Tottenham Hotspur player ratings in a tough loss to Chelsea 0-3
By Aaron Coe
Midfield Ratings
Tottenham was strong in the midfield in the first half as Pierre Hojbjerg and Tanguy Ndombele both were all over the pitch working to win the ball back for Tottenham. Unfortunately for Spurs, both players seemed to run out of gas and did not get enough help from their running mates.
Pierre Hojbjerg – 6.5
Pierre Hojbjerg was a difference-maker for Tottenham in the first half. Finally playing as the lone deep, defensive midfielder Hojbjerg could attack the ball and work to recover it for Spurs. At one point in the first 10 minutes made two tackles within about a minute 45 yards apart on different sides of the pitch. Spurs are playing a dangerous game with the fine line between leveraging Hojbjerg and running him into the ground.
Dele Alli – 5
Dele Alli had an anonymous 90 minutes, with the exception of blowing his assignment on the first Chelsea goal. While it is clear that Dele is quite possibly in the best shape of his life, to think he can muscle Thiago Silva for space is foolish and the midfielder needed to attack the ball, not try to body an airborne player. The result was a goal that swung the game. Offensively Dele was not crisp passing the ball and didn’t make the runs the team needs into the attacking third behind the opposition’s defence.
Tanguy Ndombele – 7
Tanguy Ndombele was the most effective of the Tottenham midfielders and was working hard both on and off the ball until he came off just past the hour mark. Ndombele provided for Spurs midfield the same kind of outlet that Lukaku does the Chelsea attack. Like Hojbjerg was more effective early and faded. However, he ran hard tracking back, and working to win balls and advance the team into attack. It will take time to hit top form but he has it.
Giovani Lo Celso – 5
Giovani Lo Celso was competing with Dele on Sunday for the worst player on the pitch. Lo Celso was never really quite on the pace of the match, had a couple of decent passes but those were few and far between. Had the ball fall to him within the first two minutes in the box but his right-footed reaction attempt was nowhere near the target. Making matters worse, his poor turnover in the defensive third led directly to Chelsea’s second goal. After the drama of the international break, fans and the team deserved far more from Lo Celso than they got.