then.
‘Arry Redknapp, Glenn Hoddle, Steven Caulker and Bobby Zamora were all taught a footballing lesson by the new stars of The Lane, Pochettino, Dier, Chadli, Capoue and Lamela.
It was only QPR, it was only QPR. It does need repeating, it was only QPR. Along with it being a newly promoted, look like relegation fodder already, side it was one that was trying a new system and managed by the tactical genius of ‘Arry. Oh, well ready made excuse.
Saying all that it was still a comprehension demolition of a team who you’d think would have shown more life than that. Hell they even made Danny Rose look competent. Which again showed that Pochettino probably still hasn’t picked his best starting XI in the league. He looked close to it at the end of the Europa League game but Adebayor was back.
Now some will go on about how good Adebayor was on the day, yes he played a nice ball in for the opener and ran about a bit, but most of it was clueless and of the number of simple chances he was gifted he took just one. Performance like that, scoring wise would have seen Soldado slaughtered.
That opener and the third will hopefully have shut up those that were desperate to see the back of Chadli. As said a nice cross from Adebayor but the Belgian still had a lot to do and he did it expertly, nice chest down and finish.
Apart from one moment when Phillips should have scored from a Barton hump up the park, he did all the hard bits well and then ballooned the easy bit, it was all Spurs first half. All Lamela, Chadli, Eriksen interplay while Capoue bossed things in the middle. The big French fella doing what he did at the beginning of last season before injury, playing out of position and Dim Sherwood knocked him out of kilter.
Lamela was looking imperious, wanting the ball all the time and when QPR had it going getting it. His whipped in corner saw Dier double the lead and double his league goal tally in his second league game.
Forget the two goals the new kid as got – not easily done – but what a refreshing change it is to have him at fullback rather than Naughton and Walker. Walker really should struggle to get back into the side. A fullback who can defend properly, Dier defends with his feet and his head while Walker defends with his arms and his arse. So with Dier there’s no desperate grabbing or the stupid attempts to shield the ball out for 20 yards by sticking his arse into the other player that usually leads Walker to falling on his and looking a right mug. Dier also has a clue when going forward.
The third goal, Chadli’s second was the moment of beauty, well the two and half minutes of beauty, as every Spurs player touched the ball as it moved round the park in 47 passes, until Lamela let it run past him, raced into the box and put a delightful chip right onto Chadli’s head for pass number 48. Sublime. As others have said if it had been any other team it would have been oozed over for weeks.
Three nil up at half-time, playing some wonderful stuff, dream land, yes it was only QPR but still.
They were gone and the only thing that could have got them back into it was Spurs. Typical second half laziness with such a lead. One way to overcome that post break we’ve got it won lethargy would have been to make changes. It was crying out for Soldado’s introduction.
But no, Adebayor stayed on and Kane was bizarrely brought on for Chadli, after 70 minutes. By now Dembele was on for Bentaleb and Adebayor had got his tap in after some decent work from Rose – it was only QPR. Does Robbie get those easy chances handed to him on a plate? Adebayor did that stupid salute, which just increases my desire to see the back of him but while many a team is linked with Soldado none has shown an interest in this shyster.
By the time the Spaniard did arrive things had dropped off, the removal of Chadli did have an effect, bleeding typical.
QPR then had a few chances, a classic row Z shot from Zamora and Steven Caulker proving that he still manages to out jump everyone when he’s in the opposition penalty area – when he should have scored at the death – while being out jumped by everyone when he’s in his own area.
Ferdinand still has the ability to go missing in action and turn his back and flinch away from the ball heading in his direction, something he has obviously also taught Barton who did a classic Rio with Dier’s goal.
‘Arry twitched, looked lost, Glenn pointed and scribble while the woman next to him – presumably his misses – either looked on bored or was asleep behind those big dark glasses. The QPR chairman wondered what he’s spent his money on while Les Ferdinand next to him suddenly changed into a fat white guy.
While Pochettino showed a clam assuredness overseeing another three points, another clean sheet, even if he doesn’t have the best team available out there, they’re top of the league.