Tottenham player ratings v Liverpool: Spurs fail to show up

It’s going to be a rough week at Hotspur Way. Not many Tottenham stars showed up for Mauricio Pochettino against Liverpool.

Every member of the Tottenham squad needs to thank his lucky stars that Spurs play again on Tuesday against Inter. If not for that Champions League fixture, Mauricio Pochettino would be running his squad to death after their pitiful effort against Liverpool.

The final 2-1 scoreline was flattering for Spurs. Erik Lamela scored a nice goal late, but Tottenham could have easily trailed by four or five goals at that point. That’s how dominant Jurgen Klopp’s side was in this match.

Without delay, let’s take you through the carnage of Tottenham’s player ratings on the afternoon. As you might expect, these marks are going to be ugly.

Michel Vorm-4

Hugo Lloris can’t get back fast enough. Vorm was clearly at fault for Liverpool’s opening goal. His failure to command the box on the corner kick was inexcusable. He’ll be lucky if Paulo Gazzaniga doesn’t replace him in Pochettino’s pecking order.

Kieran Trippier-5

Trippier might be the best right back in England, but that doesn’t mean he has the pace required to stop Liverpool’s attack. He got into some dangerous positions going forward in the first half, but his lack of foot speed was readily apparent against Sadio Mane for the Reds’ second goal.

Toby Alderweireld-8

The classy Belgian managed to make numerous last-ditch challenges to keep his squad in the match during the first half. This result could have gotten ugly without him on the pitch. It’s time to reward him with a new contract.

Jan Vertonghen-7

Aside from accidentally knocking Roberto Firmino out of the match, Vertonghen was pretty solid as well. He’ll be a bit disappointed not to do better on the cross that led to the second goal, but he was just unlucky.

Danny Rose-6

It was a really weird match for Rose. He was very involved, but it’s hard to pinpoint what he actually got accomplished. In the end, he was wasteful going forward, but competent in defense. He’ll need to play better to secure his spot ahead of Ben Davies.

Mousa Dembele-4

Tottenham lost this match in the midfield and Dembele was a big reason why. He was at least a step slow during most of the game. The Belgian veteran needs to go back to the bench.

Eric Dier-4.5

Dier was slightly better than Dembele, but that isn’t saying much. He continues to really struggle whenever he’s asked to be a two-way midfielder. He can shield the back four well enough, but he provides the club almost nothing going forward.

Harry Winks-5

Tottenham fans on social media were really excited to see Winks’ name on the team sheet, but he didn’t show up in a positive way. He was the best of Pochettino’s midfield three, but the gulf of ability between he and Naby Keita was on full display.

Christian Eriksen-3

Eriksen better be dead tired. This was the worst match he’s played in a Spurs shirt. He couldn’t make anything happen offensively and the talented Dane was a complete non-factor on the defensive end of the pitch. He should be very concerned about his place ahead of the Inter match.

Lucas Moura-6.5

The Brazilian attacker played with a lot of energy, but ultimately he couldn’t get anything done for the club. This match could have been very different if he’d finished his tantalizing chance early in the second half.

Harry Kane-6

There were glimpses of positive play from Kane. He did much better holding the ball up today, but anytime your striker doesn’t manage a shot on goal he clearly didn’t play well. It might be time for Kane to get a rest, but don’t expect it to happen this week.

Erik Lamela-7

The Argentine was the brightest attacker in the game for Spurs. Not only did he score the club’s only goal, he also created a really bright chance that he failed to finish. His solid play against Liverpool combined with his experience in Serie A should get him the start against Inter.

Son Heung-Min-6

The fact that Son played in this match is really concerning. He needs a rest, but Pochettino is in no mood to give him one. In fairness to him, he did look bright out on the right wing. It’s unclear where his fitness levels are at the moment, but he was a worthwhile substitute.

Victor Wanyama-5

The Kenyan didn’t have much time to make an impact, but he struggled to deal with the pace of Liverpool’s midfield. He will need more training time to get back up to speed.