Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino says he wants to keep his playmakers firmly in the spotlight after they shone brightly in a comfortable win.
The new Tottenham Hotspur coach is known for advocating an attacking philosophy, and it was his front players who stole the show on Harry Redknapp’s return to White Hart Lane as Spurs romped to a 4-0 victory.
Erik Lamela, the club-record signing whose early-season rejuvenation under Pochettino is clear for all to see, as well as Nacer Chadli, Christian Eriksen and Emmanuel Adebayor, proved far too strong for the back three deployed by Redknapp.
Chadli scored twice in the first half, either side of a second goal in two Premier League appearances for Eric Dier, while Adebayor added a fourth goal and Lamela provided two assists for the victors.
Pochettino was full of praise for his wealth of talented attacking players.
“Lamela, Adebayor, Chadli and Eriksen create the movement and rotate – they are free,” he said.
“We work a lot on the training ground, but it is important that the players are free in their minds because they are creative players.
“You can not put the players like that in the shade. You need to provide the organisation, but after that they are free.
Redknapp was jeered by the travelling QPR contingent in the latter stages for acknowledging Tottenham fans calling for him to wave at them.
“I’m sat there watching the game and there are punters up there singing ‘give us a wave’. I don’t know what punters they are - it isn’t a big deal,” he said.
Spurs top the table with six points and a goal difference of five, one better than Chelsea. Liverpool or defending champions Manchester City could jump into first place on Monday if either side scores a resounding victory at Etihad Stadium.
Stoke City salvaged a controversial late point against 10-man Hull City after captain Ryan Shawcross bundled home from point-blank range seven minutes from time.
Hull had James Chester sent off after only 14 minutes but appeared on course to claim an unlikely win after Nikica Jelavic’s instinctive finish gave them the lead shortly before half time.
Indeed, for much of the 76 minutes they played with a man disadvantage they were the better side, outpassing, outchasing and outworking a Stoke team that lacked direction.
But they rescued a result, and a first point of the season, when Phil Bardsley’s angled shot ricocheted off the inside of the post, against goalkeeper Allan McGregor and was nudged over the line by the waiting Shawcross.
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