Worse than Bissouma: Ange must bin 3/10 Spurs dud who lost the ball every 2 touches

Tottenham Hotspur’s struggles in the Premier League continued as they suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat to London rivals Fulham on Sunday. The loss leaves Ange Postecoglou’s side languishing in 13th place, five points behind Crystal Palace, who sit just above them in the table.

Goals from Rodrigo Muniz and former Spurs player Ryan Sessegnon sealed the victory for Fulham, further compounding Tottenham’s woes in what has been a challenging season.

Despite creating opportunities to take the lead, Tottenham failed to capitalize on their chances. Dominic Solanke, the £55 million signing from Bournemouth, missed two significant opportunities to put his team ahead.

His inability to convert these chances proved costly, as Fulham seized the initiative and went on to secure all three points. Solanke’s performance was emblematic of a broader issue for Spurs, as several key players underperformed on the day.

One of the most notable disappointments was Yves Bissouma, who was substituted at halftime after a lackluster display in the opening 45 minutes.

The Mali international, who started in midfield alongside Archie Gray and Rodrigo Bentancur, struggled to make an impact both in and out of possession. Bissouma completed just 82% of his passes in the first half, failing to attempt a single long pass or cross.

His inability to create chances for his teammates or impose himself physically was evident, as he lost five of his seven duels and committed more fouls than he made tackles and interceptions combined.

Bissouma’s struggles were compounded by the equally poor performance of winger Brennan Johnson. The Welsh international, who started on the right side of Tottenham’s front three, was substituted at halftime after failing to make any meaningful contribution.

Johnson ended the first half with zero shots, zero crosses, zero long passes, and zero chances created. His pass accuracy of 55% highlighted his ineffectiveness, and he was unable to trouble Fulham’s Antonee Robinson throughout his time on the pitch.

Johnson’s performance was so underwhelming that he received a dismal 3/10 rating from Football.London. His inability to influence the game, coupled with his struggles in physical duels, made him a liability for Spurs. While Bissouma at least managed to complete the majority of his passes, Johnson offered nothing in attack, leaving Tottenham’s frontline blunt and ineffective.

The defeat to Fulham has raised serious questions about Postecoglou’s team selection and tactics. Johnson, in particular, has been in poor form for some time, with just two goals and zero assists in his last ten appearances against Premier League or Europa League opposition.

Both of those goals came in a 4-1 win over Ipswich Town, a team that was playing in League One just two seasons ago. This means Johnson has failed to contribute a goal or assist in any of his other nine outings, highlighting his lack of impact in crucial matches.

While Johnson excels at positioning himself in high-quality goalscoring situations, his overall contribution to the team is lacking. He ranks poorly among his positional peers in terms of progressive play, chance creation, and ball retention.

This was evident against Fulham, where his inability to progress the ball or create opportunities for his teammates left Tottenham’s attack stagnant.

Given his recent form, Postecoglou must consider dropping Johnson from the starting lineup when Spurs face Chelsea after the international break. Bringing in Heung-min Son or Wilson Odobert could provide the team with more dynamism and creativity on the wing.

Johnson’s current dry spell in front of goal, coupled with his inability to influence games, makes him a weak link in the side. For Tottenham to climb the Premier League table, they need players who can consistently deliver in both attack and defense—something Johnson has failed to do in recent weeks.