Jonathan Van-Tam warned last week that racing into a lead can be a dangerous strategy. Not so, when Gareth Bale is playing close to his potential.
The sight of the Welshman playing alongside Harry Kane and Son Heung-min was one of the main appeals of his return to north London and it took just 75 seconds for him to combine with the South Korean to ease past Nick Pope for the opening goal of Tottenham’s 4-0 win over Burnley.
Spurs’ attacking quartet – their star trio plus Lucas Moura – was new. Even Bale, Son and Kane had only started one Premier League match together previously, a 1-0 victory away to West Brom in November.
Burnley goalkeeper Pope, who with unfortunate timing earlier this week, Sean Dyche had joked he would swap with Daniel Levy in return for a pint and a packet of crisps, was rooted to the ground for the opener and would go on to concede three more.
After Bale had put his side in cruise control, his long-range pass led to Kane’s 14th goal of the season. The striker has now been involved in 25 league goals in 2020-21 (14 goals, 11 assists).
Meanwhile Moura, who scored his side’s third after a deflection took Sergio Reguilon’s cross into his path, excelled as a number 10, his runs searching and his pace causing problems.
The Brazilian deserved a goal for his work ethic, but Son was equally relentless, Tottenham’s unsung hero of the afternoon, in fact.
Bale’s second was powered past Pope from a similar position and at the same end as his strike in the 4-0 win over Wolfsberg in the Europa League on Wednesday, but it was owed to Son’s tireless sprints, and a classy touch with the outside of his boot, which stretched a chaotic Burnley defence.
Jose Mourinho tried his front four together for 70 minutes, before eventually replacing Bale with Erik Lamela.
“I’m happy that I have them [Bale, Kane and Son] back, all of them, but it’s not just training, it’s back to a certain level,” the Tottenham boss said.
In a more fortuitous season, perhaps he would have already had plenty of chances to see his best side on paper. Kane’s ankle injuries, and a host of fitness problems for Bale, have prevented that, but there is also a counter-argument about whether they should be Mourinho’s go-to options.
In games dominated by counter-pressing, when Spurs cannot expect to have so much of the ball – such as in the recent 3-0 defeat to Manchester City – these free-finishing, effortless counter-attacks might not carry such potency.
That is what Mourinho will have to ponder anew as he welcomes the headache of having a fit – and in form – Bale back in his ranks. There has been confusion too, surrounding just how fit the number nine actually is.
He has, on occasion, disagreed with his manager on that issue, notably prior to the FA Cup exit at Everton when the forward’s social media activity seemed to contradict Mourinho’s claims that he had suffered an injury in training.
The return of full-backs Reguilon and Serge Aurier, in for Ben Davies and Matt Doherty, also provided more width and a midfield two of Tanguy Ndombele and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg dominated the Clarets, with Josh Brownhill once again far less effective out wide.
In defence, Davinson Sanchez benefited from the added security of playing alongside Toby Alderweireld and Mourinho praised the Colombian for a “very dominant” and “very fresh” performance, having rested him in the Europa League in midweek.
That label could have applied to most of Spurs’ players, Dele Alli enjoying an impressive cameo from the bench and beginning a move that was nearly finished by Son.
It was a pity, from Pope’s point of view, that he made his two best saves when his side were already 4-0 down, also stopping Kane with one hand at full stretch.
Even if Mourinho is unable to ever quite rediscover the Tottenham of old, then at least this was reminiscent of the potent, counter-attacking force who were being tipped as title contenders as recently as December. Bale might have played his part in that effort even earlier, having spent most of the season in a bit-part role, but he is at least now looking well worth his wages – well, the half Spurs pay, at any rate.
It has taken six months, but Tottenham may have stumbled into a special attack – what was Mourinho waiting for?
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