PLAYER RATINGS: Tottenham 0:3 Liverpool

Mauricio Pochettino’s tasted defeat for the first time since taking the reigns at White Hart Lane as Liverpool made his side pay for some sloppy defending.

It didn’t take the Reds long to assert their authority on the game, with Daniel Sturridge sending Jordan Henderson clear with the simplest of passes, before Raheem Sterling provided the finishing touch at the back post.

Spurs pressed high once more put simply couldn’t find the right pass to unlock a stern Liverpool back 4. Nacer Chadli should have finished off our only real chance of the game on the stroke of half time but his volley was straight at Mignolet when one-on-one.

The second half started where the first had left off. With Liverpool cutting through our midfield with real class thanks mainly to Jordan Henderson and Sterling.

The game was effectively ended when Phil Dowd judged Eric Dier’s pull on Joe Allen worthy of a penalty, a decision which looked dubious to say the least. Steven Gerrard dispatched from 12 yards and our heads hit the floor.

Andros Townsend lost the ball to Albert Moreno on the halfway line just a minute after is introduction, and the Spaniard casually wandered into the opposition box to wrap up the 3 points for the visitors.

Player Ratings

Hugo Lloris - 5 – Having kept two clean sheets so far in the league, Lloris was largely helpless to surrender this one. However our stopper did get a hand to Gerrard’s penalty and was almost at the halfway line when Mario Balotelli was presented with the ball. Although, he didn’t get anything in the way of protection.

Eric Dier - 5 – It would have been too much to expect Dier to have scored his 3rd goal in 3, but the youngster did have a torrid time against Sterling on the wing. Very unlucky to concede the penalty but experience will tell Dier that contact in the box will only ever result in one thing.

Younes Kaboul - 3 – Wow. What an absolute nightmare from our captain, who didn’t win a single aerial duel or make a single tackle today. Failed to close down Moreno as he wandered into the box to score, and was taken apart by Sturridge and Sterling. Fazio could be making an appearance soon.

Jan Vertonghen - 4 – A similar story to his fellow centre-half, except Jan didn’t lose once in the air. With just one tackle made, Jan looked slow on the turn and was too left dazed by the Reds English duo.

Danny Rose - 5 – More promising going forward than at the back, although that seems to be the Tottenham way. Was caught out jogging back from the halfway line when Raheem Sterling made it 1-0, but at least tried to create going forward.

Etienne Capoue - 5 – Although Capoue was our highest passer BY FAR again (105), he was caught out too many times by Liverpool’s quick play. Failed to track the run of Henderson for the first goal but Capoue was one of the few still running in the 90th minute.

Nabil Bentaleb - 5 – A quiet game for Bentaleb on a stage where it is impossible to hide. Attempted less passes than Eric Dier in a game where it was vital that he and Capoue controlled the pace. Definitely guilty of letting his head drop and was subbed.

Nacer Chadli - 5 – Should have clawed us back into the game on the stroke of half time, when he was presented with literally our only chance of the game. His volley was straight at Mignolet and we went in at the break 1-0 down – something we weren’t ever going to recover from. Both of his crosses failed to find Spurs men.

Christian Eriksen - 4 – I was so disappointed with our talisman today. Brought off with over half an hour remaining having made no key passes whatsoever and lost the ball on so many occasions. He’s the player we look at to “do something” but today he did nothing. The Dane will return next week better and stronger.

Erik Lamela - 5 – Similar to Eriksen in that Lamela lost the ball on so SO many occasions, but at least the Argentine tried to create when he had the ball. His reluctancy to turn round and play the ball backwards saw him lose it as much as he did and the physical Liverpool back 4 pushed him off the ball easily, but he never stopped running. Yet, in the Premier League there are no prizes for “trying”.

Emmanuel Adebayor - 5 – Deceptively hard working, Ade seems to put the effort in at the wrong times. For example, the Togo man will chase a nothing ball to the death but was caught a yard offside when we finally opened up the Reds back 4. He shouldn’t have to be running out to the wings as often and should instead work harder at doing his job. Nevertheless, at least he ran.

SUBS

Mousa Dembele - 5 – Much the same as Bentaleb, didn’t really create anything but looked much more motivated to drive forward than the Algerian.

Andros Townsend - 3 – Last week we turned down £12million for Andros. Today he looked like 12p wouldn’t go amiss.

Ben Davies - N/a – replaced the injured Danny Rose to make his Premier League debut but was not tested.

Today Tottenham were outclassed by a side which has the winning mentality that so many of our “stars” lack. Our big-game players such as Eriksen and Lamela need to take it upon themselves to create, rather than expecting it to fall to them kindly.

Lamela’s driving run against QPR was exactly what we needed today, and is precisely what Raheem Sterling provided at the other end.

Our “spark” players failed to ignite.

 

Same old .. we ll never learn .. 3 diff managers in less then a year but gettin tonked all the time by the so called better sides .. Not like we playing barca or Madrid .. Lots of people gettin a bit excited after our first couple of results but as usual results don't tell the full story .. HAmmers could have scored 3 or 4 , foreign team scored once and could have been more and a shocking qpr should have scored a couple or more and there bang ordinary teams .. Lots of nonsense chat coming from the players all week ( we,re a diff side under new manager .. We wont get hidings off the top 5 like we did last year ..) , kind of nonsense you expect from 12 + 13 y.o fans .. Talk is cheap lads , why not keep your mouths shut and go and prove it on the pitch .. Felt we,d have to score 2 or 3 to get anything out of this game .. We are truly shocking both individualy and as a team defensivly , and on top of that an embarrassing lack of leadership or confidence .. Today he poch found out what this truly spineless lot are really like and now he knows the massive job he has in front of him .. Groundhog day really ..

 

I agree ...Kaboul isn't up to it. I've been feeling this way for some time. Lots of mistakes from him, absolutely loads.

 

Harrowing flash backs of AVB today, what an embarrassment Liverpool did that at a canter today.
I said last weekend that players like chadli, lamela etc need to show they can play consistantly unfortunately the consistancy is 90% toothless dissapearing acts and eriksen can be put in that catagory aswell.
Totally true of Ade all the running and effort at the wrong times in the wrong areas, for the most part stranded.
Capoue n Bentaleb were totally out played and dominated and did barely anything in the way of retention/distribution.
Rose rewarded with a 5 yr contract for his total inability to read a game or defend, Kaboul I think actually offers less than Dawson he was/is shocking and should be sold imediately, Jans laid back approach to defending is just that i question the blokes atitude and fight, Dier did not have a great game today but he genuinely has an excuse and at least showed some bite in the challenge.
All too samey from last season for me. Its ok employing Pochetino to get the best out of the duds weve bought but theres only so much you can get out of players that quite clearly arent good enough, we need better players and as i have said and will continue to say Daniel Levy is failing the club, manager and the fans if he hes not going to buy the best players possible for the club.

 

I think Lamela deserves a 6 or at least take a point out to the other players and let him a 5, but was, by far, the best player in the pitch.
All the defenders were awful. I think they deserve less than that.
Bad match today, but we have to keep this way. Pochettino is a great manager and Fazio will fix this bad defense. I'm pretty sure about that.

 

If Liverpool were more ruthless and didn't take their foot off the pedal it would have been worse than last year. And Id bite Southamptons hand off if they have offered 12m for Townsend.

 

If Kaboul had played like that for South Korea he would have been shot. You cannot play a high line and make that many mistakes or defend that poorly. Liverpool just showed us that we are some way of a top 4 finish so I'm hoping we can get back to what we are good at as a club. And go for the cups.

 

This rating is totally bu....t. Sorry about that but how can you give 5 to Loris or Capoue and 5 to Lamela? Lamela did nothing today. NOTHING... we were 10 on the pitch with him. Capoue was alone in the midfield to stop the attacks from Reds and what would Loris has to do on the 3 goals of our today's opponent? Where was Lamela, Eriksen, Bentaleb, Kaboul, Chadli and Ade? Where...? Why Lennon wasn't on the bench today. I know that a lot of you don't like him but what we have to think about Lamela? I rate a lot Maurizio but he has to change the team for the match against top 5-6 teams. Not only for lower teams!

 

to many so called fans already jumping on players backs. Bad game for spurs looked like we were playing under avb again today sideways sideways always sideways. We have beaten 3 very average teams so far, and lost today from individual errors not spectacular team play. The season is but 3 games young, mistakes and lessons will happen , so how about we start supporting and stop complaining. It's not like we have any god given right to win things or be in the top 4 as always COYS

 

Lennon townsend eriksen kaboul dembele lamela bentaleb spurs have just been offered a tenner for the magnificent seven and are thinking it over.

 

judge after 38 games not 3.
if your a bin dipper then how short a memory you must have 5 years outside the 'top 4'... Then 1 good season with no distractions and the arrogance starts again let me guess this is 'your season '. You will not be any where near the title, once you start playing 4 games in 10 days. Your soon crumble. And no i don't think we will be in the mix

 

Tough game to watch but this is expected. We still have a small club mentality when facing the more established big clubs. With Walker still injured, Dier wasn't too comfortable especially facing a speedy winger. I liked Capoue's work ethic and I do believe that the stage was too big for Bentaleb, I'd have liked to see Sandro in the starting line-up. Pochettino needs time to establish his style, it won't happen over night. Let's keep dominating the smaller clubs and learn from our mistakes to the point where we feel on level with the top four clubs in the league. Sadly I do believe Kaboul's time has passed, I'd like to see what Fazio and Vertonghen can do together. The season just started fellas, it's a long one. In the end I believe we'll be up there! COYS

 

We have not got the players to finish higher than number 5-6 in premier league but still think it was an embarrassing performance today :'(

 

Supported spurs since 1959 the acceptance of todays supporters that spurs are a small club has enabled Levy to survive and play with our once great club, how sidney wale and arther richardson would feel if they could see the mess our club are in now is beyond me , They along with Bill Nick built an institution that other clubs envied it has been dismantled by scholar and Levy (mainly) get enic and levy out

 

What sticks in my mind was how bloody awful was Kaboul, for me he's always been average to decent and overetted by some but yesterday his performance and effort was a disgrace, especialy for someone wearing the armband. Poch needs to sort this out now and name Hugo Lloris captain

 

At the wrong end of a 0-3 gubbing, it is never easy to pull anything positive out of the general feeling of misery and disappointment. I'll have a go though.
I thought we made a game of it first half, and although we had only one or two chances, at least we didn't look like "rabbits in the headlamps"in the first half.
Second half was, as already pointed out, all too reminisceint of last season. A slight concern really, as I was hoping Poch would get them in at half time and make the changes that would give more purpose to our forward play. Instead they reverted to "sideways Spurs", and were scared to shoot even when chances arose.
However, three games in, you have to give Poch time to establish his team and style of play. Yes Kaboul is a spent force, Townsend, Lennon, Naughton can all go for me. If we can get Wellbeck we will at least have more attacking options, and a proven Prem goal scorer. At least our fragile defence has been recognised by the management team, and the addition of Fazio and Dier is encouraging. Top four? Unlikely, but football is never a straight line graph. One or two astute additions to the squad can get us there. COYS.

 

Kaboul was awful, he created so many problems with his mistakes and couldn't be bothered to stick a leg out when Moreno shot across him. He hasn't performed well for years, so he need to go asap. We could use him as a stadium marshall

 

I have supported spurs since 1991. I agree with some statements but I also agree that it's still early days and judge the team in December when it's the turn around. How good we are at hammering the players when different mangers with different systems come in. I know they are professional that's without doubt, but I think we need to find a consistent manager we can get behind who can take us to where we could be. We are lacking confidence against big clubs because we have never been consistent against them. We lack a consistent finisher and I think Harry Kane should be considered as a starter not a maybe player or loan player. Young and hungry, always looked good. We also need to get a midfield hard man/general. Our guys are little soft. We need a gerrard or a fabregas. A game changer in midfield will support the attackers and screen the defenders. It's what the top teams have and we fail to buy or grow.