Son spurs Tottenham to victory in third preseason friendly

Tottenham was building toward 90 minutes in the second half

As Tottenham has worked through three preseason games, Santo has kept most – but not all – of his first-team players in for about an hour. The same was true on Wednesday in Milton Keynes as the starters all went over an hour before the first substitution.

Lucas and Son showing a special connection

Keeping in the starters paid off for Spurs as again Lucas and Son created an opportunity.  Moura got the ball with his back to goal just short of midfield and turned to run at the defense. Then in a marvelous move, Lucas passed the ball to himself around the defender.

Once around the defender, Lucas hit a lovely through ball to Son darting behind the defense. As the defenders converged and the keeper came out, Son pushed the ball centrally into the path of Dele Alli, who tucked home for the two-goal Spurs advantage.

Lucas continues to show he can be a force in the middle of the park and has a real eye for a pass between the lines. Combined with Son and Steven Bergwijn in the front three, the consistent movement and action do create challenges for defenses. LIkewise the pressure they apply defensively creates challenges as well.

Following the second goal, Dele probably should have scored again – off a turnover from defensive pressure at 75 minutes. Santo started to clear his bench, which Hugo Lloris was the only player not to appear for Tottenham.

However, before he was subbed off Lucas had one more moment in him. It was again pressure that led to the third Tottenham goal. As Lucas was pressing he forced a poor pass, which the Brazilian knew what to do with. Lucas buried a shot at the far post not wasting a true gift from the defense. Two minutes later the Brazilian was subbed off and Tottenham was working to see out the match.

As the minutes wore on, MK got a corner, which was not fully cleared. As John Freeman settled and shot from the top of the box, Harvey White came out defensively and seemed to deflect the ball ever-so-slightly. That deflection caused the ball to loop up and over Whiteman and into the net. It was a moment to forget for Spurs and to remember for MK Dons.

The goal really was unlucky but that is how the ball bounces. Tottenham now has 7 goals for and only two against in their three preseason games thus far. However, the next two will be against a much stiffer level of competition as Chelsea and Arsenal are on the docket. If this Tottenham team is going to compete this season we will get a much better sense of that in those two matches. Until then, we can enjoy a victory, even if only a preseason friendly.