Not just Dragusin: Spurs ace who lost the ball 24x was a true “horrorshow” vs Ipswich – opinion

The score ended 4-1. Tottenham were rampant. Ange Postecoglou was in a jubilant mood. The Lilywhites had just dispatched Unai Emery’s Aston Villa 4-1.

That was last week, though. That result is now history. In the week since, Spurs have endured a horror few days.

Victor Osimhen dismantled them in the Europa League in midweek as the Londoners lost 3-2 to Galatasaray. On Sunday, it was Ipswich, lowly Ipswich who had yet to win a game in the Premier League this season who defeated Postecoglou’s side.

How does this keepening you may ask? Only a few weeks ago they allowed Crystal Palace to pick up their first three points of the season, defeating Spurs 1-0 at Selhurst Park.

Okay, so Tottenham haven’t been great on the road this season but they have been electric at home. The 2-1 defeat courtesy of goals from Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap, therefore, was bizarre. In truth, it was classic of a football club who haven’t just endured an up-and-down season but an up-and-down few decades.

At the heart of their poor display yet against was centre-back Radu Dragusin. How they must long for Micky van de Ven’s comeback.

Radu Dragusin’s performance vs Ipswich

When Van de Ven left the field in tears during Spurs’ win over Manchester City in the Carabao Cup, it’s likely a few supporters will have shed a few tears too.

After all, the Dutchman has been one of their most consistent players since arriving during Postecoglou’s first transfer window in charge during the summer of 2023.

Full of pace, full of heart, full of bravery, it is everything Romanian Dragusin is not. You can excuse your third-choice centre-back not quite being of the quality of Van de Ven and Cristian Romero but you cannot excuse the week he has just had.

Sadly, it was the former Genoa defender who was at fault during the midweek defeat to Galatasaray. He was caught in possession for the second goal of the night, turning right into trouble and subsequently gifting their Turkish opposition a goal.

It did not get much better on Sunday afternoon for the centre-back who dismally defended Ipswich’s second of the match. A ball was played across the box and instead of clearing it first time, he knocked it straight into the path of Delap who had a simple tap in from a matter of yards out.

That said, he wasn’t the only player at fault, far from it.

Pedro Porro’s performance in numbers vs Ipswich

Pedro Porro may have left Sunday’s clash with an assist to his name, supplying Rodrigo Bentancur’s consolation strike, but his overall performance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium simply wasn’t good enough.

In truth, the Spaniard has struggled to replicate his performances of last term across the 2024/25 season, with that assist being his very first of the Premier League campaign.

While decent going forward, it was a “horror show” at the back for both Dragusin and Porro in the words of journalist Mitch Fretton.

Why? Well, he wasn’t great for either of the goals scored by the visitors. Porro and Brennan Johnson were left blaming each other after both players failed to close down Szmodics who acrobatically opened the scoring.

Then, with the second, it was the full-back who again failed to get out to Szmodics who then played the ball towards the byline where it was cut back for Delap. On that evidence, it was hardly a surprise that Football.London’s Alasdair Gold judged the right-back’s display as a 5/10.

The numbers didn’t exactly paint him in a great light either with the 25-year-old giving possession away a worrying 24 times. Yes, he takes set pieces, but it wasn’t great regardless.

To make matters worse, he won just three of his ten duels and succeeded with only one of his four dribble attempts.

Porro will likely keep his place post-international break but he simply has to improve defensively. In fact, Spurs as a whole must clean up their act at the back sharpish. If they can do so they will undoubtedly be in the conversation for a top-four berth. On this evidence, though, they will not.