Tottenham produced a magnificent second-half display to blitz Aston Villa on Sunday
Tottenham Hotspur got back to winning ways in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon with a 4-1 smashing of Aston Villa following the disappointing defeat against Crystal Palace last weekend.
Goals from Brennan Johnson, James Maddison and a brace from Dominic Solanke cancelled out Morgan Rogers’ early first-half goal and helped Spurs cruise to a big win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
It was a difficult opening 45 minutes for Ange Postecoglou’s side as Aston Villa dominated large periods and took the lead via Rogers. There was a lack of composure on the ball, crispness in passing, creativity in the final third and a killer instinct in front of goal over the first half.
However, Tottenham came out a different side after the break and blitzed Unai Emery’s boys—a testament to our players’ mental fortitude, unity and quality.
ESPN FC pundit Craig Burley praised Tottenham’s second-half display against a very well-organised Villa side. He was disappointed with how lacklustre the hosts were in the first half but gave credit due to the manner in which they came back and won the contest handsomely in the end.
“We have this discussion it seems on a weekly basis at the moment that it almost seems like it takes them to take that punch in the nose to get started a half-time team talk rollicking, you know change in tactics and change in pace whatever,” Burley said in an ESPN FC panel discussion.
“They were very lacklustre and I am being kind to them in the first half against a very well-organised Villa side who could have taken a second goal with Ollie Watkins as you said, but second half it was just the Tottenham we have come to know under Ange Postecoglou. It was pacey and there was good passing.”
Ange Postecoglou’s stubbornness to tweak his tactics according to the opposition has attracted criticism from the pundits and has not gone down well with the fans as well since he took charge of the club last year. However, the 59-year-old seems to have some magic in his pep talk when addressing the players in the changing room, as witnessed many times this season when the team is trailing 1-0 at half time.
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Spurs players must break this trend of conceding first and then making a comeback almost every weekend. They need to take control of games, dominate possession, create chances and be more decisive in the box.
