Tottenham Hotspur got back to winning ways in the Europa Conference League last night, putting five past Mura as they now look ahead to Aston Villa at the weekend.
Let’s take a look at the five things we learned/noticed:
Harry Kane hat-trick – Yes, it was against lesser opposition, but a hat-trick is a hat-trick. A hat-trick off the bench in 29 minutes is even better. With his mini drought in the Premier League, it certainly won’t do him any harm to put the ball in the back of the net a few times. It’s a big game for Harry this weekend against Villa now.
Lo Celso on the right – I think Lo Celso played very well in the first half but mainly when he stepped inside. The trouble is, defenders know he is never going to go to the byline and will always cut in on that left-foot, making him rather predictable. I maintain that he is a better centre-mid or, at a push, a number 10. Funnily enough, he moved central to make room for Moura in the second 45 and looked unplayable. Food for thought…
Dane Scarlett’s trial – It was a tricky but also important night for Dane. A start alone was big for him but he also played some nice stuff. He shouldn’t be too disappointed that he didn’t get on the scoresheet because, quite honestly, he wasn’t given many chances. However, he did show his class in flashes and a willingness to work very hard.
Dele hit and miss at number 10 – Dele Alli was back in the position that made him famous yesterday evening, number 10 just behind the striker. Within minutes, he had won and scored a penalty. After that, he drifted in and out of the game, trying to make things happen and often giving the ball away as a result. The main thing I would say is that we need players to create chances in behind and in the air for him, not rely on him alone to make the chances. He also needs to be far more consistent in himself.
Senior stars ruining chances for youngsters – I have been saying this for a while, the senior Spurs players are making it impossible for the youngsters. Because our fringe players cannot see these mid-week games out, the big guns have to come off the bench instead of the teenagers. In the Premier League, Spurs are never 3-0 up and coasting, allowing the manager to hand out a debut. The first-team afford no opportunity for the academy youngsters of tomorrow and that is a big problem.
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