This is why I didn't want Mourinho at Tottenham, we're winning 4-1 at halftime but it leaves a horrible taste in your mouth, I have no doubt that Mourinho has been in Lamela's ear telling him who to wind up. It wasn't a red (Bailly's rake on Kane's ankle should've been)
Winning this way is better than losing I guess, but they're not satisfying in any way
Lamela probably should have gone as well (or neither of them), because that elbow was high & deliberate (and so were the shameful theatrics :/)
But he has
always had this in his game man. That classic Argentinian-style gamesmanship (that Poch was very much on board with as well). And we've benefited from it a fair bit over the years. All the last minute tactical tumbles that led to a free kick equaliser or a pen. All the parts of his psycho-Duracell-bunny routine, constantly harrying, that have led to players accumulating yellows & reds. (Even if we saw the positive side of that in that insta-equaliser).
As much as I don't like the 'target the hot head' school of strategy (and I'm sure Mouh deploys it), I can't say that that game wasn't satisfying
The Son/Kane sumptuous-assist show continuing. Hojbjerg demonstrating yet again that he doesn't just boss midfield effectively, but he's got a slide-rule progressive pass in him as well. Ndomble getting back into his purple-pomp confidence, with some terrier steel to back it up. (Reguilon looking pacy, persistent, sensible and speculative - and able to play across most of the park seemingly. I could go on and on, about most of the main players
)
Alll of that stuff counters the Mourinho stuff I'm much more worried about. The park-the-bus philosophy which relies on 5 breaks a game to flip it. To make sure you definitely don't lose.
Those boys can play that way, and still produce some damn fine stuff
(Also I feel arguing about Spuds internal concerns is the best the way to spare Honey's blushes at this point
)