Poch maintains his trajectory of FA Cup performances over the years, gradually building to a Final appearance this year with one more result in the next round.
It was a consummate team performance against a Swansea side, arguably in form. Everyone stepped up and collectively should claim credit. They played with truly impressive control whilst, at the same time, maintaining quickness of movement and passing.
Vorm – 8
There’s that thing goalkeepers practise before games – saving, getting up and saving again. I see why they do that now. Great example at the start of the first half. Came out well to feet in the first half too.
Trippier – 6
Truly busy throughout, pressing down his flank and aggressive defensively.
Davies – 6
Solid performance.
Sanchez – 6
Had to concede a yellow when he was caught out but otherwise composed.
Vertonghen – 7
Managed to re-tackle when he was caught out, otherwise untroubled.
Dier – 8
This looked like England form to me. He was probably playing where he most wants to play and given responsibility to take charge there as the senior man. He was defensively robust and a passing fulcrum. As the game wore on, he influenced it progressively, with touches and runs in and around the box, a ferocious shot, and a header (he might have done more with).
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Sissoko – 7
In his great performance for France in the Euros, he drove forward magnificently. There were signs of him turning and driving today – surely something to do with confidence (and how poor Swansea were). Granted, there were a couple of clumsy defensive moments and his confidence doesn’t quite carry him all the way through but some nice touches.
Moura – 7
Simply, he looks a player and we can’t wait to see him emerge over the coming weeks and seasons. He couldn’t quite get on the end of a scoring opportunity and that was the story of his game – he’s almost there. He will terrify defenders when he really starts to run at them!
Eriksen – 9
My only complaint is why he doesn’t have this impact every game … but that’s me asking too much of a gem of a player. He would appear to lack dribbling skills and yet he always manufactures the opportunity to play the ball no matter how many defenders are on him and he does so with threat and vision. Every pass or shot he struck today was stunning and venomous. I love it when he demands the ball as much as he did in this game. Has limited impact got something to do with asking him to play wide left sometimes when he can become peripheral? Put him at the heart of it, like today, and just ask him to run the game.
Lamela – 8
The stuff we don’t know, don’t see, is what Poch’s team know in the background. Players do seem to come back gradually in this regime and Lamela is a case in point. Finally, today, alongside Eriksen, he wasn’t just the goal scorer and provider of chances, he was the threat and the busyness. I can’t think of another player who wants the ball as much as he does. He makes himself more available than others and his aggressive pressing creates chances, even in the the defensive third, as it did very early in his ultimate assist for Eriksen’s first goal (and possibly in the build up to his second?).
Son – 7
It wasn’t Sonny’s day to be the match winner but, boy, it could have been. Eriksen’s through ball, his control and shot, would have made a goal of the month contender – and, arguably, if VAR was given different instructions (was he onside?), it might have stood.
Subs
Llorente plays well with his back to the goal. He should have got on the end of Sonny’s pass for an open goal and couldn’t quite get through a goal line that was pretty well closed with a double shooting opportunity. So, got involved without, of course, actually scoring. Dele came on to enjoy a stroll.
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