Hugo Lloris and Lucas Moura were the only positives as Tottenham Hotspur suffered a shocking 3-2 defeat at home to Southampton.
Tottenham Hotspur suffered a major setback in their top-four hopes as they slumped to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Southampton on Wednesday. The loss could see the Londoners potentially drop to eighth by the end of the matchday should Wolves manage to conjure up a victory against Arsenal on Thursday.
It was the not the best of performances from Antonio Conte’s men, as they lacked consistency and were too passive at times. They were able to draw first blood in the 18th minute thanks to an unfortunate own goal from Jan Bednarek. But a quick equaliser from Armando Broja tilted the game in Southampton’s favour, with the visitors dominating the contest since that moment.
In many ways, Tottenham were lucky to draw level at half-time. They even managed to somehow restore their lead in the 70th minute, thanks to some brilliant combination play from Harry Kane, Lucas Moura and Son Heung-Min, with the latter finding the back of the net. But their lead didn’t last long as Southampton deservedly pulled things level in the 79th minute through Mohamed Elyounoussi.
The Saints capitalised on their equaliser and used the momentum to score another three minutes later, as James Ward-Prowse’s ball found Che Adams inside the box, with the striker making no mistake. Tottenham were able to fashion one or two more half-chances at the end, but it wasn’t enough to secure a late equaliser. Steven Bergwijn did notably find the back of the net, but the goal was chalked off by VAR.
Here at The Hard Tackle, we will take a look at how the Tottenham players performed in their disappointing result against Southampton on Wednesday.
Hugo Lloris: 7.5/10
Hugo Lloris made a couple of brilliant saves to deny Southampton from imposing their dominance on the scoresheet in the first half. Unfortunately for Spurs, he couldn’t have done much to save any of the three goals he conceded, as he was left helpless by the poor defensive support around him.
We've been battered here. Winks and Hojbjerg don't have a clue what they're doing. Sanchez and Emerson are accidents waiting to happen. Only Romero and Lloris look up for this.
— Trevor Lloyd (@Trevorlloyd92) February 9, 2022
Davinson Sanchez: 5/10
Davinson Sanchez showcased a good defensive work ethic to make a bunch of interceptions and blocks. However, the defender was truly rattled by Southampton’s pressure throughout the ninety minutes and was unable to put a stop to their forays into the Tottenham box.
Cristian Romero: 6.5/10
Cristian Romero scored an early goal, which was chalked off for offside. Defensively, the Argentine looked the best of the three Tottenham centre-backs. He was relatively solid in his positioning and had the measure of the opposition attackers more often than not.
Ben Davies: 4.5/10
Ben Davies was culpable for Southampton’s first equaliser, as he slipped while clearing the ball. The defender was simply unable to contain the Southampton pressure, and it is apparent Antonio Conte needs an upgrade in his position.
Emerson Royal: 2/10
Another player that completely struggled in dealing with the opposition attack, Emerson Royal had a night to forget on the right flank. He failed to keep tabs on Elyounoussi, losing him on several occasions, including the instance where he scored the second equaliser. His marking was off even for the third goal as he completely lost track of Adams.
Emerson Royal and Davinson Sanchez lost the ball SEVENTEEN (17) times each. The most out of the Spurs team.
— The Spurs Web ⚪️ (@thespursweb) February 9, 2022
Harry Winks: 5/10
Starting ahead of new signing Rodrigo Bentancur, Harry Winks struggled to influence the game in the middle of the park. He looked sloppy in possession and never quite managed to bring anything substantial to the table other than the occasional forward pass.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: 5.5/10
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg didn’t have the best of games against Southampton. Operating in the double-pivot, the former Bayern Munich starlet lacked the composure to control the proceedings in the middle of the park. In fact, it was a fairly quiet performance, barring a cross that led to Bednarek’s own goal early on in the game.
Sergio Reguilon: 6/10
Sergio Reguilon had a sloppy start to the match, struggling in possession while missing a golden opportunity to score in the 15th minute. The left-back tried to make amends by producing a few good balls into the box. He was certainly more effective than Emerson on the opposite flank, but it was far from an impressive display from the Spaniard.
Lucas Moura: 7.5/10
Lucas Moura was perhaps the only positive in an otherwise dire evening for Tottenham Hotspur. The Brazilian international offered a constant creative spark in the final third, being the architect of several chances, including the pass to set up the second goal from Son. The winger has visibly improved under Conte.
??Tottenham Hotspur attacker Lucas Moura insisted Spurs’ approach against Southampton was not acceptable:
?”I am very unhappy with how we started this game, we was far too passive.”
?”We have to learn from this and react fast.”#THFC | #COYS | #TOTSOUpic.twitter.com/HhUyI6etlU
— Last Word On Spurs ?? (@LastWordOnSpurs) February 10, 2022
Son Heung-Min: 6.5/10
Son Heung-Min offered a threat to the Southampton defence with his solid link-up play with Harry Kane and Lucas. At the same time, the South Korean international lacked incision in his offensive contributions. He did, nevertheless, score an important goal in the second half.
Harry Kane: 6/10
Harry Kane had a fairly quiet game, failing to provide the menace inside the box. Aside from a few good moments in the build-up, the Englishman looked unproductive in the final third, notably missing a glorious opportunity.
Substitutes
Rodrigo Bentancur: 6.5/10
Rodrigo Bentancur replaced Hojbjerg around the hour mark to add more creativity and thrust to the Tottenham midfield. The former Juventus man did offer more threat in an attacking sense and perhaps deserves a start in the next game.
15 seconds into his PL debut and I already know Rodrigo Bentancur is that guy.
— LP (@thfclp__) February 9, 2022
Dejan Kulusevski: 6/10
Dejan Kulusevski was brought in late to impact the game with his speed and combination play. He tried to make things happen in the final third but was unable to do so.
Steven Bergwijn: N/A
Steven Bergwijn thought he had sealed a late equaliser for Tottenham, but he was adjudged to be in an offside position by VAR. Did not play enough to warrant a rating.
