HOW El Tel would have loved this thriller – if not the result.This was breathless, bonkers, barn-storming football fit to please any crowd.
Watkins’ goal saw Villa leapfrog above Spurs in the tableCredit: Getty
The in-form England man hit his seventh of the seasonCredit: Reuters
And an appropriate tribute to the man who delivered us England 4 Netherlands 1 at Euro 96 with some of the most entertaining attacking play our nation has ever produced.
Tottenham, the club most associated to the late, great Terry Venables, conjured up most of the thrilling fare, at least in a relentless first half.
Ange Postecoglou had gone full Ange with his team selection after the disappointing defeat at Wolves before the international break.
With the handbrake off, his Spurs side scored one but should have had four. They conceded two, yet it could have been five.
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Playmaker Giovani Lo Celso, making his first league start in more than two years, got the ball rolling with a deflected blast.
But his former Villarreal team-mate Pau Torres headed home in the seventh minute of first-half stoppage time.
It sent Villa boss Unai Emery, who managed them both at the Yellow Submarine, potty in celebration.
Emery’s half-time tactical tweaks then came up trumps as Ollie Watkins hit a second-half winner.
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Pau Torres’ header levelled the score going into the breakCredit: Getty
He headed home well from a brilliant Douglas Luiz free kickCredit: Reuters
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It pushed Villa into fourth, just two points off top, and saw them leapfrog Spurs, who for all their exciting play have now lost three on the bounce with Manchester City away to come next week.
Tottenham were 1-0 up at Wolves a fortnight ago heading into injury time, but somehow lost it 2-1.
Postecoglou admitted this week he did not like his team’s performance at Molineux nor how his side ‘looked’.
The Aussie has not been afraid to make bold calls in his brief tenure so far and did so again here, despite injury and suspension robbing his team of several key men.
He benched the more conservative Eric Dier and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, played a back four full of full-backs, moved Dejan Kulusevski to No10 and brought in the wiry Bryan Gil.
The brave approach saw his side make an electric start, playing the kind of football Venables, who passed away yesterday (SUN) at 80, would have appreciated.
El Tel spent four great years at Spurs between 1987-91, presiding over an FA Cup-winning side blessed with Gary Lineker’s goals and Paul Gascoigne’s genius.
The home crowd gave the much-loved Venables, who also played more than 100 times for the club, a heartfelt send-off by chanting his name and applauding his memory for a minute before kick-off.
The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium paid respects to Terry VenablesCredit: PA
With both sets of players leading the minute-long applauseCredit: Reuters
Then began the madness as Spurs’ players, wearing black armbands in honour of their former manager, made a blistering start that threatened to overwhelm Villa.
Destiny Udogie, back from a ban, should have scored inside three minutes when played through by fellow full-back Pedro Porro but blazed over.
Seconds later, Kulusevski cracked the post, Brennan Johnson saw a rebound deflected and Villa eventually, just about cleared, albeit the ball appeared to bounce on Ezri Konsa’s arm in the process.
Yet Villa missed a sitter to go ahead two minutes later as Torres rose to meet a Lucas Digne free-kick but somehow planted his header wide.
Midway through the first half we finally had a goal thanks to Lo Celso smacking the ball in off Diego Carlos after Pedro Porro’s corner had fallen to the Argentine on the edge of the area.
Lo Celso punched the air in celebration, as did his manager, and you were left wondering if this might be the moment at long last for his Spurs career to take off.
Signed for a whopping £55million back in 2020, the 27-year-old has had an underwhelming stint in North London – and at one point was bombed out by Antonio Conte.
But his talent on the ball is obvious and with Postecoglou’s style of play, it could be a winning match, particularly in the injured James Maddison’s absence.
It was a frustrating day for Son, who had the ball in the net three timesCredit: The Sun
Giovani Lo Celso looks to have breathed life back into his Spurs careerCredit: Reuters
Watkins thought he had levelled 23 seconds later as he headed in Digne’s cross, but a forensic VAR check eventually adjudged him offside.
Rodrigo Bentancur was making his first Spurs start since damaging his anterior cruciate ligament in February.
So there was understandable anger from the home players when the Uruguayan was crunched by Matty Cash’s naughty tackle.
It took its toll as on 32 minutes, Bentancur hobbled off and was replaced by Hojbjerg.
Son Heung-min thought he had doubled the lead just before half-time with a peach of a strike, but again he had strayed offside.
Torres then made up for his earlier wastefulness with a thumping header from Douglas Luiz’ free-kick with virtually the last touch of the half.
Emery hauled off the booked Cash and the ineffective Moussa Diaby at the break, bringing on Youri Tielemans and Leon Bailey who both had a quick impact.
Bailey struck the woodwork when his shot was spilled by Vicario, who then kissed the loose ball as he gratefully scooped it up.
Bentancur’s injury hell looks set to continue after being on the wrong end of a tackle by Matty CashCredit: Reuters
The story of the game as Villa leapfrogged SpursCredit: The Sun
While Tielemans played a smart one-two with Watkins just after the hour, allowing the England striker to fire past Vicario and put Villa back ahead.
Villa came close to another as Digne’s dangerous free-kick was tipped away and Watkins then flicked agonisingly wide.
Yet Postecoglou’s men pressed on just as he wants them to, no matter the scoreline, and Emi Martinez had to be at his best to deny Johnson and then Hojbjerg from range.
Spurs had the ball in the net again with five minutes to go but once more it was ruled out for offside Son, who had turned home the rebound after Porro hit the post.
It was not to be for the hosts who are now going through a rough patch of results after such a fine start to the campaign – even if the entertaining football keeps on coming in N17. More
