Fun returns to White Hart Lane! A nippy but fragile Red Star Belgrade were seen off by some clinical finishing and some good use of the bounteous space offered up by the Serbian’s defence.
Kane with a header direct from a corner, Son with a close range smack after Lamela had done well, Son again after an away player fell over with the ball at his feet in front of Ndombele, half-time, Lamela from an Aurier cut back and finally Kane with a precise angled finish.
Them’s the goals but there were plenty of other opportunities. Red Star came close a number of times too, it really was an open and flowing and very entertaining evening of football.
No Alderweireld, Sanchez instead, and no Rose, replaced by Davies. Poch’s selections are so random though that, ahead of Anfield at the weekend, we can’t read much in to either.
We did finish though with Foyth, Ndombele and Lo Celso all on the field together which is probably more of a pointer to the future. (Eric Dier was there too mind.)
Lo Celso’s ten minute cameo was typical of what we’ve seen so far from him. He is much slighter than he appears in his YouTube highlights. Very left footed, though not up to Lamela standards, and very careful in possession. He had two chances to either play Kane through or cross and hit the man right in front of him both times. There’s some rustiness there and mat be for a while. He was hit by a strong tackle at one point and took a while to recover. He did though so hopefully any fears of biscuit legs are unfounded.
Son, Harry, Ndombele, Sissoko, Lamela, they all played well as did Marko Marin, the Serbian no 10. He played against us for Werder Bremen during the Redknapp years. He looked a good player then, good enough for Chelsea to buy…. and play only 6 times in 4 seasons. Lots of loans of course.
Whilst it’s true that the visitors weren’t up to much, defensively at least (and the 200 or so vociferous and unwelcome intruders into the North Stand should be very unhappy with their team’s display), it’s not as if we are making a habit of putting weak teams to the sword at present.
The performance and result will rightly boost confidence ahead of not only two tricky looking away games coming up, but the ‘return leg’ of this fixture in a few week’s time.
Well done lads.
COYS.
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