Match report: Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 Bournemouth
David Hytner was the Guardian’s devilishly handsome man at White Hart Lane and one of his winged monkeys was just spotted tapping on the window of Guardian Towers bearing this on-the-whistle report after making the short trip from Spurs.
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Seven-in-a-row for Spurs ...
Today’s win makes it seven on the spin for Tottenham, who haven’t won as many consecutive matches since Bill Nicholson’s double-winning year of 1961. They’re also unbeaten in 16 matches at home, their last defeat having been against Bayer Leverkusen in a match that was played at ... er, Wembley.
Today's 3pm kick-offs
The team news is flooding in and Simon Burnton has it all ahead of today’s 3pm kick-offs the length and breadth of the UK.
Full time: Tottenham 4-0 Bournemouth
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeep! It’s all over and Spurs have absolutely demolished Bournemouth to close the gap between themselves and Chelsea to four points. Mousa Dembele, Heung-min Son, Harry Kane and Vincent Janssen scored the goals in a match that Bournemouth can consider themselves very lucky to have only lost 4-0.
GOAL! Tottenham 4-0 Bournemouth (Janssen 90)
JANSSEN! NO, REALLY! The substitute rifles home from close range to score his first goal from open play for Spurs. He, his manager, his team-mates and Tottenham’s supporters are all delighted - you can’t fault his effort, but it hasn’t really happened for him this season.
Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian
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88 min: The game enters its knockings, with Bournemouth trying to get forward to no avail under relentless pressing, even at this late stage, by Spurs. Deep inside his own half, Danny Pugh is harrassed into submission by Victor Wanyama down by the corner flag.
86 min: Tottenham substitution: Christian Eriksen off after another impressive performance. Vincent Janssen on in his stead.
83 min: Charlie Daniels pounces on a Danny Pugh cu-back to send a wild right-footed shot high and wide of the Tottenham goal. Spurs substitution: Moussa Sissoko on for Dele Alli.
81 min: Harry Arter goes close ... to scoring into his own net, before Son’s shot from the edge of the six-yard box is blocked by some desperate last-ditch defending. That Bournemouth goal is leading a charmed life.
79 min: Tottenham Hotspur substitution: Victor Wanyama on for Harry Kane.
78 min: From the right wing, Harry Kane plays a wonderful cross in for Son, who wasn’t on the same wave-length and didn’t make the run that would have almost certainly guaranteed him a goal.
77 min: Bournemouth substitution: Benik Afobe off, Lys Mousset on.
76 min: Josh King picks up a cross from Harry Arter on the edge of the penalty area and shoots over from distance with Charlie Daniels screaming for the ball on his outside.
74 min: Bournemouth have a shot! On target! It’s straight at Hugo Lloris from Charlie Daniels, but a shot on target nonetheless. “We’ve had a shot! We’ve had a shot!” sing Bournemouth’s fans once the sarcastic cheers of their Tottenham counterparts dies down.
72 min: From close range with the ball bouncing at his feet after a Dele Alli miscue, Son drags the ball wide of the far post when scoring looked easier. He was offside anyway, so it matters not.
70 min: Ryan Fraser’s first contribution is to clatter Ben Davies with a late challenge that earns him a yellow card.
69 min: Spurs continue to pepper the Bournemouth goal from distance. Son tries his luck again, but Boruc gets down low to save.
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68 min: Bournemouth substitution: Ryan Fraser on for Junior Stanislas, who has been Bournemouth’s most creative player. That’s not saying a great deal, mind. They’ve barely got a look-in here and are getting a real pasting.
66 min: Ouch! Son tries a shot from distance and fires straight into the face of Charlie Daniels. That’s gotta hurt! Moments previously, Eriksen had tried with a low shot from outside the area which Boruc parried to his left.
65 min: Good play from Harry Arter, who recovers well after Eriksen gave him the slip to make a recovering tackle.
64 min: A long ball from Arter picks out Stanislas running up the right flank. He cuts inside and shoots but his effort goes out for a throw-in.
62 min: Eric Dier engages in an impromptu game of keepy-uppy in the Bournemouth box before seeing his shot deflected over the bar for another corner. Nothing comes of it.
61 min: Another chance for Kane. This time his low drive from the edge of the Bournemouth penalty area is too weak to trouble Boruc unduly.
@bglendenning ... 3-0 .. boo! pic.twitter.com/vuUhNUe5k1
— hensmanian (@hensmanian) April 15, 2017
59 min: Tottenham Hotspur win a free-kick just outside the Bournemouth penalty area in prime Christian Eriksen real estate. He shoots straight into the Bournemouth wall.
55 min: Bournemouth substitution: Lewis Cook on for Jack Wilshere. Before the substitution, Steve Cook was caught in possession deep inside his own half by Kane, who crossed for Alli. Simon Francis was on hand to spare his team-mate’s blushes. That was a case of Cook attempting to overplay the ball when booting it as far as he could up the pitch was probably the better option. We have two Cooks on the pitch for Bournemouth now, here’s hoping they don’t spoil the broth.
55 min: There’s raucous applause from Tottenham’s fans as Jack Wilshere goes down injured and requires treatment. Moments later, they cheer even louder as the midfielder is forced to hoist the white flag and hobble off the pitch.
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54 min: Kane goes close again, with Spurs attacking in numbers on a lightning fast counter-attack. The ball’s played to Kane on the left side of the Bournemouth penalty area, but his low diagonal drive is saved by Boruc.
52 min: He almost gets his second after a mistake by Steve Cook leaves him unmarked with the ball at his feet in the penalty area and only Boruc to beat. He fails to lift it over the onrushing Pole, shooting straight into his breadbasket. A poor effort by Kane’s high standards.
51 min: That’s Harry Kane’s 20th Premier League goal of the season, seeing as you asked. He might bag a couple more before the afternoon is out the way Spurs playing here.
GOAL! Tottenham 3-0 Bournemouth (Kane 48)
KANE! After good work from Alli and Eriksen down the right, the ball is played to Kane in the penalty area. He has plenty to do, with Simon Francis all over him like a cheap suit, but Kane manages to dig the ball out from under his own feet, make space for a shot and fire past Boruc into the bottom left-hand corner.
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47 min: Bournemouth win a throw-in deep in their own half and Spurs win possession from it. Alli and Eriksen combine down the right, pick out Harry Kane and he scores.
Second half: Tottenham 2-0 Bournemouth
46 min: Bournemouth get the second half started with a lot of work to do if they’re to avoid a drubbing. The pressing from Spurs’ midfield has been ridiculously effective, their suffocation of Bournemouth’s midfield making it nigh on impossible for Eddie Howe’s side to get their foot on the ball and try to work openings further up the field. Bournemouth right-back Adam Smith has come out for the second half, despite hobbling off at the interval.
Ben Garnett writes ...
In response to my assertion that Christian Eriksen was unlucky to miss out on a PFA Player of the Year Award, he has this to say: “Of all the diminutive, No10-style so-called ‘luxury’ players at the top clubs, I’d take him over the likes of Ozil, Mata and Coutinho, perhaps even Silva in terms of overall importance to the team. Only Hazard is more effective.”
Half-time: Tottenham 2-0 Bournemouth
Peep! It’s been an entertaining first half in which Tottenham were superior throughout. They lead by goals from Mousa Dembele and Heung-min Son and could have had more in a 45-minute spell in which Bournemouth were second best throughout.
45+1 min: We’re in the first of two suggested minutes of added time. Bournemouth win a free-kick not too far inside the Spurs half. Stanislas plays it long, Spurs win the aerial duel and attack on the counter courtesy of Harry Kane. Despite having Eriksen up in support, the pair run down a blind alley.
44 min: Smith stays on but is clearly struggling. I don’t think we’ll see him out for the second half, which could prompt the reintegration of Tyrone Mings into football society after a five-match spell on the Naughty Step.
43 min: Adam Smith goes down injured after contesting a high ball with Dele Alli and landing awkwardly. He’s holding his right ankle and there’s a break in play while he receives treatment.
41 min: Bournemouth’s goal is under siege and Son is next to go close, getting on the end of an Eriksen pull-back only to fire straight at Boruc from just inside the penalty area.
40 min: Eriksen fires a bouncing ball over the bar from about 15 yards out after great set-up play by Son in the channel. His sublime touch under pressure gave Eriksen a clear sight of goal and he should have done better.
38 min: Spurs win a throw-in deep in Bournemouth territory. The ball’s chucked towards Kane, whose return pass to Ben Davies is intercepted by Junior Stanislas, who wellies it unceremoniously up the park.
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36 min: A delightful first touch from Harry Kane tees up Christian Eriksen, whose shot from seven yards is turned around the upright by notoriously holy goalie Artur Boruc, for whom Easter must be a special time of year.
34 min: Dele Alli plays the ball wide to Kyle Walker on the right touchline, but Bournemouth win possession and attack on the break with Charlie Daniels galloping down the same touchline. With Walker caught out of position, Eric Dier gets across to close down Daniels before he can pick out Benik Afobe.
33 min: The camera cuts to Mauricio Pochettino, who is looking very animated on the touchline. He’s roaring encouragement at his players.
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32 min: Eriksen tries to pick out Harry Kane with a delightful ball in behind the Bournemouth defence which Francis stretches to cut out. So close! Brilliant vision from a great Dane.
29 min: Sloppy play from Bournemouth, whose goalkeeper gifts Spurs possession halfway inside the visitors’ half with a dreadful clearance. Tottenham’s front four converge on the Bournemouth penalty area like a swarm of angry bees, but Eriksen’s cross for Dele Alli is headed clear by Simon Francis. Crisis averted.
26 min: Bournemouth win a throw-in deep in Spurs territory, which Cook takes long. The ball finds its way to Stanislas on the right flank and he plays a wonderful cross to the far post. It’s just this much too far in front of Benik Afobe for the striker to poke home.
25 min: Just before that Bournemouth corner, Josh King was unlucky not to get on the end of a good Junior Stanislas cross from the right.
24 min: Bournemouth win their first corner and Bournemouth’s players queue up in the penalty area before dispersing like flies off a cow-pat when the ball is lofted into the penalty area. Steve Cook leaps highest, but can’t get over the ball and sends his header too high.
23 min: A replay of the incident leading up to the goal from which Spurs scored their first goal suggests it was Harry Arter who put the ball out of play. Simon Francis had plenty of time to remove all doubt by walloping the ball into the stands, but elected to let it run out of play thinking it was going for a goal kick.
21 min: “Wilshere! Wilshere! What’s the score? Wilshere! Wilshere!” sing Tottenham’s fans, who are having a very pleasant Easter.
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GOAL! Tottenham 2-0 Bournemouth (Son 19)
SON! Steve Cook is left in Son’s slipstream as the South Korean takes a pass from Harry Kane, skins him down the right side of the Bournemouth penalty area and rifles a low diagonal drive into the back of the net. Spurs lead 2-0.
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18 min: A replay of the incident in which Harry Arter was adjudged to have put the ball out of play for a corner, rather than a replay of the match, that is.
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GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Bournemouth (Dembele 16)
DEMBELE! Mousa Dembele scores his first of the season from a corner I’m not sure Spurs should have been given. The ball was swung into the area by Eriksen and Dembele couldn’t miss when the ball landed at his feet in the six-yard box. Woeful defending from Bournemouth, but should it have been a corner? Hopefully we’ll get a replay.
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14 min: Adam Smith is penalised on the edge of his own penalty area for a little shoulder that fells Christian Eriksen. Free-kick for Spurs, more or less in line with the left side of the Bournemouth penalty area. Nothing comes of it.
13 min: Mousa Dembele pounces to fire a shot on target from the edge of the Bournemouth penalty area, but Artur Boruc saves well down to his left.
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12 min: Junior Stanislas attempts to release Josh King with a penetrative pass through the centre, but it’s cut out by Alderweireld.
11 min: Bournemouth enjoy a little period of sustained pressure in the final third, but are eventually forced backwards. The ball is worked back to goalkeeper Artur Boruc, who clears it back up the field.
9 min: Son plays the ball to Kane on the edge of the area and he plays it wide to Walker. He combines with Eriksen, but Bournemouth win possession and get forward. Good hold-up play from Josh King, who gets his foot on the ball and waits for reinforcements to arrive. They come in the form of Jack Wilshere, the on-loan-from -Arsenal midfielder who is booed mercilessly by the home fans.
6 min: Son shoots into the side-netting from a tight angle. Soon after, Kane goes close from close range but Boruc blocks his effort. It wouldn’t have counted anyway as Kane was offside. It’s all Spurs at the moment, with Bournemouth camped in their own half and unable to find a foothold in these early stages.
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5 min: Christian Eriksen plays the dead ball to Kyle Walker at the angle of the penalty area and receives it back before drilling a cross towards the near post. It’s blocked and Spurs have another corner.
4 min: Harry Kane attacks a dropping ball on the edge of the Bournemouth penalty area, but Steve Cook blocks his volley. Corner for Spurs.
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3 min: Spurs get forward, with Dele Alli picking out Ben Davies on the left flank. The ball finds its way back to the feet of Toby Alderweireld when no opening can be found.
2 min: Bournemouth win an early throw-in just inside their own half, but Spurs soon regain possession with play concentrated in the middle third of the pitch. Jan Vertonghen gets an early touch out by the touchline, before sending a pass zinging backwards towards Toby Alderweireld.
Spurs kick off ...
1 min: The home side get the ball rolling with their fans in great voice.
Not long now ...
It’s a crisp but sunny day in North London and the team’s are going through the last of the pre-match formalities. Both sets of players wear their first-choice kits, with Spurs in white shirts and Bournemouth in red and black stripes.
Some good news from Everton ...
Following Kelvin McKenzie’s hatchet job on Ross Barkley in yesterday’s Sun, Everton have banned the paper and its reporters from the club. On the 28th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, they’ve announced that the tabloid is now “banned from Goodison Park, the USM Finch Farm training ground and all areas of the Club’s operation”.
A club statement read: “Whilst we will not dignify any journalist with a response to appalling and indefensible allegations, the newspaper has to know that any attack on this City, either against a much respected community or individual, is not acceptable”. Good for them.
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Player of the Year
Christian Eriksen and Steve Cook line up against each other and in my humble opinion, both can consider themselves unlucky not to have made the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year Award. Both have been outstanding in very different positions throughout the season, but their contributions seem to have curiously unnoticed by anyone but their own club’s fans.
Harry Kane returns ...
To nobodfy’s great surprise, Harry Kane starts in Tottenham’s line-up, while Kieran Trippier can consider himself unlucky to have been dropped to the bench following his excellent performance against Watford. Victor Wanyama will be sitting nearby, presumably having failed to reach full fitness.
Despite having served his ban, Tyrone Mings is among the Bournemouth substitutes. Eddie Howe makes one change from the team that lost at Chelsea last weekend, with Junior Stanislas coming in for Ryan Fraser in midfield.
Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth line-ups
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies, Dier, Dembele, Eriksen, Alli, Son, Kane.
Subs: Janssen, Wanyama, Trippier, Sissoko, Onomah, Wimmer, Pau Lopez.
AFC Bournemouth: Boruc, Adam Smith, Francis, Steve Cook, Daniels, Stanislas, Arter, Wilshere, Pugh, King, Afobe.
Subs: Gradel, Lewis Cook, Allsop, Fraser, Mings, Mousset, Cargill.
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)
Early team news ...
Harry Kane is likely to return to Tottenham’s starting line-up after coming off the bench against Watford last weekend. Victor Wanyama may also return after picking up a niggle in the warm-up of that game. Erik Lamela, Harry Winks and Danny Rose remain sidelined, while Mauricio Pochettino may replace Kieran Trippier with Kyle Walker, despite the replacement full-back’s excellent performance last week.
Callum Wilson and Andrew Surman remain among the ranks of Bournemouth’s long-term lame and halt, while Dan Gosling’s participation today is in doubt after a setback earlier this week. Defender Tyrone Mings is available for selection after serving his five-match ban for violent conduct after wiping his feet on Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
They go again ...
The TV schedulers have given Tottenham Hotspur another opportunity to close the gap between themselves and Premier League-leaders Chelsea to four points for a day at least, as they take on Bournemouth at White Hart Lane in the weekend’s early kick-off. The Cherries have never won there and are unlikely to get another opportunity to do so before Spurs move to the swanky new stadium they’re building next door. Kick-off is at 12.30 BST, but stay tuned for team news and build-up.
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