Opinion: Five biggest losers from Tottenham Hotspur's defeat to Fulham

Tottenham Hotspur failed to build on their 3-1 win against AZ Alkmaar, as they suffered a defeat against Fulham in the Premier League. But, who were the biggest losers on Sunday? Let’s find out.

Ange Postecoglou’s men slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Craven Cottage, marking their 15th Premier League loss of the season.

Of course, a win wouldn’t have seen Tottenham Hotspur climb further up the table, but it would have kept the feel-good factor around the club following Spurs’ recent Europa League win against AZ Alkmaar.

Although the Lilywhites couldn’t climb up the league standings, they could definitely go down. And they did just that after Manchester United secured a 3-0 win against Leicester City in their league match.

We picked out our five biggest losers from the defeat at Craven Cottage…

Yves Bissouma fails to take his chance

It was a disappointing outing for Yves Bissouma, who returned to the starting lineup after being left out in midweek. With Lucas Bergvall now seemingly ahead of him in the pecking order, this was an opportunity for the Malian midfielder to stake his claim.

Instead, his poor form continued, offering little to justify his place in the squad. His sluggish performance has only added fuel to the growing calls from Spurs fans for Tottenham to move Bissouma on in the summer.

Brennan Johnson misses his moment

For large parts of the season, Brennan Johnson has been Tottenham’s go-to man on the right wing.

However, in one of their biggest games of the campaign against AZ Alkmaar, Postecoglou placed his trust in Wilson Odobert.

The Frenchman repaid that faith with a brace, helping Spurs secure a 3-2 aggregate win. With Odobert rested against Fulham, Johnson had a golden opportunity to reclaim his spot—but he didn’t take it.

Hooked at half-time, his performance did little to convince anyone that he deserves to start ahead of the in-form Odobert.

James Maddison’s England snub adds to his woes

Despite James Maddison not being called up for England’s international fixtures, he found himself on the bench yet again on Sunday.

With an 18-day break ahead, there was no reason for him to be rested, especially after scoring in Spurs’ midweek win over AZ Alkmaar.

To make matters worse, Morgan Gibbs-White was handed a late England call-up, leaving the Tottenham midfielder overlooked once again. With Maddison desperate to be back in the England team, being benched at club level won’t do him any favours.

Ange Postecoglou’s selection raises questions

Momentum and confidence are crucial for Spurs, given their inconsistent campaign. Yet Postecoglou’s team selection against Fulham did little to build on their recent progress.

Resting key players like Heung-min Son, Bergvall, Odobert, and Micky van de Ven ultimately backfired, with Tottenham looking disjointed and lacking intensity.

Although Ange Postecoglou has since revealed why he rotated his squad heavily against Fulham, it seems a little too late, as pressure is mounting on him following the defeat.

Now, the conversation around the Tottenham boss has shifted—has he got his squad management right? Is he the right man to take Spurs forward?

Ben Davies struggles in a nightmare finish

Ben Davies had a horror final 15 minutes at Craven Cottage. His struggles culminated in the defensive lapse that led to the decisive goal, a moment that summed up Spurs’ night.

Normally a dependable presence, his performance only reinforced the idea that without van de Ven marshalling the backline, Tottenham’s defence looks fragile. Van de Ven, left unused on the bench, was sorely missed.

• READ MORE: Ange Postecoglou told his Tottenham Hotspur job is hanging by a thread

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