Rotated Tottenham XI Player Ratings from Win over Marine AFC
By Aaron Coe
Tottenham Defensive Ratings
Tottenham Hotspur did their job defensively keeping the clean sheet, but much of that was down to doing the job with the ball and keeping it away from their 8th tier opponents. While normally Spurs feel content to sit and wait for mistakes, they wanted domination and really got it, starting with the defense and the shutout.
Joe Hart (GK) – 7.5
Joe Hart did not have much to do most of the evening and he did well with everything he touched. He did have one scary moment when he decided to let a long-range missile go without deflecting it with his glove. Whether the shot was that wicked or Hart was that off in his judgment we do not know, we just know for a moment everyone cheering for the team in lilywhite held their collective breath. Following that one play, Hart made a couple decent enough saves and worked to own the box with a solid claim and a good punch.
Ben Davies (LB) – 7
It would be difficult to say that Ben Davies played bad, because he never really made any mistakes and did not allow much from a defensive perspective. However, if anyone on Spurs had an off day it was Ben Davies. Davies was the only Tottenham player not to complete more than 80% of his passes connecting on only 73% of those. Was replaced for the last 20 minutes by Sergio Reguilon. Just not a great day from Davies, but it was really no harm no foul from the captain, just as we projected.
Joe Rodon (CB) – 9
Joe Rodon did everything he was brought to the club to do as a center back on Sunday and maybe then a little with his effort. Joe Rodon was a rock defensively for Tottenham and worked very hard to make sure the team kept the clean sheet. Rodon was solid in the air, winning a few headers. Joe looked good stepping up defensively leading the team with three interceptions. Maybe most importantly Joe Rodon had two blocks including one at 35 minutes with the match 0-3, where he sprinted across the defense and past his partner Toby Alderweireld to the right side to make a crucial block.
Toby Alderweireld (CB) – 7.5
Whereas Joe Rodon played like a man possessed who was ready to do whatever it took to earn more minutes, Toby Alderweireld played with considerably less intensity. Instead of being the aggressor defensively, Alderweireld was the pressure valve that Rodon, Davies, and Matt Doherty could knock the ball back too, almost like a sweeper. What this deeper position did for Toby was give him room to operate and ping balls forward. While his completion percentage was not as high as Rodon’s the number of long balls dwarfed his teammates as the space led to the Alderweireld diagonal ball that few teams allow in the Premier League anymore. Came off at half-time for Japhet Tanganga.
Matt Doherty (RB) – 7
Matt Doherty provided a solid shift for Tottenham. Doherty had a nice opportunity to score on a wonderful cross into the box from Dele Alli, but the first time volley was saved by Bayleigh Passant the Marine keeper. Of course, Passant only saved the ball to the foot of Carlos Vinicius, but it did mean Doherty got neither a goal nor an assist officially. Did commit a couple fouls, which led to nothing, but could have given the opposition a chance. As we have seen this season, free kicks are one of Tottenham’s problem areas.