The half-time whistle has sounded at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, signalling the end of the opening forty-five minutes in tonight’s bottom-half of the table clash between Tottenham and Southampton with the home side leading 2-0 and it’s now time for our first-half player ratings.
Everything appears to be unravelling for Ange Postecoglou, who now finds himself under pressure to retain his position in the Tottenham Hotspur dugout as he navigates a difficult second season in charge.
While many would argue that the Europa League has become the primary focus for Spurs, given their dismal domestic form which sees them languishing in 14th place, a victory against the Saints remains essential.
The Lilywhites must build some momentum ahead of their crucial first-leg encounter against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League later this week.
Throughout the first half, we analysed each player’s individual performance, rating them on a scale of 1-10. Let’s take a look at our Tottenham player ratings…
Tottenham’s first-half player ratings vs Southampton
Guglielmo Vicario – A relatively quiet half for the Italian goalkeeper, who had little to contend with but produced a sharp save in the early moments to keep the Saints at bay. 7.
Djed Spence – A lively and effective performance from Spence, who was shifted to the right flank after a subdued spell at left-back against Chelsea. Provided the assist for the opening goal with a clever cut-back following an overlapping run. 8.
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Cristian Romero – Much improved from the last outing in West London, Romero has been composed in possession and instrumental in Spurs’ build-up play. It was his incisive pass to Maddison that set the first goal in motion. Also a threat from set pieces, drawing two strong saves from Ramsdale, and played a key role in the disallowed second goal with a well-timed knockdown. 7.
Ben Davies – With Spurs rarely troubled defensively, Davies has had a quiet half — which, in truth, is no bad thing. Did what was required without fuss. 6
Pedro Porro – Not his most attacking display, as he refrained from making his usual surging runs down the left, but made a crucial early block to prevent Southampton from taking the lead. 7.5
Lucas Bergvall – A typically tidy and intelligent performance from the young Swede, who continues to impress with his composure and awareness in midfield. Thought he had scored his first Premier League goal with an instinctive finish, only for it to be ruled out. 8.
Rodrigo Bentancur – A quiet display from the Uruguayan, who hasn’t been overly involved but has contributed to Spurs’ midfield control and rhythm. 7.
James Maddison – Looked to find space and unlock the Saints’ defence. Played a key pass to Son in the build-up to the goal, and he also got the assist for the second goal. However, there’s a sense he still has another gear to find. 8.
Brennan Johnson – A clinical finish from Johnson, who latched onto Spence’s cut-back to score the first of two goals in the first half, before adding to his tally after managing to stay onside from Maddison’s searching header into the box. His brace marks his 50th goal in English football. A typically sharp and instinctive display in the final third. 9.
Dominic Solanke – Still searching for a goal to end his eight-match drought, but has found chances hard to come by in this one. Needs better service and movement around him. 5