Tottenham 3 – 0 Bournemouth

Review by Mark Wallington (Twitter: @mark_wallington)

Bournemouth weren’t expected to come away with anything from this match, and they didn’t disappoint.

The afternoon was really little more than a lesson in how wide the gap is between the elite teams in the Premier League and the rest. Even the pre-match showreel on the big screen seemed designed to put the visitors in their place, as clips of Tottenham legends – Greaves, Blanchflower, Ardilles, Lineker, Hoddle, Gascoigne and Bale – showed us the kind of pedigree we were up against. The film ended with the five goals Spurs had scored at Dean Court in November. By the time the players emerged from the tunnel, the away end felt well and truly intimidated.

This was Bournemouth’s first ever visit to White Hart Lane, and the home team welcomed us by scoring with their very first attack. Forty-nine seconds was the official time for the goal, but it felt faster. The Bournemouth defence looked at each other as if to say: “it’s not fair, we weren’t ready.” Harry Arter remonstrated with everyone, but really you could only admire the way the entire Bournemouth team had combined to concede such a simple goal so early on: no attackers tracked back to stop Walker’s break down the wing; no defenders got close enough to Kane to stop him getting what he claims was ‘a stud’ on the cross; and even Boruc contributed as he stood, rooted, and watched the ball skid into the back of the net.

The boys in pink never recovered, never found their rhythm or got their passing game together. Spurs meanwhile looked tight and creative, with a mean defence, a sharp attack and – in Mousa Dembele – a midfielder who can dominate a game from the centre circle. Leicester may sit on top of the table but Spurs must be the best all-round team in the division. A second goal was inevitable, although this time it would take a harsh critic to blame Bournemouth rather than praise Tottenham. Alli’s through ball was incisive and Kane’s shot was inch-perfect. Seventeen minutes gone and it was game over.

Eddie Howe did try to juggle things around. Arter and Afobe gave way to O’Kane and Grabban at the interval, but all that happened was Eriksen scored Spurs’ third. This inspired a party atmosphere among the home fans. They sang “When the Spurs Go Marching In” with such gusto the stadium echoed like a cathedral. Bournemouth fans were muted by comparison. Their usual chants gave way to taunts like, “Leicester City are better than you!” and other such gems. This was the first away fixture in a long time where there was no collective tension; the games are usually nail-biters with the Cherries desperately holding on for the final whistle. This time though, with the result never in doubt, it was a strangely relaxing hour and a half.

It’s hard to come away with anything positive from a game like this, but Eddie Howe managed it, bless him. He said the afternoon hadn’t been entirely wasted because Spurs had shown him how he’d like his own team to play one day.

With Eddie at the helm nothing is impossible. We can learn to play as well as Tottenham, although it might be some time before we have the showreel to match.