Tottenham player ratings: 3-2 triumph over Everton
Defensive Midfielders
Victor Wanyama-7
Heading into the match, I expected Tottenham to enjoy a significant physical advantage in the midfield. I wasn’t disappointed. It wasn’t a banner day for Victor Wanyama, but he put in another solid shift for Spurs.
Perhaps if his stunning strike would have snuck into the corner as opposed to battering the post we’d view his match differently. As it was, he provided excellent defensive cover for the back three.
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Unfortunately, his passing was unusually inconsistent. He put his squad in jeopardy on several occasions with poor distribution of the ball. It wasn’t Wanyama’s best day, but it was good enough to get the win.
Mousa Dembele-6
Dembele was really a step below Wanyama in almost every respect. We expect him to serve as a calming influence on the side but he failed to do that against a very soft Everton midfield.
In fairness, he and Wanyama still seem to get in one another’s way in the midfield. Dembele wants to dribble the ball down the middle of the pitch, but he can’t seem to find space with the Kenyan destroyer around. It’s time for the talented Belgian to step up his game though.
His performance against the Toffees was mediocre at best. Harry Winks continues to make more and more of a case for increased playing time at Dembele’s expense.