What You Do To Me - Spurs Teenage Fanclub Hit The Right Notes

Lets be honest, there wouldn't have been many Tottenham fans thinking that the last fixture in stage one of this years Europa League was going to be straightforward. Certainly not when you think of what else has been going on this season, let alone during the Europa games.

Still, a couple hours later and we were all wondering what the fuss was all about. Obviously it wasn't a run-of-the-mill 3-0 home victory, because with Spurs it never is or can be. In fact, what happened in the last 20 minutes or so was quite remarkable.

Damola Ayayi celebrates his goal.

Any write ups I'd seen regarding the opponents , Elfsborg FC, described them as defensive. This was evident from the kick off where from the start they stuck 10 men behind the ball / parked the bus / employed a low block. Please delete to show if you're Gen X / Millenial / Gen Z. It also appeared from the start that the chronically struggling for form Son had his full back on the proverbial toast. He really was just to good for him.

Mikey Moore (more of him later) also started strongly on the other wing but Spurs struggled to make that all important break through. When they did they found Elfsborg keeper Isak Petterson in great form. The away team were obviously convinced that a point would see them into the play-off round so I can't say I blame them but of course this never makes for much of a spectacle.

This made for a very handy situation to be able to introduce Micky Van der Ven back into the starting line up. It was encouraging for him to get 45 mins under his belt and along with Sonny he was replaced at half-time.

Ange said after the game that both of these substitutions were pre-planned, not surprising with Brentford away and a small matter of Liverpool in the second leg of the semi-final looming large on the horizon.

Bentancur was also replaced so on came Dragusin, Bissouma & Kulusevski for the second half. The game carried on in the same vain with Spurs dominating possession but not quite being able to find that break through. Then the inevitable happened. No, Elfsborg didn't score with their first shot on target, but almost as typically Dragusin stretched his knee and had to go off. 

One out, one in. Radu checks into the THFC medical department.

A managerial masterclass of a decision plus of course the fact we had no other defenders on the bench, meant Ange decided to replace him with Dane Scarlett recalled just a few days previously from loan at Oxford United. Around three and a half minutes later Scarlett was sliding towards the South Stand on his knees celebrating his first senior goal for Spurs. Because Mourinho gave him his debut what seems like donkeys years ago, you think he's older than he is at 20. The way his movement made the cross from Kulusevski look even better than it was shows that striker instinct is there. Let's hope thats the first of many.

Ten minutes later another academy graduate 18 year old Damola Ayayi replaced Richarlison. About two minutes after he dribbled in from the right hand side, played a delicious one-two with Scarlett and placed a left foot shot accurately into the corner of the net. Elfsborg were broken. Obviously, knee slides after scoring are now part of the training routine as Damola did the same. The home crowd went mad because I think even the most pessimistic home fan couldn't see Elfsborg coming back from this. And there's nothing quite like a goal from another 'one of our own'.

When you've got a cake thats covered in icing there's nothing that finishes it off quite so well as a cherry. Well Spurs' cherry arrived three minutes into stoppage time when the Golden Boy of The Tottenham Academy won the ball in a tussle in midfield, drove forward, dropped his shoulder moved across the front of the box and place a well struck shot to the righthand side of the keeper into the net. Mikey Moore's first senior goal which made him the youngest English player ever to score in a European match. The previous record holder? One Jimmy Greaves, sixty eight years previously.

Moore shocks everyone by sliding on his knees after scoring

The ref blew for the end of the game almost immediately, probably because even he realised it couldn't have got any better for either team.

So despite everything thats been thrown at the side they made it through safely to the knockout phase of the Europa League, with the only defeat in the white hot atmosphere at Galatasaray. Unfortunately, there's a chance we may be back there again as the Turks are one of four possible opponents which also include AZ Alkmaar who we've also played already. The other two potential ties would be with Real Sociedad or FC Midtjylland from Norway who would hopefully be easier to play than they are to pronounce.