the full-back. He was neither a major liability in defense nor a significant threat going forward. He did his job without making any major errors, but he also failed to make a strong positive impact on the game before being substituted in the second half.
Cristian Romero – 5
The defender’s frustration was evident throughout the match. He worked hard but seemed to lack his usual composure. A wild shot that sailed high and wide over the bar in the second half perfectly summed up his and the team’s overall day a lot of effort without the desired end product.
Micky van de Ven – 5
Similar to his central defensive partner, van de Ven found the game frustrating. He was clearly annoyed when he was dispossessed in a risky area. He struggled to contain the Wolves attackers at times and couldn’t provide the solid foundation the team needed.
Destiny Udogie – 6
The wing-back was one of the brighter spots in the first half, getting forward frequently and seeing a lot of the ball in attacking areas. However, after Wolves introduced a speedy substitute at halftime, his influence waned as he had to focus more on his defensive duties. He was solid, but his attacking spark was dimmed.
Joao Palhinha – 8
By far the standout performer for Spurs. He was a rock in midfield, breaking up Wolves’ attacks with strong tackles throughout the game. Most importantly, he popped up with a brilliantly taken goal in injury time to salvage a point. Scoring in two consecutive matches, the club must do everything they can to make his loan move permanent.
Rodrigo Bentancur – 5
The midfielder had a quiet game. He worked hard but was largely ineffective, especially when Tottenham was trying to create scoring opportunities. He was unable to control the tempo of the match and was substituted early in the second half.
Lucas Bergvall – 6
He showed some nice touches and linked up well with his teammates in the first half, displaying his technical quality. Unfortunately, like many others, he faded after the break and was unable to influence the game when the team needed him most.
Xavi Simons – 1
A day to forget for the attacking midfielder. He was virtually invisible on the pitch, contributing very little in either attack or defense. His first half was poor, and his second half showed no improvement. The manager may have made a mistake by not playing him in his preferred central role, but regardless, it was a woeful performance that earned him the lowest possible rating.
Mohammed Kudus – 6
The winger was responsible for Tottenham’s best chances in the first half. He forced a fantastic save with a powerful header that hit the crossbar and had another good opportunity later on. However, he looked tired in the second half and was unable to maintain his threat.
Richarlison – 5
The striker was starved of service for most of the game. He worked hard but was isolated up front. His only real chance came from a header that he put over the bar. It was a difficult afternoon with very little to feed on.
Substitute Ratings
The players who came off the bench failed to change the game.
- Brennan Johnson – 5: Made no noticeable impact after coming on.
- Pedro Porro – 5: Couldn’t provide the spark needed down the flank.
- Wilson Odobert – 5: Showed flashes of pace but his dribbling was frustrating and lacked a final product.
- Pape Matar Sarr – 5: Had little time or influence on the match.
- Mathys Tel – N/A: Came on too late to be fairly rated.
Overall, it was a poor team performance saved by one moment of quality from Joao Palhinha. The result feels like a wake-up call, especially for players like Xavi Simons, who will need to respond strongly after such a difficult outing. The team must improve significantly before their next match.
