Tottenham Match Report: 1-0 win over Bournemouth
By Ryan Wrenn
Tottenham beat Bournemouth 1-0 to secure their first three points of the season at Wembley yet this season, but doubts remain.
Christian Eriksen’s strike right after half-time was the difference for Tottenham, but few could have complained if this match ended in a scoreless draw.
The first half was a curious bit of business for Spurs. Bournemouth were more positive than the average Premier League minnow, but still managed to keep Tottenham’s immense possession advantage essentially meaningless.
They did this by sacrificing control of midfield — something that often ends up being the case even if opponents try to find a grip there thanks to Eric Dier and company. Usually this choice is done in conjunction with a firm attempt to sit deep and deny any space to Spurs in the final third.
Oddly, Bournemouth left fair amount of space behind them here, choosing instead to keep a medium-high line that could — in theory — help assist with any counter-attacking opportunities Spurs sacrificed.
Such chances didn’t come often. Indeed, Bournemouth only managed a single shot before the interval, and it took until the 57th until they found one on target.
One would think that Spurs would find some confidence in Bournemouth’s dearth of opportunities, but still they struggled to make something meaningful happen. Even with space behind Bournemouth’s lines, the hosts simply couldn’t find shots from dangerous areas.
With so much of Spurs’ gameplan wrapped up in scoring early, taking a 0-0 lead into half-time is far from ideal. If Tottenham wanted to avoid a chance break from the Cherries — or a freak own-goal, as almost happened — deciding this contest, they needed to find a way to through.
Christian Eriksen provided just such a relief less than three minutes into the second half thanks to a loose ball in Bournemouth’s penalty area.
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No rout was sparked by taking the lead however. Bournemouth didn’t immediately make changes, instead preferring to see how much longer they could stifle Spurs’ attacks.
Crucially, Mauricio Pochettino also declined to make changes. With the onus now on Bournemouth to find an equalizer, there was now even more space for Spurs to exploit. Heung-min Son did his best to do with it what he could, but there was a sense that another direct presence was needed to really open the match up.
Though largely untested, Georges-Kévin Nkoudou represents that kind of player — at least on paper. Should he have come in for Dele Alli — who was already suffering a dud of match — Bournemouth would have had a lot more to do to keep Spurs from scoring again.
Instead, Pochettino persisted with his starting XI until Son was brought off for Moussa Sissoko in the 75th minute. Bournemouth simultaneously brought on two attacking players in the form of Jermain Defoe and Jordan Ibe.
Almost immediately, the Cherries found some traction. It was broadly similar to the final quarter-hour of the 1-1 draw against Burnley. The new attackers ran at a tied Spurs defense, and opened up more opportunities for their teammates.
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Those opportunities came to nothing of course, but this tactic of stifling for the first 70-odd minutes of a match then pushing hard for the remainder looks like the beginnings of a template. Spurs should expect something similar for every Premier League match they play in Wembley this season.
The win here gives Tottenham three points that proved invaluable with Manchester United’s draw at Liverpool and Chelsea’s loss to Crystal Palace. Pochettino will be happy, but there are still warning signs ahead for Spurs.