Match Report: Spurs 10 Everton 4 (Spurs 2 Everton 0 and I was at both matches)

 

Match Report: Spurs 10 Everton 4 (Spurs 2 Everton 0 and I was at both matches)

Yes, Spurs beat Everton 10 goals to 4. But it wasn't on Saturday the 15^th, just gone, oh, no… that was a paltry 2-0. No, I am starting this article on the day Bill Nicholson was appointed our manager in October 1958.

Our greatest manager, Bill Nicholson, was appointed on the 11th of October 1958. The appointment was announced on the morning of the home match against Everton.

With only three victories and nine points in the opening eleven games, we were only one place off the bottom of the League when Nicholson took charge. His first decision was to restore Tommy Harmer to the team. He was known as Tommy "the charmer" Harmer, he helped to inspire us to an unbelievable victory.

That was 64 years ago, I was three, and according to my dad, he took me to that game… on his shoulders. Of course, I have no recollection of it. I vaguely remember the 1960/61 season when we won the double… even the FA Cup final. So, I'll have to bow to my dad's recollection. But he did say, "it was unbelievable".

We were 6-1 ahead at half-time, and the goal scorers were Bobby Smith (4), Alf Stokes (2), Johnny Ryden, Terry Medwin, Tommy Harmer and George Robb.

The team on that Glories Day was: Hollowbread; Baker, Hopkins; Blanchflower, Ryden, Iley; Medwin, Harmer, Smith, Stokes, Robb. Only some of these players made it to the double-team winners.

As Bill Nicholson congratulated his team on a brilliant performance, Harmer the Charmer turned to Bill and said, "We won't win 10 – 4 every week, y'know!"

Spurs 10 Everton 4 (11th October 1958)

But that was then… now…

Spurs 2 Everton 0

Yes, we beat Everton to continue our unbeaten home run this season. We are also level on points with City, who got beaten by the Bin Dippers yesterday (16^th). Sadly, the forced lodgers of North London, the Mugswampers, managed to hoodwink their way to victory over Leeds to stay in the top spot. Four points above us. This means that the top three teams (Gooners, Scousers & the Lilywhites) have only lost one game each.

The game…

Harry Kane marked his 400th appearance for us with the opening goal with a victory over Everton.

Kane scored from the penalty spot after being tripped in the area by Jordan Pickford, who had failed to hold on to Matt Doherty's effort. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg added a second late on with a curling strike that took a deflection off Alex Iwobi on its way in.

Thoughts

 We dominated the game's early stages, but the first half's two best chances fell to Everton.

Kane sent a volley straight at Pickford early in the second half, but there was nothing he could do about the spot-kick, his 14th goal in 15 Premier League appearances against the Toffees or Hojbjerg's late finish.

It was our best start since 1963.

That victory lifts us to 23 points from 10 league matches, our highest tally at this stage of a Premier League season. Kane scored in five successive top-flight games for the first time in his career.

It was a dominant presentation, although we rode our luck in the first half and could have found ourselves behind at half-time. Ex-Cheslki player Frank Lampard's team were no match for us in the second half, and it wasn't long before our pressure was felt as Pickford brought down Kane inside the six-yard box with an outstretched arm.

Kane's penalty puts him within eight goals of Jimmy Greaves' all-time Tottenham record of 266.

In the match, Richarlison went down clutching his left calf and was replaced by Yves Bissouma.

Comments to Richarlison's injury after the game, "We hope it is not so serious," Conte said afterwards. "He felt a problem in his calf. He will have an MRI tomorrow."

After the game, we went to the lounge and had something to drink, waited about an hour for the traffic to die down and left… I got home at about 11ish; Mel, with his daughter and her boyfriend in tow, still had an hour's drive. I was dropped off back in Newbury.

Our next game will be against United at Old Trafford, followed by another home game against Newcastle United. This match I am taking Janette, thanks to Mel kindly giving her his ticket.

Up the Spurs!

Glenn