Maddison’s absence was felt…Spurs had just 2 shots on target + 1 in the penalty box

Tottenham Hotspur of the English Premier League (EPL) felt the loss of star attacking midfielder James Maddison.

Tottenham lost 1-2 against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 12th round of the 2023/24 EPL at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, on Monday (Nov. 11). It was Tottenham’s second straight league defeat.

Maddison was absent from the match due to injury. Maddison injured his ankle in the first half against Chelsea on July 7 and had to be taken off the field, although his inclusion in the England squad suggested the injury was not as serious as first thought. “Maddison will play until 2024,” manager Enze Postecoglou said in a press conference ahead of the Wolverhampton game. 캡틴토토

With Maddison out, Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr, and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg formed the midfield. Hojbjerg came on but was unable to fill Maddison’s role. The game started well. Tottenham took the lead in the third minute through Welshman Brennan Johnson.

Despite the goal, Spurs’ offense was lethargic after that. Without Maddison, Tottenham’s buildup from the back didn’t work as well. The lack of creative passing up front prevented them from creating any decisive chances. In the second half, Spurs brought on Rodrigo Bentancur and Giovani Lo Celso to try and fill Maddison’s void, but it didn’t work.

A quick look at the stat sheet confirms this. Against Wolverhampton, Tottenham had just six shots on goal and two on target, according to soccer stats site Couchscore. This is in contrast to Wolverhampton, who had 17 shots and four on target. They created only one decisive chance. They had just three shots inside the penalty box.

Spurs conceded two goals in stoppage time against Wolverhampton and suffered an upset loss. The upcoming schedule is more problematic. Spurs face Aston Villa and Manchester City after Wolverhampton. Spurs will have to play the remaining eight league games of the year without Maddison. This is where the club’s woes deepen.