Tottenham’s season has been nothing short of unpredictable, as demonstrated by their recent match against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Just a week prior, Spurs had delivered a stunning performance, thrashing West Ham 4-1.
Despite initially going a goal down, Ange Postecoglou’s squad responded powerfully.
Confident after also defeating AZ Alkmaar midweek, Tottenham arrived at Selhurst Park expecting to continue their winning streak. However, things took a different turn. The team delivered a lackluster performance, falling to Palace 1-0, with Jean-Philippe Mateta netting the only goal.
One of the few positives was the debut of 17-year-old Mikey Moore. Despite being heralded by James Maddison as a potential star, Moore could not make a significant impact, failing to register a key pass or complete any dribbles before being substituted just after the hour mark.
Dejan Kulusevski, typically a reliable chance creator, also struggled. He was substituted early after a frustrating outing that saw him manage only one shot and a single key pass. However, the most glaring issue came from Micky van de Ven. The Dutch defender, who has been impressive at times this season, was responsible for a costly error that led directly to Mateta’s goal, putting his team in jeopardy.
James Maddison’s performance was another talking point. After being substituted at halftime in the previous week’s win against West Ham, he received a show of confidence from Postecoglou, who handed him the captain’s armband in the Europa League. In that match, Maddison displayed sportsmanship by allowing Richarlison to take a penalty instead of taking it himself.
Unfortunately, Maddison’s performance against Palace was disappointing. Alongside Kulusevski and Moore, he was taken off after 62 minutes, having struggled to leave his mark on the game. The Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick rated him a low 4/10, noting that he was overshadowed by his England counterpart Eberechi Eze.
In numbers, Maddison played for 62 minutes, recorded 48 touches, completed 25 out of 33 passes (76% accuracy), and registered just one key pass. He also attempted two shots, successfully dribbled once out of two attempts, and lost possession 12 times, indicating a lack of creativity. In comparison, Eze, who assisted the game’s only goal, outperformed Maddison in various aspects.
With this lackluster showing, questions arise about Maddison’s consistency. Spurs had thrived last week without him on the field and may need to reconsider his starting role moving forward. As Tottenham navigates this topsy-turvy season, they must find a way to harness their potential consistently and regain their winning form.