Tottenham Hotspur are officially out of the League Cup already, as their trip to Anfield had the same disastrous consequences that Spurs fans feared, with the club losing 3-1. Although Liverpool's goalkeeper played a great game and they benefited from some audacious goals, Spurs can, once again, only blame themselves for coming up second best in the score line, even as there were positives to take away in possession.
Here was the one star and four flops from Spurs latest defeat.
Flop: LB Destiny Udogie
Tottenham Hotspur are expecting big things from Destiny Udogie this season at left back, but he looked rusty and sloppy in his return to the starting lineup after missing the weekend's 0-0 draw with Everton injured. Every time Udogie comes back from an injury, he looks worse for wear and needs time to look decent again, and by the time he does that, he is back to being injured.
Flop: LW Mathys Tel
Mathys Tel was the worst player on the pitch for Tottenham. He did create a couple of chances and you can see that the Frenchman is trying, but just like Cosmo Kramer when he pretended to work a corporate gig, increased effort isn't going to solve the problem anymore. Tel just cannot cut it against the better Premier League sides, and he is starting to earn the nickname "Unforced error" with how easily he loses possession.
Star: CM Lucas Bergvall
At least one young player in the Tottenham starting XI showed up to play. Lucas Bergvall was as atrocious as any Spurs player in the Matchday 1 blowout loss to Brentford, and he wasn't much better in the League Cup opener against Charlton Athletic either. But Bergvall was the one true standout against Liverpool, shining as a ball winner, progressor, creator, and even passer. He created three chances, led everyone in passing, and barely lost the ball.
Flop: RW Mohammed Kudus
Mohammed Kudus was honestly even more disappointing than Mathys Tel, considering the expectations for the right winger. The Ghanaian international could not create a single chance and looked even sloppier than Tel, Omar Marmoush, and Destiny Udogie with his touches.
Flop: RB Archie Gray
Spurs have to consider Archie Gray one of their biggest flops of the season, and starting him at right back is going about as well as one would expect. The young England international did have a solid game against Everton that led to some signs of hope, but he was back to being useless going forward against Liverpool, which did not do Mohammed Kudus any favors.
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