When the full time whistle went at the end of the game, it was a weird atmosphere surrounding White Hart Lane. Spurs have made it perfectly clear that they don’t want Europe next season, and really don’t care what happens from now until the end of the season, and I feel that the fans feel the same, and the players too. All credit to Manchester City who played superbly again against Spurs yet again, but Spurs didn’t really take the game seriously, I feel. Don’t get me wrong, some players really played well, but others either looked drained or not bothered.
Hugo Lloris: 6
Unusual game for Lloris today, as he made some superb saves again, but arguably could have stood up for the goal (baring in mind how much of a beautiful strike it was from Sergio Aguero). Still think that he is our best player and the most important player, but if we lose him, maybe Europe could have swayed him for one more season?
Eric Dier: 7
Since the cup final, Dier has arguably been one of the most consistent players for Spurs this season. Really excelled as a Right Back, despite wanting to be a Center Back in the future, with good crosses becoming a key part of both his game and Spurs’ game. I feel that if he continues to perform like this, then Kyle Walker will find it extremely hard to get back into the side.
Federico Fazio: 6
Actually played well considering his other performances throughout the season. I said in my “3 players key to a Spurs victory” that Fazio could be able to stop Aguero, or at least keep a strong defensive line. He kept Aguero relatively quiet despite the goal, which Fazio wasn’t anywhere near. Could probably find a better defender though, which doesn’t exactly help the core of the side.
Jan Vertonghen: 6
Another game in which Vertonghen was quiet but dealt with most of the danger that was put in front of him. This was a typical Vertonghen performance of very calm defending but dwelling on the ball for an uncomfortable amount of time. Showed today that he and Fazio are probably our best and strongest partnership.
Danny Rose: 6
Similarly to Dier, Rose has probably been one of the most effective players in the side. Attacking with sublime threat as of late, this wasn’t a performance from Rose that we have gotten used to, as his battle with James Milner on the left hand side kept him occupied and Milner, to his credit, kept Rose quiet. Hopefully, next season Rose will really advance his game and become a great player consistently.
Nabil Bentaleb: 6
Very, very ineffective today in a game, which potentially could have made him a real starlet in the Premier League. But no, he was kept under wraps by the City midfield perfectly and his passing was kept to a minimum. Another player who should really kick on when next season comes around.
Ryan Mason: 5
For a few weeks now, mason has been looking like a player who has a lot of fire and desire, but hasn’t been able to effect the game. Today was no different, as he covered a lot of ground, made some crunching tackles, but didn’t change the game at all. His defending for the goal was shocking, but In his defense, he had to make a choice in a split second and it ended up to be a costly one.
Nacer Chadli: 6
Well, the consistency didn’t really last, did it? Chadli played well in the first half, looking sharp and very lively, but once City scored, he seemed to lose interest. He wasn’t the only one however, but it just gets very frustrating to see a player like him who clearly has talent but doesn’t show it when it counts.
Christian Eriksen: 5
A rare poor performance from the Dane, as he was hauled off after 55 minutes. Normally, Eriksen looks able to create something special out of nothing, and early on it seemed like he was going to have one of those games, but likewise to Chadli, once the goal went in he didn’t look bothered. Clearly tired yet deserves a rest now.
Erik Lamela: 6
I have made it clear on a few occasions that I’m not the biggest fan of Lamela, but he played well today. He looked quick, he looked like he could grab a goal out of nowhere, but sadly, he couldn’t find a way through. Hopefully, if this version of Lamela shows up more often, he could go strides to justifying his price tag.
Harry Kane: 6
Kane tried to get his team mates going, but unfortunately, Kane cant do it all himself. He needs help and needs other contributions from everyone else. However, I did think that he looked good alongside Roberto Soldado, which is a thought for the future.
Substitutions:
Paulinho: 5
Played well In his short cameo, making a case for him to start a few more games to show what he is like when he feels in top form.
Roberto Soldado: 5
Not a bad showing, but given game time to prove himself, I can see him performing well despite his past.
Emmanuel Adebayor: 5
There is something about Adebayor that makes me disinterested in Spurs when he plays. Maybe it’s because of his history, or his lack of effort (and occasionally talent) that frustrates the fans. The quicker he goes, the better, in my opinion.
