Tottenham 5-0 Red Star Belgrade: Kane, Son and Lamela run riot to rejuvenate Spurs
Red Star Belgrade were exactly what Tottenham required after being shaken by a terrible run of form.
Colchester, Bayern Munich, Brighton and Watford were not forgotten – not yet – but for 90 minutes Spurs fans were able to enjoy their side running riot against a wide-open, error-prone and haphazard opponent.
Tottenham’s first Champions League win of the season came in emphatic fashion, with the home side’s front three feasting greedily on an abundance of chances.
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Besides a passive spell between their second and third goals it was simply a question of how many goals they wanted to score. Encouragingly for Mauricio Pochettino and Spurs fans, the answer was plenty.
Playmaker Kane
Maybe more than any other player, Harry Kane has cut a frustrated figure over the last month. Starved of involvement, with his team generally treading water at the opposite end, he has struggled to make an impact.
Tonight he was exceptional, displaying the creative instincts he showed while on England duty as well as bagging two goals himself.
Afforded ample space and flanked by willing runners in Son Heung-min and Erik Lamela, Kane was everywhere. He linked play. He created chances. And he found the corner of the net twice for good measure.
It was his glancing header from Lamela’s inswinging corner which got Spurs under way, it was his sweeping pass to Serge Aurier which began the move for his side’s fourth, and it was his precision side-footed shot which rounded off a restorative night for Tottenham.
Clinical Son
While most of Spurs’ players have been guilty of underperforming this season, one has remained at his usual high level. Son was sensational in tearing apart Red Star, rampaging down the left-hand side at every opportunity.
On the day after he received a Ballon d’Or nomination, the South Korean’s half-volleyed finish from Lamela’s cross was well controlled and his sprint, touch and cool head to make the game safe before half-time was typical of a player brimming with confidence.
He may have been guilty of spurning a few chances and choosing the wrong option on occasion, but with a trip to Anfield on the horizon this weekend Pochettino will be delighted to have Son fit and firing.
The fact he substituted him with 22 minutes remaining suggests he will be a key part of the strategy to derail the Premier League leaders.
Rejuvenated Lamela
If the performances of Kane and Son were almost expected, then the contribution of Lamela was a more pleasantly surprising boost for Pochettino.
Preferred to Lucas Moura and Christian Eriksen, the Argentine was involved in three goals, setting up the first two with inswinging crosses before netting only his second Champions League goal on his 200th appearance for the club.
After missing a good opening on the break, Lamela gathered Aurier’s pass, swivelled and smashed into the top corner.
On a confidence-boosting night for Spurs, Lamela was one of the biggest beneficiaries.
Finding the formula
Pochettino made four changes for the visit of the Serbian side, with Lucas Moura, Harry Winks, Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose all left out.
All of his decisions bore fruit, with Son and Lamela filling their boots, Tanguy Ndombele assisting two counter-attacking goals with through-balls from central midfield and Ben Davies impressing at left-back.
But while the personnel may have been right, the optimal tactical system remains up in the air for Spurs.
Against opposition as weak as Red Star it’s hard to draw firm conclusions, but with Ndombele partnered by Moussa Sissoko in a 4-2-3-1 formation, instead of Winks sitting by himself in a 4-4-2 diamond, Spurs looked to have a better balance.
With a comfortable victory under their belts, and with Liverpool to come on Sunday, Pochettino has plenty to ponder.
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