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5 talking points from Tottenham's 3-0 victory at Everton
Tottenham secured a comfortable 3-0 win at Everton, with Harry Kane netting twice either side of a Christian Eriksen strike. Here are five talking points from Goodison Park.
Mauricio Pochettino takes a risk by omitting Mousa Dembele – but it pays off
There was some surprise when the line-up was announced and the Belgian’s name was missing from Tottenham’s starting XI.
While Dembele played twice for his country during the international break, the Red Devils’ second match was last Sunday, giving him six days to recover and prepare for this trip to Everton.
It therefore appeared that Pochettino was saving the 30-year-old for Wednesday’s Champions League tie against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley – and he also left Harry Winks, who has still been experiencing pain in his ankle – on the bench.
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With Victor Wanyama out injured, Pochettino was short of central midfielders and he took the unusual decision to play with only one – Eric Dier.
It was assumed before kick-off that Moussa Sissoko would join the England international in the middle, but in fact the Frenchman spent most of his time alongside Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli in an attacking midfield three.
With Spurs playing three at the back and using wing-backs, their formation was essentially 5-1-3-1 out of possession and 3-3-3-1 with the ball.
It looked an odd strategy in the early stages and there seemed a danger that Dier could be outnumbered in front of the rearguard.
However, it was Spurs who gradually got on top and when, they took a 2-0 lead into the break, it was very difficult to question Pochettino’s selection or tactics.
With the visitors adding a third goal shortly after the break, the Argentinian was able to swap Christian Eriksen for Dembele with 20 minutes left, giving his influential Dane a useful break ahead of Tottenham’s European showdown.
Davinson Sanchez makes his first start – in the centre of the back three
The 21-year-old has only had a handful of training sessions with his new team-mates, either side of the international break. But, after appearing in the final moments of the 1-1 draw with Burnley, he was named in the starting line-up today.
Indeed, the Colombia international was deployed in the middle of Spurs’ back three, in between Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen.
It underlined Pochettino’s faith in the new recruit and he fully justified it. While the youngster gave away a couple of early free kicks and scuffed one attempted clearance into a dangerous area on the edge of the box, he was otherwise solid – quick and strong – and gave his colleagues few causes for concern.
It was an impressive full debut and, judging by this evidence, Spurs’ record signing is indeed a prodigious talent who is set to become a regular fixture in their strongest side.
Harry Kane puts his barren August behind him and passes his century with a double
Tottenham’s striker drew a blank in his first three matches of the campaign andm curiously, he has never scored a league goal for the Lilywhites in the month of August.
There was some amusement, therefore, when the 24-year-old netted twice for England on September 1 – and he also struck twice for his club this afternoon, scoring his 100th and 101st goals for Spurs in the process.
Kane’s first goal seemed rather fortunate – an attempted cross, rather than a shot, which looped over Jordan Pickford and into the far corner.
Kieran Trippier is supposedly Spurs’ best crosser from the right side – and indeed he was making an overlapping run outside Kane with a view to delivering his own ball into the box – but on this occasion Kane’s cross was by far the most effective of the day.
The Spurs forward went on to double his tally moments after half time, and it appears normal service has been resumed.
Ben Davies underlines his improvement in the final third
The Welshman is often viewed rather sniffily, as a limited deputy to Danny Rose, solid but unspectacular and particularly ineffective going forward due to a lack of pace.
In the past such criticisms have been justified – and Davies was beaten for speed in the early stages at Goodison Park today as Cuco Martina raced past him and put in a low cross for Sandro Ramirez.
However, there is no doubt that Davies has developed in an attacking sense since he began his extended run in the team back in January, and he has started the season very well.
Having scored at Newcastle on the opening day and tried his luck with a few long-range shots against Chelsea, the 24-year-old set up two of Spurs’ goals against Everton.
When Dele Alli’s cross reached him beyond the far post in the 42nd minute, Davies did well to get his foot round the ball and force Pickford into a harder save than he might have expected, given the angle.
The Everton goalkeeper had to go to ground to palm the ball away from his bottom corner, and that gave Eriksen an easy finish as he followed up – the Dane has now contributed a goal and three assists in Spurs’ opening four matches, picking up where he left off last term.
Then, just after half time, Davies’ perfect low, curling cross between Pickford and his defenders gave Kane a simple tap-in. The left-back clenched his first in celebration.
In addition to those assists, the Spurs man also created other opportunities, chipping a cross into the middle to free Alli when the game was still goalless and then showing good vision again to pull the ball back to Sissoko, whose shot was blocked.
Rose may still be a quicker, more dynamic player but Davies has added a menace to his game and it is time he got the credit he deserves.
Close, but not close enough, for Moussa Sissoko
A number of fans probably expected the Frenchman to leave during the summer, especially as there is a World Cup next summer and he will want regular playing time. However, he is still at the club – and he started today’s match.
It proved to be an encouraging yet frustrating outing in equal measure.
With a bit more poise, or luck, Sissoko could have had a couple of goals and assists from the right-hand side. He got into good areas but was unable to finish, and for every positive contribution there was a careless error.
When Davies pulled the ball back to him at 0-0, his goalward shot was blocked. Then, when he burst free down the flank, he carelessly started his run too early and was flagged offside, denying him the chance to set up Kane for an easy goal. Alli’s frustration was evident.
Sissoko was involved in the build-up to Spurs’ second goal, heading the ball behind Ashley Williams to Alli. But, when he had the chance to head home himself from Trippier’s delivery in the second half, he put his effort over the bar.
This could, and perhaps should, have been a better day for him – the day when he produced something tangible which would boost his confidence.
It didn’t happen and, in the end, he limped from the field in the 77th minute with an injury. However, the Tottenham fans clearly appreciated his efforts and they sang his name on a couple of occasions, including when he left the field.
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