Player ratings: Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Fulham
Written by George Rossiter on 2nd December 2024
Fulham came away with a highly credible point after a wonderfully entertaining game of Premier League football at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium. Marco Silva may be left ruing missed chances from the boys in red and black earlier in the game, but ultimately to see out the contest with 10 men and get a positive result can only be viewed as a positive.
Bernd Leno
Forced into action almost instantly as a misplaced Bassey pass in the opening seconds gave Son a gilt-edged chance, which Leno saved well with his feet from close range. Later in the first half, he was forced into an acrobatic save to deny a Dragusin header from a Tottenham corner. Kicking was solid throughout in tricky weather conditions and helped wind the clock down in the final stages after going down to ten men. 7.5/10
Kenny Tete
Quality, quality performance at both ends of the pitch from Tete. Some of his deliveries in the first half especially helped to create our most dangerous chances, including one to Jimenez, which should’ve resulted in an assist for the Dutchman. At the other end, it was his sliding intervention at the very last moment at Leon’s back post that stopped Werner from having an easy chance at putting Spurs ahead. As often happens when the right-back manages to stay fit, his performances are going from strength to strength. 8/10
Issa Diop
While everyone has raved about the return of Joachim Andersen to Fulham this season, Diop has calmly slotted in on a number of occasions now and rarely puts in a Diop-style mistake. This was arguably his best performance in a Fulham shirt. Looked so composed on the ball, frequently moving Fulham out of a tight spot when playing out from the back. Made a couple of superb sliding tackles in both halves to prevent Spurs from getting shots away from dangerous positions. This sort of form may make it harder for Silva to place Andersen straight back into the XI when he returns to fitness. 9/10 – Man of the match
Calvin Bassey
Nearly had another moment to forget at Tottenham just seconds into this tie. An almost blind pass across his own box found Son rather than a teammate and were it not for the intervention of Leno, Fulham could’ve been on the back foot from the off. Calmed down after that and was solid enough in possession. Also caused carnage at set pieces, manipulating Tottenham’s defenders to create space for the ball to fall to a Fulham man. 6.5/10
Antonee Robinson
Our left-back, like Bassey, also almost had a proper moment of madness that could’ve put Fulham in a load of bother. An under-hit back pass also ended up at the feet of Son, who should’ve really scored but instead tried rounding Leno who dutifully collected the loose ball. Bar that, Robinson was really good. Made several interceptions really high up the pitch that set us up nicely in transition, and through some wonderful combinations with Nelson, helped to create a number of chances. Frustratingly it felt like every cross of his fell at the feet of a Tottenham man. 7/10
Sasa Lukic
Absolute Rolls Royce in the middle of the pitch, slightly incredible how seamlessly he’s walked straight back into this side in the form he started the season in before his injury. Realised today that the Serb is actually really quick, which helped him to be our main man in terms of winning second balls in the middle of the park, but also helped him as a ball progressing machine in the transition. Often took our corners, and it was nice to see a difference in our deliveries and to see them actually result in Fulham opportunities for once. Incredible how much of an important cog he’s become in such a short amount of time at the club, long may it continue. 8/10
Sander Berge
Along with Lukic, the two formed a brilliant pivot that Tottenham struggled to get through for large spells of the game. Berge often sat the deeper of the two in transition to allow Lukic to join attacks, something which worked really well. It felt like anything Spurs tried through the middle in the first half just led to frequent interceptions from the Norwegian, who is another player getting better and better in white. Berge frequently moved the ball quickly out of his feet when being pressed by Spurs, which I thought was particularly impressive. Seeing how well balanced this midfield was with Berge and Lukic side by side, it’ll be interesting to see if it’s a system utilised going forward by Silva once Lukic returns from suspension. 8/10
Emile Smith Rowe
He was absolutely superb for large spells of the game and really showed how this Fulham side can benefit from the England international in a more advanced role, rather than as one of the duel eights. The role allowed ESR to press higher up the pitch, which he did excellently, forcing several Tottenham errors, which Fulham looked to capitalise from in transition. His combination play with Reiss Nelson was there as it always seems to be, with the two constantly targeting Porro and Dragusin with the ball at their feet. 7.5/10
Alex Iwobi
The Nigerian midfielder is surely playing the best football of his career right now, which is reflected in the confidence he’s showing on and off the pitch. While off it he’s lively in interviews and creating music, on the pitch he’s gladly gliding past any player who comes within five yards of him, trying moves that only a player at the top of their game can. Showed a lovely composure in a tight space to create Tom Cairney’s goal and combined well on countless occasions with Wilson after he came onto the pitch. As many have said in and outside of the club, Iwobi is looking to be our player of the season right now. 8/10
Reiss Nelson
This was Nelson’s best performance of the ones that he’s started in in the Premier League. Pedro Porro would hardly have known how to spell his own name during the first half, Nelson had him in that much of a spin. It’s so beautiful to watch a player who from minute one to the final seconds he’s on the pitch, constantly pick the ball up and run at his man with zero hesitation and get such joy from it. It doesn’t always work, but when he does best his man, he’s easily one of our greatest creative threats in the final third. Looks to be forming a nice relationship with Robinson down the left side too. 7.5/10
Raul Jimenez
Can’t his effort but he was ultimately left frustrated in North London. An early headed effort sailed over the bar but ultimately Raul’s best chance would come later in the first half when his close-range effort forced an unbelievable save from Fraser Forster, who was superb all day in the Tottenham goal. As the second half wore on, Raul cut a frustrated figure as decisions went against him and he got a bit leggy in difficult game and weather conditions. Not a poor performance by any means, but he’ll be gutted not to have got on the scoresheet here. 6.5/10
Substitutions
Tom Cairney (62’ for Lukic)
Honestly what a crazy cameo from the skipper. Really liked how he set himself up in the middle of the park and just played the perfect forward pass to help move on every Fulham attack. His finish for the equaliser was beyond sublime and gave me flashbacks to the Championship days under Slavisa Jokanovic when he’d score a beauty most weeks. Absolutely abysmal tackle to get sent off but we’ll just say he slipped and forgive him. Shame he’s out for three games now though. 7/10
Harry Wilson (62’ for Nelson)
My goodness me, similar to Iwobi, you can tell when a player’s confidence and form are sky high. Wilson looked unbelievable off the bench. Every counter-attack seemed to be a product of him refusing to go sideways or backwards, he just wanted the ball in Tottenham’s box as soon as he could. Some of the cross field passes to Iwobi were sensational in that second half. 8/10
Rodrigo Muniz (77’ for Jimenez)
Genuinely must’ve set a record for most headed duels won in a 20-ish minute cameo after coming on. Muniz absolutely bullied Tottenham’s defenders in the air and his ball control to bring others into play was superb. You feel one chance in the air in the box and we may have had a winner. Good to see his head hasn’t dropped after recent time spent on the bench. 7/10
Timothy Castagne and Ryan Sessegnon (87’ for Smith Rowe and Iwobi)
Both came on too late to be fairly assessed, but I thought Sess put his foot in everywhere to stop Spurs putting crosses in, and to see the reception he received at full time with his song being sung and the badge being patted genuinely nearly bought me to tears. Good on him.
Manager
Marco Silva
I gave the boss a lot of criticism after the Wolves game and I stand by it. There’s no need for that here. The game plan looked to be executed perfectly in the first half with the style of football Fulham were playing and the chances they created. While Spurs going ahead was frustrating, he did well to re-jig things and use his subs bench earlier than he normally might, with Wilson, Cairney and Muniz all having particularly useful cameos in helping us to get a positive result. Using a Leno “injury” to set the side up not to concede late on with 10 men was admirable too. 8.5/10