The referee’s whistle has been blown as the second leg of Tottenham v AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Europa League last 16 reaches its halfway point – and it’s time for our player ratings.
Tottenham Hotspur need a victory tonight to remain in the Europa League and a one-goal margin will only be good enough to take the match to extra time.
Last week’s performance was unacceptable as Spurs slumped to a lacklustre 1-0 defeat in the Netherlands. Having 62 per cent of the possession proved to be of no use as Tottenham only managed one shot on target.
There is hope, however, that Spurs can make a comeback after Sunday’s Premier League encounter with Bournemouth. The Lilywhites secured a point from the game, despite going two goals behind and they will need to play with the same belief tonight to overcome AZ Alkmaar.
Throughout the first half of tonight’s Europa League round of 16 tie, we analysed each player’s individual performance, rating them on a scale of 1-10. Let’s take a look at how they got on.
Tottenham first-half player ratings vs AZ Alkmaar
Guglielmo Vicario: AZ Alkmaar have struggled to get forward, meaning Vicario has had a straightforward game. He has been called into action a couple of times, but someone might need to lend him a coat if things continue this way in the second half. 6
Pedro Porro: The Spaniard has looked good defensively and has been looking to get his team on the attack. He hasn’t had too much involvement though, with much of Tottenham’s play being down the left flank. 6
Cristian Romero: Made a sliding challenge on Troy Parrott which was a delight to behold. Romero was a bit shaky with his passing against Bournemouth on Sunday, but he has looked more composed today, excluding one misplaced pass not long before half-time. He did give away a free kick after 25 minutes, however, which was in a promising position. 5.5
Micky van de Ven: Despite playing only half an hour against Bournemouth on his return from injury, van de Ven has looked lively. He hasn’t been asked many questions by Alkmaar’s attack. 6
Djed Spence: The homegrown talent has played with a lot of positional freedom in the first half, often moving inside while Son remains on the wing. Spence’s energy is always an asset, but he’s given the ball away too many times in the first half. 5.5
Pape Matar Sarr: It was the Senegalese international’s strike which began Tottenham’s comeback against Bournemouth, but he has had a quiet night. 5
Lucas Bergvall: The 19-year-old is usually a talking point when Spurs play as he always gives 100 per cent whether he’s having a good day or a bad day. Tonight, however, he’s had to be patient because he isn’t being used as much as he often is. Having said that, he’s still managed to play an important role in Tottenham’s midfield and his composure has been excellent. 7
James Maddison: The midfielder has been working hard behind the scenes, often dropping deep to help provide Spurs with some balance. Hopefully, he’ll be able to be more involved higher up the pitch in the second half. 6.5
Wilson Odobert: Scored his first Tottenham goal with a powerful and direct strike. Hopefully the first of many for the former Burnley winger. 7.5
Dominic Solanke: Made the correct decision to unselfishly pass to Odobert instead of shooting himself which saw Tottenham take the lead on the night. 6.5
Heung-Min-Son: Pressed really well and won the ball in the build-up to Tottenham’s opening goal. The skipper looks eager to make the difference for his side tonight. He’s been energetic and has looked a threat from the left wing. 8