It is fifty years since Tottenham last won
seven league matches in a row. That means half a century, a significant
chunk of a lifetime, has passed since Tottenham were quite so buoyant.
Seventeen points separate them from Arsenal and the 22-year burden of
not finishing above their north London rivals will finally be lifted.
Manchester United are trailing in their wake, meaning a top-four finish
is all but assured.
No-one, Southampton
apart, matches their production line of young talent. An impressive
stadium is rising next to White Hart Lane. They have one of the best
young managers in the game. On Saturday there was even a goal from
Vincent Janssen, his first in the Premier League from open play. So when
they play as well as they did on Saturday, you can imagine the club
being on the cusp of something really special.
One
thing is missing, however: significant trophies. Next weekend they have
a hugely-significant FA Cup semi-final, ironically against Chelsea. But
nor have they quite yet given up on Chelsea's prospective Premier
League title. Their display on Saturday indicated that they won't do so
until their rivals are finally over the line. Bournemouth were simply
swept away. Mousa Dembele, with help from Eric Dier, ran the game.
Christian Eriksen, Heung-min Son and Dele Alli provided artistic
touches. Harry Kane, starting again, weighed in with a clinical finish.
They are in scintillating form and much of
this winning run was achieved without their supposedly irreplaceable
centre forward. In fact Tottenham were so far superior in every regard
that when Bournemouth finally did register a shot on goal - from Charlie
Daniels, in the 74th minutes, which Hugo Lloris easily saved - their
own fans cheered ironically and started to sing: 'We've had a shot!' On
the touchline, Pochettino literally bounced up and down in delight at
times but there were also outbursts of Spanish cursing, stomping, runs
down the touchline and all-round agitation. He clearly felt they could
be better.
'It was game we must win because you want to pressue on your opponents,' he said.
'The
idea was to translate to the players that nothing is enough; always try
to play better and concentrate. Now, if they fail, we will be there.
The pressure in on Chelsea to try to win at Old Trafford. It will be a
tough game for them. It would be fantastic if tomorrow [Sunday] night we
keep the gap to four points. Still, four points is a lot. They are the
favourites. But, yes, we are fighting.'
Bournemouth though are in danger of making
the end of season unnecessarily uncomfortable. 'Destiny is in our
hands,' warned Eddie Howe.
'The danger
is that everyone says your safe. We have to focus the players' minds
that we're not. I think they know that. They know what they have to
do.'
Amidst an excellent Tottenham
performance, Jack Wilshere couldn't help but be centre of attention at
White Hart Lane. Arguing the toss over a 15th-minute free kick conceded
incurred further wrath from an already hostile Tottenham crowd, and
precipitated a five-minute spell where his errors contributed to
Bournemouth's downfall.
First his
attempted chest down close to his own area on 17 minutes put his side
under pressure, though he could not be blamed for the basic error Simon
Francis made. As the ball broke and ran towards the goal-line, Francis
shepherded it safely out for a goal kick only for the referee to award a
corner. And from Eriksen's corner kick and Toby Alderweireld's flick,
Bournemouth defended abysmally, Steve Cook allowing Dembele to steal in
at the far post to strike home.
Just two minutes later, Wilshere made a
rash pass which was blocked by Dier and back healed by Kane into the
path of Son. His touch allowed him to sprint past Cook all to easily to
score from a sharp angle through Artur Boruc's legs, his eighth goal in
six games.
There could have been many
more. There was Boruc's sharp save from Dembele's strike on 12 minutes,
Boruc saving again this time from Eriksen on 37 minutes and a
delightful move on 40 minutes which culminated on Son teeing up Eriksen,
whose strike just cleared the bar. On 47 minutes, a chipped ball into
the box from Dele Alli found Kane and though the England striker
demonstrated quick and nimble feet to extract a yard of space, Francis
was woefully inadequate in keeping him tight. Given his opportunity,
Kane struck and the game, at 3-0, was gone.
So
too was Wilshere shortly afterwards. A clash with Kane saw the striker
inadvertently clatter Wilshere's left ankle. Unforgivably he was taunted
by the Tottenham fans even as he lay on the ground, that his injury had
'happened again.' Thousands joined in the chant. They must all struggle
with the line between rivalry and basic decency. Wilshere looked
desperate as he tried to run it off. But he had to concede his unhappy
afternoon was over and he left the ground on crutches.
Tottenham's
afternoon was made just about perfect with the last kick of the game.
On as a late sub, Janssen, a rare blot in this season's landscape,
connected with a Son cross and fired at Boruc's feet. He re-gathered
himself for the rebound to shoot home from close range to obvious
delight all round. If Janssen is scoring, all things are possible for
Spurs.
