A journey to the continent was likely the last thing Tottenham Hotspur needed, as Tottenham Hotspur travelled to Germany to take on Hoffenheim in the Europa League. Minutes were already up, players were down, and Spurs had clearly been struggling with fatigue from match to match.
More players were unavailable for selection by Ange Postecoglou in this fixture: Djed Spence and Antonin Kinsky were yet to be registered in Spurs’ Europa League squad, and Pape Matar Sarr reportedly picked up an injury earlier in the week to add to Spurs’ very long list of walking wounded. One could have been forgiven for expecting the worst given the context and Spurs’ awful league form.
Any concerns though were quickly put to rest, as Spurs came out looking sharp, taking a two goal lead into half-time. James Maddison was heavily involved in both: the first was very much a route one play, with Porro playing a fantastic chipped pass in behind the defense, and Maddison timing his run, controlling the ball, and chipping the keeper brilliantly. The second was a clever piece of defensive work, as Maddison was wise to a Hoffenheim pass played across the pitch near the halfway line, intercepting the ball and beating a defender. While the Englishman didn’t have the pace to continue his run, he got his head up and played Son Heung-min in on goal. Spurs’ captain dawdled on the ball in a manner that has been all too familiar of late, but this time the Hoffenheim defender’s challenge could only deflect Son’s shot and loop the ball up and over Oliver Baumann’s despairing dive.
Spurs could have had a third late in the half, as only a fantastic Baumann save prevented a headed chance from Lucas Bergvall, and as Hoffenheim pushed at the other end, Brandon Austin was called into action a couple of times. It was Austin, in fact, who was embroiled in a moment of controversy as the referee awarded a penalty as the Spurs keeper came out to claim a cross and collided with Max Moerstedt. It was a ridiculous call, as Austin both reached the ball first, and was arguably clattered by Moerstedt, not the other way around. The circus continued as both sides set up for the penalty, with the referee moments from allowing the spot kick to be taken before he was finally sent to the monitor by VAR. After what seemed like an age, sanity prevailed and the penalty was overturned.
That didn’t matter for Hoffenheim, though, who kept coming and eventually got their reward via a sweeping counter attack. A raking pass from deep split the Spurs defense, and the backline was far too slow to adjust as a simple pass from Spurs’ right across the six-yard box by David Jurasek was met by Anton Stach and rolled inside the far post.
It had been a nervy start to the second half from Spurs, with Hoffenheim all over the Lilywhites, but those nerves were soon settled as Son claimed a second goal. Much like Spurs’ second, it started with a poor Hoffenheim pass, this time picked off by Rodrigo Bentancur. He fed substitute Mikey Moore, who played in Son. Some fancy footwork threw his defender off balance, creating space for a left-footed shot that he struck inch-perfect across the goalkeeper to restore Spurs’ two goal cushion.
The deficit was halved once more, though, as Hoffenheim kept coming. An inch-perfect cross from Andrej Kramaric was too high for Pedro Porro to reach, but perfectly placed for David Mokwa, whose thumping header moved the German side within a goal. It was too little, too late for Hoffenheim, however, as Spurs saw out a valuable 3-2 away victory.
Reactions
- Not the tidiest of performances – but a win is a win is a win. And boy, did Spurs need one.
- The midfield looked nicely balanced first half; but that did not continue into the second 45. Rodrigo Bentancur still only seems to have about a half of actual running in him following his knee injury, and the amount of minutes seem to be starting to take their toll on Lucas Bergvall as well, who was a step slow today.
- Dejan Kulusevski is another who looks completely exhausted. His brilliant form from earlier in the season is fast becoming a memory, and the quicker we can get the Swede a rest, the better.
- Everything James Maddison did on the first and second goals were perfect. Touch, pass, execution. How good was the ball from Porro for the first as well?
- Brandon Austin made some very saves today. We’re also starting to see why he has never really had any success at the professional level, either at Spurs or when on loan. He seems to have a Davinson Sanchez-esque (lack of) ability in reading the flight of the ball, as he should have come and claimed the cross for Hoffenheim’s second and his late reactions on an earlier cross led to the contact resulting in the penalty. He’s clearly not comfortable on the ball as well – but seems happier to just get rid of it rather than kick it in his own net like Fraser Forster, which I am very okay with.
- How nice was it to see Hoffenheim shown a yellow card early as they pulled back James Maddison cynically as Spurs broke upfield? You never see those shown in the Premier League, and it was refreshing to see.
- That’s probably about the only positive thing I have to say about that refereeing performance, though. The penalty call was an absolute joke. I couldn’t believe it looked like Hoffenheim were actually going to get the penalty too. Moments like these show why VAR is needed.
- Fantastic to see a late debut from midfielder Callum Olusesi; and honestly, Ange managed the squad perfectly today. Early rests for Richarlison and Son, more minutes as Mikey Moore gets back up to speed, and even a Will Lankshear appearance!
- Spurs now take on Leicester City in the Premier League, in what really is a must-win game for the Lilywhites. COYS!
