Match Report: Villa 0 Spurs 4 (is it possible Champions League spot?)

 

Match Report: Villa 0 Spurs 4 (is it possible Champions League spot?)

Like my previous article (match preview of this match), let us not start with our game against Villa, but go straight to United and then the Gooners show. Sometimes interruptions of a Spurs message can be invigorating.

The day started with Everton v Man United. A game that almost everybody expected was going to be predictable. But predictable it wasn't. Everton were struggling near the bottom of the table, while United were looking for a place in the Champions League, however, Everton secured what could prove to be a priceless victory in their battle to avoid relegation as lacklustre Manchester United were beaten at Goodison Park 1-0. Previously Everton were beaten by fellow strugglers Burnley in midweek to leave them facing the prospect of dropping into the bottom three this weekend if results went against them.

The game was a low-quality affair but with plenty of tension. That tension was in the United camp as they suffered a humiliating defeat to the potential relegation suffers. Job done, thank you, Everton! Now we move to the home of the Woolwich-Arse and their game against Brighton (yes, at home).

Brighton, who had seven games without a victory before kick-off, frustrated the home side with their orderliness and efficient forward play in a match where Woolwich failed to look threatening until they mustered a desperate late push near the end… but by then, it was too late.

Mikel Arteta said after the game that he was "concerned" by his side's performance as they handed the initiative in the race for Champions League qualification to their rivals, us, with a deserved defeat by the seagulls at their Emirates Stadium.

So, the setting for our match was looking good; we just hoped that we wouldn't do what we usually do and revert to being "Spursy" and throw our past gains away.

Before the kick-off, Mel picked me up in the land of Golden racing, secret communications, goddesses, sherbert dips, Penguins… a world like no other, no, not the Twilight Zone (close) but Cheltenham in Gloucestershire for our hour journey to Birmingham.

We had a booked car park but struggled to find it because of roadworks and one-way streets (so we gave it a miss and the prepaid money) and finally- through frustration - settled on a private car park that was even harder to get in (and out) of than Cheltenham's spying HQ. Once finally parked up, we walked to a very exclusive restaurant (Adams) to meet Terry, Ian and Colin for wine (plenty) and a smorgasbord of delights – but in miniature (the food, that is). After a good couple of hours, we made our way to Villa Park by taxi and into the ground. We talked to fellow WhatsApp members and then to our seats.

The match…

Son's hat-trick kept our Premier League top-four purpose in our own hands as we produced a clinical finishing to thrash Steven Gerrard's Mr Men team.

In the first half and us getting the first goal, we withstood a Villa onslaught to remain ahead at the interval, with Hugo Lloris making a string of outstanding saves.

Second half…

We cruised to victory with a breathtaking, counter-attacking second-half performance as Son swept home two more fine finishes, either side of an equally elegant strike from our recently purchased new player, Dejan Kulusevski.

A fourth-successive win moved us three points above Woolwich, who were, as I said (but it never hurts us to repeat it) beaten at home by Brighton earlier that day. We are now three points ahead of them, and they still have to play us at our ground (12^th May).

Thoughts…

We who possessed the different-making with our individual talents working as one team. Foremost among those talents was Son, who seemingly never ceases to amaze fellow teammates and the fans. His first and third goals superbly struck first-time efforts that both went in off the post, with a composed one-on-one finish to beat Emi Martinez.

Our midfielder Kulusevski impressed, teeing up Son for his hat-trick after firing an accurate finish through the legs of Tyrone Mings and past Martinez to put the result beyond doubt. That goal was his third for us since joining from Juventus in January.

As for Harry Kane, he took a back seat but was still involved in three goals, flicking on headers in the build-up to two. But Lloris was arguably our stand-out performer.

Harry Kane's father was sitting near us, playing on his phone.

Amazingly only three weeks ago, we sat eighth, six points off fourth place - a position we now proudly hold, even though Woolwich do have a game in hand.

Below us in the league table is Woolwich, the Spammers & and the bubble-blowing choir, followed by the poorest part of Manchester, United, in 7^th. All looking good so far for us. With seven games to go, we are in a solid position, and it is down to us and us alone to either blow it or come good.

Over our rivals, we have a superior goal difference and an easier run-in on paper, with Brighton, Brentford, Burnley and Norwich among our final seven opponents (… and yes, we've still got to play Liverpool at Anfield… a game I believe we can win…  I know you are probably laughing, just as you probably laughed when I said we would do the double over City). At the same time, the Woolwich Trogs will meet the Russian Trogs, followed by United and then the Bubble blowers.

We have won 14 of the last 18 Premier League meetings between Villa and us, and this was our seventh-straight success at Villa Park.

Can we make top four?

It isn't impossible to make the top 3, however, let us stick with the top 4, for now; yes, it is possible, but we can't afford any more cockups as Woolwich, United, and the Bubble blowers are waiting in the wings for us to slip up. I am hoping that under Conte's coaching, we have finally clicked and are ready to take our place in the Champions League.

We've had an up-and-down season with two different managers, but I am confident that Conte has gotten the team settled and has started working his magic. If we can get into the Champions League, we will then hit the summer transfer window, where I hope Daniel Levy will recognise what Conte has achieved with the misfits and underachievers (not all) he inherited and give him a good war chest to build an even stronger team. A team that will challenge, not only at home but abroad.

Our next game will be an early kick-off at our stadium, and our opponents then will be the conquers of the Woolwich boys, Brighton… who we have already beaten twice (once in the league and then knocking them out of the FA cup). They are going to be buoyed by their victory over Woolwich arse-wipes. Still, we can't and shouldn't take anything for granted.

COYS!