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Hearts stopped by the sublime swagger of Spurs

Heart,Defoe 13,Livermore 28,Bale 63,Lennon 78
Friday 19 August 2011 10:00 BST
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Tottenham Hotspur amight not have wanted to be in the Europa League, but they are determined to make the most of it. Like holiday-makers insistent on fully enjoying an otherwise disappointing destination, they revelled in Europe's no-frills competition yesterday. Harry Redknapp's team treated the Tynecastle pitch with the proprietorial arrogance and swagger of the English abroad, and came away with a deserved 5-0 win.

Hearts, for all their willingness, barely touched the ball. Even with Tottenham's first choice midfield pair of Luka Modric and Sandro left behind, this was, for all but a brief second-half spell, an instruction in passing football. At least the English sides have finally found a nation against whom they look technically and tactically superior.

The value of away goals in two-legged football meant the tie was killed within 15 minutes. It only took five for Tottenham to go ahead. Rafael van der Vaart, drifting easily behind Jermain Defoe all evening, exchanged with his strike partner before allowing the ball to escape. Marius Zaliukas hurriedly cleared the ball into van der Vaart's body, and the Dutchman finished.

The pattern was set. Hearts could pick up neither Defoe nor van der Vaart, nor could they cope with the pace of Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon down the wings. The second goal arrived eight minutes later. Lennon darted in from the flank, and played a one-two with van der Vaart before rolling a simple pass to Defoe. The striker darted past the static Zaliukas and finished with the confidence he lacked last season.

Comfortable passing in the final third set up Spurs' third. This time Jake Livermore stormed forward, took the ball back from van der Vaart, and beat goalkeeper Marian Kello. Tom Huddlestone set up the fourth. His chipped pass and Bale's perfect run pierced Hearts' off-side trap; with his first touch Bale took the ball beyond Kello, with the second his scored his season.

Spurs completed their scoring with a counter-attacking flourish. Livermore played the ball through to Defoe on the left wing, and the striker swung in a cross to Lennon at the far post. The finish was simple.

Roman Pavlyuchenko made a late substitute appearance, to the delight of Tottenham's travelling faithful. It may not have been how they would have expected to start their season, and was probably not where they would have hoped to spend their week-day evenings, but enjoyable.

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