Kane and Able as Spurs Stun Chelsea

Hands up who saw this coming. Me neither. Chelsea under Jose Mourinho simply do not concede five goals. The only fireworks I expected were delivered promptly at midnight along the River Thames.  All 12,000 of them. The most pleasurable surprises tend to the most unexpected and while, Spurs had been showing signs of improvement recently, we have a pitiful record against Chelsea. Even coach Mauricio Pochettino had a miserable record against the Special One, having lost all previous seven encounters against him in Spain and England. So the way such an ignominious record ended was exhilaratingly spectacular.

One of the most pleasing aspects of this victory is that it was built largely on academy produced players. Like most fans, we crave exotic foreign signings but the sight of Ryan Mason, Kyle walker, Danny Rose, Andros Townsend, Nabil Bentaleb and of course Harry Kane rising to the occasion against a formidable Chelsea managed by the formidable Mourinho really warms the cockles of many a Spurs fan.  Said exotic foreigners played their parts too yesterday. Hugo Lloris, his usual heroic goalkeeping at crucial times, Federico Fazio is showing signs of developing a decent centre back partnership with Jan Verthongen, although they struggled at times yesterday against the guile of Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa. Nacer Chadli has shown much improvement this season and had a very good game full of intelligent running yesterday while Christian Eriksson, who probably only ended up at Tottenham because Chelsea hijacked a deal for Willian had another of those influential intelligent games that showed that whether by luck or judgement, Spurs have secured far better value for money in paying £12 million for Eriksson than they would have got with the £32 million that was agreed for Willian. Spurs fans could not even be bordered to boo Willian with former gooner Fabregas and John Terry (still not as good as Ledley King on one knee) getting far more intense treatment.

At the heart of this victory though was the inspirational performance by young Harry Kane. Spurs’ season is a reflection of Kane’s performances as he is single handedly dragging Spurs into contention for the Champions League places. He is the only striker worthy of the name at Spurs right now and unless at least one striker is brought in during the January transfer window, fans must dread the thought of him getting injured. He started the season as third choice striker but has gradually improved and in successive games, he has measured up against strikers of the calibre of Falcao, Van Persie, Rooney and now Diego Costa. There is still much for him to do and he needs more than one season to be hailed as world class but his potential trajectory is giddyingly exciting. More so because he is one of us, a Spurs fan at heart who plays like one. He gave a textbook performance of the lone striker, reducing Gary Cahill to such a quivering wreck that he lost his rag and kicked out petulantly at Kane as he lay on the floor. Remarkably, Kane kept his cool and exacted retribution in the best way. Kane does not have the explosive pace or shooting ability of Gareth Bale, but he energising White Hart Lane in the way Gareth Bale used to just by being in the line up. In massive show of maturity, he could be seen a few minutes from the end, signalling to his team mates to calm down. at this rate, he could Spurs captain by next season. He has probably sewn up the Spurs player of the year award already and must be in contention for young player of the year. It hoped that he will stay a one club man and fulfil his potential to be a Spurs legend. Long live King Kane at the Lane.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino has presided over a slow burner of a season which showed signs of coming to life over the busy Christmas period due to the players’ improved fitness. Every manager needs some headline results and Pochettino, in beating Chelsea in way few have ever done and potentially leading Spurs to a cup final against the same opponents has already ensured his first season with Spurs will be memorable. He must now harness this momentum for the rest of the season. Make astute transfers in January and manage the squad intelligently, especially when the Europa league resumes in January. What a way to start the year. Is 2015 the year of the Cockerel?