Tottenham defeated Everton with great strategy execution to maintain Premier League status for next season.
Spurs defeated a fragile Toffees side in poor form that went winless for the final seven games of the season.
David Moyes once again named a highly pragmatic starting XI at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, much to the dismay of their fans. Other than a few Iliman Ndiaye flashes here and there, they showed no signs of creativity.
But Roberto De Zerbi was also conservative in his own right. He maintained Conor Gallagher in the number 10 spot, as he has done since joining. It’s a move that has more upside out of possession than in. His energy and work-rate help them press high up the pitch and recover the ball near the opposition box.
Randal Kolo Muani had been playing well on the right wing but it was Djed Spence who got the nod. It was a double right-back look to offer extra protection in defence, alongside Pedro Porro. The midfield pairing of Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha also offers little creativity against low blocks.
And yet, despite all of this, they managed to take the game to Everton and showed a lot of proactivity with the ball.
How did Tottenham beat Everton?
Spurs’ best first half of the season
De Zerbi’s defensive-minded choices didn’t mean Tottenham went to play it safe. In fact, they tried to score as soon as Michael Oliver blew the whistle for the first time.
Spurs attempted seven shots in the opening 10 minutes – equalling the Premier League record this season. The only other side that managed this much was Manchester United in the 4-4 draw with Bournemouth back in December.
They went to the break with 14 attempts in total – their most in any half this campaign (13 in the second half against West Ham in January).
TOTTENHAM SHOT MAP
Tottenham also attempted 20 crosses in the opening 45 minutes, equalling their most in a first half this season. It was De Zerbi’s plan A all along and, despite the goal only coming in the 43rd minute, it didn’t take long for it to pay off.
Spence and Porro started the game well, playing off of each other down the right. The Englishman, fresh off a facial injury and a call-up to the World Cup, looked loose and confident as a winger.
Dabble sign-up offer: Bet £10+ & Receive £10 In Free Bets
Not signed up to Dabble yet? Here's how to claim the Bet £10+ & Receive £10 In Free Bets welcome offer:
- Sign up to Dabble through this link
- Register your account with accurate personal details
- Place your first bet of £10 or more
- Receive your £10 in free bets when your qualifying bet has setted
- Use your Free Bet on any eligible sportsbook market within 7 days
#AD 18+ 7-day free bet expiry. Stake not returned. Promotional Terms Apply. GambleAware.org
They actually generated the most danger from that side. But things changed when Everton right-back Jake O’Brien picked up an early yellow card. From then on, they tried to get Mathys Tel in one-on-one situations against the Irishman as much as they could.
Spurs concentrated 43% of their attacking actions down the right and just 25% on the left before O’Brien’s yellow card. After that, it flipped to 51% down the left and 28% on the right.
Set pieces for the win
Arsenal were not the only North London side to achieve their ultimate Premier League goals with big contributions from set pieces.
Tottenham recorded a whopping 12 shots from dead-ball situations, their most in a single game this campaign. Not only that, but it accounted for nearly two thirds of their overall attempts (13/20 – 65%).
| Tottenham stats | Open play | Set pieces |
|---|---|---|
| Expected goals | 0.19 | 0.80 |
| Shots | 7 | 13 |
Those may be high or even season-high tallies, but relying on set pieces is nothing new for Spurs. After all, they did finish in the top-three for goals in set plays this season (19, behind Man United’s 22 and Arsenal’s 25).
BetMGM sign-up offer: Get £40 in bonuses when you bet £10
Not signed up to BetMGM yet? Here's how eligible readers* can take advantage of their welcome offer:
- Open an account at BetMGM using this link.
- Select the Sports Welcome Offer.
- Get the offer from the ‘My Offers’ page.
- Deposit and place a £10 bet at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater.
- When it settles, unlock £40 in bonuses
New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. 18+ GambleAware.org
But it’s impressive how they imposed themselves against this Everton side. The Toffees ranked among the five best defences in dead-ball situations in the Premier League. Only Tottenham themselves, Brighton, Brentford and Arsenal again conceded fewer than David Moyes’ men.
Like they have also done during De Zerbi’s tenure, Spurs gave up on keeping the ball while ahead in the second half. They let Everton dominate the actions and the visitors had over 60% possession in the final 45 minutes plus stoppage time.
It got dramatic at the end, with the Toffees forcing great saves from Antonin Kinsky and interventions from defenders.
It wasn’t much of an elaborate game plan and they didn’t play such an aesthetically pleasing brand of football as De Zerbi-led sides have already shown to do. But that is probably coming next season.
Their energy, commitment and attacking intent – especially in the first half – really stood out. After looking defeated many times under Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor, it was a much more honest end to the season than it looked like it was going to be a few months ago.