Opinion: Spurs player ratings from the 2-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest

Tottenham Hotspur are out of the Carabao Cup for another season, losing 2-0 to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground this evening despite playing a strong side. 

Let’s take a look at how the individual players got on:

Fraser Forster – 8 – The only defensive player who can hold his head high. Made all the routine stops you would expect, plus a couple of huge saves as Forest went through on goal.

Matt Doherty – 4 – Didn’t really offer enough of a threat down the right side. By no means his worst game, but lacked that drive or crossing quality that Conte needs from his wing-backs.

Davinson Sanchez – 3 – Let Lodi cut inside to curl home the opener and was all over the place at the back for most of the game. He just does not fill you with confidence in that back line.

Eric Dier – 4 – Just felt a little clumsy this evening on the ball, and a little lost at times with his positioning defensively. Back in his preferred central role, I expected more solidity from Dier.

Clement Lenglet – 4 – Definitely the best of the trio at the back, but that isn’t saying much. What he provides on the ball, he often loses positionally and gets caught out too often.

Ryan Sessegnon – 4 – He runs and runs all day long for you, but Sess doesn’t have the consistency to his game yet. Didn’t provide enough quality on the ball or in the final third today. He did battle through an injury for the last portion of the match though.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 5 – Struggled to find his way into the game in the first 45 and was replaced by Bentancur. Not his worst, but just a classic first-half Spurs performance.

Yves Bissouma – 6 – Struggled at times like most of the Spurs players, but Bissouma at least showed some drive through the middle of the pitch. A few fleeting moments of class from the midfielder.

Oliver Skipp – 5.5 – Provided some much-needed energy on the right side of midfield, especially in the first half when everyone else was lacking. Still needs minutes to improve his sharpness though. Needed to defend better for Forest’s second.

Ivan Perisic – 4 – Not sure what to type because he was barely in the game. Played up front with Kane again but cut an isolated figure until he was subbed off.

Harry Kane – 4 – Like Perisic, he was barely involved. A mere passenger. And Conte knew that, which is why he took him off early to keep him rested. How Spurs can’t fashion a chance for him, I will never know.

Substitutes: 

Rodrigo Bentancur – 5 – Definitely provided more of a zip to the midfield, but was also a little erratic at times towards the end of the match.

Richarlison – 6 – At least looked dangerous after coming on. Had the ball in the back of the net but it was ruled offside.

Bryan Gil – 5 – Gives you a lot of energy, running, and desire, which unfortunately is more than a lot of the other players at times.

Dejan Kulusevski – 5 – Not up to the standards of his Liverpool cameo, but you can’t expect him to come on and change the game twice in a week when the starting XI offer nothing.

Djed Spence – 7 – Actually looked very impressive after finally getting some minutes. A nice solo run down the heart of the pitch and even went close to a goal with a header.

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