Tottenham Hotspur booked their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup with an entertaining 3-2 win over Southampton in North London on Wednesday.
Tanguy Ndombele's effort deflected in off of Jack Stephens for an own goal before Shane Long levelled things up from close range. Danny Ings put the Saints ahead in the 72nd minute, only for a Lucas Moura strike and Son Heung-Min penalty to seal Spurs' place in the last 16.
Positives
Whenever they were able to get their foot on the ball there were some great pieces of quick and intricate passing, especially in the final third. As the game went on they seemed to grow in confidence with a renewed sense of intent with their counterattacking, and they showed real resilience to come from behind and win the game within the 90 minutes.
Negatives
From a placid display in the middle of the park to their left side being completely exposed frequently, this was a really questionable display from the hosts. Every single time they'd show a bit of energy they allowed their levels to fall, and above all else, they need to start working on their communication from start to finish as opposed to sporadic moments of cohesion.
Manager rating out of 10
6 -- There seemed to be no real inspiration behind Jose Mourinho's tenure as boss, as evidenced by their "shoot it up through the middle and hope for the best" tactic. The starting XI was strong enough and he made the right decision to move from a 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 in the second half, and despite Southampton's spells of dominance, they were able to hang around and didn't allow the Saints to get away from them.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best, players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Hugo Lloris, 7 -- The Frenchman produced a string of top saves to keep Tottenham in the mix at times, but his habit of parrying the ball back into the danger zone gifted Southampton an equaliser.
DF Serge Aurier, 6 -- He moves down the wing well and enjoys a strong presence on the ball, but he failed to stick with his man for the equaliser and threatened to drift into "lazy" territory.
DF Toby Alderweireld, 6 -- Alderweireld stuck to his man well whenever he was able to track the run, but his lack of pace is always going to be a source of concern.
DF Jan Vertonghen, 4 -- It was a poor night for Vertonghen, who looked slow, kept drifting out of position and didn't bring any reassurance to the back four before being subbed off.
DF Japhet Tanganga, 5 -- As a defensive talent he's still quite green at the back, but he does hold himself well under pressure. Now, it's just a case of perfecting his timing.
MF Tanguy Ndombele, 6 -- His strong, drilled effort helped Spurs to take the lead but he didn't really look the same after going down with a slight back problem.
MF Eric Dier, 4 -- The desperately slow and lethargic nature of the midfielder's style should ensure that he doesn't start again anytime soon.
MF Harry Winks, 6 -- He produced a nice ball over the top that created the opening Tottenham needed for their first goal, but aside from that, he just couldn't command the midfield like he needs to.
FW Son Heung-Min, 7 -- Son had to drop incredibly deep and wide at times, which showcases the kind of cardio and work rate he possesses. The popular forward fully deserved his goal with a strong penalty.
FW Lucas Moura, 7 -- Moura is always a threat on the ball and he proved that with a tidy finish for Tottenham's second goal.
FW Ryan Sessegnon, 7 -- The youngster was at the heart of Tottenham's opener with a real show of determination, and while he needs to grow in confidence defensively, he certainly isn't shy going forward.
Substitutions
DF Davinson Sanchez, N/R -- The Colombia international helped the minutes tick by in order to help Tottenham see out the win.
MF Gedson Fernandes, 6 -- The energy, tenacity and pace of Fernandes are all traits that will bode well for him in North London.
MF Dele Alli, 7 -- The substitute wound up putting in a strong shift, playing a huge role in Spurs' last two goals of the game. The pass that led to the penalty was particularly impressive.