Joao Palhinha praises Tottenham Hotspur’s defensive commitment after yet another clean sheet vs Villarreal
Tottenham Hotspur began their Champions League on a positive note by beating Villarreal 1-0 at home on Tuesday evening.
It was a highly anticipated fixture for the Spurs fans, who watched their team in action in the elite European competition after two seasons. Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Junior scored a comic own goal inside four minutes which eventually turned out to be the difference between the two sides.
The north Londoners had to work hard for the three points, with Villarreal upping their ante in the final 10 minutes to find an equaliser. Micky van de Ven avoided a red card late on in the game, as Thomas Frank’s side held on to three crucial points. It was another clean sheet + victory for Spurs, one that delighted the gaffer.
Joao Palhinha loves clean sheets!
Tottenham were nowhere near their best against Villarreal and got somewhat leggy as the game progressed. Frank had to bring on reinforcements in the second half to help the Lilywhites see out the game. And one player who came off the bench and made an impact was Joao Palhinha.
The Portugal international entered the fray in the 69th minute and helped the hosts regain control of the game, which appeared to be slipping from them. Sitting in front of the back four, he immediately made an impact and released the pressure. He broke play, won aerial duels and passed the ball effectively, as Frank and Co. got over the line.
Spurs have conceded just once in the first five games, keeping four clean sheets, and Palhinha has been central to that stats. When asked by the reporters on Tottenham keeping so many clean sheets, the 30-year-old said he likes to finish the game with a shutout. Here is what Palhinha said via Hayters TV on Youtube:.
“Um for me as a defensive midfield midfielder, I like to feel to finish the game with that with that feeling and especially for the defenders as well and the keeper. But I think it means that we have been working well.”
Palhinha’s permanent signing is a no-brainer for Tottenham
Palhinha joined Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich this summer, with a £27million option to make the move permanent. The enforcer has added steel and balance to Frank’s side, whilst liberating the likes of Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur. He has been a key figure to the club’s strong start to the season, proving why the club did a great job by signing him on loan.
The way the ex-Fulham star is becoming crucial to the team’s play, triggering the buy option stands as a no-brainer for Tottenham.
