Champions League: Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 vs. Young Boys; (agg 6-3) - Tottenham Earn Their Spurs
After a dismal performance against Young Boys Bern, Tottenham Hotspur finally turned up the heat on home soil to clinch a place in the lucrative Champions League group stage. They have finally hit the big time and will now be able to rub shoulders with the elite clubs in Europe. Manager Harry Redknapp could not be happier.
And yet in the middle of the first leg in Bern on an artificial pitch, it seemed the English side would fall painfully short after coming so close. They were down 3-0 and looking to be out of the tournament when somehow they managed to produce a "Get out of Jail" card to bring some respectability to their defeat. That first leg ended 3-2 with some late goals bringing the Spurs back from the dead. And as the final whistle blew at White Hart Lane, despite the emphatic score-line, one could not help but think that the comeback in Switzerland was the turning point of the tie. In the immediate aftermath of that first leg, Redknapp was pilloried for playing a naive 4-4-2 away from home and that the London side had not given the Swiss team enough respect.
Yet if people thought the English manager would change his ways to suit the comments of his critics, they had another thing coming. The stubborn Englishman stuck to his tried and tested attacking formation. Jermain Defoe, despite an injury complaint, started up top with bean-pole striker Peter Crouch. Tom Huddlestone and Wilson Palacios started a burly partnership in the middle of the park while the width was provided by the electric Aaron Lennon and the best left-sided winger in the English division, Gareth Bale. Michael Dawson and Ledley King were at the heart of defence.
Yet it was the attacking quartet which combined magnificently throughout the match to put the Swiss team to the sword. Young Boys were never in the game the moment Crouch put Tottenham Hotspur in the lead in the 5th minute. Playing on home soil, in front of a partisan crowd, sensing history being made, the Spurs team were full of energy and verve, creating beautiful passing patterns to outfox the team from Switzerland.
Just to drive home their superiority, Defoe then doubled Tottenham's money by finishing off another Spurs' move. Tottenham were two nil up and soaring. Even then, they were wary of a comeback. They were playing so well they did not even miss their creative lynchpin Luka Modric, who was missing through injury for this crucial tie.
There were obvious nerves for the home side, as the side from Bern created enough chances to worry the home team. Yet, ultimately, the London-based side had nothing to worry about. Crouch scored his second and then capped off the night with a hat-trick when he rammed in a penalty in the 78th minute. Tottenham Hotspur finally won the game 4-0 to win the tie comprehensively 6-3 on aggregate.
Yes the tie was delicately poised at crucial junctures but for Spurs, the bottom line is the fact that they have qualified for the money spinning Champions League Group stage. Tottenham's entry into the main draw means there will be 4 English sides in the competition yet again.
How will Tottenham fare against the luminaries of European football? That may be a question for a later time. Harry Redknapp will be delighted to create history with this Spurs side and will be quietly confident that his is a squad enough to cope with the twin challenges of being competitive in the Champions League even as they fight to regain a place in the top four in the league.
In terms of quality, Spurs have a chance to make it out of their group in the Champions League as well, granted that they can keep their personnel injury-free and out of harm's way. If they can do that, who knows, they can surprise plenty of people to go and be a real dark horse in the elite club competition of the world.
Just for now, though, the Spurs can celebrate. They have made it into the major leagues.
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