Tottenham vs. Aston Villa player ratings: Nightmare start to the season continues

The nightmare before the international break.

This was billed as a contest Tottenham simply couldn't lose, given their dismal start to the season, yet Spurs suffered the sort of defeat that's become all too familiar.

Once again, the Lilywhites failed to make the most of a bright start. Misfortune and good goalkeeping ensured Aston Villa remained in the contest, and Johan Manzambi's poach on the cusp of half-time proved to be a remarkably early nail in the coffin.

Spurs played the entirety of the second half in slow motion. Villa, also winless through four league outings, dug in and broke. They looked like scoring every time they countered on a flagging Lilywhite outfit that had its already limited confidence sapped by Manzambi's opener.

Nicolas Jackson added a second, and Emiliano Buendia's third was glorious. In the end, it was no more than the Villans deserved, and Spurs will enter the extended break staring into the abyss. Not even Conor Gallagher and Jan Paul van Hecke's goals can offer salvation.

Where do we go from here?

Spurs player ratings from a chastening home defeat

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Antonín Kinsky (GK): 6/10 – Hard to blame the Czech for what went down in N17 today, even if he got a decent hand on Jackson's effort.

Pedro Porro (RB): N/A – His return from injury lasted just 19 minutes... due to an injury. Great!

Jan Paul van Hecke (CB): 3/10 – Van Hecke was bullied by Jackson. Erratic one-on-one and far too weak in the build-up to Villa's second goal.

Micky van de Ven (CB): 5/10 – Who knows, things may have panned out differently hadn't Van de Ven been forced to receive treatment on the stroke of half-time?

Andy Robertson (LB): 3/10 – Thought he'd teed up our first Premier League goal of the season, but had strayed offside. At fault for the opening goal.

Midfielders

Rodrigo Bentancur (CM): 5/10 – There was a gaping chasm in Spurs' midfield throughout the second half, with Bentancur straying from the centre of the pitch a little too often. He made some useful interventions, too.

Sandro Tonali (CM): 5/10 – Slick and clunky. Tonali wasn't at all consistent with his actions this afternoon.

Mateus Fernandes (AM): 5/10 – This isn't what we signed up for. Fernandes was supposed to be our slick customer aiding ball progression, not an uncomfortable No. 10 playing ahead of the ball.

Forwards

Sávio (RW): 4/10 – Ever so threatening early on, but Matteo Ruggeri quickly sussed him out and his influence starting to become more of a hinderance as the contest wore on.

Dominic Solanke (ST): 4/10 – Sluggish and looked pretty unfit. The Villa centre-backs had no issues dealing with the Tottenham striker.

Omar Marmoush (LW): 5/10 – Neither here or there. Marmoush should've collected Van Hecke's pass and ran clean through on goal, but his loose touch summed up Spurs' current fortunes.

Substitutes

• Archie Gray (19' for Porro): 5/10
• Mohammed Kudus (45' for Fernandes): 5/10
• James Maddison (66' for Solanke): 5/10
• Lucas Bergvall (84' for Bentancur): N/A
• Conor Gallagher (84' for Tonali): N/A

Spurs' player of the match: ?

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