Tottenham player ratings vs Wolves – Joao Palhinha the hero, 3/10 woeful
Tottenham were lucky to come away with a 1-1 draw against Wolves on home soil.
While Vitor Pereira’s side entered the match at the bottom of the Premier League, Wolves possessed a superb recent record over Spurs.
Although Thomas Frank’s side dominated the ball in the first half, they were unable to land a decisive blow against a stern backline.
Predictably, Vitor Pereira’s side took the lead through Santiago Bueno following a disastrous corner kick, but Joao Palhinha was able to salvage a point.
Joao Palhinha a rare gem in a poor Tottenham display
Palhinha impressed for Spurs in the Carabao Cup and continued to show his worth against a valiant Wolves.
The Portugal international went about his business in typical fashion and was heavily involved for the home side.
- Palhina completed 71 per cent of his passes
- He had 47 touches
- Won 75 per cent of his aerial duels
However, in truth, it was a dismal Tottenham display, with very little quality on offer against a weaker opponent.
Palhinha was unfortunate to be involved in the Wolves goal, but could do nothing to get out of the way of Guglielmo Vicario’s parry.
The midfielder came up trumps in second-half stoppage time and scored a screamer before ripping his shirt off.
Guglielmo Vicario fails to deal with Wolves corner in poor performance
Frank delivered an honest assessment of Vicario’s display against Brighton, stating that the goalkeeper should have done better.
The Italy international was rotated in midweek for Antonin Kinsky, who started against League One side Doncaster Rovers.
On his return to the first team, Vicario did little to convince of his quality and looked nervous behind a usually strong backline.
- The Italian made two saves
- Vicario made one high claim
- He completed 81 per cent of his passes
The defining moment of the half came when a Wolves corner swung in, with the 28-year-old parrying the ball straight into the helpless Joao Palhinha, before Bueno converted the ball home.
While he had to react quickly, the goalkeeper spilt the ball into the worst possible place within the area.
With his distribution also a concern, Vicario is now costing his side crucial points in what is becoming an all too familiar trend.
Tottenham player ratings vs Wolves
Guglielmo Vicario – 3
Djed Spence – 5
Cristian Romero – 6
Micky van de Ven – 6
Destiny Udogie – 6
Lucas Bergvall – 5
Joao Palhinha – 8
Rodrigo Bentancur – 6
Mohammed Kudus – 6
Richarlison – 5
Xavi Simons – 4
Substitutes
Brennan Johnson – 4
Pedro Porro – 5
Pape Matar Sarr – 4
Wilson Odobert – 4
Mathys Tel – 4