Five thoughts from the 4-0 win over Stoke

by

Tottenham got back to close to their best on Saturday with a commanding 4-0 win over Stoke City, which acts as the perfect confidence booster before the midweek clash with Monaco in the Champions League.

Although the game was relatively even in the first 15 or 20 minutes, from then on in it was all one-way traffic and the North London side dominated affairs.

With that in mind, here are five observations from the morale-boosting win.

Son an asset

A lot of talk over the course of the summer stated that Son Heung-min could leave White Hart Lane after a solitary season in North London.

Any suggestion that the former Bayer Leverkusen man was not in Mauricio Pochettino’s plans was dispelled by his surprise start against the Potters – and the versatile forward took his chance with both hands.

The manner of the goals he scored was one thing, but his all-round display was the most impressive element to his game.

With the ability to play in a number of different positions, Son can be an important player at Spurs and will be pushing for a start at Wembley.

Eriksen’s class key for Spurs

Talk of Christian Eriksen’s star being on the wane were well and truly put to one side on Saturday as the Dane put in a masterclass for the visitors.

A new contract for the former Ajax schemer should be deemed as a major boost for the club and the playmaker showed just why Pochettino rates him so highly against Stoke.

At the core of everything Spurs did well in the final third, Eriksen created the first two goals and was unlucky not to score himself.

Although his performances this season before Saturday had not been his best, the Denmark international reminded the world of his sublime abilities against Stoke.

Walker puts in a stellar shift

Kyle Walker is a player that has split opinion among the Spurs support, with his excellent work-rate on the front foot being counteracted by defensive naivety at times.

However, against Stoke the England international was at his imperious best, getting forward to provide an assist to Dele Alli and defending doggedly to nullify Marko Arnautovic from the game.

Walker and Danny Rose have improved significantly in Pochettino’s time at the Lane and the right-back looked to have overcome illness that saw him removed in the Liverpool clash last time out.

Sissoko may struggle for game time

With Son’s star performance, Erik Lamela becoming a critical player for the team, Dele Alli getting among the goals and Eriksen’s omnipresence, it remains to be seen just what role Moussa Sissoko will play at Spurs.

The former Newcastle United man was given a cameo from the bench with the game over as a contest at the weekend, but it appears that there are plenty of others ahead of him in Pochettino’s thoughts.

An expensive substitute at £30 million, it may be that Sissoko’s direct approach is a Plan B from the bench rather than a player that starts regularly for Spurs.

We can replicate last season

Cries of ‘it’s happening again’ from the away end were a reminder to Stoke of a similar demolition last season – and signs are that Spurs can replicate last term’s form as a whole.

Without being at our best this season as yet, Pochettino’s side are still unbeaten and can only improve with the return of Moussa Dembele.

As such, a stint at the top-four again in 2016-17 is a realistic aim, despite some of the traditional heavy-hitters improving after disappointing campaigns last time out.