On Sunday night Galatasaray confirmed that Wesley Sneijder had signed from Inter Milan. For some, he’s gone to a corner of the footballing world to die, or less dramatically, to retire. For me, it’s just a bullet dodged for most in the Premier League.
I’m not suggesting that Sneijder is a bad player or incapable of bringing a great deal to most in English football. What I am suggesting is that any acts of significant quality would likely only come next season.
The player is 28, was on big money at Inter and kept his wage demands high for anyone willing to offer him a way out of Italy. The game in Turkey is said to be less intense, but were Sneijder to have arrived in England this January, much of the next few months would have been his preseason. With the uncertainty and unpredictability of the Premier League, how many clubs can afford to take that gamble?
And there’s another major point in this Sneijder debate. Liverpool were said to be in for him, but even with his wages at Galatasaray reported to be at 4 million euros—for a player who should be in his prime—why did so many big clubs across England and the continent decide to avoid him?
Does the player represent a figure who would slot into any side in England and make a major impact off the bat? That obviously puts to one side the need for him to regain fitness. Any player of his calibre needs the rest of the team to be built around him. Considering the makeup of many top teams in the Premier League, how many would have been likely to do that? Does that equate Sneijder being a luxury purchase? Maybe not entirely, but at this stage close enough.
Another factor is the decline in production from Sneijder over the past couple of seasons. During Inter’s treble-winning season, the Dutch midfielder was one of the very best in Europe. That season he was the hub of an hugely impressive Inter Milan side and a player who likely would have won the Ballon d’Or had Lionel Messi and a couple of Spanish midfielders not been around.
The performances have waned, yes, and it could simply be a case of the player needing a move to reignite his game. But it remains a gamble, and it might not make as much sense as bringing in a younger, cheaper alternative. Galatasaray have plenty to offer besides wages—lets not forget that they are a Champions League team. The Dutchman has won league titles, the biggest competition in club football and played spectacularly in a World Cup in which he reached the final.
In Turkey, he may have been given guarantees that he will be the star of the team, he will be given the opportunity to regain his form in a high-pressure situation but not as close to the spotlight as in recent years. Despite what many may say, Sneijder has still gone to a big club in Europe with fantastic support. The player is nowhere near to the end of his career, but what would it do for his confidence if he does become a star once more? The obvious leader of a team with plenty of hope, both old and new following his arrival.
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In England, the risk would have been too great. Every move would have been overanalysed. The interested would have raised even further as to why Manchester United were linked with him so heavily in the past, and if the weight of pressure became too heavy, it very well could have spelt the end of Sneijder’s career in a major European league.
This is a player who was once great, and evidently the appeal of a star name is still there for many fans in England. But there are many players in Europe who would provide far more guarantees than Sneijder at this time.
The January transfer window ended on more of a whimper than a bang, with the biggest deal of deadline day coming in the form of Chelsea’s £23million swoop for Juan Cuadrado – a transfer that had been talked about for a while now.
Tottenham were particularly quiet on the inward front last month, with their only arrival coming in the form of League One prodigy Dele Alli, who has now been loaned back to MK Dons for the remainder of the campaign.
So, should the Lilywhites be praised for not falling into the many traps of the winter market, or is this a window of missed opportunities for Spurs?
Perhaps this select XI, combining the club’s top performers with rumoured January targets, will shed some light on the debate.
GOALKEEPER – HUGO LLORIS
Rather than adding to their goalkeeping department in January, Tottenham spent the month keeping Hugo Lloris’ potential suitors at bay.
The France international has enjoyed some incredible form this term, and he’s currently third in the Premier League’s saves rankings with 61 in 23 appearances, in addition to recording six clean sheets.
The 28 year-old signed a five-year contract extension in the summer, in theory protecting him from a winter departure. But as rumours of Manchester United’s David De Gea moving to Real Madrid gained traction, The Express speculated that Lloris could be targeted as his replacement.
Eventually however, neither deal took place.
RIGHT BACK – MARTIN MONTOYA
//www.youtube.com/embed/UyThTfaibVY
Having emerged on Spurs’ radar ahead of January 2014 and recently declared himself to be ‘100%’ committed to leaving Barcelona, I find it incredibly surprising that none of Martin Montoya’s mooted suitors launched a swoop for him last month.
The right-back is considered to be one of the more promising La Masia products of recent years, exploding onto the La Liga scene with a stunning long-range strike against Malaga during the 2012/13 campaign – a huge testament to his quality on the ball – and also winning two European Championships with Spain’s U21 squad.
He’s continued to impress in a cameo role but has grown frustrated with his recent lack of game time in preference of Dani Alves, managing just four starts in the league this term.
The 22 year-old would have been a fantastic addition to the Spurs squad, being equally adept on either defensive flank, and his £16million release clause should have been within the North Londoners’ financial reach last month.
Such a bid failed to materialise however, and reports since claim Montoya’s about to extend his contract at the Nou Camp.
CENTRE-BACK – JAN VERTONGHEN
Jan Vertonghen is still yet to rekindle the imperious, ball-playing form of his inaugural Premier League campaign, but we have seen a mini revival in the Tottenham centre-back this season.
His performances have significantly improved since being partnered with summer signing Federico Fazio, and he’s now averaging an impressive 1.6 tackles, 1.9 interceptions, 6.7 clearances and 2.2 successful aerial duels per match, with a pass completion of 87%.
Having rejected a contract extension in September, many speculated the Belgium international would be poached by another club in the winter window.
Liverpool, Manchester United and even local rivals Arsenal were listed as potential suitors, but the 28 year-old remains a Spurs player for now.
CENTRE-BACK – FABIAN SCHAR
This inclusion is no diss to the aforementioned Federico Fazio, but Tottenham had the opportunity to snap up one of European football’s brightest defensive prospects last month in Basel centre-half Fabian Schar.
The 23 year-old has excelled in the Champions League over the last 18 months, averaging an incredible 3.3 tackles, 4 interceptions and 6.7 clearances per match, and also impressed in a cameo role for Switzerland at the World Cup.
He boasts a supremely confident, front-footed style, reminiscent of Jan Vertonghen’s, and with his contract now into its final six months, he was linked with a plethora of top clubs ahead of the January window.
The Metro believe he could have been signed for just £9.5million, but Schar remains with the Swiss Champions.
LEFT BACK – BEN DAVIES
Having entered the January window with an incredible five players capable of filling in a left back – Jan Vertonghen, Danny Rose, Ben Davies, Kyle Naughton and Benoit Assou-Ekotto – No.3 is one of the only departments that didn’t require Tottenham’s attention last month.
Instead, the Lilywhites spent the window separating the left-back wheat from the left-back chaff; Naughton moved to Swansea for £5million and Assou-Ekotto had his contract terminated, evoking a rather hilarious response on Twitter.
CENTRAL MIDFIELD – YOHAN CABAYE
Cleary out of favour at current club PSG, managing just nine starts in Ligue 1 this season, former Newcastle star Yohan Cabaye was certainly there for the taking last month.
The France international’s £20million valuation may have been a little pricey for the Lilywhites mid-season, but Mauricio Pochettino’s lack of faith in Spurs’ current central midfielders is obvious, with the Argentine preferring academy duo Ryan Mason and Nabil Bentaleb over the likes of Moussa Dembele, Paulinho and Etienne Capoue, who cost the club a combined £32million.
The 29 year-old, who blends industriousness and a cultured passing game with incredible potency from dead ball situations, is well-proven in the Premier League too, boasting 18 goals and 15 assists in 92 appearances from his two-and-a-half terms on Tyneside.
A number of English sides were linked throughout the window, but Cabaye reportedly rebuffed their interest, instead preferring to fight for his place at Parc de Princes.
FABIAN DELPH
Another midfielder that would have been perfect for the Lilywhites, in my opinion at least, is Aston Villa’s Fabian Delph.
Much like the action-packed Ryan Mason who’s gained such a fan in Mauricio Pochettino, the England international is another gut-busting midfielder, offering athleticism, work-rate and trickery, as demonstrated in the above goal against Chelsea last season. He’s averaged an impressive 1.6 tackles, 2.4 successful dribbles and 1.1 chances created this term.
That makes him an ideal suitor to the high-pressing style Pochettino is trying to implement at White Hart Lane, and with Delph’s contract set to expire at the end of the campaign, it seemed a transfer situation made in heaven. A £7.5million bid was even speculated by some news outlets.
Eventually however, Spurs offered Mason a five-year deal instead before signing League One midfield sensation Dele Alli on deadline day, whilst Delph agreed new terms at Villa Park.
RIGHT WING – MEMPHIS DEPAY
Tottenham have lacked viable options out wide this season and they were resultantly linked to Eredivisie star Memphis Depay during the January window, along with Manchester United.
The 20 year-old has wreaked havoc in the Dutch top flight over the last 18 months, amassing 25 goals and 10 assists in his last 49 league outings for PSV, including a return of 13 goals in 17 appearances this season, and also impressed for the Netherlands at the World Cup, netting twice in the group stages.
Already drawing comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo, in part due to their shared free kick technique, Depay is regarded as one of European football’s hottest prospects. Despite signing a new contract with Eindhoven in the summer, Mirror Football alleged that he could have been available for just £15million.
A bid never materialised but with the explosive winger continuing to improve his game at an incredible rate, we could see the White Hart Lane outfit launch a swoop in the summer.
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ATTACKING MIDFIELD – CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN
No matter who Tottenham signed this January, Christian Eriksen’s place in the starting Xi would never have come under genuine threat. The Danish international has emerged as a real talisman for the Lilywhites this term, scoring nine goals in 23 appearances – including, rather incredibly, three last-minute winners.
Also averaging an impressive 2.3 chances created per match, the 22 year-old could well be the next Spurs star to leave the club for a ridiculous amount of money.
LEFT WING – ANDRE SCHURRLE
With Chelsea’s interest in Fiorentina star Juan Cuadrado well known, Tottenham were reported as one of the clubs willing to take fellow winger Andre Schurrle off the west London outfit’s hands, along with Wolfsburg and Liverpool.
The German international has struggled for game-time this term, seeing just 433 minutes in the Premier League, but he proved his quality at the World Cup, scoring twice from the bench and providing a tournament-winning assist for Mario Gotze.
His blend of firepower, pace and defensive work-rate in the winger-forward role would have suited the Lilywhites’ style and philosophy perfectly, but the 24 year-old eventually joined Wolfsburg on deadline day in a £22million deal.
Reports since claim Tottenham inquired regarding Schurrle’s services, but were put off by Chelsea’s £30million price-tag for selling to a divisional rival.
STRIKER – MATTIA DESTRO
//www.youtube.com/embed/WsBaQTCBym8
Despite the recent heroics of Harry Kane, The Metro reported the Lilywhites to be in a race with Arsenal to sign Roma striker Mattia Destro during the final week of the winter window, following revelations that he’d grown tired over a lack of first team football at the Stadio Olympico and was interested in other opportunities abroad.
The 23 year-old boasts a promising return of 23 goals in 52 Serie A appearances for the Italian capital outfit and is regarded as a particularly efficient striker, grabbing five goals this term from just 22 efforts at goal, with a shot accuracy of 67%.
And although Kane has been in top form this term, earning him a new contract two days ago, the rest of Tottenham’s strikeforce have scored just thrice between them – so an injection of firepower for the end of the campaign could have really improved Spurs’ top four chances.
TalkSport alleged a part-exchange for the Italy international involving Vlad Chiriches, but such a deal failed to materialise and Destro instead joined AC Milan on loan.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has talked up teenage addition Joe Gomez as a first-team player for the 2015/16 campaign, despite links with a loan move away from Anfield.
The 18-year-old arrived on Merseyside from Charlton Athletic in a £3.5m deal just a matter of weeks ago, but, due to his age, a loan switch away from the club has been mooted to aid his development.
However, Gomez has started both of the Reds’ pre-season wins so far, against the Thailand All Stars and the Brisbane Roar, and has impressed in these outings.
WANT MORE? >> Liverpool transfer news | Latest transfer news
His performance at the Suncorp Stadium against the A-League side earlier today was particularly notable, with the England U-19 defender deployed at left-back, not his natural centre-back position.
He thrived in the role, and after the game Rodgers talked up Gomez’s performance and revealed that he will be a first-team player for the coming campaign:
“A big plus tonight was young Joe Gomez,” he is quoted by the Liverpool Echo.
“I’ve seen him at centre-half and at right-back but I wanted to see him at left-back and I thought he was outstanding.
“Joe will stay with the club this season. I’ve already seen enough in this period.
“With young players I bring them in and I judge them over the pre-season period and seeing him close at hand and his personality he will be staying, he will get games.”
Rodgers went on to say that Gomez’s impressive start to life at Liverpool means that there will be no need to buy another centre-back this summer:
“I think we’re fine for centre-halves,
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“We’ve got the two boys who started (Skrtel and Sakho) and then Lovren and Toure.
“Young Gomez can play in there too so we’re fine in that area. Joe played a lot of his career at Charlton in the middle.
Tottenham Hotspur were in lethal form on Saturday, destroying Burnley at Turf Moor in the English Premier League.
The home side were powerless to resist the attacking threat of Mauricio Pochettino’s side, who had a Harry Kane at the top of his game to thank for the 3-0 victory. The England striker scored a sensational hat-trick, proving once again he is one of the best strikers in the world right now.
While he’ll grab the headlines, supporters were also full of praise for a more defensive talent, Davinson Sanchez.
The Colombian defender has missed Spurs’ last three matches due to suspension but was a rock at the back on Saturday, with some fans believing he makes all the difference to the team.
Spurs will be hoping they can carry the good form shown against Burnley into Boxing Day when they take on Southampton at Wembley.
Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts on Sanchez’s performance…
Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has questioned the reasons behind Dougie Freedman’s decision to leave Selhurst Park to take the managerial role at Bolton.
Freedman had lead Palace to fourth in the Championship so far this season, before deciding to join Bolton who are currently sitting in 16th.
And Jordan believes there is more behind the move than just more money and a bigger stadium suggesting that Freedman should have remained at Selhurst Park to continue learning his trade as a manager.
Jordan told TalkSport: “In this situation, Dougie Freedman is managing a team who is fourth in the league and doing very well. So why is he joining Bolton?
“I believe that Dougie Freedman didn’t really want to leave Crystal Palace. He is probably wise enough to realise that he has got a lot of learning to do, and learning his trade at Palace, building up his skillsets, would be more prevalent than jumping out for a club like Bolton who are, to be fair, in a little bit of disarray after dropping out of the Premier League and now starting the Championship in the same way they finished the Premier League season.”
Jordan also suggested that the current owners of Crystal Palace may not have had a good enough relationship with Freedman and may have wanted him to leave in the near future anyway.
“I think this a situation where possibly, possibly, Crystal Palace might not have wanted Freedman for some perverse reason and this has now presented them with an opportunity that has solved their problems.
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“There’s no logic here. Dougie Freedman is a very, very popular character and he is very popular with the fans, and it can sometimes be difficult for owners to accept that their manager could be more popular than them.”
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has admitted that he unsure of the situation regarding long-term target Neymar.
The Brazilian attacker has been on the wanted list of the Premier League club for some time due to a succession of breath-taking displays for Santos in his homeland.
The club are believed to be preparing a move for the 20-year-old, but Mancini confessed that he’s unsure of the player’s situation ahead of discussions with City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain:
“I have read that Barcelona are buying Neymar but I don’t know if it is true or not.” The Italian is quoted by SkySports.
“When Txiki starts to work here this week, we can start to talk about the future. For us, that is very important.
“Neymar is a Santos player at this moment and I don’t know what will happen to him in the future.
“But I am very happy to work now with the sporting director because he knows the situation.
“We have talked on the phone and by messages and now we will meet in the next few days.”
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Neymar is widely regarded as one of the finest attacking talents in world football, attracting attention from the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and big spending Russians Anzhi Makhachkala.
There is little doubt that the Sky Blues have the financial muscle to compete with other interested parties, but it’s unclear as to where the youngster sees his long-term future.
Upon news in the summer that Nuri Sahin would be moving to Liverpool on a season-long loan, I began to foam at the mouth. Although I hadn’t witnessed much of the Turkish international first hand, rare glimpses of his abilities had come my way during his time at Borussia Dortmund, and furthermore, his reputation of being an exceptional passer and a dead-ball specialist precedes him.
Similarly, with the Real Madrid man set to join Liverpool, a team that are all-in-all on the decline and lacking in true star quality, excluding Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez, I was most likely not the only one who expected Sahin to excel upon becoming a big fish in a slightly smaller pond compared to the situation at the Bernabeu.
But six months down the line, and it appeared something had gone horribly wrong. Sahin was sent packing, most likely to relieve pressure on the bursting wage bill at Anfield and free up some funds for new signings Daniel Sturridge and Phillipe Coutinho. In his time on Merseyside, the midfielder ended up making just 12 appearances for the Reds, seven of them coming in the Premier League, with his most successful outing being his brace against West Brom in the League Cup.
Of course, sometimes, transfers quite simply just don’t work out. It can be due to a whole host of factors; the style of play, a lack of time to adapt, the coaches, the manager, injuries, the other players or even a simple twist of fate getting in the way. I remember a particularly woeful performance against Everton in the first Merseyside derby of the season, in which Sahin was hauled off at half time with a rather dismal statistic of a 52% pass completion rate to his name. It was clear that something wasn’t right; the midfield maestro was yet to firmly settle at Anfield, and perhaps was not a player who could naturally acclimatise to the English game.
Yet my football sense was tingling. It seemed unusual that a former Bundesliga title winner, whom finished up with six goals and eight assists in his last season with Borussia Dortmund, would appear to be such a spent force whilst in a Liverpool jersey. Upon his departure from England, Sahin had his own explanation for his lack of form; “Brendan Rodgers wanted me to play as a 10 but I do not play behind the forwards. I spoke with him and asked him why I was playing there. It is not my real position. The boss could not answer me… still, I am not sorry about it. To play in the red jersey and be in Anfield is something marvellous. Maybe if I had not gone there I would not have been able to return to Borussia Dortmund. For that, I am happy. But I have left Brendan Rodgers, thanks be to God.”
I find the final sentence rather ridiculous, and more than anything it seemed that Sahin was passing the buck for his below par performances onto his adoptive manager. But it does raise an interesting point, especially considering upon the Turkish international’s return to Borussia Dortmund, to complete his season-long exile from the Bernabeu, he scored twice and provided an assist in his second starting appearance for his old club.
So, was his uninspiring tenure in England simply due to Brendan Rodgers being unable to get the best out of him, and will it be looked back upon as an opportunity missed in years to come?
I have little doubt it remained a factor. The capture of Sahin at the time appeared a transfer coup and whether it was the Liverpool gaffer’s decision or not wasn’t really an issue considering his pedigree. But considering the make-up of the Anfield squad, Rodgers found it difficult to find room for the Turk. It’s no secret that he favours youth prospects, and indeed, I am certainly not criticising his philosophy of giving younger players first-team experience as a means of turning around Liverpool’s fortunes in the long run. But in the process of giving Jordan Henderson, Jonjo Shelvey, and new signing Joe Allen, opportunities in the starting XI, the Northern Irishman essentially overlooked his second-most talented midfielder after Steven Gerrard. Perhaps this is why Rodgers suggested the attacking midfield role to Sahin, however the decision clearly didn’t sit well with the Dortmund loanee. Also, with dead balls being one of his biggest assets, one strength of his game was taken away by Steven Gerrard, who has a monopoly over set pieces at Liverpool.
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Similarly, I don’t wish to have a dig at Rodgers, as I think, all things considered, he has done a great job of getting the Anfield house in order, but in the grand scheme of things he is still relatively inexperienced and this is his first season managing top class players. Whilst he is clearly gifted in getting the best out of youngsters and bringing them through, encouraging, motivating and interacting with an already accomplished elite player, who on top of that is a new arrival on Merseyside, is an entirely different task. Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez may also fill much of that criteria, but unlike Sahin are firmly settled at the club, and their devotion, allegiance and determination has never needed to be questioned.
But I believe simply blaming Rodgers, or condemning him in the manner in which Sahin has done upon his departure is rather short-sighted. The 24 year old struggled with injury upon moving to Real Madrid, and as Jose Mourinho favoured to sticking with the players he knows best last season as a means of prioritising security over risk throughout the La Liga title race, Nuri Sahin failed to get going, making just 10 appearances in total for his parent club. Of course, it should not have diminished his natural quality, but it would be safe to say the midfielder had to shake off some ring-rust whilst at Liverpool, which is perhaps why he never played a full 90 minutes under Brendan Rodgers.
Furthermore, although managers clearly have an impact on the performance of every player, a lot of the responsibility for Sahin’s performances has to be down to him. His poor showing against Everton was unacceptable, and similarly, you’d expect more than eight chances created in seven league appearances and an average of just one shot per game from the talented midfielder.
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I believe in the years to come, Sahin’s short tenure at Liverpool will be looked back upon as an opportunity missed. Although I see little point in playing the blame game, and the 24 year old’s negative comments lacked class, Brendan Rodgers certainly failed to take advantage of having such a high pedigree player at his disposal, during what was a difficult teething period for the Anfield club at the start of the season.
But that’s football; sometimes it just doesn’t work out. The Northern Irishman had a lot of priorities to balance out and consider, and perhaps in the long-run, choosing his young bucks, whom will no doubt be a part of the club’s future, over a temporary player, will prove to be the right decision.
Robin van Persie wants to stay at Manchester United to warm the bench.
Well, that’s the claim from the Daily Mail, who insist that despite a possible lack of playing time next season the 31-year-old is eager to see out the last year of his contract and help the Red Devils with their, likely, return to the Champions League and title ambitions.
Although a great forward just a few years ago and still useful on his day, it would be shame to see Van Persie reduced to this, with a move away from Old Trafford potentially what he should be looking at.
Here are FIVE reasons why…
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Will he really get playing time at United?
The big question RVP must ask himself.
As it stands, it looks unlikely that the Dutchman will be anything more than a back-up man, with, despite his close relationship with Louis van Gaal, his role having come into question.
Van Persie looks unable to contribute to LVG’s desired attacking set-up, with his fading pace becoming more of an issue.
Is he still cut out for English football?
Erm… it doesn’t look good.
Anyone who’s watched Van Persie this season cannot deny that he’s missing that yard of pace and explosiveness he once had, which is vital in getting into the right position and putting away chances in the Premier League.
It’s a shame, given that RVP was one of the finest forwards around a few years ago, but mother time waits for no man.
More competition likely to come in
Edinson Cavani, Gonzalo Higuain, Carlos Bacca… it’ clear that an attacking talent is on Van Gaal’s radar. Should one, or potentially more, arrive, then Van Persie will sure be shifted down the pecking order.
At which point staying would look a foolish move, given that, at 31, the former Arsenal skipper needs to be playing to keep in the groove.
Chance of late career success
Turkey, America, Italy… all are potential destinations for Van Persie, who could travel off in search of one last hurrah.
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He still has miles left on the clock, but in the English game his lack of physical ability is becoming an issue, and although a little stereotypical, other divisions across the planet rely less on running and more on technical prowess… which he still has!
Could be the main man somewhere else
Van Persie operates more effectively when he’s the focal point of the team.
At Arsenal Arsene Wenger built his tactics to get the best from him, which garnered a shed load of goals, and in his debut Old Trafford campaign Sir Alex Ferguson did the same, which brought the title.
Van Gaal looks unlikely to do that now for the striker, but elsewhere a big side may be more willing to alter their style to get the best from RVP, who, lest we forget, is still a great footballer.
Earlier today, Sky Sports reported that Newcastle had agreed a loan deal with Anderlecht for striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to return to his former stomping ground.
The 33-cap Serbian international earned a move to Tyneside in summer 2015 after excelling for the Belgian outfit. But he’s plummeted down the pecking order drastically since Rafa Benitez took charge of the Magpies and has made just six substitute appearances in the Premier League this season.
However, that doesn’t mean Mitrovic’s Newcastle career is definitely over. It’s assumed his loan deal will be until the summer, at which point his contract will have two years remaining. Likewise, with doubts ongoing regarding Benitez’s future, the 23-year-old could return to his parent club with someone else at the helm.
Accordingly, we asked Newcastle fans earlier today whether Mitrovic still has a future at the club but according to our poll, a slim majority of 54% believe his Toon career is essentially over.
Who would you like to see join the club before tonight’s deadline, Newcastle fans? Let us know by commenting below…
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Tottenham Hotspur are through to the fourth round of the FA Cup after a comfortable 3-0 win over AFC Wimbledon at Wembley on Sunday.
Spurs dominated throughout the 90 minutes but had to remain patient before scoring the opener against determined lower league opposition, which came through Harry Kane in the 63rd minute.
He added his second of the afternoon and 26th of the season so far just two minutes later before defender Jan Vertonghen rounded off the scoring in the 71st minute.
Fans were happy with the result and performance but criticism was aimed at one player in particular after an ineffective performance.
Striker Fernando Llorente was given a rare start by Mauricio Pochettino alongside talisman Kane, but failed to provide the desired attacking threat and was ultimately hauled off just before the goals started pouring in.
He’s scored just two goals in 22 appearances since joining from Swansea City in the summer and supporters are beginning to question whether he should be included going forward.
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They took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his Sunday performance…