Tottenham Hotspur was fortunate on Saturday, not for the first time, with an opportunity to again take hold of their European fate. Unlike the previous attempts this season, where the Spurs came up short when they had a chance to make a little move up the table, Tottenham did enough against the Wolverhampton Wanderers to move to sixth, ahead of West Ham on goal differential.
While going sixth does not seem that big of a deal, earning Europa League after the lows of this season would be. Of course, before the lows of the season for Spurs, there were some good times and one of the stars of Tottenham’s early-season success was back at his best on Sunday.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – Tottenham star of the game
At the beginning of the season, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg was like a godsend to the Tottenham line-up as he provided protection and punch from the deep midfield. Demonstrating passing better than advertise along with the white-collar defense we were promised, the Dane was dominant.
As the season wore on and so did Højbjerg’s minutes, his overall effectiveness waned and so too did the Spurs performances. Seemingly benefitting from not playing every three days, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg was as good for Spurs as he has been since before the new year.
Tackles, aerial wins, pinpoint passing, that was Pierre-Emile Højbjerg when Tottenham was in first-place. That was Pierre-Emile Højbjerg on Sunday. While we should not get ahead of ourselves, Wolves are playing for nothing it was nice to see the Dane back to his best on Sunday. With a bit more depth for adequate rest next season, maybe Pierre-Emile Højbjerg can provide what Tottenham needs as he did on Sunday.
Read on to see how we rated Højbjerg and the rest of the Spurs in the 2-0 win.
Tottenham offensive ratings
The Lilywhites were far from fluid in the first half but still managed to hit the post and launch half of their 24 shots. A breakthrough from the one we most expect – Harry Kane – broke the deadlock before the half. In the second half, a slight change following the blueprint of the goal led to a dominant 45 minutes.
Heung-Min Son – 7
Heung-Min Son was able to pick up the ball in some dangerous places at times in the first half but lacked that quality or fortune to do anything with it. It was a similar situation in the second half as Son had some nice touches but failed to really find that critical quality in the final third. Only 1 accurate cross from six corners simply is not good enough. Did provide some stretch in the second half as the Spurs were more direct.
Harry Kane – 8
Kane was all over the field in the first half, collecting the ball super-deep from Eric Dier and playing the long forward diagonal balls. Then late on in the half, Kane was where we want him, behind the Wolves defense and in on goal. Of course, Kane did not miss and now has finally scored under Ryan Mason. In the second half, Kane probably should have finished what should have been a hattrick. Kane hit the post for the second time, to go with five shots on target, Kane is coming back.
Gareth Bale – 7
Gareth Bale saw a bit of the ball in the first half versus Wolves but struggled to really impact proceedings with it. Bale did manage to get a couple of decent crosses off but his big touches into the middle to try and shoot were denied. In the second half, he was also a bit more active on the long ball like Son. Rather than the long diagonals, the Spurs were moving direct and it was a more effective approach for Bale and the team.
Tottenham midfield ratings
Running out the same midfield from the Leeds loss was not necessarily awe-inspiring before the match, but in the end, the group did the job well. Dele Alli showed he still has some real craft and is willing to graft. Giovani Lo Celso demonstrated a willingness to push the team forward from deep and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg was superb. It was against a bottom half time but it was a good performance from the trio.
Dele Alli – 7.5
Dele Alli was again in the attacking midfield role that he has been occupying since Ryan Mason has taken over. Dele was more confident on the ball than in any match likely all season. Unlucky not to get an assist, when he played in Kane and the Spurs’ talisman hit the post. Even more unlucky not to score on the follow-up as Dele’ then hit the post for the 23rd time for Spurs this season. Had a couple of nutmegs and even flashed a smile. Provided very good defensive pressing all over the attacking third, while still tracking back.
Giovani Lo Celso – 7
Lo Celso was okay in the first half managing to keep the ball moving. Seemingly always hurried on the ball as he simply plays with just one leg, sometimes to the disadvantage. Like the rest of the team, Lo Celso was more assured in the second half and was unlucky to not get an assist himself, after touching in Sergio Reguilón on a little move. Lo Celso showed a willingness to drive the ball from deep picking up the ball and dribbling at the Wolves defense. Was replaced at 68 minutes by Harry Winks.
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg – 9
Played within himself for the first half and things paid off with a nice direct, thorough ball to Harry Kane for the only goal. Then in the second half, it was the Dane taking his chances in the box as he converted the Rui rebound on a Gareth Bale effort as he read the play and put Tottenham up 2-0. If Pierre-Emile Højbjerg can be an incredible difference-maker, as he was Sunday, maybe the future is not as bleak as it often seems.
Tottenham defensive ratings
The defense was the one place where Ryan Mason made a change in his starting group as Japhet Tanganga came in for Serge Aurier who was reportedly out with an injury. Tanganga was fine overall as was the rest of the backline as Wolves made the occasional run at the defense but never really applied the kind of pressure that causes Spurs defense problems.
Japhet Tanganga – 7
Japhet Tanganga was the sort of surprise starter in the group but held his own growing more confident as the game went on. He was under more pressure in the first half as Tottenham was lethargic as a group. Benefitted in the second half from playing from the front foot. Was really not used as much on the wing, wide as maybe he could have been despite moving into good spaces.
Toby Alderweireld – 7
The big Belgian center-back did his job on Sunday as Toby Alderweireld helped stretch the defense putting in some 12 longballs. Even with a dozen, there were probably another five or six times where Dele Alli or someone else made a run and Alderweireld just did not pull the trigger. Was stretched at times in the first half as Adama Traore made some runs but comfortable in the second.
Eric Dier – 7
Eric Dier did what you expect him to do when put under little pressure, which is to play several good longballs and mix in a bunch of other short passes. Dier tended to dwell on the ball but the lack of pressure never made that an issue. Like Alderweireld was stretched in the first half and beaten in the second but was let off the hook by some poor finishing from Fabio Silva.
Sergio Reguilón – 7.5
Like Pierre Højbjerg, Sergio Reguilón performed more like what we saw earlier in the season. The Spaniard got forward but did so under control and was only denied a goal by a strong hand from Patricio. Kept the passing short and never actually attempted a cross, which was to disappoint Kane who had space in the box.
Tottenham Substitutes and Coach Rating
The substitutions in the second half showed a clear pecking order for the Tottenham midfield under coach Ryan Mason. All three substitutes brought on midfielders, even if they did not take midfielders off.
Harry Winks -7
Harry Winks did what Harry Winks does in his 21 minutes on the pitch Sunday, which is looking for the ball and then makes neat, tidy, passes with it. Managing 32 touches and accurate on 30 of 31 passes in his 21 minutes, WInks did his job, which was to help run out the clock and maintain possession. Ultimately, the next permanent coach will determine what kind of role – if any – Winks has in the team, but his cameo Sunday shows what he can do against weaker opposition.
Tanguy Ndombele – N/A
The Frenchman came on with less than 10 minutes to play replacing Dele Alli. Rather than a deeper role as he had been playing at the end of the Mourinho tenure, Ndombele was again further up the pitch under Mason. Tanguy managed a couple of nice turns in his limited opportunities.
Moussa Sissoko – N/A
Another French midfielder came on late, as Sissoko replace Gareth Bale in the 89th minute to help sure up the midfield and see out the clean sheet.
Coach Ryan Mason – 7.5
Like the rest of the team on the day, Mason did his job as expected against a lesser team playing for very little more than pride. What Mason did show was an ability to see something that worked in the first half, the direct through ball, and to try to do it more in the second. The directness of Tottenham helped keep Wolverhampton pinned in and deploy are relatively effective press. Good work by Mason there after a disappointing first 45 minutes.