Tottenham Hotspur might not have suffered defeat at the hands of a relentless AS Monaco, but they easily could have. Here are our three winners and losers from the Champions League encounter.
The French outfit were the dominant side throughout the tie, but could not make their dominance count, as Spurs’ blushes were spared for the second time in Europe.
Tottenham had already suffered a scare against Bodo/Glimt on matchday two but managed to fight back and claw a draw despite going two goals down.
A similar story unfolded once again against AS Monaco, as Tottenham managed to secure a draw despite the opposition creating better chances.
Still, Thomas Frank’s side remains unbeaten in the Champions League and is one point off eighth place after picking up five points in their opening three Champions League ties.
Here are our three winners and losers from the AS Monaco tie in matchday three.
Guglielmo Vicario heroics should ease criticism
Guglielmo Vicario was undoubtedly one of the biggest winners from yesterday’s Champions League tie, as without him, Tottenham Hotspur could easily have suffered defeat.
The Italian’s numbers show just how immense he was, with Vicario making eight saves, all of which came from inside the box.
The 29-year-old also prevented an impressive 2.68 goals according to the data, showing that his saves were top-class given the high xG chances Monaco created.
For a player who has come under fire from sections of the Tottenham fanbase for his recent howlers between the sticks, this was certainly the perfect way to silence the critics.
Randal Kolo Muani could be in line for a Tottenham start at the weekend
Kolo Muani’s time at Tottenham has been riddled with injuries, leaving the striker with just 44 minutes of football since securing his move to north London.
A dead leg kept the Frenchman sidelined for a month, but he is now working his way back to full fitness, and yesterday’s brief cameo was rather encouraging.
Muani came off the bench and looked like a proper centre-forward, holding the ball up well and linking play effectively. He set Pape Matar Sarr free with a clever touch, leading to Spurs’ best chance of the second half.
With Richarlison and Mathys Tel looking lacklustre, it might not take much for Muani to force his way into Thomas Frank’s starting eleven, and this cameo could well put him in contention for the weekend.
Archie Gray looked impressive at left-back for Tottenham
Gray’s versatility could very much offer him a route into this Tottenham side, given he is capable of featuring both in midfield and at full-back.
That versatility earned him a starting spot over Djed Spence, and the youngster looked very assured at left-back against Monaco.
He was a willing runner, constantly looking to overlap Wilson Odobert, although his runs were often ignored. Defensively, he was solid, putting in a few strong tackles and blocks that helped snuff out any threat down his side.
Gray was later moved into midfield as Frank looked to play more expansively. It was a great run-out for the 19-year-old, who certainly took his opportunity.
Archie Gray vs Monaco
| Statistic | Number |
|---|---|
| Accurate passes | 28/31 (90%) |
| Chances created | 1 |
| Passes into final third | 3 |
| Tackles | 1 |
| Blocks | 1 |
| Clearances | 4 |
| Headed clearances | 1 |
| Interceptions | 2 |
| Recoveries | 4 |
| Dribbled past | 0 |
Now, let’s take a look at the three losers from Monaco 0-0 Tottenham…
Lucas Bergvall failed to impress
While Archie Gray made the most of his opportunity, the same could not be said for Lucas Bergvall.
The Swede looked miles off it against Monaco, playing in the number ten position as Frank opted for a change in personnel coming into this tie.
Xavi Simons had previously been tried in that role without much success, and in search of a spark, Bergvall was handed the chance.
Unfortunately, he struggled to make any sort of impact and was one of the poorest performers on the night, contributing next to nothing before being substituted on the hour mark.
It felt like a missed opportunity for the young midfielder, but he will surely get more chances to impress and must rise to the occasion when he does.
Richarlison could drop down the pecking order at Tottenham
Richarlison began the new campaign brightly, scoring a few goals in Tottenham’s opening league games, but his recent form has dipped alarmingly.
He has struggled to do the basics required of a centre-forward, often looking isolated and unable to bring teammates into play – a quality sorely missed in the Tottenham attack.
Against Monaco, it was more of the same. Richarlison offered very little in attack, and his overall play was poor once again.
With Randal Kolo Muani returning and already showing more presence up front, the Brazilian could be in danger of losing his starting spot, especially with Dominic Solanke still sidelined.
Thomas Frank persists with Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha pivot
Tottenham fans have been vocal in their criticism of the Bentancur–Palhinha midfield pairing, many believing it is one of the key issues in Frank’s setup.
Statistics back up this claim, as when the duo play together, Tottenham have less possession, lower expected goals, and reduced attacking threat.
In addition, Spurs concede more goals per 90 minutes, register fewer shots on target, and record fewer touches in the opposition box.
Still, Frank persisted with the pair, and unsurprisingly, they looked unbalanced against Monaco. While Tottenham managed a clean sheet against Monaco, the lack of control in midfield was evident once again.
It may now be time for Frank to rethink his midfield options, as this partnership has done little to justify continued selection.