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Match Ratings Ratings vs Ajax (2nd leg)

MOTM

  • Lloris

    Votes: 2 0.7%
  • Trippier

    Votes: 1 0.3%
  • Toby

    Votes: 1 0.3%
  • Verts

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Rose

    Votes: 5 1.7%
  • Sissoko

    Votes: 4 1.3%
  • Wanyama

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Eriksen

    Votes: 1 0.3%
  • Dele

    Votes: 5 1.7%
  • Moura

    Votes: 252 83.7%
  • Son

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Llorente

    Votes: 6 2.0%
  • Llamela

    Votes: 1 0.3%
  • Davies

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Undecided

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Team Effort

    Votes: 23 7.6%

  • Total voters
    301

kungfugrip

Well-Known Member
Apr 8, 2005
1,613
1,523
Some incredible performances. Lucas obviously Man of the Match. Has there ever been a more dramatic Tottenham hat-trick? His 2nd goal was unbelievable skill when you watch it back.

Llorente changes the game for me. 12 aerial duels won - the Ajax defence HATED him. Incredible flick on for the winner.


Dele was back to his bullying best. He's the kid in the playground who annoys you, schools you and gets the upper hand on you and you don't know how to get back at him.

Lloris made really important saves.

Lots of other good performances but a special mention for Lamela who looked like he'd never been away in his short time on the pitch.

I stayed up until 2am watching youtube and twitter posts. Amazing.
 

dudu

Well-Known Member
Jan 28, 2011
5,314
11,048
Rose for me. He started the second half like a man possessed and was integral to both of the first goals. Real warrior like tonight.
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
What a rollercoaster. Way, way, below par for three quarters of the tie, but in the end it didn't matter. The beauty of sport, we did the damage when we had the momentum in the game and came up with a miraculous turnaround to reach the final.

There were a lot of angry people at half time, that wasn't unjustified. I described it as another half of football where we were just going through the motions. Attack, defence, individually, collectively. Just trotting around with no fire, no belief or urgency in our play. We had a couple of chances, but for the main part were putting up little resistance. Another set piece calamity, they then stroll through us and punish us for 2-0, and it looked over.

However we came out for the second half ready to scrap and at least go down fighting. We also did what we should have done last week - pushed up the pitch, flooded men forward, gone direct and really put them under pressure. The result was they didn't like it one bit. One goal on the counter quickly became 2-2 after we just completely overloaded them from left to right and eventually scrambled it home. And it really was game on.

Obviously after that it was end to end. Vertonghen had the double chance, we rode our luck two or three times at the other end when Ajax broke on us. But we couldn't quite put concerted pressure on them as time ticked away. Got to say I don't personally think the subs helped at this point, and knocked us out of stride a little - we had found a formula with Trippier on the right, Son left, Sissoko driving through the middle, Alli and Moura playing off Llorente. Plus the drive of Rose too. All of a sudden they all switched roles (or left the pitch) and we lost a little impetus I thought. However there was to be one last twist - ball pumped forward, first and second ball won, and Moura bursts through and finishes with such cool precision under the circumstances to complete an incredible win.

It wasn't that pretty, but it was effective, and yet again this team scrapped their way to a (huge) result. I/we have bemoaned in recent weeks that we haven't found that last big effort in the final stretch of the season, but it finally came last night. One more hurdle to navigate now.......... Who knows.


Lloris - Made a couple of very important saves when called upon.

Trippier - All over the place first half and partly culpable for both goals. Much better second half when attacking and up around their penalty area.

Alderweireld - As I said last night, thought he deserved a mention. Numerous times he mopped up danger and in the first half one of very few who could hold their head up. Very good game.

Vertonghen - A little suspect at times and needed Toby to bail him out, but generally was ok at the back. Doesn't look 100% fit to me.

Rose - Mega shift and desire to scrap for it. Another who stood up to be counted first half. He's not the perfect footballer, but so many of best moments of the last few years have him at the front of taking the fight to the opposition and setting the intensity.

Sissoko - Way off the pace first half, as badly as his midfield partner, got better as the game went on and drove forward well a few times.

Wanyama - Seemed to pick up a knock, but struggled to cover ground.

Eriksen - Insipid first half, did better when deeper in the second and Ajax sat off. Created a couple of lovely opportunities.

Alli - Much better with the ball tonight. First half trundled around and wasn't good enough without the ball, second half really scrapped away. Couple of good assists including the vital one at the end. Note to Poch - keep him in and around the penalty area, it's where he plays best.

Son - Has to be said, probably the one slightly disappointing player on the night. Looked lively and like he could cause them real problems, provided good width to stretch the play on the left, but mostly guilty of poor decisions, too many touches, and trying to do too much. Kept plugging away though and you couldn't fault the effort.

Moura - Got to be honest, this guy completely fucks with my mind :LOL: There are long, long spells of games (last night basically all of the first half and even lots of moments in the second) where I am bemoaning his lack of instinct and reading of the game. Many times he should make a run or offer himself to help the man on the ball and just doesn't. It gets a bit infuriating and looks like he doesn't get it at all. And yet..... Out of the blue, every so often, he shows great instinct. To follow up and perfectly take the ball for the first, surging through again for the winning goal to complete a wonderful hat-trick, he can do it. Why it doesn't happen more during general play I don't know, if he did who knows what level he could reach, but by Christ thank fuck there were enough of those moments last night in the second half. He stepped up, showed great composure in the moment, and put us in the final. Bravo, sir.

Subs:

Llorente - Had a massive impact and his presence helped to rattle and pressure the Ajax defence. Touch and link up play was Berbatov-level. Not sure where that came from, but some more of that please.

Lamela - Did ok. Neat and tidy.

Davies - Not long on the pitch, but made one sharp challenge that got the ball back for us to launch forward and score the winning goal.
 

Phomesy

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
9,188
14,102
Moura obviously but, gee, Lloris pulled off some cracking saves and Rose was as passionate as it gets.
 

double0

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
14,423
12,258
I watched back the game and cried like a baby.

Moura wow wow wow ...our own superman fitness levels through the roof.

Big shout out to Dele Alli what a second half performance got stronger as the game went on.

Second half we were just camped in Ajax half.

He's magic, you know, Mauricio Pochettino!!
 
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