Spurs overcame Middlesbrough 2-1 in the FA Cup third-round replay at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a game that the home side, in the end, made it more difficult than it should have been.
Spurs raced into a 2-0 lead early in the match and had several chances to go out of sight, but squandered them due to some poor finishing.
The away side got one back late in the second half to set up a nervy finish, but the Lilywhites managed to hold onto the win and earned progression into the next round where they will be taking on Southampton.
The major positive from the game, according to many Spurs fans, was the performance of Japhet Tanganga.
The defender, who impressed in his Premier League debut against Liverpool last weekend, kept his place in the side and repaid Mourinho’s faith with yet another fabulous display.
Tanganga was quite solid defensively and was a constant threat getting forward from right-back. On the back of that performance, some fans were convinced that the 20-year-old has a bright future at the club.
Tanganga was fantastic tonight. Didn’t put a foot wrong all game. Going to be some player. Get him signed on a long-term deal!
— Noz Ahmed (@NozAhmed) January 14, 2020
I don’t think it’s premature to suggest that Tanganga is prime Cafu-Maldini-Zidane-Messi rolled into one. #THFC #COYS #TOTMID
— Marc ? ⚽ (@marc_ba12) January 14, 2020
Mourinho’s done more for youth development at Spurs in the last week than Poch did in the last year ??
— Chris Miller (@WindyCOYS) January 14, 2020
Baffles me Tanganga hasn’t been playing when defence especially when rb has been our main area of weakness, he’s a cracking player #THFC
— Ben Watts (@Ndomballer11) January 14, 2020
2 things for Saturday. Tanganga has to keep his place, he was brilliant yet again, and Vorm needs to come in goal for Gazzaniga. He’s up there with the worst goalkeepers I’ve ever seen at Tottenham.
— Dan (@YidVids) January 14, 2020
Baller, looks so calm and mature
— FCUpdate (@JiKdrop) January 14, 2020
Tanganga a great example of how the gap between first team and academy players isn’t nearly as large as people exaggerate
— Jake. (@YedIin) January 14, 2020
You look at a player sometimes and think yeah potential (Sanchez for example) then a Tanganga comes along and you just know he’ll make it. Whatever “it” is, he has it. Going early here. Don’t care.
— Paul O Keefe (@pokeefe1) January 14, 2020
I’m not one to get ahead of myself but I’m pretty sure Tanganga is the lovechild of Pogba, Maldini and Ronaldo
— Max ? (@MaxTHFC_) January 14, 2020
Spurs Web Opinion
While Tangaga proved against Liverpool that he could read the game well and defend well in one vs one situations, he showed today that he also has the energy to get up and down the pitch for the entire 90 minutes. While it is still early days, Tangaga’s versatility is really exciting to see.