Tottenham 4 Anzhi Makhachkala 1: Excellent Roberto Soldado inspires Spurs in show of style and substance at White Hart Lane

 
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Jack Pitt-Brooke12 December 2013

Spurs needed a performance more than a result last night at White Hart Lane, but they got both, beating Anzhi Makhachkala 4-1 thanks to an excellent Roberto Soldado hat-trick and wonderful Lewis Holtby finish. Tottenham are still evolving but this was one of their best attacking displays of the season, showing a new fluency throughout.

Even with first place in Group K long assured, this was never going to be a meaningless game for Tottenham. There are still so many questions about systems and selection, and every match can provide crucial clues. Although Andre Villas-Boas made seven changes from Saturday’s win, this was no second string, including Roberto Soldado, Erik Lamela and Etienne Capoue, players who will surely be regulars once they settle.

From that perspective, the first half started very well. To accommodate Lamela, Andros Townsend moved onto the left, and after five minutes he won a free-kick there from Abdul Razak. Sigurdsson whipped it in, and even given the pace on the ball, Soldado managed to flick it with the top of his head off the inside of the far post and in.

The second goal – which will have pleased Villas-Boas even more – soon followed. Lamela drifted in from the right and played a delightful reverse pass to Soldado,  who smacked it into the far bottom corner. They could have had a third before the break, as Townsend raced onto Sigurdsson’s pass, but his chip faded inches wide, but Anzhi, out of nowhere, managed to pull one back, Ewerton evading Kyle Naughton at the far post to stab in a corner.

Spurs had no need to be worried, and scored their brilliant third 10 minutes into the second half. Townsend chipped through to Holtby, running into the box. With the first touch of his left boot he cushioned the ball upwards, before turning his body and – with the ball still in the air – lifting it with the outside of that foot over the goalkeeper.

Ryan Fredericks replaced the returning Danny Rose, and Christian Eriksen came on – Spurs had five attacking midfielders for the last half hour – and they continued to push for goals. Soldado nearly headed in a Fredericks cross, before the pair combined even more successfully; the young right-back bursting forward and winning the penalty which Soldado converted, his fourth Spurs spot-kick.

Lamela nearly scored twice, first with a header, then a low shot, Holtby had a 30-yard shot palmed wide and Spurs even introduced young Shaquile Coulthirst with 10 minutes left. Soldado rightly received a standing ovation.

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