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This was exactly the kind of afternoon Tottenham had anticipated when Gareth Bale returned five months ago. Two goals and an assist offered strong evidence that he has a clear use beyond the Europa League cameos and increased the impression that, at last, he is ready to be the game changer and team player that José Mourinho wants. .
Perhaps even more encouraging than the individual masterpieces was his harmony with the rest of the Spurs’ four forwards, all of whom were outstanding. They were all on the same page and that was evident through the wonderful ball Bale played Harry Kane for the hit that effectively put this game beyond a sub-standard Burnley. Lucas Moura also got right into the act; Given their unfortunate streak domestically in recent weeks, the Spurs’ performance was an important timed reminder that, when properly harnessed, they have attacking power capable of blowing opponents flying.
Bale has scored goals of significantly higher aesthetic value than his first goal, but under the circumstances, the most opportunistic of close range lunges must have felt particularly sweet. This was just his third league start since returning and his most recent, at Brighton four weeks ago, was an individual and team absence. But he had looked sharper in the past fortnight, a gloriously swept finish against Wolfsberg on Thursday turning the years back, and perhaps a demonstration of the quality he produced here was the logical next step.
This goal, scored at 68 seconds, owes much to Son Heung-min’s work, although there will be debate about the forward’s intentions. When he cut in to cross from beyond the left corner of Burnley’s area, few predicted a low, scraped ball that evaded James Tarkowski’s lunge and surprised the group of players poised for a shot at the far post. However, Bale had read it and, with Nick Pope and his flat-footed defense, he sneaked in for a simple shot over the line.
Had Son wanted to find Bale that way? It would have been an exceptional feat of vision though, to be fair, that’s not beyond him. Burnley had never conceded a goal in the Premier League so quickly; his plan to sit back and play with the Spurs’ neuroses had been seriously compromised and any contingencies to make sure they stayed in the game quickly disappeared as well.
The Spurs kept coming in waves, Kane fired a deflected shot to Pope’s audible chagrin before the keeper blocked Moura well. In another blast from the past, Bale edged out Charlie Taylor to initiate an attack that ended with him focused on goal. That was moments before a much larger impact bloom that spoke volumes for her growing confidence.
Receiving possession from Pierre-Emile Højbjerg deep in his own half, Bale looked up and found Kane with a 60-yard pass to the left that beat Josh Brownhill’s lunge. What happened next felt completely familiar, Kane working the shot angle before beating Pope on his closest post via a Tarkowski deflection.
An effort to ski from a good position on his left side suggested that Bale has yet to reach peak expression. But the Spurs were having fun and got to three just after half an hour. This time it was Moura, who tapped and fired after the unfortunate Tarkowski had inadvertently thrown Sergio Reguilón’s center, who applied the wound and the only question from there was how many could score.
Ten minutes after the break came a reply. Son found Bale in acres of space to the right with a pass out of the trunk whose purpose no one could doubt. This time, Bale’s favorite foot did the job in style, wrapping the ball and sending it sweetly into the net through Pope’s very upright.
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Burnley had been unfortunate and since they are only five points out of the relegation zone, it was now necessary to avoid the kind of beating that can derail a season. Matej Vydra got ahead of his first appearance of a decent chance when the Spurs’ pace slowed, but there was never any real suggestion that they would make inroads on the scoreboard.
At least they managed to keep it down, Pope saved well from Kane e Son. Bale’s exit with 20 minutes to go, to enthusiastic applause from the Tottenham bench, was the confirmation of a job done thoroughly.
