Spurs 4-0 QPR

Our first home game of the Premier League season ended with a convincing and highly entertaining 4-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers to give us maximum points after two matches of the campaign.

A superb all-round performance saw us storm into a three-goal lead at the interval thanks to a double from Nacer Chadli and another from Eric Dier, following up his winner against West Ham last weekend, before Emmanuel Adebayor capped a great afternoon with a fine fourth in the second half.

And it was the manner of the goals that will have delighted Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino and all Spurs fans as well, particularly the third which came at the end of a move of almost 50 passes!

Team news

There were two changes from the team which started at Upton Park last weekend, Jan Vertonghen and Chadli coming in for Kyle Naughton and Aaron Lennon.

Key action

There was less than a minute on the clock when we showed our intent, Erik Lamela drilling a shot which deflected off former Spur Steven Caulker for a corner and 10 minutes later, Lamela, Adebayor, Chadli and Nabil Bentaleb combined with the latter whipping over a cross which Adebayor headed just over.

Sixty seconds later we were ahead as Bentaleb burst forwards from halfway and slipped a pass to Adebayor on the left-hand edge of the area. He cut back on to his right foot and clipped a delightful inch-perfect cross which Chadli took on his chest before lifting the ball over Rob Green on the edge of the six yard box.

It was almost two on 15 minutes, this time from a corner to the visitors. Hugo Lloris punched clear and Vertonghen led the charge, his attempted crossfield pass to Christian Eriksen was only partly cut out by Armand Traore, the loose ball fell to Adebayor but his low shot was straight at Green.

We were totally dominant but Rangers should have levelled five minutes later when Matt Phillips controlled a long ball on the edge of our area, cut inside Younes Kaboul but with just Lloris to beat, he lofted the shot well over the bar.

It was a glorious chance which could have made a difference to the whole balance of play, instead though we took control again and almost made it 2-0 when Eriksen crashed a 25-yard free-kick against the crossbar. The set-piece created a little bit of history in N17 – the first-ever appearance of the vanishing spray at the Lane, applied to the pitch by referee Andrew Taylor!

The second goal duly arrived and it was no more than we deserved, Dier scoring his second goal in two Premier League matches when he powerfully met Lamela’s corner with a near post header. Green got a hand to the effort but couldn’t keep it out.

And it was 3-0 on 37 minutes with a truly wonderful goal. We enjoyed a long period of possession – counted up as over two minutes long with 48 passes - which eventually led to Lamela turning his marker 40 yards from goal. He advanced to the left-side of the area before clipping over the perfect cross for Chadli to nod home for his second of the game.

The second period began in the same vein as we were immediately on the front foot, Lamela firing over the bar after more neat build-up play, while at the other end Caulker headed over from a corner.

Another breakaway on 53 minutes should have led to a fourth goal as Adebayor surged goalwards and laid the ball to Lamela to his right, but he couldn’t get his shot away, while Eriksen rifled over from 25 yards on 58 minutes.

Mousa Dembele came on just before the hour mark, replacing Bentaleb for his first league appearance of the season and on 65 minutes it was 4-0 with a goal quite superb in its simplicity. It was created down our left flank as Chadli found Rose bursting down the wing and he delivered an early cross which was perfect for Adebayor to hit first time from 12 yards, past Green and into the net.

Some of the intensity to our play subsided in the final quarter of the game but the commitment remained as we looked to keep a second consecutive clean sheet in the Premier League, Lloris making a diving save to keep out Caulker’s deflected effort on 79 minutes, a rare shot on target for the visitors.

Rangers did have the ball in the net moments later but it was ruled out for a clear push by substitute Nedum Onouha on Rose, while another former Spur Bobby Zamora and then Loic Remy both blazed over. Caulker then nodded wide with a clear header from a corner to ensure a blank for the visitors.

And as the final whistle blew, it meant a spot at the top of the table in these fledgling days of this Premier League season!

Mauricio Pochettino said 

“It was a fantastic performance,” said Mauricio. “We all enjoyed it and we are very pleased because we deserved the win.

“We played like a team. This is the most important thing. It was an unbelievable performance - not only one player, but all the players.

"It was a good performance from Nacer, he scored two goals and for me, the team was outstanding because we played a good game, we were focused and kept a clean sheet. This is also important.”

Mauricio was pleased with the high pressing of the team. “Yes, we had good possession and when we got into space, we always looked to play forward.

“The options were good, the four goals were all different and that’s important as well for our confidence.”

Match data

Spurs (4-2-3-1): Lloris, Dier, Vertonghen, Kaboul, Rose, Bentaleb (Dembele 59), Capoue, Lamela, Eriksen, Chadli (Kane 69), Adebayor (Soldado 79). Substitutes (not used): Friedel, Davies, Holtby, Lennon.

QPR (5-3-2): Green, Isla, Caulker, Ferdinand, Dunne (Onuoha 46), Isla, Fer (Faurlin 68), Barton, Mutch, Phillips (Zamora 74), Remy. Substitutes (not used): Murphy, Simpson, Wright-Phillips, Hoilett.

Goals: Spurs – Chadli 12, 37, Dier 30, Adebayor 65.

Yellows: QPR – Fer.

Referee: Andrew Taylor.

Attendance: 36,109.