As per the last blog, this wasn’t ‘only Watford’, but the truer tests aren’t all that far away.
Chelsea on the 22nd and Arsenal on the 30th will tell us a lot more about Tottenham than playing plucky but fundamentally unexciting sides like Swansea, Burnley and Watford has done.
Hugo looked very much in command and this included a complete lack of wince inducing blunder passes. It was telling that when the players came off the pitch that Lloris and Poch had an extra special hug moment.
Trippier was a little off the pace defensively in that first half hour of Watford defiance, but positively blossomed. For all the mindless praise the mindless Bonzo gets ‘for being fast’, Trippier offers so much more.
Toby/Verts Another killer performance from the defensive duo.
Davies a much better game than some of his recent showings. Ice doesn’t offer as much as Rose, but that need not be the constant benchmark with which to beat him. This was a decent performance. More please.
Dier took a while to work out what he was doing and had grumpy gifs like me mumbling Wanyama’s name into my beer for much of the first half. Once he’d worked out what he was doing, he was rather bloody good at it. Christ on a Raleigh Chopper that was one hell of a strike. It appeared to gain speed as it got closer to the goal.
Mousa once Dier had defrosted this pairing worked very well. Dembele thrives on players making runs in front of him so he can thread the ball into space. I sensed on more than one occasion he was a tad frustrated with some of the statues.
Eriksen was a busy busy boy. He created 3 chances and provides an assist, but the real joy was in the the class touches and anticipation he showed.
Alli is being lauded from the roof tops and rightly so. Fingers crossed he listens to the wise heads such as Dier and Pochettino around him and doesn’t take him back down the wrong path. A stunning goal but the baggage that threatens to come with it needs to be reigned in. Credit to Dier for stepping in.
Son arguably his best game for us? Much less bumbling about and he really did appear far more focused. Hasn’t he got delicate little fingers, in a different era he could have been working in lace factory.
Vinny oh Vinny, my Vinny. I truly didn’t see the merit in taking him off and bringing Kane on when the game was won. I get that the workaholic Kane needed to get back out there, and I get that Janssen had been a bit dull, but this substitution served no good purpose.
What is did was emphasise that the Dutchman couldn’t score. This was an opportunity to indulge a player who needed game time more than a returning superstar.
We all make duff decisions in this life and yesterday, subbing Janssen was one of Poch’s.
I remain unconvinced we’ll rattle Chelsea, but I genuinely believe the Arsenal game could turn out to memorable for all the right reasons.
