Tottenham Hotspur bowed their heads once again in the absence of Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham). However, ironically, despite the defeat, the offense showcased impressive performances, while the defense received local assessments that it was a mess.

Tottenham lost 1-2 in a home match against Nottingham Forest in the 33rd round of the 2024-2025 Premier League held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on the 22nd (Korea time).

With this defeat, Tottenham recorded only 1 win (2 draws, 4 losses) in their last 7 league matches, remaining at 37 points and sitting in 16th place in the league. They failed to widen the gap with the relegation zone, but considering the number of remaining matches, their survival is secured. In contrast, Nottingham rose to 3rd place with 60 points after this victory.

Son Heung-min missed the match as expected. He did not make the bench for this match, having missed three consecutive games due to a foot injury since the match against Wolverhampton. Instead, Mathis Tel, Richarlison, and Wilson Odobert formed a 4-3-3 attacking trio, while Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr, and Dejan Kulusevski were in the midfield. The defensive line consisted of Jed Spence, Mickey van de Ven, Cristian Romero, and Pedro Porro, while Guglielmo Vicario guarded the goal.

The atmosphere rapidly deteriorated as they conceded a goal just 5 minutes into the match. After a set piece, the ball was finished accurately by Elliott Anderson with a precise shot that found the back of the net. The shot deflected off a defender, slightly changing direction, but Vicario failed to react.

Then, in the 16th minute, they allowed an additional goal from a header by Chris Wood. Romero and van de Ven both lost their positions, and Vicario failed to deal with the cross, leaving another disappointment.

In the 40th minute of the first half, a crucial opportunity for Mathis Tel went wide of the goal. As the halftime whistle blew, boos from Tottenham fans filled the stadium.

Immediately at the start of the second half, Manager Ange Postecoglou made several substitutions in the defense. He replaced Romero and van de Ven with Ben Davies and Kevin Danso, attempting to make changes. However, it was not enough to change the flow of the game.

The offense continued in the second half, but goalkeeper Mats Sels' saves and a lack of finishing hampered their efforts. In the 23rd minute of the second half, Dominic Solanke and Brennan Johnson were brought on, and in the 36th minute, Lucas Veribal was also introduced, launching a total assault, but the goal remained elusive.

At least Richarlison scored a consolation goal in the 42nd minute of the second half, preserving some pride. He headed in a cross from Porro, igniting the spark of pursuit, but no equalizer came during the 5 minutes of stoppage time. Ultimately, Tottenham lost to Nottingham in both matches of the season.

Locals blamed the defeat on the defense. On the contrary, the attacking players in the absence of Son Heung-min received passing marks. The British outlet 'Football London' released player ratings for Tottenham after the match.

The offense received relatively good evaluations. In particular, Tel and Richarlison, who filled Son Heung-min's void, both received scores of 7 for their performances.

About Tel, they remarked, "He was Tottenham's best player in the first half. He created opportunities for teammates and also posed threats himself. He continued to move constantly in the second half, showcasing sharp instincts."

Richarlison was noted for having "missed several header opportunities but ultimately scored a goal. He consistently created threatening moments throughout the game, maintaining a streak of 4 goals in 5 matches."

The Tottenham defense received harsh criticism. Goalkeeper Vicario scored 3 points, Romero scored 4 points, and van de Ven stayed at 5 points. All of them received failing marks.

Regarding Vicario, they commented, "He saved the initial shots from Gibbs-White, but 5 minutes in, he faced a deflected shot from Anderson at the edge of the box that he should have done better with. In the subsequent header situation with Wood, he did not approach the ball at all. Although he had nothing to do in the second half, all the damage had already been done early on."

They explained the background for Romero's halftime substitution, saying, "The defense was completely unorganized. The scene in which he was caught by Wood was fatal," while also evaluating van de Ven, stating, "He lost track of Wood, and his match sense was inconsistent."

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