Tottenham player ratings at Bournemouth: No Kane, no problem for Spurs

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BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – MARCH 11: Victor Wanyama of Tottenham Hotspur and Serge Aurier of Tottenham Hotspur speak during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur at Vitality Stadium on March 11, 2018 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) /

Victor Wanyama-8

It was good to see Wanyama back in Pochettino’s starting XI. It was great to see the Kenyan destroyer playing up to the high standards he set for himself last season once again.

Hopefully yesterday’s play will serve as a turning point for Wanyama. He was all over the pitch against Bournemouth. He repeatedly made key challenges that prevented the Cherries from really threatening Spurs on the counter. It wasn’t a perfect match for the burly defensive midfielder, but it was certainly a step in the right direction.

Mousa Dembele-6

Wanyama had to play a good match in the double-pivot because Dembele was clearly off his game. The first 15 minutes were a horror show for the talented Belgian. His utter inability to catch up to the pace of the match but his team in a very compromised position.

Fortunately, his play improved significantly when Pochettino made the choice to slide Eriksen back into a midfield three. Without as much ground to cover, Dembele was able to shield the ball from Bournemouth’s midfielders and move the Spurs attack forward. Still, if Dembele wants to stay in Pochettino’s starting XI, he’ll need to pick up his level of play soon.

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