A late Harry Kane strike guided Tottenham to an away win against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns for the first time after 3 previous meetings.
Tottenham continued their hundred per cent win rate for away matches in the Premier League as they earned a narrow victory versus West Brom. They also availed the opportunity to temporarily be on the top of the table after an early kick-off on Sunday, only to be replaced by Leicester at the top later in the day. Tottenham now have 17 points from 8 matches and seem to have a promising campaign ahead.
As expected, under fire West Brom manager, Slaven Bilic, set up with 5 at the back. To the surprise of many, the likes of Grady Diangana and Matheus Pereira were benched, and The Baggies played with two strikers. West Brom put in an inspired performance and some would say that they deserved something from that game.
Ultimately, it was the customary Harry Kane goal that set Spurs clear from their opposition and awarded them with all three points. Kane flicked on a Matt Doherty cross in the 88th minute with goalkeeper Sam Johnstone caught in no man’s land.
????-????: A late, late winner from @HKane secures a big three points that takes us to the top of the @premierleague for the time being!
⚪️ #WBA 0-1 #THFC ? pic.twitter.com/607k9x8ggG
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 8, 2020
Here’s how today’s Tottenham team has been rated at The Hard Tackle.
Hugo Lloris 6
It was quite a topsy turvy game for Lloris in goal. Despite the clean sheet away from home, there were moments of hesitation from the Frenchman. He was rooted to this spot when Conor Gallagher hit the woodwork from far out. Lloris did make a fine save from a Darnell Furlong header.
Matt Doherty 7
Some would argue that Doherty has only obtained a recent streak of starts due to the absence of Serge Aurier, and they would not be wrong. Doherty has not looked like himself in that Spurs back four, and he looked out of sorts versus West Brom again. If it were not for Gareth Bale’s defensive contribution, Doherty would have had a harder time at the back.
Despite a poor all-round game, it was Doherty who delivered the assist for Harry Kane’s late winner. The goal contribution will surely do the Irishman a world of good.
Toby Alderweireld 7
Alderweireld was solid at the back, dealing with everything he was asked to deal with. The Belgian won 3/3 aerial duels and completed 6 out of 9 long balls. A great performance from Toby.
Eric Dier 8
Dier made his 250th appearance in a Tottenham shirt today and gave a performance to rightly complement that feat. It was a composed and commanding display from Spurs’ first-choice centre-back. His record for the season has been absolutely terrific.
Out of every CB in the PL this season, Eric Dier has the:
• Most interceptions
• Most forward passes
• Most clearances
• 3rd best Aerial Duels
• 2nd best passing accuracy in own half (95%)Eric is sticking two fingers up to his haters, put some respect on Eric Dier’s name. pic.twitter.com/IrLrTMsjcR
— N A T H (@Nath_THFC) November 8, 2020
Versus West Brom, Dier won 5 out of 7 aerial duels and made 7 clearances, one of which was from the goal line. Dier was crucial in dealing with West Brom’s front two.
Sergio Reguilon 7
Reguilon has been a revelation at Tottenham. The Spaniard seemed to have engaged in a personal battle with West Brom wing-back Furlong, as the duo committed several fouls.
Having recovered from illness just recently, Reguilon began the game slowly but grew into it gradually. His influence on the game was massive in the second half as he got further forward and tested the keeper twice. His late runs into the box are a huge asset to this Spurs side.
Moussa Sissoko 5
Sissoko did not have the best outings on the pitch. He resorted to sideways passing for the majority of the game. Sissoko failed to engage in tackles as he was easily dominated by the imposing Conor Gallagher. It was an uninspiring performance from the Frenchman who just was not up to speed on Sunday. He was eventually subbed off for an extra striker.
Tanguy Ndombele 6
Despite all the flair and creativity that Ndombele brings to the pitch, he can be a truly frustrating figure on the pitch. He tends to get dispossessed cheaply at times, and we saw that happen numerous time versus West Brom who truly worked their socks off. Ndombele’s most notable contribution was when he wonderfully set up Heung-Min Son in the 12th minute to score but the South Korean failed to oblige.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg 7
Hojbjerg, solid as usual, was exceptional yet again. He succeeded in making robust challenges in midfield and was the sole reason behind Tottenham’s ability to compete with the likes of Jake Livermore and Gallagher. His defensive expertise aside, Hojbjerg could have moved the ball faster on several occasions and be more direct as well.
Gareth Bale 6
It was not the best of games for Bale, but the Welshman’s effort was commendable. Bale worked his socks off when it came to tracking back and helping his wing-back.
??????? Tottenham Hotspur attacker Gareth Bale with an ice pack on his right ankle, after coming off during Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 win at West Bromwich Albion.
?The procedure is designed to treat swelling, but extent of the injury remains unclear at this stage.#THFC #COYS #WBATOT pic.twitter.com/FaFCviMW8A
— Last Word On Spurs? (@LastWordOnSpurs) November 8, 2020
While he failed to make much of an impact on the pitch with the ball at his feet, he did show understanding of Tottenham’s style of play as he made intelligent runs and was able to pick the right passes too. Bale’s setpiece ability is a strong trait that could become a huge asset for Spurs in the near future.
Harry Kane 8
Goal number 150 in a Tottenham shirt in the Premier League for their golden boy, Harry Kane continued his exceptional start to the season. Kane’s passing ability has come to the world’s attention and we could see that it was something Jose wanted to make use of. Kane often dropped very deep and looked to build up and break down stubborn defences.
Harry Kane becomes the 10th player to score 150 Premier League goals ✨ pic.twitter.com/25mf3BQbzN
— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 8, 2020
Harry Kane scored the late winner that was the difference between the two sides. The goal was a deft flick with the head over Johnstone from within the six-yard box. Truly a complete centre-forward.
Heung-Min Son 6
A wasteful performance from the otherwise prolific Heung-Min Son. His decision making was extremely poor. Son took far too long to get a shot away in a big chance he got in the 12th minute. Even otherwise, Son looked to get too many touches on the ball before making the right decision.
Son’s inability to score or assist made life difficult for the Lilywhites who seemed to struggle in breaking down their opposition defences.
“We are a team and the boys are behaving like a team.”
? Jose’s reaction at The Hawthorns. #THFC ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/vcFFOtZm3F
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 8, 2020
Substitutes
Giovani Lo Celso 7
After an impressive performance in the Europa League, Lo Celso would have liked to continue the momentum. While Lo Celso did not affect the score, he certainly brought more urgency and zeal in the spurs midfield who lacked energy in what had been an uninspiring display. The Argentine also missed a glorious chance in the opening minutes of the game from close range.
Carlos Vinicius 6
Came on for the unimpressive Moussa Sissoko and looked hungry for goals. Vinicius got a fantastic shot away towards the bottom left corner but was well saved by Johnstone. An extra attacking threat in the box made life difficult for West Brom who looked desperate to keep a clean sheet.
Lucas Moura 6
Added fresh legs to the situation and aimed to spread the compact 5-3-2 to wider areas. Lucas would have wanted to impact the game in greater capacity but it was not to be.
