Lost possession 14x & 2/12 duels won: Awful 5/10 Spurs ace ruined their trophy hopes
Tottenham Hotspur endured a humiliating night at Anfield, crashing out of the League Cup with a heavy 4-0 defeat to Liverpool. Ange Postecoglou’s side arrived with a hard-earned 1-0 aggregate lead, presenting them with a genuine opportunity to secure a place in the final.
However, instead of displaying resilience to protect their advantage or ambition to extend it, they lacked both. Sitting back for large portions of the game, they invited relentless pressure from Liverpool, who capitalized on every weakness to deliver a commanding victory.
The match statistics paint a stark picture of Tottenham’s struggles. Liverpool dominated possession, created more chances, and dictated the tempo throughout the contest.
Spurs, on the other hand, failed to register a single shot on target and rarely looked capable of threatening their opponent’s goal.
| Liverpool vs Tottenham | Liverpool | Tottenham |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 4 | 0 |
| Possession | 64% | 36% |
| Big Chances | 5 | 0 |
| Total Shots | 26 | 5 |
| Shots on Target | 10 | 0 |
| Corners | 14 | 4 |
| Passes | 580 | 327 |
Among Tottenham’s players, only Djed Spence and, to some extent, Kevin Danso and Archie Gray showed any signs of effort. However, several players endured an especially difficult night, with Antonín Kinský and Dejan Kulusevski standing out for all the wrong reasons.
Kinský had delivered an outstanding performance in the first leg, earning widespread praise for his shot-stopping ability and composure on the ball.
This time, however, he looked nervous, hesitant, and far from the commanding presence Spurs needed in goal. He frequently punched the ball away instead of securing it safely, often directing it into dangerous areas.
His failure to deal with Cody Gakpo’s opener and the penalty he conceded for Liverpool’s second goal highlighted his struggles. Though he produced a fine save to deny Mohamed Salah in the first half, his overall display was one to forget.
Football.london’s Alasdair Gold reflected this sentiment, awarding Kinský a disappointing 4/10 rating. At just 21, he still has plenty of time to develop into a reliable number one, but his performance suggested he remains a work in progress.
Kulusevski, known for his attacking prowess, was equally disappointing. When at his best, he is among the Premier League’s most dangerous playmakers, but he looked far from that level at Anfield.
Postecoglou deployed him on the right flank rather than in midfield, where he had previously excelled, and the move backfired. He struggled to take on defenders and, when he did find himself in promising positions, his decision-making let him down.
| Kulusevski’s Performance | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Minutes Played | 93 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Shots on Target | 0 |
| Dribbles (Successful) | 5 (1) |
| Touches | 45 |
| Key Passes | 1 |
| Crosses (Accurate) | 2 (0) |
| Duels Won | 2/12 |
| Possession Lost | 14 |
| Fouls Committed | 1 |
Gold generously rated Kulusevski at 5/10, stating that he “could barely control the ball.” Meanwhile, journalist Hunter Godson observed that he looked “shattered.”
His stats further highlight his ineffectiveness—he failed to register a single shot on target, struggled with his dribbling, and completed just one key pass. Additionally, his inability to win duels, losing 10 of 12 contested, compounded his frustrating evening.
While Kinský’s mistakes proved costly at one end, Kulusevski’s struggles contributed to Tottenham’s toothless attack. This defeat serves as another setback in an already underwhelming season, raising further concerns about Postecoglou’s tactical approach and the squad’s ability to compete at the highest level.