Tottenham player ratings v APOEL: Several Spurs should be ashamed
Toby Alderweireld-6
It was very clear that Alderweireld missed the presence of Jan Vertonghen in this match. The first half might have been the worst defensive 45 minutes of his Spurs career. Fortunately, his performance seemed to stabilize after the break.
He also must get credit for his wonderful through ball that freed Kane for the opening goal. It doesn’t make up for a pretty poor defensive showing, but it shows why Alderweireld is always in Pochettino’s starting XI when fit.
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Davinson Sanchez-7
The Colombian defender isn’t a very pretty player to watch, but it’s hard to argue with his effectiveness. His presence on the pitch was a huge factor in Tottenham’s ability to keep a clean sheet in this one.
Specifically, Sanchez did a quality job of making the routine clearance to prevent any APOEL player from breaking clean through on goal. Heading the ball forward or clearing a ball out of play might not be the sexiest plays Sanchez can make, but they are the most vital.
Ben Davies-6
In many ways, Davies played the reverse match of Alderweireld. He was pretty decent defensively in the first half, but after half time he started to look lost out there. In particular, he struggled to do anything in the air against APOEL’s front line.
Even so, Davies does deserve credit for his ability to play two defensive positions equally as well. He has proven himself to be an adequate left back and a reasonable centre back. The Welshman is very useful to have around.