Tottenham will now face Newcastle United in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup
Tottenham advanced to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after beating Doncaster Rovers at home on Wednesday. The Lilywhites put the West Yorkshire club on the back foot from the first minute, making it clear they wanted to wrap up the tie without leaving any room for potential scares.
Despite making seven changes to his starting XI, Thomas Frank was pleased to see his side perform well and extend their unbeaten run. The North London club broke the deadlock in the 14th minute when João Palhinha found the back of the net with an acrobatic overhead kick from close range, a moment for the fans inside the stadium to savour.
Spurs then followed up with a quickfire second after Wilson Odobert’s attempted cross deflected off an opposition defender and crossed the goal line. With the tie seemingly done and dusted, the Lilywhites made things harder for themselves in the second half as Doncaster Rovers came close to scoring. However, Frank’s men held firm, and Brennan Johnson capped a solid display with a classic counter-attacking goal in the dying moments.
Despite the positive result, there were still a few key talking points from Spurs’ performance against Rovers. Let us take a look at them.
João Palhinha excelled in the centre-back role for Tottenham
Many fans were puzzled when Thomas Frank decided to name just one recognized centre-back in the starting XI against Doncaster Rovers. There were murmurs that the Danish tactician had opted to deploy Archie Gray in the heart of the defence alongside Kevin Danso. However, that was not the case, as João Palhinha filled in as the right-sided centre-back.
It is fair to say Frank’s decision paid off. The Portugal international put in a solid shift in an unfamiliar role while regular starters Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven were rested. The 30-year-old stuck to his task in the back line and helped the Lilywhites keep a clean sheet.
Palhinha also made his presence felt at the other end. The former Fulham star got on the scoresheet, netting his second goal for the club in just his seventh appearance of the season. As per SofaScore, the 30-year-old made six clearances, two tackles and one interception against Doncaster Rovers, while completing 63 of his 70 attempted passes.
With Kota Takai, Ben Davies and Radu Drăgușin still recovering from injuries, having the option to deploy João Palhinha at centre-back could prove invaluable for Spurs.
Mathys Tel again failed to deliver for Tottenham
Thomas Frank’s decision to leave Mathys Tel out of the Champions League squad appears justified after the Frenchman’s continued struggles in front of goal. The 20-year-old has yet to settle at N17, with other forwards consistently preferred over him during his time at the club.
The talented forward, however, was handed a golden opportunity to make a statement against Doncaster Rovers when Frank decided to give him a chance to showcase his ability. Tel got himself into promising positions throughout, but his finishing repeatedly let him down. He had a great opportunity to open his account for the season when Brennan Johnson squared a low cross into his path, but the youngster completely misjudged the ball’s trajectory and failed to make contact.
The 20-year-old also squandered another chance in the second half from a late cut-back, underlining his lack of confidence and need for regular game time to prove his worth at N17. With Tottenham boasting plenty of attacking options, Tel’s poor displays are doing little to strengthen his case for more minutes.
Having been left out of the Champions League squad, it now remains to be seen how Frank will manage his minutes and rebuild his confidence over the course of the season.
Archie Gray impressed in the No. 8 role
Another standout performer from the tie was Archie Gray, who finally had the chance to play in his natural position in the middle of the park. The England Under-21 international had been used as a makeshift centre-back during the second half of last season, and there were fears that the same trend would continue against Doncaster Rovers when Frank named the starting XI.
Instead, the 19-year-old was deployed as a No. 8, giving him the freedom to make forward runs and create space for the wide players. The former Leeds United starlet displayed impressive maturity as a progressive midfielder. He was composed on the ball and combined well with Brennan Johnson and Pedro Porro on the right flank.
Gray was also instrumental during transitions, using his physicality to retain possession and glide past challenges. He threaded several dangerous passes behind the Rovers back line for Johnson, giving the Welshman time to make his choices in the final third.
With Spurs currently searching for a new midfielder who can operate in the No. 8 role under Thomas Frank, they may already have the solution in Archie Gray.
