The pundit - David Pleat: "I believe this team is excellent"

We continue our new, occasional series where we'll seek the opinions of pundits at Spurs matches. David Pleat was in the chair for BBC Five Live for our 3-2 win against Everton on Sunday and our former manager and Director of Football was particularly impressed with the team defensively...

David Pleat

- Played for Forest, Luton, Shrewsbury, Exeter and Peterborough
- Took Spurs to FA Cup Final in 1987
- Finished third, reached the FA Cup Final and League Cup semi-finals in 1986-87
- Also managed Luton twice, Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday
- Has worked in pundit roles for ITV, ESPN and BBC Five Live

Playing from the back

David: "I love the way the defenders look to pass the ball at every opportunity rather than heave it forward. Vertonghen and Alderweireld have so much quality, Dier too, when they pass the ball and the team moves the ball so swiftly. The width of the wing-backs is so good it doesn’t matter if it’s Rose or Davies, it’s the way they get the ball and manouevre the ball, they induce people in, spread the ball wide and then really go."

Below: Dele Alli makes it 3-1

Exceptional at the Lane

David: "I have to say the first half performance and some of the performances I’ve seen recentlty here have been exceptionally good. Whether or not we can catch Chelsea is another thing because Chelsea have to lose points and we need to gain them. I just want us to be back in the Champions League next season after the Wembley experience this season and we’ve done fantastically well. The Tottenham team at the moment really is a good team, there is no question about that. I saw the team in 60-61, the famous double side and of course it’s a memory now, but they were wonderful players. I believe this team is excellent. There were shades of that in 1987 and of course the 1991 team, around that time and in more recent years with Bale, Modrid and van der Vaart but this team at the moment is extremely good, there is no question about that."