Front four electrifying in Tottenham’s 4-2 win over Olympiacos

Firing on all cylinders, the fantastic four took over the match, with Harry Kane, Son Heung-Min, Lucas Moura and Dele Alli lifting Tottenham to a 4-2 win over Olympiacos. 

If the last two matches are anything to go by, Dele is back at his best. Scoring one and setting up Serge Aurier’s winner – with the help from a Son flick – Dele terrorized Olympiacos’ rearguard. Alli was also hauled down on yet another marauding run, leading to Kane’s second of the night, from a spectacular Christian Eriksen free kick.

The earlier-than-expected introduction of Eriksen also made the world of difference, with the Dane delivering numerous incisive passes to change the complexion.

Up until Kane’s 77th minute insurance marker, the match was as pulsating as it was nerve-racking. Spurs showed strength of character to claw back from what as an abysmal start. A whiffed attempted clearance by Meriah allowed Dele Alli to bag an all-important opener before the interval.

And the home side sustained their momentum at the start of the second, with Moura’s harrying leading to the equalizer. Moura got away with a foul on Tsimikas. The resulting throw was taken quickly and Moura made no mistake finding Kane, whose strike levelled proceedings at two.

A woeful start once again reminded us of Tottenham’s defensive frailties. Spurs looked outnumbered everywhere on the park. Danny Rose was shambolic on the left side, slow and devoid of any idea with or without the ball.

It was his error that led to Olympiacos’ opener. The Englishman unnecessarily rolled it directly to El Aarbi, who finished wonderfully after manufacturing a prime shooting position.

Rose, Winks and Toby Alderweireld all fell asleep on the visitor’s 19th minute corner. Rose, laggard and sluggish – a common occurrence this season – lost a step on his man. Winks then followed suit, allowing for a flick that Alderweireld should have been on to. Ruben Semendo punished Tottenham for their collective sleepiness, emphatically showcasing Spurs inferiority in the first half.

Spurs were down two before 20 minutes had elapsed.

Unlike Saturday in East London, the defensive midfield pairing of Eric Dier and Harry Winks failed miserably, leading to a former’s premature exit.

Jose Mourinho wasn’t about to wait to make the change, yanking Dier after 29 minutes, a rare but necessary decision. And one that turned the tide of the match. While the Dier-Winks combination failed tonight, Mourinho showed every ounce of his experience by instantly making the swap.

Eriksen, who I thought would have started this match, showed glimpses of his glorious former self. It was a match tailor-fitted for the Dane, who had time and space to pick out multiple incisive passes.

While Tottenham have a lot to work on defensively, they are once again electrifying and explosive on attack. This win secures Tottenham’s place in the knockout stages of the Champions League and further bolsters the team’s confidence.

Mourinho now has to solve Tottenham’s defensive quandaries. He’s earned a buffer in Europe, which will allow him the opportunity to experiment in Munich, providing important match time to youngsters devoid of much Champions League experience.