winning run.
Spurs third Europa League victory, saw them sneak past Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, thanks to a Richarlison penalty, in a game that should have been far more comfortable.
Unbeaten, they remain one of only three teams with a perfect record after the three games so far. It was a game where they should have won more comfortably but a game where again they could have been easily punished and come out of it with nothing.
It wasn’t as bad as the previous two games, where Spurs got away with it but it took a couple of Fraser Forster saves to spare their blushes. And that’s not something that’s written very often.
Ange went with a much changed starting XI again and again he was doing that Werner thing. Yes, that Werner thing, starting Werner and playing him on the left to the detriment of the player who was starting on the right. Mickey Moore had that right hand wing spot, as Ange again stifled a player who has a bright future at the club to accommodate a player who you feel has no future in the game.
Honest to god surely this has to be the end for Werner, it was so bad even Ange saw and removed him at the break. Saying that he did provide the ball that should have seen the opening goal, and no it was for Spurs not the visitors. A lovely cross that Moore should have done better with at the back post. It must have been the shock of Werner actually finding a Spurs player with a pass that did for Moore.
A bit later we saw the real Werner, when he Werner’d a glorious chance when played through by a glorious outside of the foot pass by Bergvall – who survived longer in this game. Werner meekly rolled the pass-back to the keeper. Shortly after came the first of those saves from Forster. Good job he’s a big fella, managed to stretch his arm out to stop an attempt from a corner.
Werner had another attempt a little later but Richarlison had played him wide and it wasn’t so easy.
The hook came at the break, replaced by Johnson, with Moore moving to his preferred left wing. And the effect was immediate. Some blistering runs by the youngster showed the folly of player Werner in that position.
The only goal of the game came five minutes into the half, a ball scooped over the top by Bentancur, saw Maddison and Bergvall compete for it, the latter was taken out and the ref pointed to the spot. Maddison, whow as captain on the night after being tactically withdrawn at the weekend, and Richarlison had a bit of a discussion over who was to take it. Richarlison won the argument and after doing that he had to score, which he did.
Just on the hour Moore went on a rampage, he put in the perfect cross that should have been tapped in at the back post but inexplicably Johnson had cut inside and was in the middle of the goal. He keeps saying Ange wants crosses from a winger on one side knocked in at the far post by the other winger.
75 minutes in and some more weak defending from Davies – yes Ben Davies is still here and getting to start these games – and the visitors were through on goal. Forster got down smartly for another decent save, another really needed save. He’s still a useless lumbering lump but at least it didn’t cost Spurs in this game.
Alkmaar had a player sent off for a second yellow, Bergvall and Maddison had departed for Kulusevski and Sarr, Mickey Moore was given his ovation as he made way for the returning Odobert and Spurs saw the game out.
It was a nothing game really, Spurs should have done better but it’s a game, remembered for Moore and a game that should see Moore move up the pecking order. If Son isn’t fit for the weekend then he certainly should be ahead of Werner to take that position, of course now Odobert is available but with one being young, one returning from injury maybe 45 minutes each.