James Maddison oozed class in Tottenham Hotspur’s 5-0 thrashing of Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur were back to their ruthless best as they put Southampton to the sword in a 5-0 demolition job at St. Mary’s Stadium on Sunday.
A brace from James Maddison, accompanied by strikes from Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski and Pape Matar Sarr capped off a perfect night for Spurs. Ange Postecoglou’s side ran riot, putting arguably their best performance of the season against a hapless, rock-bottom Southampton side. It was a great much-needed performance and result, one that will quell the building pressure on the gaffer.
James Maddison put in a sensational performance as it was he who started the Saints’ destruction from minute one. The creative midfielder opened the scoring just after 38 seconds, latching onto a through ball from Djed Spence. He then iced the cake in the first half, scoring Spurs’ fifth with a fantastic finish from a tight angle.
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The England international has an incredible ability to control the ball in tight spaces and regulate possession which is critical in Ange Postecoglou’s tactics. Tottenham dominated the game for large parts, with the 28-year-old enjoying his free role by taking up different positions and creating so many problems for the hosts.
Against the Saints, Maddison’s contribution was crucial. He completed 62 touches with an impressive 85% passing accuracy, including two key passes. His calmness in possession and ability to create opportunities reflected his growing influence as the game wore on.
The midfielder was equally strong in his duels, successfully dribbling past opponents in three out of three attempts. He won seven out of nine ground duels and made one tackle. Additionally, Tottenham’s number 10 forced three fouls from the Southampton players, showcasing his ability to unsettle defenders. (Stats courtesy: SofaScore)
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Maddison was everywhere on the pitch and provided cover for his teammates when caught out of position a few times. The Englishman’s all-around performance highlighted his work rate, desire and commitment to both attack and defence. It was a kind of display that Big Ange would have loved to watch from a midfielder.
The English international has been linked with a summer exit but his performance on the night showcases exactly what he can bring to the table. Whether he can repeat it against the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool remains to be seen.
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The North Londoners face tougher opponents such as Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle United in the upcoming games. Maddison needs to maintain his consistency to help achieve Spurs something tangible in Big Ange’s second season at the helm.
