Spurs under 18’s 5-0 Aston Villa: (match report)

A spectacular attacking performance from our under 18’s saw us brush aside Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon, in an enthralling league encounter at Bodymoor Heath. Scott Parker’s side dominated the game from start to finish, overwhelming the villains with their fast attacking football and high press. Villa were lax and their reluctance to press our players allowed them to play and create at ease, they just couldn’t deal with the creativity of the likes of Maghoma, Markanday and Bowden who were able to open the Villa defence all too easily. Not only was it a great response to our 2-0 league cup defeat to Chelsea last Sunday, but it also bolstered our position in the league. Our emphatic 5-0 victory over Villa saw us move up to sixth in the table, we are now the third highest scorers in the league with 41 goals. The strong smell of turf which was coming from the local farms of county Warwickshire, was in the air as the players made their way out on to the pitch. Spurs lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, Parker made changes from the defeat against Chelsea, bringing in the likes of Tainio and Oluwayemi for rare league starts, Jonathan Dinzeyi took the captains armband for this one. The home side got the game underway, and it didn’t take long before both sides got stuck in to the game. It was a fast paced opening couple of minutes, Paris Maghoma tried his luck from range with a powerful low effort. Whilst an alert Villa pounced on a loose ball at the other end, make shift centre back Tariq Hinds missing out to Odutayo on the edge of box, his effort flew just over Oluwayemi’s crossbar.

Spurs were eager to initiate attacking moves, playing some nice tiki taka football as they tried to open up the Villa defence. Spurs’ bright start to proceedings resulted in Parker’s side taking the lead only five minutes into the game. It was a lovely intricate move by Spurs which managed to totally outwit the Villa defence. Patterson passed the ball to Reynolds down the left wing, the fullback delivered a lovely cross into the danger zone which managed to pick out Maghoma. Maghoma hit the ball early and forced a good save out of the Villa goalkeeper Kieran Boucher, who parried. The alert Markanday pounced on to the loose ball and did well to slot home at the far post, 1-0. Villa responded through Colin Odutayo, who managed to force a good stop out of Oluwayemi at his near post after a thumping effort. But the sheer intent and intricacy by Spurs was proving far too much for the struggling villains, and only four minutes later Parker’s side doubled their lead. Our high pressing, attacking football was going down a treat. Armando Shashoua’s fine vision resulted in him sending a neat through ball into the feet of Maghoma inside the box. Maghoma weaved his way around Boucher before curling the ball against the inside of the post, luckily the ball rolled back across goal and into the feet of Griffiths to tap home. It should have been 3-0 to Spurs a couple of moments later, after Tainio’s low cross managed to pick out Griffiths who slipped in Markanday inside the area. But the winger couldn’t keep his composure in front of goal as he side footed the ball inches wide of Boucher’s goal.

Despite our excellent start to the game we were still vulnerable on the break, as proved by Vassilev who managed to cause all sorts of difficulties for Spurs after embarking on a surging run down the middle. He slipped the ball into Odutayo down the left, but Odutayo made the wrong choice in the end as he opted to drag the ball across the face of Oluwayemi’s goal. Spurs continued to hassle the Aston Villa goalkeeper, the prominent Jamie Reynolds’ free kick forced Boucher into punching clear. The ball was eventually picked up by Bowden who managed to pick out Griffiths inside the box with a sublime pin point pass. However, Griffiths didn’t have enough time to sort his feet out, and Boucher managed to smother the ball. The chances kept on coming Spurs’ way, Armando Shashoua missed a sitter after receiving Tainio’s cross at the back post, scuppering what should have been a tap in. But Spurs were relentless, it was sheer domination from Parker’s team. Who were totally outplaying this somewhat lazy Villa outfit. Reynolds had a teasing cross cleared in front of Boucher’s goal, before Paris Maghoma forced an error out of the Villa keeper with a powerful effort at goal. Boucher spilt the ball but did manage to get to it before the pouncing Griffiths, to palm it to safety. Dmitri Sea then forced a decent save out of Oluwayemi at the other end after a rare Villa attack. But the bulk of the action involved Boucher in the Villa goal. The tricky Markanday was causing major problems for Villa down the right hand side, a tricky run resulted in him crossing for Griffiths at the near post. Unmarked and in acres of space I expected our top scorer to gobble up such a chance, but not this time! Griffiths managed to get it all wrong and ended up heading the ball the wrong side of goal.

The prominent Markanday was at the centre of the action once again a couple of minutes later. After turning his man brilliantly down the right flank he then squared the ball to Maghoma on the edge of the box, but the midfielder ended up skying the ball over Boucher’s goal. Spurs’ further domination of the half saw them rewarded with a third shortly afterwards. Coming courtesy of another intricate move, Jamie Reynolds excellent cross from the left hand side managed to pick out Griffiths inside the danger zone. The striker snatched at the ball forcing an excellent save out of Boucher. The ball then came out to Maghoma whose well measured volley brushed the leg of Griffiths en route to finding the back of the net, 3-0. It was all too easy for Parker’s side who were being allowed to run rings around a tired looking villains side who were offering very little attacking threat. Chances were aplenty for Parker’s side, Markanday could easily have made it four were it not for a superb save from the feet of Boucher. By this point the Villa defenders were livid, I heard many a roar of ”it’s too f’ing easy!”. Despite our stranglehold on the game, the young lilywhites knew from previous experience that they mustn’t drop their heads. The tireless Armando Shashoua epitomised this urgency in the Spurs side, when he ran the length of the pitch before making a vital interception inside the Spurs box to prevent a goalscoring chance. Spurs got the second half back underway against a noticeably more defensive Villa team.

Spurs were continuing to dominate possession, knocking the ball around with ease as they thought about making their next attacking foray. Excellent throughout, Dilan Markanday almost grabbed a brace after getting on to the end of Patterson’s cross, but a fine block by Jake Walker prevented a simple tap in for the winger. Chances came and went for both sides, the commanding Dinzeyi made an important intervention inside the Spurs box. Whilst Jamie Bowden curled an effort a whisker wide of the Villa goal a couple of minutes later. I sensed that it was never going to be Villa’s day, after Mungo Bridge missed an absolute sitter at Oluwayemi’s far post, Villa were wasteful and despite a bit of a resurgence in the second half, they were proving little match for Parker’s energetic side. The creative Maghoma sliced an effort wide for the lilywhites, who would soon bring on fresh legs in striker Rodel Richards, who replaced Griffiths on the hour mark. Despite lowering their tempo Spurs continued to carve open a very sorry looking Villa defence. Some fine work from the dominant Dinzeyi to win the ball in the centre of the park resulted in the defender placing a lovely forward pass into the feet of Markanday, who advanced into the Villa box only having his powerful effort stopped by yet another fine piece of goalkeeping from Boucher. Then with less than 20 minutes left Spurs grabbed their fourth of the afternoon through substitute Rodel Richards. Parker’s side had killed the game off in style, the goal coming from yet another intricate attacking move.

The move started down the right with Tainio picking up the ball, the Finnish youth international managed to pick out Shashoua who was lurking at the far post, with a pin point cross. Shashoua battled with a much taller Villa defender for the ball, managing to send a delicate looping header across goal and into Richards who nodded home with ease. Spurs were passing the ball around for fun, Villa had capitulated and Parker’s young side were loving every moment of it. Playing with a smile on their faces Spurs were playing some lovely fluent stuff, the powerful Paris Maghoma and the diligent Dilan Markanday were at the forefront of this. And it was the great vision of Paris Maghoma which created our fifth of the game on 80 minutes. The midfielder who had dropped deeper in the second half, managed to send substitute Pochettino through on goal down the right channel, courtesy of a defence splitting pass from the half way line. Pochettino had only Boucher to beat down the right side of the penalty area, with the goal gaping Pochettino unleashed a powerful effort straight at the Villa goalkeeper. The ball came back out to Richards on the edge of the penalty area, the forward steadied himself before hitting the ball into the turf and over the unsteady Boucher. Despite Isaiah Bazeley Graham’s acrobatic effort to stop the ball on the line it evaded the Villa defender and crossed the line possibly with a touch from Clarke on the way in, 5-0. Villa had a golden chance to get a consolation goal soon after the restart, when Jamie Bowden was robbed of the ball on the edge of the Tottenham box by Lewis Brunt. Brunt continued into the box but somehow failed to beat Oluwayemi, as he fired wide of the left post.

Then came a slightly comedic moment after substitute Rayan Clarke blasted the ball at Villa defender Dominic Revan. Revan was on the floor wincing in pain, but the Spurs players weren’t having none of it, Paris Maghoma even telling him to grow up! The final score Spurs 5-0 Aston Villa. A performance of the highest quality from Parker’s side saw them completely dominate a really poor looking Villa side at a venue where they have struggled over recent seasons. It was a great response to the cup final defeat against Chelsea the previous weekend. Up next for Parker’s side is a trip to East London to face West Ham on Wednesday lunchtime. COYS

Player reviews: – Josh Oluwayemi: A good performance from the 17 year old GK on his first start for the u18’s. Didn’t have a lot to do, but what he did do he did well. Made one top save, gave a commanding performance in front of the back four and looked very comfortable with the ball at his feet.
– Maximus Tainio: Put in a competent performance at right back, was particularly impressive going forward. Whipped some delightful crosses into the danger zone. Played a big part in our fourth goal.
– Jamie Reynolds: Another terrific performance from the 18 year old. Who posed a major attacking threat down the left hand side, loved to burst forward and overlap Patterson. Whipping in many a delightful cross in the process. Reynolds was also sound defensively and good at getting back. He really is developing into a really promising fullback.
– Jamie Bowden: Proved once again that he is a real creative force from deep. Kept things nice and tidy and did his defensive duties well. But it was his accurate passing and clever little forward balls which were so influential. I can’t remember him misplacing a single pass in the game.
– Tariq Hinds: A very accomplished performance from the versatile Hinds, looked more than comfortable at centre half against Villa. Read the game well and liked to play the ball out from the back.
– Jonathan Dinzeyi: A very impressive performance from the commanding Dinzeyi at centre half. The skipper was dominant and decisive, composed both on and off the ball. He had a terrific game and made many an important challenge.
– Dilan Markanday: The diligent winger was superb throughout and provide Spurs with one of their main creative outlets. Unshakeable down the right whenever he surged forward, Markanday’s trademark skill and clever twists and turns had the Villa defenders dizzy and dazed. Some of his attacking forays were sublime, he has really come to remind me of Edwards but with a higher work rate. Took his goal really well.
– Paris Maghoma: My motm, see below.
– Reo Griffiths: Despite the uncertainty regarding his future at the club, he isn’t letting the Leipzig links affect his form in front of goal. Had a good game against Villa scoring a deserved brace, though he knew little about his second. Despite this he could well have had four goals, squandered a lot of really good chances.
– Armando Shashoua: Drifted all over the park, but always made sure that he got back into his own half to make those important interceptions and tackles. Showed more of his attacking side against Villa picking out some nice passes. Shashoua also got his first assist of the campaign, setting up Richards for the fourth.
– Phoenix Patterson: Another player who remained a major creative force throughout the game, with his fine vision and creativity out left. Was always eager to make runs down the left hand side.
– Rodel Richards: Terrific half an hour cameo from Richards who couldn’t have had more of an influence on the game if he tried. Scored two really well taken goals.
– Maurizio Pochettino: Decent cameo down the right hand side, made a couple of good runs down that channel. Played a big part in our fifth of the game.
– Rayan Clarke: Had little time to make an impression, some may say that he got the final touch on Richards second of the game. I’ll leave that to the dubious goals committee!

My man of the match: Paris Maghoma. A player that had an immense impact on the game, midfielder Paris Maghoma (16) ran the show against Aston Villa. Operating primarily as a 10 in the first half, Maghoma overwhelmed the Villa defence with his powerful forward runs and excellent positioning in and around the six yard box. Maghoma set up one of our three goals in the first half and was desperately unlucky not to have got on the scoresheet. He dropped deeper in the second half but still had a major influence on proceedings with his defence splitting passes and played a big part in setting up our fifth of the game. Maghoma has such a wide ranging skillset, but there’s one trait in particular which is so effective. And that’s his ability to surge forward and just glide past opposition players with such ease. He was so unlucky not to get a goal for himself.

Spurs U18s: Oluwayemi, Tainio, Reynolds, Bowden, Hinds, Dinzeyi (c), Markanday (Pochettino 72), P Maghoma, Griffiths (Richards 61), A Shashoua, Patterson (Clarke 78). Substitutes (not used): Freeman, Statham.

 

Under 18 Goals scored this season: Reo Griffiths-25
Phoenix Patterson -8
Dilan Markanday-6
Jamie Bowden- 1
Moroyin Omolabi-1
Rayan Clarke-2
Maurizio Pochettino-1
Paris Maghoma-3
Rodel Richards-12
J’neill Lloyd-Bennett-2
TJ Eyoma-1

Assists: Phoenix Patterson-9
Jamie Bowden-1
Matt Lock-2
Jeremie Mukendi-2
Jamie Reynolds-6
Reo Griffiths-8
J’neill Lloyd-Bennett-6
Rayan Clarke-2
Rodel Richards-1
Dilan Markanday-3
Oliver Skipp-1
Tariq Hinds-1
Paris Maghoma-5
Armando Shashoua-1
Maurizio Pochettino -1