---
title: "Tottenham Hotspur: Tony Cascarino names Japhet Tanganga as one of Spurs’ ‘bright lights’ from the weekend"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tottenham-hotspur-tony-cascarino-names-japhet-tanganga-as-one-of-spurs-bright-lights-from-the-weekend/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Stephan Georgiou"
section: "Features"
published: "2020-01-13T21:10:29Z"
modified: "2020-01-13T21:10:29Z"
---

# Tottenham Hotspur: Tony Cascarino names Japhet Tanganga as one of Spurs’ ‘bright lights’ from the weekend

**Tony Cascarino has suggested that the performance of youngster Japhet Tanganga was one of Tottenham Hotspur’s few positives following their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday evening.**

Roberto Firmino’s solitary strike gave the Reds all three points and left Spurs [nine points behind](https://www.skysports.com/premier-league-table) fourth-placed Chelsea in the Champions League spots.

Incidentally, the game saw a Premier League debut for 20-year-old Tanganga in defence, with the youngster making a [goal-line clearance](https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/11906627/firmino-helps-liverpool-win-again) in the opening minutes of the contest. Speaking on [TalkSPORT](https://twitter.com/talkSPORT/status/1216396921197268993), Cascarino argued that Tanganga’s display was something that Jose Mourinho’s side could take from the game despite the disappointing result.

He said: “He runs with pace and you can tell that he sees things quickly. He made a couple of last-ditch challenges, he was hungry to get in front of the ball. Yes, it’s his debut and adrenaline takes you a long way, but I thought he was one of the bright lights.”

Cascarino’s praise of Tanganga’s performance appears to agree with the stats, with [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1376116/LiveStatistics/England-Premier-League-2019-2020-Tottenham-Liverpool) making the defender Spurs’ best performer from Saturday night, thanks to a match rating of 7.38 out of 10.

Tottenham’s backs were against the wall for much of the contest, with just [one-third of the possession](https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1376116/LiveStatistics/England-Premier-League-2019-2020-Tottenham-Liverpool) as their opponents dominated, which is perhaps telling from Tanganga’s [eight clearances](https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1376116/LiveStatistics/England-Premier-League-2019-2020-Tottenham-Liverpool) throughout the match – a tally that only defensive counterpart Toby Alderweireld could better with 10 to his name.

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To come in and produce on that level on his top-flight debut is surely no mean feat and certainly deserving of the praise he received, particularly as it came against the runaway leaders who set a new [European record](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51079615) with their 20th win in 21 attempts.

It may not have been difficult for Cascarino to earmark Tanganga as a rare source of optimism as Spurs failed to score and [missed a number of gilt-edged chances](https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/11906627/firmino-helps-liverpool-win-again) in doing so on a discouraging evening, though the defender’s maiden display in the Premier League could indeed give Spurs hope of a brighter future.

***Spurs fans, should Tanganga start more regularly? Let us know what you think below!***