The passing, the moving, one touch, push and run, cutting edge in the final third, clinical finishing, tight passing, great possession - just glorious, the exact opposite of everything I ever moan about when we are shit. It was - and this is no understatement - just like watching Barcelona!
However, just to put the brakes on my enthusiasm for a moment - it must be pointed out that when the opposition stand around watching you in some kind of awe induced trance that it's very easy to look good. I have no idea what their game plan was, but if it involved sitting back and giving Tottenham plenty of time and space on the ball then they executed it to perfection. It won't be this easy on Monday, that is for sure - with the possible exception of an equally dodgy keeper :-)
In fact, it wasn't that easy in the second half. Hearts must have had the proverbial rocket up the arse, because they came out with a bit more fight about them. Spurs looked a bit shell shocked for 15 minutes, but then clicked up a gear, remembered how to play against a physical team and promptly banged in 2 more.
New boys Walker and Livamore - superb. Walker in particular is surely winning the race to be first choice right back. In fact it's hard to say anyone had a stinker - even Defoe looked sharp, he could still do with passing more often, but it's not in his nature I suppose.
All in all, you have to say it was the perfect preparation for Monday. A "competitive" game in which they were allowed to show off their tippy-tap for a while before easing in to a few hard challenges, then robbing 5 good goals before heading home for a nice cup of tea and a job well done.
Nice.
