Spurs eventually get over the line: Five things we learned from Tamworth 0-3 Tottenham | OneFootball

Tottenham progressed to Fourth Round of the FA Cup after defeating non-league outfit Tamworth 3-0 in extra time.

Tottenham fielded a strong starting eleven and they should have, on paper, blown National League Tamworth away. That was not the case as the Premier League side never really got going. The first 90 minutes were goalless, and the hosts were arguably the better side.

Ange Postecoglou turned to his bench during extra time, sending on Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski to inject energy into Spurs’s attack. The changes worked, and three goals followedThe final score was 3-0, but it was a dismal Tottenham performance that left an awful lot to be desired.

Here are five things we learned as Tottenham were taken all the way by Tamworth:

The match that should’ve been

Last season with the full time score being 0-0, Tamworth would have been heading to the state of the art Tottenham Hotspur stadium for a replay. That would have been incredible for everyone associated with Tamworth, as the financial gain could have benefited the club greatly. Being a semi-professional side, it would also have been a once in a lifetime opportunity for the non-league side’s players. The National League outfit were tremendous and deserved the reward of a replay, however the FA made the decision last April to scrap FA Cup replays. Today will still be a memorable day in Tamworth’s history, but they should be looking forward to another memorable day.

Spurs survive scare

Despite winning 3-0 after extra time, for large parts of the game it looked like Tottenham might fall to their National League opponents. It would have been a true David and Goliath tale, and Tamworth almost pulled it off. New signing Antonin Kinsky probably did not expect to have such a busy day in the Tottenham net but he was forced to make a couple of alert saves to prevent the hosts from taking the lead. Superstars came off the bench to aid Spurs and they eventually got the job done.

Mikey Moore’s return

Mikey Moore started on his return to the Tottenham eleven in what was his first match since October. The young winger’s absence for the last two months has been down to a virus, so Spurs will be delighted to see the promising attacker back on the pitch. Moore did grow into the match after a rocky start and had a bright second half before he was substituted in the 68th minute. The travelling support made their appreciation for the 17-year-old known, and they were not happy to see him depart from the action.

Werner’s continued struggles

Timo Werner has not looked at his best for a long time. The forward would have hoped for a change in his fortunes against fifth tier opponents but it was not to be. The German international struggled throughout the game and never looked like scoring. Werner wasted the chances that he did have and failed to create for others, as he remains with just a single goal to his name this season. Although he was not the only Spurs player to not perform, Werner did stand out for the wrong reasons.

Tottenham’s trophy hunt continues

During Ange Postecoglou’s second season at Spurs, they have slumped to 12th in the Premier League, and are currently in the midst of an injury crisis. Despite this, they continue to compete in all three cup competitions. Tottenham hold a slender lead over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final, are just outside the automatic qualification places in the Europa League. Now, the fourth round of the FA Cup beckons for the Lilywhites. Postecoglou will not be pleased with the manner of Spurs’ victory today, nevertheless they are into the hat for the next round.