Tottenham Match Report: 3-0 @ Everton

Another September, another wildly impressive late start to the season from Tottenham, who thoroughly deserved their 3-0 win over Everton.

Two goals from Harry Kane sandwiched a fine strike from Christian Eriksen to put the game beyond doubt for Tottenham by the 46th minute.

The starting lineups of the two teams suggested a bit of adventurousness from both parties.

Everton, who have utilized a back three frequently so far this season, opted to ditch a centre-back in favor of another attacking player in the form of Davy Klaasen.

The Dutchman’s inclusion in a top four elsewise composed of Wayne Rooney, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Sandro Ramirez suggested that Ronald Koeman was confident of tested Spurs’ defensive resolve early and often.

Tottenham had other ideas in mind. Mauricio Pochettino granted a first start to new signing Davinson Sánchez, who began in the middle of a back three.

Farther upfield, Moussa Sissoko came on for Mousa Dembélé, though it quickly became evident that he was not in to replicate the Belgian’s usual contributions. Instead, he traded places with Christian Eriksen, with the Dane operating through the center of the pitch in a deep-lying playmaker role.

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Early exchanges permitted Spurs a chance to feel their new look opponents out. At first Ben Davies and Kieran Trippier stayed rather deep — or at least deeper than one might expect from nominal wing-backs — but when it became clear that Everton were declining to defend their flanks, both players happily began pressing forward.

That freedom of movement in wide areas ultimately defined this entire match. Tottenham enjoyed a unobsctructed avenue into Everton’s third, where some clever interplay between Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Sissoko frequently put the ball into dangerous positions.

Everton at first seemed equal to the task of keeping the ball out of their net — at least right up to the point that Kane opened the scoring accidentally with a mis-hit cross.

The subsequent ten minutes were arguably the most important of the entire contest. Their lead secured, Tottenham sat back to rest up for the next push. This allowed Everton more opportunities to get forward — and the results told Spurs everything they needed to know about their opponent.

Even with the game opened up thanks to Spurs letting off the gas, Everton simply count not string together enough quality to get past their opponent’s backline. Toby Alderweireld was unsurprisingly excellent, while Sánchez deserves a tremendous amount of credit for looking far more calm and composed than any 21-year-old earning his first start in a new league has any right to be.

With Everton’s high-water mark well established, Spurs felt free to push on for a second. Just as before, Everton had no answers in wide positions. The result was an effort by Davies on Jordan Pickford’s goal that was deflected into the path of Eriksen, who calmly doubled Spurs lead before the half.

With Everton reeling, Spurs came close to scoring a third and fourth goal before the half-time whistle blew. If it didn’t quite feel like an early rout, it was certainly close.

Neither of Koeman’s half-time changes did anything to address Spurs’ advantages in wide areas, so it hardly came as a surprise that Kane scored his second less than two minutes into the second half. The England international tapped in a fine cross from Davies, effectively ending the match.

Next: Harry Kane scored 100th Tottenham goal

Everton could come up with no better answers over the next 45 minutes. Pochettino waited to use his subs perhaps a bit too long, but it is nearly impossible to fault Spurs second half performance otherwise.

This was a thoroughly commanding win for Spurs, and at the absolutely perfect time too. The season has begun in earnest, and as tradition dictates, Spurs are finally finding their footing.