Wow.
That looked like our first team. I feel a little bad for the players that weren't in it (bentaleb, rose etc) but I think that team had the right balance to do well.
Dier and Alli are starting to look like the real deal. It's not just about pure ability; I rate bentaleb highly and I appreciate what Mason brings to the team. But Dier and Alli play as if they've been playing the game for years.
When Alli got booked he took an age to let the referee card him, just as City were looking to take a quick free-kick. It could just be petulance but it seemed like an experienced way of slowing down the play.
He's our most level-headed player. He understands what he's meant to do and what he is capable of in the majority of situations. He can (and needs to) improve his distribution into wide areas but he brings a calm, rational approach to our defence and attack.
Dier has been a revelation. Pochettino explained his decision to play him in midfield by saying "we need to give opportunities to him to play" - I understand it now. I think he's becoming an understated leader of this side. He's committed and brave; he plays for the team rather than himself; he relishes a physical battle; he plays as if conceding goals is unacceptable . It still doesn't feel like a permanent change but I'd be extremely disappointed to see him out of the side in any capacity.
Having a leader in midfield that is on the same page as the defence is invaluable, it's the kind of thing that Arsenal fans bleat on about.
Aldereiweld and Vertonghen are the first proper partnership we've had for a while. Combined with Dier and Lloris, they seem to communicate well and try to deal with things as efficiently as possible. I appreciate that they'll have games and moments where it doesn't go to plan but I feel less anxious about our defence as each game passes. Having three players in the centre that have one titles seems to have helped.
Davies was great today. He's Ben criticised for lacking pace and attacking intent but that helps to knit our defence together. He doesn't work against teams with solid defences when he's paired with Chadli but Son is direct and invent enough to mitigate his deficiencies.
Son, Eriksen, Lamela and Kane is a good unit. It's the combination that best carries out the pressing game, and it's got enough of the key ingredients to see us compete: agility, trickery, creativity, goal-threat. It's the kind of attack that bigger clubs look at and think "we need to really be on our game against them".
Lamela still lacks decisiveness at times but he's improving no end. He's starting to look like he understands the plan. He could do with better attacking support from the full-back (though I'm unconvinced by Trippier's defensive skills) but I was impressed by his discipline today, in defensive and attack. If his recent goal-scoring form continues he could be a key player for us.
More days like today are needed, though difficult for a young team to sustain. Kane summed it up well in his post match interview - the energy is what binds and defines them, but it's a long season and moods/fitness levels understandably drop at times. Things feel like they're coming together now though, it feels like Pochettino's team.
I might watch the game again as I feel like I've gone a bit overboard on some things, but I'm ecstatic at the moment! Onwards and upwards. COYS