Tottenham fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday, leaving the side languishing in 17th place on the table.
An Eberechi Eze double either side of the half-time whistle was enough to sink the North Londoners, who were looking to claw back some points to save face from what has been a calamitous domestic season.
It's evident that Spurs' priorities lie elsewhere, with the side competing in the Europa League final against Manchester United. However, it's unlikely boss Ange Postecoglou will consider this a valid excuse for a subpar performance, which a number of players contributed to during the dismal day out at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
Spence Poor Against Palace
The full-back has struggled lately
Among a plethora of under-performers, Djed Spence stood out for his lack of impact, according to Football London journalist Alasdair Gold, who gave the full-back a 3/10 rating:
"All over the place in the first half, either caught in possession or out of position and Palace repeatedly took full advantage. Just seems to have fallen out of his groove since Udogie returned."
The 24-year-old played on the left side of defense, and managed just one accurate long ball from six, and completed 31 of 41 passes overall.
He received plenty of praise earlier this season for how he managed to turn his Tottenham career around, but the Englishman has hit a dry spell as of late. Postecoglou opted against starting Spence in either of his side's two legs against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League semi-finals, with Destiny Udogie having returned to contention.
Spence has endured a rather rocky tenure since signing for the North Londoners in 2022. After loan moves to Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa, he finally returned to Spurs' first team to help amid an injury crisis, thanks to an up-turn in attitude. He featured in an array of positions, including at centre-back to fill in as cover, but with key players now returning, he has lost his starting place.
The ex-Middlesborough ace signed a new contract last year which is set to expire in 2028, but he could see a move away from Tottenham as an opportunity to garner more consistent playing time for his career.
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