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It was the perfect night for Tottenham Hotspur manager José Mourinho. He saw his team approach qualifying for the Europa League knockout stages after dominating the Bulgarian Ludogorets in a 4-0 win, and all while resting players like Harry Kane, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Son Heung-Min.
Tottenham dominated the game from start to finish and could, and probably should, have posted a higher score. Carlos Vinicius scored his first and second goals for the club and then readied Lucas Moura for Tottenham’s fourth to cap off a memorable evening, while Harry Winks added another with an extraordinary effort from range.
Now it’s five wins out of five for Mourinho’s men in all competitions.
Positive
With so many important games for Spurs, Mourinho will be delighted to have won without wearing his stars. You will also have enjoyed the performance of Dele Alli, the attacking midfielder looking spirited and in the center of the action as he created two of Tottenham’s goals.
Negative
The Spurs took their foot off the gas at one point in the second half and Mourinho showed what he thought of things by making changes to the time stamp.
Manager rating out of 10
7 – Mourinho will be delighted with his evening work. Alli enjoyed a return to form, while some of his younger players were given valuable playing time. It wasn’t the perfect performance, but it was the perfect result, and also a clean sheet.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players submitted after 70 minutes are not rated)
GK Joe Hart, 5 years old – The former England goalkeeper will never again have so little to do. He was so quiet that he hardly needed to move!
DF Matt Doherty, 7 years old – The right-back returned from his COVID-19 quarantine and made several attacking runs behind Ludogorets’s defense. Prepare Bale for a particularly glorious opportunity with a perfectly timed run and a muffled header.
DF Davinson Sánchez, 6 – The center-back didn’t have a hectic evening, but he certainly made sure of his challenges. He was a bit over the top at tackle at times, resulting in unnecessary free throws.
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DF Japhet Tanganga, 6 – He held the line well and looked impressive in the heart of the defense. He seems to have formed a good understanding with Sánchez.
DF Ben Davies, 6 – Davies hit the outside of the post with a half volley inside the box midway through the first half before taking a stray arm to the face before the break. He always sought to get ahead and be positive in his game.
MF Tanguy Ndombele, 6 years old Ndombele was everywhere in the first half, recovering the ball across the field and rushing forward with intent. A labyrinthine and powerful run and shot led Plamen Iliev to get the ball into Alli’s path for the second goal. However, he was sloppy in the second period and was substituted.
MF Harry Winks, 8 – Winks came in with his left foot from range in the first half, then scored with what looked like an extraordinary 56-yard cross pass in the second. He contributed a lovely game of jokes around the box.
MF Dele Alli, 7 -. He needs a goal and his first effort of the game ended tall and wide. However, he was disinterested in preparing for the Spurs’ second. He followed up with a rebound and instead of shooting, he pretended to attack before throwing the ball back into goal for Vinicius to touch. All in all, a return to form.
MF Gareth Bale, 6 years old – It looked dangerous from long range and you will be unfortunate that you did not find the net. He forced Plamen Iliev to make a good save from close range, and he seems to be returning to his best.
MF Lucas Moura, 6 – Moura showed a lot of energy and was busy around the area, but his pass was often a waste of possession. Tonight he just didn’t have the time, although he added some sparkle to the scoreboard with Tottenham’s fourth goal.
DEL Carlos Vinicius, 7 – He scored his first and second goals for the club. For the first, he opened his body wide and sent the goalkeeper astray after collecting a failed clearance. His second was a simple touch to follow Dele Alli’s clean pass. He later prepared Moura for Tottenham’s fourth and came close to scoring a hat-trick.
Substitutes
MF Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, 5 (replaced Ndombele, 61 “) – The former Saints player was very eager to please and even with the game won, he took on all the challenges wholeheartedly. I collected an unnecessary reserve at death.
FW Jack Clarke, 6 (replaced Bale, 68 “) – Clarke seemed busy on the right side and was not mistaken. He kept possession well and kept things simple.
FW Dane Scarlett, N / R (replaced Moura, 82 “) – He had an excellent run after coming in, but couldn’t get the ball under his feet when he went to goal. He approached again in injury time, but couldn’t get the angle right.
MF Harvey White, N / R (replaced Alli, 82 “) – He showed great energy and had an opportunity to shoot within minutes of entering, dragging his effort away for what would have been a memorable first touch.
GK Alfie Whiteman, N / R (replaced Hart, 82 “) – The 22-year-old Spurs fan and third-choice goalie greeted his Spurs debut with eight minutes on the clock and confidently claimed the ball within a minute of entering.
