A direct Toby Alderweireld was at the heart of a third successive victory for Jose Mourinho. The win takes Tottenham Hotspur to fifth and closer to the coveted fourth place that must surely be the aim for this season.
Direct play was not a feature in the last 11 months of Mauricio Pochettino’s reign and it already looks like it could be the key to a resurgent Spurs.
Direct Toby Alderweireld Sets Tone for Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur
Too many times under Mauricio Pochettino, the Tottenham defence passed around the 18-yard box and often inside it too, passing back to Hugo Lloris whose distribution is questionable at best. After only three games under Mourinho, that style of play is gone. On both 21 minutes and 50 minutes, it was a direct Toby Alderweireld who got Spurs attacking. Not a hit and hope, but a controlled long pass that he hasn’t shown enough of for too long. The first fell to Son Heung-min who, first time, laid the ball off for Dele Alli to finish clinically.
The second again found Alli and this time he took the ball in his stride and dinked over the keeper to make it 2-0 to the home side.
Moussa Sissoko Scores?
If Jose Mourinho is the ‘Special One’ he might just have proved it when Moussa Sissoko scored. A cult hero who works hard but can’t shoot finally got a goal, but what a goal it was, striking the volley to make it 3-0. One for the scrap book! Where were you the afternoon that Moussa Sissoko scored in the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur?
Toby Alderweireld Shines But Tottenham Must Strengthen the Defence
For all of the direct Toby Alderweireld passing, Jose Mourinho has work to do with the defence. Against West Ham United a week previously, Spurs gave away two late goals. They have learnt nothing. Bournemouth scored two second half goals through the superb Harry Wilson. The first, a sublime free kick, the second, typical of Spurs’ season. Bodies everywhere not doing anything particularly well. It was only a last ditch Jan Vertonghen tackle that denied Bournemouth an equaliser. It would have been undeserved but it showed that Spurs have plenty of problems to fix despite a perfect start under the new manager.
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