if they called the game off.
If Ludogorets had said they couldn’t field a team in their Europa League game against Spurs, they would have been handed a 3- loss and not have been embarrassed live on telly.
Jose got just what he needed for Spurs’ latest midweek fixture, a win, a decent performance, his new striker getting his first goal for the club, and a good rest for most of his main men. As they comfortably beat the Bulgarian league leaders Ludogorets four nothing.
It didn’t take long for Spurs to score pretty much the winning goal. Just on the quarter hour when Ndombele played the ball through from his own half to Dele, his ball was almost cut off but found Vinicius who slid the ball past the keeper for his first Spurs goal.
It’s just what Brazilian needed. He’d put in a mix bag of games, some excellent some not quite so. Had assists but didn’t have that goal and we all know how that can fester with a new striker at a club the longer it goes on before that first strike.
Spurs were camped out in the Bulgarian’s half, pretty much on the edge of their box. Chances a plenty were coming, a number from long range, hell even Winks was having a shot. Unlike other games where this pattern has played out it wasn’t too long though before the second came. Just after half an hour when Ndombele started things again. Picking the ball up on the halfway line he weaved his way past every challenge until unleashing a shot from just outside the area. The keeper saved but parried the ball to Dele who had an easy goal but chose to cross it for a Vinicius bang in a tap-in.
The second half pretty much followed the model of the first. Chances coming. Chances going. Then on the hour a strange sub from Jose. Yes, Ndombele had got through yet another power of work and had got a yellow a few minutes earlier, so understandable he was coming off but Hojbjerg was coming on. Why? Why risk one of your main players when this game was done?
Shortly after the game really was done, with the third. A Winks goal. A Winks goal from 56 yards. A goal that was the worst hit pass of the night. From Davies’ throw he was looking for Bale and got nowhere near him as the ball sailed over the keeper into the net. Bale was just inside the box when it went in.
Harry Winks goal was from 56 yards… greater distance than all his other passes forward added together in all competitions this season… #COYS #THFC
— Токсическая сеть (@Toxic_Web) November 26, 2020
Hojbjerg played his part in the fourth winning the ball back playing it into the path of Dele, his cross was brilliantly taken by Vinicius, who played it on to Moura who slammed it home.
It carried on as before with more chances created and more spurned. 19-year-old Harvey White and 16-year-old Dane Scarlett had come on. The latter had a sniff or two. While 22 year old Alfie Whiteman came on to replace Hart in goal. This probably really does signal the end of Gazzaniga.
Ludogorets weren’t in the game and even when they got into the Spurs’ half Tanganga was back and in charge.
So a good run out for Jose. Goals from a very confident looking Vinicius. Another good performance from Ndombele. Dele did well, while not getting the breaks with some of his play, those flicks just not coming off. Tanganga back, as Toby is missing. No injuries, while harry and Son were rested.
As for Ludogorets if they’d stayed at home and forfeited it would have been the same result, a loss, but a goal less and they would have had rings run round them all night… with the added embarrassment of Winks scoring.