Match Report: Tottenham 1 – 0 Crystal Palace

It was clear well prior to the opening whistle that Mauricio Pochettino had something different in mind for Tottenham this week.

Vincent Janssen was added to the starting XI alongside Harry Kane, with Dele Alli dropped to the bench. This match marks the first time since January of 2015 that Tottenham have started two strikers.

Though the remainder of the starting XI remained unchanged, Janssen’s inclusion forced a change in shape.

With Eric Dier and Victor Wanyama retaining their place in central midfield, Christian Eriksen and Érik Lamela were given free license to roam from their respective positions on the left and right.

The change in formation didn’t change everything however. Tottenham’s press was determined and, at times, fevered. Any illusions that this team was still struggling with fitness all but evaporated as the first half wore on.

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However much improvement Tottenham found in midfield, it didn’t translate into quality in the final third. Palace predictably sat deep and narrow, hoping to smother Tottenham’s play through the middle.

Lamela and Eriksen did their part from their free roles to stretch play wider. In contrast to how Tottenham began against Everton last week, there were much more crosses from the flanks. While few of them connected, the were frequent enough to demand Palace’s attention. The result was more open play through the center.

Palace were up for the challenge however. Scott Dann and Damien Delaney did exceptionally well to cut down on service to Janssen, while Joel Ward did his level best to make sure Rose and Lamela didn’t combine often on the left.

In attack Pardew’s intent was clear: get Townsend the ball. The former Spurs man started on the left, evidently hoping to send crosses in for Connor Wickham.

When Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen proved up to the challenge of marking Wickham, Townsend switched flanks and attempted to cut inside. Lamela and Rose teamed up well to nullify him throughout the game.

And so the game progressed. A deadlock seemed less likely as Tottenham found more and more chances — though none amounted to anything. Eriksen led a counter-attack that eventually ended up with a poor pass that went no where. Alderweireld got onto the end of a corner kick, only to see it shoot directly into Wayne Hennessey’s arms. The half ended 0-0.

Despite the lack of a go ahead goal, Tottenham looked by far the most likely team. It’s no surprise that Pochettino stuck with the initial plan after the interval.

Still, there was no break through. Spurs recorded 20 shots throughout the game, only five of which were on target. Palace were not ready to concede even as their own chances on the other end dried up.

The introduction of Alli for Eriksen helped matters, with the 20-year-old setting Janssen up for a shot that would have been a goal but for an unfortunate mis-hit. With frustrating mounting, the likelihood of a freak Palace goal put the team and fans alike on edge.

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It took a corner in the 83rd minute to finally settle matters. Lamela’s corner found Kane, who directed the ball goalwards for Wanyama to send past Hennesey. It was the Kenyan’s first goal for Spurs, and could not have come at a better time.

Tottenham saw out the match with ease, earning their first three points. Overall it was an improvement over the draw against Everton, but problems remain with team cohesion and a misfiring attack. Still, there’s no denying this was a step in the right direction.