Ex-Spurs Scout: Tottenham player ratings v Arsenal – Son dazzles, Bissouma struggles
Tottenham News is delighted to welcome aboard our brilliant new columnist Bryan King, the former goalkeeper who spent six years as a senior scout at Spurs and 28 years in total in first-team scouting roles. Brian also spent eight years on Everton’s recruitment team and 11 years scouting at Aston Villa across two different spells.
Tottenham came from behind to draw 2-2 in a thriller at Arsenal on Sunday as Ange Postecoglou passed his biggest test so far with flying colours.
This valuable point, Spurs’ first at the ground since September 2019, felt like a win given the circumstances and the ferocity of the encounter.
There were plenty of talking points on another memorable derby day and ex-Spurs scout Bryan King watched the match for Tottenham News and has given the low down on all those who wore the team’s jersey on Sunday.
Guglielmo Vicario – 7/10
“First 20 minutes, he kept Tottenham in the game. It was a great save from Gabriel Jesus’ shot, you had to see it from an angle to realise just what a good hand he did get on the ball, it was a great save because that should have been a goal. Then there was the one where Destiny Udogie made the mistake of putting Eddie Nketiah in. He stood up well, didn’t give him anything to aim at and pushed it away with his legs, so that was a good save as well.“
Pedro Porro – 6/10
“I quite like Porro, he pushes on well, he has got good pace, he plays it simple and likes to get forward, I like that.”
Cristian Romero – 6/10
“I like Cristian Romero. He would put his life on the line, but I have given him a six because he was involved in two incidents that led to goals. He is a top defender, but he’s prone to getting drawn into situations which he’s got nothing to do with.”
Micky van de Ven – 6/10
“A big strong defender who is no-nonsense, he plays it very simple.”
Destiny Udogie – 6/10
“I think the atmosphere and the game seemed to get hold of him a little bit. However, I like him, I think he’s aggressive, he’s got good pace and he landed a couple of tackles on Bukayo Saka early doors, which seemed to get Mikel Arteta going, and to be fair, I thought he put in a decent performance. He could be a player.”
Yves Bissouma – 5/10
“He didn’t do a great deal for me, I thought he could have done more. He didn’t get involved to the extent of what James Maddison or Dejan Kulusevski did.”
Pape Matar Sarr – 6/10
“Also didn’t do a great deal, but did a bit more than what Bissouma did for me so I have given him a six.”
James Maddison – 8/10
“He is central for Tottenham without any shadow of a doubt. He has made a big difference to that midfield. He sometimes looks to play that Glen Hoddle ball and thinks he is Hoddle on the ball, but he’s a good footballer, which he showed in the way he put Jorginho under pressure in the second half, to win the ball and set up Son-Heung min.”
Dejan Kulusevski – 6/10
“Looked dangerous when he was running with the ball, and is a very good crosser of the ball. He looks to play it easy, he wants to get into that space behind the full-back, and when he does he fires crosses in. Again, he could have done a little bit more at times”
Son-Heung min – 9/10
“He is beginning to look like a captain, he is encouraging and his finishing for both goals, one-touch finishes, makes it very difficult for a goalkeeper to get themselves in position and set. Especially the second goal, he made it look so easy, but that is so difficult to do. He was the best player on the pitch for me”
Brennan Johnson – 5/10
“I think Johnson needed to get involved more than he did. The chance he had, what a great chance, I don’t think he caught it right, but he was still in a good position and made contact. He is a talent, but I was waiting for him to get taken off, to be honest.”
Substitutes
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 6/10
“He came on and did well, he likes to tackle, he can pass and he can shoot. He seemed to liven the midfield up a little bit.”
Manor Solomon – 5/10
Richarlison – 5/10
In other Tottenham news, the club have agreed a deal to sign a young defender from Croatia.