Let’s not mince our words here, the Spurs performance this evening against Bournemouth was nothing short of a disgrace.
Yes, Tottenham should have had a penalty, and yes, they improved a bit in the second half. However, the performance was an embarrassment and the following five players must be highlighted:
Erik Lamela – From minute one, the Argentine got about all areas of the pitch and gave away needless foul after needless foul. Bournemouth were able to get a foothold in the game and grow because of these opportunities to put pressure on with set pieces. What’s more, Lamela added absolutely nothing in attack either, wasting the few bits of space he found himself in.
Serge Aurier – I have never seen a worse compilation of crosses than Aurier tonight, and that has been a growing trend in recent weeks. His assist statistics may look good for a right-back, but the man has been playing as a right-winger for the majority of the season and he simply is not good enough at either end.
Ben Davies – The Welshman was once a guaranteed steady performer, offering you a solid defensive display even if he didn’t get forward too much. These days, he is a walking mistake at the back and just as likely to balloon a cross into the stands as Aurier.
Moussa Sissoko – I feel for the Frenchman a little as Mourinho has severely over-worked him since the restart, especially considering he has only just come back from six months out. However, if he plays, he has to also be critiqued. Sissoko had no energy, no desire, no passion in the middle of the park today. It was simply too easy for Bournemouth’s midfield and, even when given space, it seemed as if he was only ever willing to play a simple pass to Aurier.
Harry Winks – Yes, you always get effort with Winks, and I also believe he is underrated by many, but he was woeful tonight. The academy graduate couldn’t get any time on the ball, struggled with the physicality of Bournemouth, and failed to earn Spurs some much-needed respite with his dribbling or passing.
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