Tottenham Hotspur lost 1-0 to AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie, leaving Spurs with plenty to do in the second leg in North London.
Tottenham were ineffective across the park, and after AZ forced the lead via an own goal from teenager Lucas Bergvall, the team lost its collective head.
Many Spurs stars can be singled out for having a bad day at the office. The defence constantly looked susceptible, with AZ threatening on numerous occasions.
However, one Tottenham star stands out for a particularly shambolic showing in the Netherlands – James Maddison. Spurs were crying out for their playmaker to get on the ball and create magic, but he gave a deflating performance.
Maddison got on the ball a lot (as evidenced by his 50 touches) but could not do much with it. The England international did not manage a single key pass or complete a cross, much to the frustration of the Tottenham fans.
The Express gave Maddison a scathing review for his performance. They gave him a 3/10 rating and said, “It was a night for the Englishman to price his worth and put a struggling Spurs team on his back.
“Instead, he was ineffective in the final third and sloppy in possession at times. Hooked with 20 minutes to play after failing to create a single chance for the north Londoners.”
Maddison has managed 10 goals and seven assists in 34 appearances in all competitions this term, but fans want to see him take the bull by the horns. Knowing his ability, they rightly want more from him, and he needs to be angry at himself for failing to deliver.
Spurs must find a response this weekend when they host Bournemouth at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League before welcoming AZ to London. Maddison needs to step up and prove his mettle in those games.
(Stats from Sofascore and Transfermarkt)