Tottenham Hotspur are actually properly and really in pole place to safe a Champions League spot subsequent season.
This has been an excellent weekend for the Lilywhites who after watching their closest rivals for fourth spot in Aston Villa draw 3-3 with Brentford, secured a much-needed win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
Spurs scored three targets of their very own, however not like Villa, conceded only one in what was a comparatively routine win for Ange Postecoglou‘s facet.
The Londoners have solely gained two of their final 4 league outings however are actually unbeaten of their final three, leapfrogging Villa into fourth spot within the course of.
Simply days in the past the membership drew with West Ham however this was a much more polished efficiency, notably in assault.
Murillo fired into his personal internet earlier than beautiful strikes from each Pedro Porro and Micky van de Ven wrapped up the factors. Heung-min Son registered an help however was comparatively quiet in a goalscoring sense in comparison with a number of the excellent performances we have seen in 2023/24 to this point.
Son’s efficiency vs Forest
This has been a season of transition for the South Korean who hasn’t simply taken on the goalscoring burden left behind by Harry Kane but additionally stuffed the management void.
After all, Big Lloris additionally took his depart final summer season and with it handed the captain’s armband to Son.
What has he executed with it? Properly, the attacker has been nothing wanting a sensation. We would anticipate nothing much less from one in all Tottenham’s best gamers.
Son did not discover the online on Sunday towards Forest however he did take his seasonal tally of assists to nine after laying the ball off for Van de Ven to hammer residence.
On prime of that, the 31-year-old has discovered the online on 15 events this time period throughout a sensational marketing campaign but once more for the winger.
A large participant by commerce, Son has discovered himself occupying the position of a central striker extra repeatedly this time period. It was the place he performed in towards Nuno Santo’s males this weekend, but he was unlucky to not beat Mats Selz within the guests’ internet.
The previous Bayer Leverkusen man hit the woodwork and was denied in some type by that man Selz late on. It seemed just like the ball was heading into the far nook, just for the Forest stopper to sprawl to his left to disclaim the South Korean.
On one other day he might have had just a few targets, solely substantiating his place as an undroppable determine within the facet additional. Nonetheless, Timo Werner must also maintain an identical tag after what was one in all his best shows in a Spurs shirt but.
Timo Werner’s efficiency in numbers
The German’s arrival on a mortgage deal again in January raised eyebrows. In spite of everything, this can be a man who had been made a meme throughout his time with Chelsea.
Werner solely discovered the online 23 times in 89 appearances on the blue facet of London and reality be instructed, by no means seemed up for it in English soccer.
Properly, the 28-year-old has hardly been prolific this time round both, scoring two targets in 11 outings for Spurs, however he actually appears to be like extra relaxed in Postecoglou’s system, contributing to 5 strikes on the entire courtesy of three assists.
That was notably the case towards Forest the place Werner seemed an everlasting hazard for Neco Williams.
It was the Germany worldwide who performed the ball throughout the field for Murillo to fireside into his personal internet. That was simply one in all many examples wherein he discovered himself in a harmful place down the left channel, delivering what was an “absolutely superb” performance within the eyes of Spurs presenter Ben Haines.
In complete, Werner attempted five crosses, of which two got here off, whereas his three dribble makes an attempt have been a marker of his willingness to make one thing occur.
A continuing nuisance out vast, Football.London’s Alasdair Gold handed the spritely winger an 8/10 match ranking, writing: ‘Quickly after [the opening goal] he fired in one other comparable cross however Johnson’s shot was saved. Despatched in just a few extra harmful balls within the second half and was a relentless risk to Forest and was concerned within the build-up to the third purpose.’
Talking after the sport, the loanee admitted that he was loving life again in London, sparking speak that Spurs might and may properly look to activate their choice to purchase him as soon as the summer season window opens.
On this proof, they need to do; it was a efficiency that might make him undroppable throughout the Premier League run-in.
Chalkboard
Soccer FanCast’s Chalkboard collection presents a tactical dialogue from across the international sport.
