Behold the new, slightly more pragmatic version of Angeball. From choosing the powerful runs of Pape Matar Sarr in midfield to finding the right motivational words at half-time, this was a good day for Tottenham’s romanticist manager, Ange Postecoglou. His tactical choices were spot-on, his substitutions effective, and the margin of victory was exactly what Spurs deserved after they overcame their latest set-piece issues and overwhelmed Aston Villa with a stirring second-half performance.
It looked ominous when Villa, who missed the chance to go third, took the lead through Morgan Rogers. By the end, however, Spurs were in full control, with James Maddison coming off the bench to score the fourth in added time. Brennan Johnson had equalized, and a touch of class from Dejan Kulusevski set up Dominic Solanke for two quick goals. Unai Emery, who had successfully stifled Spurs in the first half, could only watch in disbelief.
Questions about Spurs' ability to grind out results were soon raised. Postecoglou adjusted his tactics, sacrificing Maddison for the midfield duo of Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur, but the conditions initially favored Villa. Spurs were limited to long-range efforts, and the crowd's anxiety was evident. Villa's plan was clear: deny Son Heung-min and Johnson space on the flanks.
Spurs needed to adapt, and they did, finding different angles in attack. After 30 minutes, Villa suddenly surged forward, with Jacob Ramsey's shot going wide. Panic ensued, with Villa's set-piece coach, Austin MacPhee, delivering instructions. Lucas Digne's high cross led to Amadou Onana's header hitting the woodwork, but Spurs managed to clear. The pressure was too much, and Rogers eventually scored from close range.
Spurs' appeals for a foul on Vicario were weak. The concession unsettled them, but Ollie Watkins missed a golden chance. This miss proved crucial. Spurs came out strong in the second half, leveling in the 49th minute through Johnson. Emery urged calm, but the action was frenetic. Solanke had a chance to make it 2-1, but Martínez saved well. Porro was booked, and Romero injured himself in a reckless challenge.
With Radu Dragusin replacing the injured Van de Ven, Spurs played with their second-choice center-back pairing. Emery introduced Jhon Durán, while Postecoglou brought on Richarlison. Despite Son's frustration on the bench, Spurs found a second wind. As the minutes ticked away, Davies made a robust challenge on Watkins. Sarr then drove forward, linking with Johnson before Kulusevski's reverse pass set up Solanke for a cool finish.
Spurs realized they should not defend a 2-1 lead. Instead, they attacked again, with Sarr intercepting a pass and releasing Richarlison, whose cross allowed Solanke to score again. Villa were finished. The added 10 minutes gave Spurs a chance to extend their lead, which Maddison took with a free-kick past a flat-footed Martínez.
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