Tottenham Hotspur player ratings in 2-0 win over Bournemouth
By Gary Pearson
Tottenham enjoyed another accomplished performance, beating Bournemouth 2-0 on the south coast thanks to goals from James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.
Kulu scored his first goal in 27 appearances for club and country and Maddison dominated, pulling the strings in the first half and threatening consistently.
Most of Tottenham’s starters should be proud of how they acquitted themselves. The on-the-ball dominance was matched by the team’s will and work rate, a perfect reflection of what their inspiring manager is trying to accomplish at Spurs.
Tottenham has the third-youngest starting team in the top flight, adding another feather to Ange’s feather-endowed cap.
As the away supporters bellowed at Vitality Stadium, “We have our Tottenham back.” I couldn’t agree more.
Here are the player ratings from another exquisite Premier League contest.
Defence
Guglielmo Vicario 7/10
While by no means overworked, Venom enjoyed another confident display.
He made a solid reaction save off of Ryan Christie’s whipped shot first-half shot and showed excellent composure on a first-time reverse pass in 22nd minute.
Otherwise, Venom was untested throughout despite a few close shaves from Bournemouth attempts.
Cristian Romero 8.5/10
Cristian Romero led by example and was at his aggressive best.
He connected with a brilliant slide tackle on the edge of Spurs’ box in the first half and was solid throughout. He shanked one attempted clearance but was otherwise sure footed.
Micky van de Ven 9/10
So solid in the air and exuding confidence, Micky van de Ven offers assuredness, athleticism, and exquisite timing.
He has excellent distribution, makes timely slide tackles and isn’t afraid to carry the ball out of defence when needed. His ceiling his limitless.
Pedro Porro 8.5/10
Pedro Porro is silencing a lot of critics with his solid defensive play.
He covers well and has the speed to make up ground where needed. He plays with palpable passion, a refreshing sign from the Portuguese.
It was Porro’s pass that started the move on Tottenham’s opener. He played a smart pass to Yves Bissouma, who swivelled on a dime to find Pape Sarr before Maddison got in on the final act.
Destiny Udogie 9/10
Another outstanding performance from Udogie.
He finds space where there seemingly isn’t any and drives at defenders with confidence and an exuberant youthfulness. If you want icing on the cake, turn to his assist on Kulu’s goal.
He never lets up and saved the ball from going out, cutting it back for the on-rushing Swede.
Midfield
Yves Bissouma 8/10
Spurs engine in the midfield is the real deal. But we already knew that. He’s always available, sprinting back to give his defenders an option.
His spatial awareness is excellent and so too is his ability to maintain possession. Bissouma was integral in the buildup to the opener, swivelling to find space before laying it off to Sarr, who found Maddison with a brilliant through pass.
James Maddison 9.5/10
James Maddison is a revelation at the heart of Tottenham’s midfield. He took the match by the scruff of its neck, scoring a brilliant goal to open the visitor’s account.
That was the tip of the Maddison iceberg.
In the first half, he had 42 touches, three attempted shots, two shots on target, and 10 passes into the opposition box. He pulled the strings from midfield, making key pass after key pass. Oh, and his deliveries from dead-ball situations are unerringly pinpoint.
Pape Sarr 7.5/10
Pape Sarr closes space in a flash. He’s tireless, relentless and full of energy. He coughed up possession once or twice and committed a few fouls, but that’s expected from somebody doing as much work as him.
He set up Maddison’s goal with a perfectly weighted through ball.
Forwards and Subs
Richarlison 3/10
The Brazilian was far too wasteful in front of goal, particularly in the first half. He missed two golden scoring opportunities, one with his head at the back post and other after a brilliant Maddison pass. He should have shot first time. His chance ended as soon as he took an unnecessary touch.
After tripping on the ball early in the second half, he lashed out and took an undisciplined yellow card.
Frustration boiled over from the hot-tempered Brazilian. I’ve said it before, but he’s also too soft with his back to goal. And he also bypassed the easy passing options too often. Had one good flick in the first half that led to a Kulu opportunity.
Overall, it wasn’t nearly good enough from our front man.
Son Heung-min 6.5/10
Sonny had a quiet match for the most part.
However, he popped up when his team needed him most. He played a wonderful one-two with Udogie in Bournemouth’s box, leading to Kulu’s first-time finish.
Sonny also made a smart pass to Sarr in the first half only for the midfielder to flub his left-footed attempt on goal.
Dejan Kulusevski 7.5/10
Dejan got on the ball in dangerous positions a few times in the first half. He didn’t make the best of his opportunities, once attempting an outside left-footed pass to Maddison which didn’t come off.
However, Kulu came to life on his goal in the second half, dashing toward the front post to reach out and poke it into the corner with his left foot. A brilliant moment from the Swede. He has struggled recently, but always puts in a full-blooded effort. Form is temporary, quality is permanent.
Pierre Hojbjerg 7/10
Pierre Hojbjerg had one well-time scissor slide tackle, dispossessing Bournemouth. He also looked good on the ball in his limited time.
Ivan Perisic 7.5/10
Made an immediate impact, finding Udogie with a splendid outside of the right boot pass. The move eventually led to Kulu’s goal. He adds so much experience, wherewithal and composure.
Perisic used all of his experience in a bit of gamesmanship with Max Aarons, receiving a yellow for his straight arm. What an asset to bring off the bench.