Tottenham 2-7 Bayern Munich: Tactical naivety and basic errors cost Spurs dear in Champions League thrashing
The wheels didn’t just come off the Tottenham wagon in the Champions League tonight; they were loosened by its driver and catapulted out of sight over the horizon.
Bayern Munich absolutely outclassed Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs on their own turf, putting seven past a weary, disenchanted and ramshackle opponent.
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Tottenham – apparently clueless and eventually shellshocked and embarrassed – conceded seven goals at home for the first time in their entire history, with former Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry helping himself to four, Robert Lewandowski two and Joshua Kimmich one.
The hosts left their pitch, inside their shiny new state-of-the-art stadium, to boos following what must surely prove to be a defeat which provokes a response.
Diamonds aren’t forever
Pochettino opted to field a 4-1-2-1-2 formation, with Dele Alli – goalless since January – at the tip of a diamond midfield and Harry Winks holding.
The result was that when Spurs had possession they looked dangerous, with through-balls frequently being threaded towards Son Heung-min and Harry Kane in the first half, but without it there were acres of space down the flanks ready to be exploited.
Bayern were more than happy to accept it, spraying diagonals out to wide men Kinsgley Coman and Gnabry, with Spurs’ midfielders unable to pick up the slack.
They were warned. The Germans cut open the home defence twice inside the opening three minutes and the problems persisted for the next 90.
Against top-class opposition Spurs were far too open, employing near-suicidal tactics which suggested Bayern had been underestimated.
Best in the world?
A striker as good as Lewandowski doesn’t need much space in which to operate, and the Polish striker made it nine consecutive games in all competitions with a goal for Bayern with his 13th of the season before the break, to make it 2-1 after Kimmich’s curling effort.
If Lewandowski’s inventive flick over Jan Vertonghen from a throw-in caught the eye, his rasping low finish past Hugo Lloris did the opposite – beating the Tottenham keeper before the eye had time to catch up.
A late second – Bayern’s sixth in a scarcely believable conclusion – was a prime example of his nonchalant brilliance in the penalty area.
Before tonight’s clash Spurs fans were buoyed by the idea that Bayern were a fading force, missing Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, but Lewandowski remains and has a claim to being the best No9 in the business.
Gifts
Spurs were firmly on the back foot in the closing stages of the first half and Pochettino’s move to a 4-2-3-1 shape couldn’t halt the slide.
His side were blown away and while he must shoulder some of the criticism, the nature of the goals was eye-poppingly poor.
A simple one-two saw Gnabry stride away in behind reluctant right-back Serge Aurier, out-fox Toby Alderweireld and smash into the bottom corner to make it 3-1.
Tottenham compounded the error two minutes later when Winks was caught in possession by Corentin Tolisso, who laid Gnabry’s second on a plate.
Kane brought it back to 2-4 from the spot and the cavalry arrived from the bench in the form of Christian Eriksen, Lucas Moura and Erik Lamela —but it had no effect.
Mental disintegration
Instead of loading up the siege equipment to bombard the Bayern penalty area, Spurs opted to press the self-destruct button.
Not for the first time, Aurier fell into a deep sleep on the halfway line and Thiago’s long ball found Gnabry to complete his hat-trick.
Lewandowski picked out the bottom corner with ease for 6-2 before Aurier found time to give the ball away once more, with Danny Rose allowing Gnabry time and space to blast in the coup de grace.
Pochettino has cut a frustrated figure for some time now. Ever since their Champions League final defeat in May talk around the club has been dominated by want-away players. After a seven-goal hiding, something has to give.
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