Spurs 2-0 Aston Villa: (match report)

Spurs progressed to the fourth round of the FA cup this afternoon, after Mauricio Pochettino’s side recorded a comprehensive 2-0 victory over Aston Villa, at the lane. It was an awful first half at a full White Hart Lane, one of the worst halves of football I have ever witnessed. Both sides lacked creativity, shape and failed to inspire, the one positive from an uneventful first half, was Harry Winks. Winks was the best player on the pitch, his passing slick, his vision good and his movement superb. Nil nil at the interval, Steve Bruce’s Villa side here to frustrate Spurs.The second half started slowly, much like the first, Spurs controlling the game but unable to create any clear-cut chances. 65 minutes in Villa came close to breaking the deadlock from a freekick the ball fell to Baker who’s shot was expertly blocked by Carter-Vickers, before coming out to Agbonlahor whose tame effort was saved comfortably by Vorm. However, just a couple of minutes later and after some tactical changes Spurs finally broke the deadlock through a most unlikely source. The newly introduced Nkoudou crossed the ball into Davies in the box, and the Welshman smartly headed the ball low into the far corner of the net. After 69 matches Ben Davies finally got his first ever goal for Spurs, to cap off a lovely piece of play, 1-0 to Spurs!

Eight minutes later Spurs should have doubled their advantage after Sissoko was found unmarked in the left side of the box, with only Johnstone to beat but Sissoko’s effort lacked power and was stopped by the goalkeeper. Just a minute later Sissoko turned provider after the France International found Son in the box with a good cut back pass, and Son was clinical side footing the ball into the back of the net to double Spurs’s lead. Deep in stoppage time the recently introduced Onomah almost created Spurs’s third of the game, finding Son in the box after driving forward, but Johnstone came rushing out to take the ball from Son’s feet. The final score Spurs two Aston Villa nil, it may not have been a classic but it doesn’t matter we’re in the hat for the fourth round of this wonderful competition. COYS

Harry Winks was my man of the match (see below) but another player I was really impressed with was fellow academy graduate Cameron Carter-Vickers. The 19 year old had a great match in defence, composed, dominant in their air and decisive. Carter-Vickers was a big factor behind our clean sheet, the USA international has such a big future in the game.
My man of the match: Harry Winks, the young midfielder was superb his passing so slick and precise, Winks ran the midfield and his movement and vision were first rate.

Spurs (3-4-2-1): Vorm; Carter-Vickers, Alderweireld (Nkoudou 70), Wimmer; Trippier, Dier (c), Winks, Davies; Son, Sissoko (Onomah 84), Janssen (Alli 60). Substitutes (not used): Pau Lopez, Walker-Peters, Vertonghen, Wanyama.

Aston Villa (4-4-1-1): Johnstone; Hutton, Chester (c), Baker, Amavi; Adomah (Green 77), Jedinak (Davis 77), Tshibola, Bacuna; Grealish; Agbonlahor (McCormack 77). Substitutes (not used): Gollini, Elphick, Westwood, Cissokho.

Goals: Spurs – Davies 71, Son 80.

Referee: Mike Dean.

Attendance: 31,182.

Spurs 4-1 Southampton: (match report)

It was a match to savour for us Spurs fans, as Mauricio Pochettino’s resilient Spurs side came back from a goal down to thrash Southampton 4-1 at St Mary’s, on Wednesday night. The game had everything, excitement, goals and most importantly the lads first win on the road in 8 matches, as the Lillywhites closed the gap on fourth placed Arsenal to one point. It was a lively game throughout and it didn’t take long until the deadlock was broken, with Spurs disastrously falling behind to the home side two minutes into the first half. After Wanyama committed a foul deep in Spurs’s half, James Ward-Prowse found Van Dijk with a good cross, and the tall Dutch centre back capitalised on some poor defending to power the ball past the helpless
Lloris and into the back of the net. Southampton started the first ten minutes the much better side, their high pressing style of play caused the lads much trouble. On 16 minutes the saints almost doubled their advantage, after Nathan Redmond drove a powerful low shot towards the bottom left, with his shot darting wide of the left post. However, Spurs drew level just three minutes later through Dele Alli. Alli got on the end of Sissoko’s deflected cross, to put Spurs level with a great header. Alli’s header dipped into the top right hand corner of the net, Forster had no chance.

We really began to find our rhythm in the minutes that followed Alli’s equaliser and the lads were in control of the game seeming the most likely to score the next goal and that goal almost came in the 43rd minute, after a skilful Wanyama jinked past Van Dijk in the penalty area. The Kenyan midfielder went to shoot at goal from close range but the experienced Jose Fonte was there to make a last ditch challenge. We started the second half with great attacking intent, and Pochettino’s team were rewarded when on 52 minutes Harry Kane sent the travelling Spurs fans roaring with delight, as Kane made it 2-1 to Spurs netting his ninth goal of the season. The goal came about after Eriksen whipped the ball into the box from the resulting corner and Kane took advantage of the sluggish Southampton defence, to head the ball emphatically into the back of the net. Just four minutes later the game got even better for Spurs as they were awarded a penalty after Nathan Redmond brought Alli down inside the area and the Southampton forward was shown a straight red card from Mike Dean. Kane stepped up only to blast the ball over the cross bar, but Kane’s miss was in fact down to the pitch itself, just as he was about to hit the ball it bobbled up leaving Kane helpless in his effort. It was all Spurs in the resulting minutes as the lads showed their superiority over ten men Southampton, on 71 minutes Eriksen came desperately close to wrapping the game up for Spurs. Eriksen’s well struck effort on the edge of the penalty area thumping the cross bar.

Spurs needed that third goal and it never seemed in doubt, with the newly introduced Son getting on the score sheet in the 85th minute. After Eriksen’s deflected pass found Son on the left wing, the South Korea International surged forward before rifling a low shot which with wonderful precision nestled into the bottom right of the net. Two minutes later Spurs capped off an excellent display with a fourth after Dele Alli got his second of the game. After some superb work from Rose, the left back played through Alli on the left side of the box as he calmly side footed the ball into the back of the net with a fine finish. The final score, Spurs 4-1 Southampton. COYS

Southampton (4-3-3): Forster, Soares, Fonte (c), Van Dijk, Bertrand; Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Davis (Hojbjerg 72); Redmond, Boufal (Tadic 72), Rodriguez (Long 72). Substitutes (not used): Taylor, Martina, Reed, Yoshida.

Spurs (4-2-3-1): Lloris (c), Walker, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose; Wanyama, Dembele (Winks 82); Sissoko (Son 74), Eriksen, Dele; Kane (Janssen 89). Substitutes (not used): Vorm, Wimmer, Davies, Nkoudou.
Goals: Southampton – Van Dijk 2; Spurs – Dele 19, 87, Kane 52, Son 85.
Yellow cards: Southampton – Long 90; Spurs – Dembele 15, Walker 55, Rose 60, Vertonghen 90.

Red card: Southampton – Redmond 52.

Referee: Mike Dean.

Attendance: 31,853.

It was a wonderful performance from Spurs on the south coast, we played some beautiful football and we got those important three points putting us on a high ahead of Sunday’s visit of Watford. Dele Alli stole the show with his excellent performance scoring two goals on the night, Eriksen also had a big influence on the game assisting two goals, whilst Moussa Sissoko put in a superb shift on the right wing. Left back Danny Rose was outstanding on Wednesday night, both defensively and offensively. Rose assisted Alli’s second goal, whilst the England international won 100% of his tackles and aerial duels.

My man of the match: Dele Alli, I predicted in my preview that Alli could be the difference against the Saints, and the 20 year old exceeded expectations scoring two important goals. Dele played exceptionally well and demonstrated yet again his enormous potential and sheer class for a man of only 20 years of age.

Spurs 3-0 Hull City: (match report)

The trialling of a new formation for Spurs done Mauricio Pochettino’s side no harm at all last night as his side eased past Hull City, to record a comprehensive 3-0 victory at the Lane. It was a game in which the Lilywhites dominated from the offing, starting well from early on and the lads attacking intent was rewarded on 14 minutes as we took the lead through Christian Eriksen. Pochettino’s decision to play our fullbacks higher up seemed to be working as Danny Rose surged forward down the left wing and into the area after receiving a pass from Vertonghen. Rose cut inside the area before laying the ball off to Christian Eriksen, who emphatically lashed the ball home into the roof of the net from 15 yards out, to put Spurs one up. We continued to control the game in the following minutes but Mike Phelan’s side knew they had to go forward if they were to salvage anything from the game, the Tigers tried their luck on a few occasions, coming closest to levelling in the 33^rd minute. Former Spurs player Jake Livermore forced Hugo Lloris to produce a fine save as Livermore hit a low effort on target from close range, which Lloris tipped behind with a smart save from down low.

However, just three minutes later Spurs almost doubled their advantage at the other end after Dele Alli was found with a wonderfully timed ball by Eric Dier. Dele controlled the ball well on his chest before bringing it down and weaving inside, Dele then fired a low effort at goal which Marshall denied with a decent save. Spurs were slow and uninspiring at the beginning of the second half with the Lillywhites lacking the energy to go forward and get a second. Spurs fans were left with their hearts in their mouths on the hour mark after Hull went on a dangerous counter attack, following a moment of controversy at the other end, where Eriksen was brought down by Robertson but the referee saw nothing in it, much to the annoyance of the Spurs crowd. From the edge of Spurs’ penalty area Hull went forward through Diomande who slipped the ball through to Livermore whose first shot was blocked, before the midfielder fired the rebound at goal. Hugo Lloris was forced in to making a fine save with his leg.

Spurs knew that they were in need of a second goal and that second goal came just three minutes after Hull’s chance, when Christian Eriksen got his second of the game to double Spurs’ advantage. Walker whipped in a low cross from the right which flew past the goalkeeper and the defenders, with Eriksen in the right position to tap the ball home. Eriksen still in search of his first club hat trick of his career, turned provider ten minutes later as the Dane forced an excellent save out of David Marshall, with a curling free kick on the edge of the penalty area. Eriksen’s excellent effort was acrobatically tipped on to the post by Marshall, with the ball rebounding into the path of Victor Wanyama who hit the ball into the back of the net with his second goal of the season to cap off a fine night at the Lane, the final score Spurs 3-0 Hull City.

Last night’s performance showed just how good our team really is, Pochettino’s side played very well despite only playing in second gear and it was an excellent team performance with some wonderful individual displays. None more so than Christian Eriksen, Eriksen was superb last night his movement, vision and creativity were first rate as to was his shooting in front of goal. Eriksen has really begun to flourish over the past few matches; he has now scored five goals in his last four games. Both wingbacks were excellent last night; two of the three goals were created by both Danny Rose and Kyle Walker. They were defensively impeccable last night, but it was their offensive performance which I was so impressed with. I think that they’ve been our best players this season and without doubt our two most consistent.

My Motm: Christian Eriksen, this wasn’t a hard decision to make as the Denmark interational was superb yet again last night, scoring two and assisting once, Eriksen is in excellent form scoring five goals in his last four games.

Spurs (3-4-2-1): Lloris (c); Dier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen; Walker, Wanyama, Eriksen, Rose; Dele (Winks 62), Sissoko (Onomah 85); Kane (Son 74). Substitutes (not used): Vorm, Davies, Trippier, Nkoudou.

Hull (5-3-2): Marshall; Elmohamady, Maguire, Dawson (c), Davies, Robertson; Huddlestone, Livermore (Meyler 74), Clucas (Mason 66); Snodgrass (Bowen 84), Diomande. Substitutes (not used): Jakupovic, Maloney, Weir, Henriksen.

Goals: Spurs – Eriksen 14, 63, Wanyama 73.

Yellow cards: Hull – Maguire, Davies.

Referee: Andre Marriner.

Attendance: 31,347.