On Monday afternoon, there was again action for Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert’s France U21 side, after they beat England 5-3 on Friday in an incredible end to end game, where Odobert picked up two assists.
In that game, Tel was named on the bench, whilst Odobert started the game. This time, where France faced this summer's U21 Euros hosts - Slovakia - it was the opposite, as manager Gerald Barticle rotated the side – Tel started on the left hand side of a front three.
How things went for Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert on Monday evening
After 20 minutes, the Spurs man cut inside from the left, and curled a superb finish into the bottom corner. A strike from a player that does not seem to have had his confidence knocked by a slow start to life in North London.
Just three minutes later, Tel and France had two. A slide rule through ball found the teenager in behind, as he kept his composure to finish past the onrushing goalkeeper. Again, certainly not the finish from a player lacking confidence. Very good to see.
Those two strikes from the Spurs man were enough to give Les Blues a 2-0 lead heading into the half time interval. After 64 minutes, he was substituted after a brilliant performance.
With just under a quarter of an hour remaining, Odobert was introduced to the action as part of a triple sub – with France cruising to a comfortable 4-0 win, with Tel’s first half brace and another two goals after the break. Nine goals in two games for their side.
There has been plenty said about Tel struggling in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt so far, but this brace will hopefully have done him the world of good. It was great for Odobert to build on his brace against AZ Alkmaar with his two assists in the win over England U21s.
At some point, it would be really exciting to see a front three of those two flanking Dominic Solanke as the focal point. Having the speed and dynamism of those two playing off of a striker with elite hold up play like Solanke would be really interesting to see. He would definitely get service from crosses and cutbacks into the box too.
Both of Tel and Odobert’s international breaks are now over, and they will return to Spurs. Normally we say ahead of the game at the weekend, but in this case ahead of the game with Chelsea next midweek.