Spurs vault into fourth place following 3-1 home win vs Forest
These are the types of performances that Tottenham needs if it wants to continue to climb up the ladder of the Premier League's hierarchy. Even though the team is known as one of the "Big Six," it feels like at teams we aren't a part of it at all. Well, a convincing 3-1 win at home against 17th-place Nottingham Forest should help all of us sleep better tonight.
Manager Ange Posetcoglou's side controlled the pace all match long, possessing the ball almost 64 percent of the time, as well as notching 17 shots on goal, seven of which were on target. Spurs also notched 12 corner kicks to Forest's two and only had two yellow cards to the four notched by the visitors. All in all, it was a solid day in front of the home supporters for Tottenham.
After a tied first half, the Lilywhites struck quickly, notching goals from defenders Micky Van de Ven (53rd minute) and Pedro Porro (59th minute) en route to the 3-1 win. Both sides had plenty of other chances to score throughout the rest of the match, but neither could capitalize. As nice as the second-half flurry was for Spurs, there was a sense of wanting more than just the three goals they notched on the afternoon.
“It had a little bit of everything I guess. We started the game well enough but when they scored, we lost our way," said Postecoglou following the match. “Second half I thought was really dominant. Against a team that is fighting for everything, I thought we handled it well. Micky can strike a ball, [it’s] just a bit of composure in those positions. Two quality strikes and Micky’s was outstanding."
Outstanding is an excellent adjective to describe Van de Ven's goal, which gave Tottenham a lead they would not relinquish. Superb is another good way to describe it. If you missed it, see it for yourself here. It was a joy to watch and shows just another reason why the young Dutchman is such a vital piece to the long-term vision that Big Ange is building for this club.
Six minutes later, Porro's goal, Spurs' third of the day, was an example of just how potent their attack can be when all of the pieces are clicking at high gear. From forward Timo Werner's cross, to midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur's glancing header, finally finished off by a strike from Porro, the display shows just how exacting the Lilywhite offense can be during the chaos of a match. Porro was in the perfect spot to capitalize from the wayward angle that Bentancur's header gave Nottingham's defense. Spectacular showing all around from the Spurs' left back.
When things turn out how they did for Tottenham during the six minute span from the 53rd to 59th minutes in today's match, then it is so easy to see just how good this squad can be under Postecoglou's leadership. Are there flaws that need to be corrected? Of course. Should they be addressed during the summer transfer window? Almost undoubtedly yes, because the squad needs to build on the momentum that the Australian manager has brought to the team. An away visit to St. James Park to face Newcastle United next weekend looms.
feed
Let's see what Ange and his team have up their sleeve as this season draws to a conclusion.