Ange Postecoglou said Yves Bissouma needed to regain the trust of his manager and team-mates, having been dropped a week earlier for off-field issues, but the Mali midfielder made amends in style with a man-of-the-match performance including his first goal for Tottenham.
Bissouma had been pictured on social media apparently using nitrous oxide in pre-season and was disciplined by an unhappy Postecoglou. But the Aussie coach was all smiles after recalling Bissouma in place of the injured Rodrigo Bentancur, and was rewarded with an outstanding performance on a day when Spurs were simply too good for Everton.
Bissouma opened the scoring in the 14th minute by sweeping the ball in off the bar from 18 yards after a well-crafted move, Heung Min Son made it 2-0 ten minutes later thanks to a Jordan Pickford howler, and two goals in the closing 20 minutes made for a scoreline that reflected Tottenham’s dominance in their first home game of the season.
Bissouma was rock-solid in front of his back four, while James Maddison was also impressive, back to his sparkling form from the first half of last season, and Micky Van de Ven proved that he is not only one of the best defenders in the Premier League, but also a great provider.
The old Dutch master Johan Cruyff would have been proud of Van de Ven’s mazy run from Tottenham’s penalty area to Everton’s before setting up Son for his second goal. In between the Korean’s brace, Cristian Romero thumped home a header from close range against a struggling Everton side, who had lost 3-0 at home to Brighton last week.
Sean Dyche was forced to give teenage full-back Roman Dixon his debut, up against Tottenham’s own debutant Wilson Odobert, and the former Burnley winger looked an impressive addition to Postecoglou’s squad.
Everton did not manage a shot on target until nearly an hour had passed, and never really looked like scoring. Spurs, on the other hand, could have had more but for the goalkeeping of Pickford, who saved well in the early stages from Romero and Son.
The England keeper also did well to save at the feet of Maddison twice, but will be remembered most for his 25th minute mistake, when he dithered on the ball and allowed Son to nick it off his toes and turn it into an unguarded goal.
With England’s interim coach Lee Carsley about to name his first squad on Thursday, it was poor timing from Pickford.
But after last Monday’s 1-1 draw at Leicester, when Tottenham wasted a hatful of chances to squander two points, this was more like the sort of display Postecoglou wants to see – especially from Bissouma.
FEATURED IMAGE: David Rogers/Getty Images VIA ONE FOOTBALL
