Tottenham Hotspur secured yet another away win in the Premier League, moving up to third in the League table following their victory over Everton.
Let’s take a look at the five things we learned from Tottenham’s win against Everton:
Micky van de Ven shines as he leads Tottenham’s top scorer chart
It has been a season of set plays in the Premier League, and Tottenham Hotspur have not been left behind as Thomas Frank has made his side increasingly dangerous from dead-ball situations.
Today was a timely reminder of just how good Tottenham are from set pieces, and it was the captain on the night, Micky van de Ven, who was getting his head on those deliveries right at the top of Jordan Pickford.
Everton had been strong when defending set pieces and had yet to concede a goal from such situations, but Spurs ended that run by grabbing two well-taken corners.
The Dutchman’s tally is now up to five for the season, and for a player who scored none last campaign, that is surely a huge step up.
Frank had once mentioned how he was looking to improve van de Ven’s goalscoring from set pieces, and that work is clearly paying off. He also becomes Spurs’ top scorer for the season with his brace.
Thomas Frank’s new 4-4-2 tweak gives Tottenham fresh edge
Talk about Tottenham’s lack of creativity has been rampant, especially as they struggled in their last two matches to create against Aston Villa and AS Monaco.
Today saw Frank tweak his setup, which at times looked like a 4-4-2 with Mohammed Kudus and Brennan Johnson interchanging between right midfield and striker.
Xavi Simons also looked to come inside a lot more despite starting on the left, while Djed Spence often hugged the touchline to provide width.
This tactical change seemed to spark some improvement, with Tottenham getting a win after managing just one in their last five.
However, with just one goal from open play, it is difficult to tell if the tweak worked to perfection.
The underlying numbers do show a step up in performance, though, with Tottenham creating four big chances and managing an xG of 2.08.
To put that into context, Spurs managed to create four big chances in their last two matches combined, while managing an xG of 1.63 in that period.
Vicario saved Tottenham with some superb stops again
Guglielmo Vicario has faced criticism already this season after a couple of howlers in recent weeks, with fans even calling for him to be dropped.
The Italian, however, has responded with some commanding performances, with his excellent shot-stopping keeping Tottenham in games once again.
He managed a clean sheet in midweek against AS Monaco and grabbed another against Everton.
Beto’s overhead kick looked destined for the net before Vicario stuck out an arm, while a couple of efforts were heading goalwards until the Italian’s sharp interventions denied them.
He prevented 0.96 goals on the night – a solid showing from the Spurs keeper.
Spurs away form vs home form in the Premier League
Tottenham’s home form leaves a lot to be desired, and Thomas Frank is very much aware of how poor his side has been at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Away from home, though, Spurs have been the team to beat, with no side in the league managing a better away record.
From five games on the road, Tottenham have picked up 13 points, scoring 12 goals and conceding just three.
At home, however, they have the 17th-worst record, collecting just four points from four home matches, scoring five and conceding four.
If Frank and his side can sort out their home form, then a push for the top four remains very realistic. Next up in the league is a home clash against Chelsea – if only it were away, but we shall see.
Xavi Simons struggles as Spurs star was unhappy to be hooked
Overall, it was a perfect night for Tottenham, who have now moved up into third place after several of their rivals failed to secure wins.
There are positives to take and things to improve, but Frank would still be scratching his head over Simons.
The Dutchman still has not found rhythm in a Tottenham shirt, and despite Frank’s tactical adjustments, he struggled to make much of an impact in this fixture.
He was taken off at the 60-minute mark and did not look pleased about it. There were some positives, though, with Simons getting on the ball more often – it is now about improving his decision-making in the final third.
- READ MORE: Tottenham player ratings from 3-0 win vs Everton as 10/10 star shines and 6/10 midfielder struggles