{"id":585653,"date":"2021-03-05T02:26:46","date_gmt":"2021-03-05T07:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/?p=585653"},"modified":"2021-03-05T02:26:46","modified_gmt":"2021-03-05T07:26:46","slug":"tottenham-hotspurs-fabulous-four","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2021\/03\/05\/tottenham-hotspurs-fabulous-four\/","title":{"rendered":"Tottenham Hotspur\u2019s Fabulous Four Start But Flatter to Deceive in Victory"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was what fans have been crying out for from Jose Mourinho and he finally gave them their wish as the Premier League tie saw Tottenham Hotspur<\/a>\u2019s fabulous four start for the first time. However, they flattered to deceive despite beating Fulham 1-0 thanks to a Tosin Adarabioyo<\/a> own goal.<\/p>\n

Handball Call Helps Tottenham Hotspur\u2019s Fabulous Four to Victory at Fulham<\/h2>\n

Own Goal and VAR Halt Impressive Fulham<\/h3>\n

Fulham<\/a> had the chance to move out of the bottom three with a win over Spurs but, despite their best efforts, could not pick up any points against the North London club.<\/p>\n

Ademola Lookman <\/a>was impressive on the ball and gave Matt Doherty<\/a> a torrid time on the Fulham left whilst goalkeeper Alphonse Areola<\/a> produced one great save from Harry Kane<\/a> late in the second half which was as much as the away team mustered in a lacklustre second-half performance.<\/p>\n

Hugo Lloris<\/a> was called into action to make saves from Andersen and from Tosin who looked to even things up but luck was not with Fulham in this match.<\/p>\n

Spurs, as so often this season, were poor in possession at the back and Josh Maja<\/a> thought he had got the deserved equaliser, only for VAR<\/a> to adjudge that Mario Lemina<\/a> had handled in the box. The ball was struck at Lemina from close range with his arm close to his body but the call was correct even if the rule itself looks likely to be changed again in the summer. Scott Parker looked stony-faced in the technical area as Mourinho looked relieved.<\/p>\n

Fabulous Four Looked Strangers<\/h3>\n

Dele Alli<\/a>, Kane, Gareth Bale<\/a> and Son Heung-Min<\/a> started and it was Son who played the ball in for Alli to get the touch that led to Spurs\u2019 winner. That aside, the four looked almost strangers on the pitch as Son struggled to get on the ball, Kane and Bale<\/a> seemed unsure who should be the striker and who should sit deep and despite some good touches and skill, Alli wasn\u2019t at the level Mourinho would have wanted.<\/p>\n

It was little surprise that Bale and Alli were hooked off on 67 minutes, although both Son and Kane could equally have been taken off as they laboured and looked far from their best form.<\/p>\n

Spurs looked more attacking when Erik Lamela<\/a> entered the fray as he was positive and looked to get on the front foot. He contributed to Spurs hanging on for three points and kept the ball away from Fulham more successfully than his teammates had managed to do for much of the second period.<\/p>\n

Top Four Back in Reach<\/h3>\n

Spurs are now just four points from fourth place and suddenly, a season that was starting to look in turmoil is once again looking bright.<\/p>\n

If Mourinho<\/a> is to get Spurs back into the Champions League through the Premier League, his team will need to display the attacking intent they showed against Burnley<\/a> rather than the negative and all too familiar defensive performance on display against Fulham, particularly in the second half.<\/p>\n

As for Tottenham Hotspur\u2019s fabulous four, they were more like the drab four against Fulham, leaving Mourinho with a decision to make over how best to utilise the undoubted talent at his disposal.<\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>