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The referee has blown the full-time whistle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, meaning it’s time for our Tottenham Hotspur vs Nottingham Forest player ratings.

It was a 2-1 defeat in the Premier League against Nuno’s men for Tottenham Hotspur, who have now suffered their 18th defeat of the season.

Over the course of the last ninety minutes, we examined each player’s individual performance, rating them on a scale of 1-10. Let’s take a look at how they got on.

Tottenham’s player ratings vs Nottingham Forest

Guglielmo Vicario: Another error to his name after misjudging yet another cross for Forest’s second. From that point on, Nuno’s side sat back and offered little going forward, meaning Vicario had very little to do. 4.

Pedro Porro: More of the same in the second half – Porro tried to create from deep and occasionally found himself in the right-half space when inverting. One of his deliveries from deep did find Richarlison, who put his header past Sels to make the score respectable for Tottenham. 7.

Cristian Romero: After playing the opening first half, Postecoglou opted to change things up in the second and brought in Kevin Danso. 5.

Micky Van de Ven: The same applied to Micky van de Ven, who Postecoglou took off at half-time, with Ben Davies replacing the Dutchman. 5.

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Djed Spence: Played on the left and was tasked with overlapping Mathys Tel. Tried to link up with the Frenchman, but nothing came off. A willing runner but lacked end product. 4.

Rodrigo Bentancur: Aside from the deflection for Forest’s opener, Bentancur had a decent outing. Kept things ticking over and did his job well in the Tottenham midfield. 5.

Pape Matar Sarr: After a quiet first half, Sarr improved after the break. He regularly looked to get into the box for crosses and played with a bit more attacking intent. 5.

Dejan Kulusevski: Kulusevski had Spurs’ best chance of the second half, meeting Porro’s corner at the near post only to see Toffolo clear off the line. He always looked to make something happen, was taken off for Solanke in the 67th minute. 6.

Wilson Odobert: His brightest moments came in the first half. Looked really bright at times off the Tottenham right flank with his direct attacking. Faded after the break and was replaced by Brennan Johnson in the 67th minute. 6.

Richarlison: It was a lively showing from the Brazilian, who had several golden opportunities against Nuno’s side. One fell his way after a defensive mix-up, but he fluffed his lines. He later had another big chance to pull one back with a free header, only for Sels to deny him. Persistence paid off though, as Richarlison eventually found the net by getting on the end of Porro’s cross. 8.

Mathys Tel: Less electric than he was in the first half, perhaps due to Forest shifting to a back five. Still looked to take on his man and remained a threat when running at defenders. 6.

Substitutes:

Ben Davies: Came on for van de Ven and did a solid job in the second half. Managed to keep Chris Wood relatively quiet. 6.

Kevin Danso: On at the break and got some much-needed minutes under his belt after a spell on the sidelines. Dealt with aerial balls well and helped see out a clean second half. 6.5.

Brennan Johnson: Johnson came on for Odobert and didn’t have that much of an impact. N/A

Dominic Solanke: Postecoglou had Solanke and Richarlison on the pitch at the same time in the second half, but the Englishman didn’t make any notable contribution. N/A.

The half-time whistle has sounded in north London, signalling the end of the opening forty-five minutes in tonight’s clash between Tottenham and Nottingham Forest – and it’s now time for our first-half player ratings.

Ange Postecoglou has bought himself some extra time in the Spurs dugout with a crucial win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League quarter-finals.

Tottenham Hotspur’s focus now shifts back to the Premier League, where they’re set to face Nuno Espirito Santo’s Nottingham Forest side.

Forest currently sit sixth and are firmly in the hunt for a Champions League spot, while Tottenham, down in 16th, will need to dig deep if they’re to get anything from this one.

Throughout the first half, we analysed each player’s individual performance, rating them on a scale of 1-10. Let’s take a look at our Tottenham player ratings…

Tottenham’s first-half player ratings vs Nottingham Forest

Guglielmo Vicario: Back in the Premier League and Vicario’s picked up where he left off – still struggling to command his box. After his blunder against Wolves, questions remain about his ability to deal with crosses. He was called into action early here and did well to deny Morgan Gibbs-White, but the resulting corner led to a goal after Anderson’s deflected strike. 3.

Pedro Porro: Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham system has the full-back playing high and wide in this one, with Porro occasionally inverting too. However, he’s had little influence on either end of the pitch. A couple of crosses into the box, but not much more. 5.

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Cristian Romero: Romero was nowhere to be seen when Chris Wood rose highest to nod in Forest’s second. Alongside van de Ven, he’s looked suspect when defending crosses, and very average overall. That said, he’s chipped in with a few solid tackles. 4.

Micky Van de Ven: One of the few quick enough to live with Elanga’s pace, and he’s done well to match him stride for stride at times. Still, like Romero, he’s struggled to contain Wood’s aerial threat. 4.

Djed Spence: Spence has shown intent with some surging runs forward. Forest haven’t targeted Tottenham’s left flank much, so he’s not been tested defensively, but he’s worked hard when pushing up. 4.

Rodrigo Bentancur: The opener took a nick off Bentancur, and you could argue he should’ve closed down the shot quicker. A quiet half otherwise. 3.5.

Pape Matar Sarr: Sarr had a quiet half – he’s tried to press and did make one late run into the box to meet Odobert’s cross, but failed to connect with the ball. 4.

Dejan Kulusevski: Operating as the ten with the licence to roam, Kulusevski’s been everywhere trying to spark something. One of Spurs’ more lively figures, though it hasn’t quite come off yet. 5.5.

Wilson Odobert: Odobert looked sharp in the opening forty-five. The wide man forced a fine save from Sels and consistently looked to take on Forest’s defenders when cutting in from the left. He might’ve had an assist to his name if one of the Spurs forwards had gambled on his driven cross. 7.

Richarlison: A first start in a long time for Richarlison, and at least he’s come through the half unscathed. That aside, he’s struggled to get involved, but has had a few half-chances here and there and should have done better with his header, which he put wide. 4.

The battle is on to sign Kyle Walker-Peters, who will leave Southampton on a free transfer in the summer, and Tottenham are reportedly extremely keen on bringing him back to the club.

Free transfers always tend to be hotly contested, particularly if we are talking about a player who is proven at the highest level.

That appears to be the case with Walker-Peters, who looks set to leave Southampton when his deal runs out at the end of the season.

It was reported two weeks ago that Tottenham and West Ham had both expressed an interest in Kyle Walker-Peters, and a new update has now suggested that the Lilywhites may soon push ahead with a move to re-sign their academy graduate.

Tottenham at the front of the queue to land Kyle Walker-Peters

CaughtOffside have now reported that Tottenham Hotspur are keen on bringing the right-back to N17, five years on from selling him to the Saints.

The outlet says that the 28-year-old’s situation is also being monitored by the likes of Chelsea, West Ham, Fulham and Crystal Palace.

However, as things stand, it is Tottenham who have shown the ‘strongest interest’ in Kyle Walker-Peters after he declined a new deal offered by Southampton.

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The outlet adds that a formal offer from Tottenham for the England international could arrive soon, with the Lilywhites expected to make an effort.

Do Spurs need Walker-Peters in the squad?

Ange Postecoglou has three excellent full-backs at his disposal in the form of Pedro Porro, Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie.

Although Spence has played a lot as a left-back this season, one would class him as a right-back. That is why there have been rumours that Tottenham want to sign another left-back this summer as a cover for Udogie.

A fresh report has said that Tottenham Hotspur could now be set to trigger the release clause of an experienced Premier League manager after recent developments.

Ange Postecoglou has given himself a lifeline by guiding Tottenham to the semifinals of the Europa League, and he aims to become the first Spurs manager to lift a trophy in 17 years.

Doing so will certainly not harm his prospects of remaining at the club for one more season, but it remains to be seen if even that would be enough, given how poor Spurs have been in the Premier League this season.

A new report has now claimed that while Postecoglou has brought himself some time, sources with knowledge of the situation expect Tottenham to make a managerial change this summer, no matter what happens.

Tottenham could trigger Thomas Frank’s release clause

This report comes from Football Insider, who say that Postecoglou’s long-term future lies away from Tottenham, who are now set to begin work on securing a replacement.

The outlet points out that Bournemouth are trying to tie down Spurs’ top target Andoni Iraola to a new contract, and suggests that the Lilywhites may be prepared to turn their attention to another Premier League boss.

The publication claims to have heard from reliable sources that Thomas Frank is the next name on Tottenham’s wishlist, and the North London club could now move to trigger his clause.

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The decision-makers at Hotspur Way are thought to see Frank as being more than capable of making the step up to a top club and coping with the demands of working in a high-pressure environment.

Spurs have held internal discussions about Frank

Football Insider are not the only ones to talk up Spurs’ interest in the Brentford boss, with GiveMeSport also revealing a few days ago that Frank could be Tottenham’s top choice if they cannot get Iraola.

In fact, that update claimed that the Lilywhites have already held discussions internally regarding a potential move for the 51-year-old this summer.

The report added that Frank’s £9m release clause makes him an attractive option as the Bees would not be able to stop their head coach from leaving if Spurs pay the fee.

Bournemouth have just decided to make a big move regarding Andoni Iraola’s future as Tottenham Hotspur threatened to poach the Spanish coach at the end of the season.

For several months now, a number of highly reputable outlets have been reporting continuously that Andoni Iraola is Tottenham’s top target to replace Ange Postecoglou.

However, the situation appears to have changed over the last week or two, if some sources are to be believed.

Reports are now claiming that Spurs might taste defeat in their pursuit of Iraola, who is thought to be leaning towards remaining at Bournemouth for one more season to build on the foundations he has laid at the club.

Bournemouth have offered Andoni Iraola a new contract

Football Insider have now revealed that Andoni Iraola has been offered a new deal by Bournemouth as the South Coast club try to ward off interest from Tottenham Hotspur and tie him down.

The Cherries have no intention of letting the Spaniard go without a fight and they are prepared to do ‘everything they can’ to keep hold of their head coach.

As a result, they have not wasted any time in putting a long-term contract on the table for the former Rayo Vallecano manager.

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Iraola is yet to make a final decision on his future, with the report revealing that talks are still ongoing between the parties regarding an extension.

The publication adds that Bournemouth are increasingly hopeful that their head coach will rebuff Tottenham’s interest and stay put at the club.

Can Ange Postecoglou avoid the sack?

The Spurs boss has given himself some breathing space for the time being by guiding Tottenham to the Europa League semifinals, which guarantees that he will be in charge for at least a few more weeks.

Some publications have said that Tottenham have to win the Europa League for Postecoglou to save his job, while other sources have indicated that Spurs have already decided to make a managerial change this summer.

Man United have reportedly now moved to the front of the queue to land Antoine Semenyo, who is thought to be near the top of Tottenham’s wishlist for this summer’s transfer window.

Spurs are expected to add reinforcements in attack this summer and several names have already been mooted as potential transfer targets for the club, including an exciting Bournemouth winger.

Various sources have claimed over recent weeks that Tottenham have earmarked Antoine Semenyo as a top target for the summer on the back of his consistent displays over the last two seasons.

Some outlets have even suggested that Spurs have identified Semenyo as their ideal heir to Heung-min Son, who has just a year left on his current deal.

Man United favourites to beat Tottenham to Antoine Semenyo

However, Sky Sports have now revealed that while Tottenham are indeed keen on landing the Cherries star, it is Man United who are the current frontrunners for the winger’s signature.

The Red Devils have allegedly moved ahead of Tottenham, Liverpool and Arsenal in the queue to land Antoine Semenyo at the end of the campaign.

The 25-year-old has allegedly been identified as a key target by Ruben Amorim, who wants to rejig his side’s attack next season.

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The Portuguese coach is said to be a ‘big admirer’ of the Ghana international and has presented ideas to the United hierarchy on how to deploy him in a new-look attack in his first full campaign in charge of the club.

Clubs will have to break the bank for Semenyo

Sky Sports point out that since Semenyo still has four years left on his contract, it will take a big offer to prise him away from the Vitality Stadium.

It is revealed that the South Coast club are expected to demand £70m from clubs who come calling for their star winger, but the publication suggests that there could be some room for negotiation.

Cracks are reportedly starting to appear in Ange Postecoglou’s relationship with the Tottenham players, according to one journalist, who reveals that the Australian’s behaviour has been rubbing some people at the club the wrong way.

On the evidence of Tottenham Hotspur’s performance against Eintracht Frankfurt last week, one would certainly not suggest that Postecoglou has lost the dressing room.

The players were clearly fighting for their manager in a game which was crucial to his own future, and one could see from the post-match celebrations just what the result meant to the players and the coaching staff.

In fact, after the game, Ange Postecoglou praised the Spurs players for continuing to believe in his methods even when a lot of things were going wrong for the side across the campaign, while some Tottenham players have also publicly come to Postecoglou’s support.

Ange Postecoglou’s relationship with Tottenham squad has worsened

However, despite the noises coming out of Tottenham, Duncan Castles has revealed he has heard that not all is well behind the scenes at Hotspur Way.

He revealed that a couple of Postecoglou’s behaviour have gone down poorly with the players, including his tendency to scream and throw things in the dressing room after bad results.

Castles said on The Transfers Podcast: “I’ve been hearing some interesting stuff about Postecoglou’s relationship with the club and with the players over the past few months, and it’s not good.

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“I mean, what I’m hearing out of that camp is that the players have been unimpressed with him for some time over various factors.

“For example, in October, he took a holiday and left the assistants to take training with the players while he took a rest for himself, incidents where he’s been throwing stuff around the dressing room and screaming at the players after bad results.”

The evidence suggests players are behind Ange Postecoglou

As Tottenham fans, we can certainly tell what it looks like when a manager has lost the dressing room, as it happened in the final days under Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Nuno Espirito Santo.

That is certainly not what we are seeing at the moment, with the players still continuing to fight and do what Postecoglou demands of them despite results being unfavourable for sustained periods.

Former Tottenham man Dele Alli was left stunned after a jaw-dropping Mousa Dembele stat from their Tottenham days came to light.

In the last decade at Spurs and the Premier League, Mousa Dembele has earned loads of praise from several football players, both past and present.

The midfielder is widely regarded as a player with enormous technical ability and the term “underrated” is often associated with the Belgian.

A few weeks back, Morgan Gibbs White had Dembele in his top two ‘streets won’t forget’ players, while Vincent Janssen stated that Dembele was the best he played with during his time at Spurs, even though he shared a pitch with Tottenham’s record goalscorer Harry Kane.

Dele Alli reacts to Mousa Dembele stat from Tottenham days

Now, another player has handed out more praise to the former Tottenham midfielder, and this came after an impressive stat emerged about Dembele.

It was revealed by HotspurReports that between March and August 2016, not a single player managed to tackle Mousa Dembele.

Of course, it’s a pretty niche stat, but that didn’t stop another ex-Spurs man from reacting. Dele Alli, in response to the unbelievable stat, said: “Damn😂💜 my goat”.

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It’s no surprise that Dele Alli holds Dembele in such lofty regard, as the pair shared the pitch 107 times during their time together at Tottenham.

Although the pair didn’t combine for any goals, the Belgian’s role as a defensive midfielder, who cleaned and mopped things up, allowed for players like Alli to thrive.

The Englishman had one of his best seasons in a Tottenham shirt in 2015/16, scoring ten times and assisting ten times in 46 appearances.

Spurs could do with a Mousa Dembele profile midfielder

Dembele left Spurs after the 2019 season and retired completely from football three years later after a brief spell at Chinese side Guangzhou.

While the midfielder had undeniable quality, he did have his struggles at Tottenham, with injuries one of the reasons for his early departure.

Tottenham are said to have had their eyes on one of Eintracht Frankfurt’s star players from the two quarter-final legs, but a cruel injury blow has now ended any hope of a summer move.

Spurs did manage to get the job done against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League quarter-finals, edging past the Bundesliga side over the two legs at the Deutsche Bank Park.

Now, focus has shifted off the pitch, with reports emerging that one Frankfurt player had made an impression on those at the top of the Tottenham hierarchy.

Frankfurt’s Brazilian goalkeeper Kaua Santos, who delivered a strong showing in the first leg, is said to have caught the attention of the Lilywhites.

Tottenham director Johan Lange made approach for Kaua Santos

A report from SportBILD on Wednesday claimed that Tottenham director of football Johan Lange had discussed Santos internally, following the club’s meetings with Frankfurt.

Lange, along with Manchester United’s Christopher Vivell, reportedly spoke with Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krosche during the quarter-final tie, sounding out interest in the Brazilian.

Both clubs were said to have the shotstopper on their radar, but Frankfurt are said to value him at €60m (around £51m), which would make negotiations far from straightforward.

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Spurs forced to drop interest after Kaua Santos injury blow

However, any potential move has now been scrapped after Santos picked up a serious injury in the second leg against Tottenham Hotspur.

According to Frankfurter Allgemeine, Frankfurt have confirmed the goalkeeper has suffered a cruciate ligament injury and now faces a long spell on the sidelines.

It’s a blow for Frankfurt and a bigger one for Santos himself, who not only faces a lengthy recovery but may have also missed out on a major step forward in his career.

Tottenham could be braced for a high-profile exit this summer, with Richarlison now linked with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia as he looks to recover financial losses.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to have a busy summer ahead, and we believe that up to ten current Spurs players could potentially head for the exit door.

The sale of these Tottenham players could see the club gain up to £150 million, giving the Lilywhites a significant boost heading into the summer transfer window.

One of the names tipped for a departure is Brazilian forward Richarlison. The 27-year-old has had a frustrating season at Spurs, battling recurring injuries which have limited his game time and impact on the pitch.

Richarlison attracting Saudi Arabia interest amid Tottenham exit talk

In recent months, Richarlison has been linked with various moves away from north London. Reports have suggested a return to Brazil could be on the cards for Richarlison, while his former club Everton, have also been loosely mentioned.

However, new claims from Brazilian outlet Nosso Palmeiras suggest the forward may now be looking elsewhere. The report indicates that Richarlison is considering a switch to Saudi Arabia in a bid to secure a hefty financial package.

Two Saudi Pro League clubs are reportedly preparing offers for the Tottenham striker, though no clubs have been named.

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A move back to Brazil, at least for now, is being ruled out, with Richarlison seemingly focused on the Middle East.

Spurs forward Richarlison keen to recover losses from agent fallout

According to the publication Richarlison’s change in direction may stem from his fallout with former agent Renato Velasco. The two are now locked in a legal dispute over finances, with allegations that Velasco had access to his bank accounts and mishandled funds.

Journalist Nicola, writing for Nosso Palmeiras, claims Richarlison is now intent on making up for the money he lost during their relationship.

The journalist said: “Richarlison understands that he needs to recover lost money. According to a friend, at least R$10m went up in smoke due to the old relationship with his agent, Renato Velasco. The fight between the two turned into a legal case.

“Velasco (was) trying to get a millionaire compensation of R$18m and Richarlison (was) telling people close to him that Renato, who had access to his bank accounts, made around R$10m evaporate from his account.”