Spurs’ best 45 minutes of the season eased the mounting pressure on Thomas Franck with a 2-0 win over 10-man Borussia Dortmund.
Despite having just 11 outfield players at their disposal and with ongoing questions over the future of their head coach, Tottenham produced 45 minutes of the most free-flowing football they have managed since Franco’s appointment – and now look set to secure place in the top eight in the Champions League league stage.
Spurs have reserved many of their best performances for European competition this season, but this was still the pick of the group and came against the most high-profile opposition they have hosted at this tournament under Franco.
A perfect example of the necessity of being the mother of invention, makeshift left winger Djed Spence was their best player in that opening period, but the headlines went to the goal-scoring duo of captain Christian Romero and returnee Dominic Solanke.
At least Spence won the corner that led to Romero’s opener, recycled Wilson Odobert and fired home to the centre-back in the 14th minute to give Spurs a much-deserved lead by then.
After five months of watching cheesy football, the home fans regularly left their seats as Spurs cut through their visitors at will, taking full advantage of their sheer physical advantage, threatening with every attack and only missing the all-important second goal.
Their task was given a boost with less than half an hour to play when Daniel Svensson was sent off for a high challenge on Odobert after a VAR review, and 11 minutes later Spurs finally had their cushion when the French winger’s cross was bundled in – though not without a ricochet off his own leg – by Solanke on his Champions League debut.
Spurs went into the break without a single shot, although there were still concerns that there could be another sting in the tail that their fans are used to witnessing. A double change at half-time did improve Dortmund, but Julian Ryerson’s free-kick minutes after the break came so close to collapsing the hosts.
Instead, the only frustration for Frank on an otherwise highly encouraging night was an injury to Lucas Bergwall, which at least heralded the arrival of 17-year-old debutant Jun’Ai Bifield to become Spurs’ youngest ever player in the Champions League.
The teenager settled comfortably at right-back as Spurs celebrated an uncharacteristically comfortable win to keep Franco out of the limelight for a few days – at least until the weekend trip to Burnley.
Analysis: Sterner tests coming – but a near perfect night
Sky Sports’ Ron Walker at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium:
“That result was about all Tottenham and Thomas Frank needed tonight.”
“Winning, first of all, but also a quality and exciting performance. Something that is sorely lacking this season.”
“Despite the cold and rain, most of the South Stand stayed to applaud the players – and even Frank this time.
“Of course, there are caveats about Dortmund’s physicality and Burnley will offer a very different challenge to break down on Saturday.”
“But those are problems for another day. For a welcome change, Frank and his players were smiling all over the pitch.”
Solanke: We hope that this can be a turning point
goal scorer Dominic Solanke yes TNT Sport:
“Hopefully (this can be a turning point). We did quite well in the Champions League and if you look back at last season and how good we were in the Europa League, it definitely gave the team confidence.”
“We know that we weren’t good enough in the Premier League this year, so we hope that this will give us an extra boost, that we can progress in the league and continue in the Champions League.”
“When we’re all together – the players, the staff, the fans – that’s key. We’re all one club, we all want the same thing. We’ve got to perform on the pitch like we did tonight and hopefully we can keep the momentum going.”