Tottenham took a first-half lead against Aston Villa, but the Champions League hopefuls suffered their second home defeat of the season. It was the first time under manager Thomas Frank that Spurs lost from a position of winning, and the North Londoners struggled at times throughout the second half.
The game started perfectly for Spurs and the home side took the lead after just five minutes when Rodrigo Bentancur converted a smart knock down from Joao Parinha in the box. Tottenham were flagged for offside the next moment, but it was Villa who scored the second goal of the game in the final minute. Morgan Rodgers took the criticism for his club vs. country game, but his powerful long-range strike put a smile on the faces of the Villa faithful for the first time in a long while, leveling the score at 1-1.
Despite a promising start, the game started to slip away from Spurs in the second half and by the time Villa’s second arrived there would have been little complaint from the Europa League winners. A standoff in the backline gave Luca Digne space to pull out Emi Buendia inside the penalty area, and the substitute did the rest. After the game on Sunday afternoon, Express Sports released their player ratings.
Guglielmo Vicario – 6
Although he didn’t do much throughout the game, he certainly wasn’t responsible for Rodgers’ goal, which went into the top corner. Perhaps Villa’s second goal was unexpected, but then again, nothing much could be done about it.
Pedro Polo – 5
Known for his offensive ability, he lacked it on days when the Spurs desperately needed it. It was a bad day at the office for the former Sporting CP ace.
Kevin Danso – 6
Cristian Romero came on late due to an injury during warm-ups and remained on his own for most of the match. There were some shaky moments, but overall it was a solid game, especially considering the circumstances surrounding his inclusion on the team.
Mickey Van de Ven – 6
Perhaps they could have finished off Villa’s attackers sooner in the build-up to the winning goal, but overall they were solid throughout the game.
Jed Spence – 5
Buendia’s goal came from all sorts of angles, but he was unable to help it as the left winger in front of him was unable to cover. Still, the England international looked a bit tired and had a difficult afternoon on the left side of Spurs’ defence.
Joan Parinha – 7
They dominated the first half and were deservedly rewarded with a smart header in the build-up to Spurs’ first goal. The midfielder was equally impressive with his work in the opposite direction, although Ball’s chances of playing were significantly reduced in the second half.
Rodrigo Bentancur – 6
He scored a brilliant goal and was one of the best players on the pitch in the first half. Unlike his midfield partner, the Uruguayan occasionally ghosted in the second half and struggled to keep up with the pace of Villa’s midfield, who controlled the game better.
Xavi Simmons – 4
A very disappointing performance from a player who should have been able to do more. He was unable to influence the game and probably could have been sent off much earlier. It’s still early days for the Dutchman, but given the amount Spurs have spent, we can expect a lot more in the future.
Mohamed Kudus – 8
He has been a dazzle for the home team at times and continues to prove that he is one of the signings of the season. His cross ultimately led to Bentancur’s goal, and he was just offside from getting his name on the scoresheet.
Matisse Phone – 5
They were too easy to defend and failed to capitalize on the occasional half-chances that appeared inside the penalty area. He should have thrown himself at the cross before the break, but the youngster could only hang on to his heels and watch the ball go by. I’m obsessed with hour marks.
Wilson Odbert – 5
Lots of tricks, but not much to show for it. Villa’s right-back Matty Cash enjoyed plenty of space on the right and occasionally caught the eye.
Substitute:
Richarlison – 6
He was brought in to give life to Spurs’ attack, but he was just one of Tottenham’s attackers who didn’t do much on the pitch.
Lukas Bergvall – 6
Indeed, the teenager’s energy was a welcome addition as he did his best to liven things up after coming off the bench.
Randall Kolo Muani – 5
I had one chance, so I blurted out my lines. Granted, it wasn’t exactly a sitter, but a player of his quality should lead to a dropped ball inside the penalty area. Instead, the Frenchman swung and missed, much to the frustration of Spurs fans.
Brennan Johnson – N/A
Pape Matar Saal – N/A
