Solid Start

I'd have taken that before the game. Always nice to get off to a good start, no matter how rare that is for Tottenham Hotspur. A win is a win, no matter how you get it. Even if you win your first penalty in about 84 years. It was a good day all round. Unless you're Ian Holloway, he's so bitter he could put lemons out of business.

Anyway. I thought the angle for this post-match analysis should focus largely on the new boys. Let's start with the Man of the Match:

Paulinho



Composure.

 

That's the key word for our Brazilian signing here; composure. Paulinho looked like he'd been playing in England his whole career. 91% passing accuracy after attempting over 50 passes is an impressive stat, especially for a player new to the pace of the Premier League. He looked assured in possession, strong in a challenge and looked to support the more attacking players whenever possible. It is to his great credit that I can safely say I don't think he made a single mistake all game. Sometimes when you don't notice a central midfielder too much it means he's having an average game. Not Paulinho. He did his job perfectly today. Exactly what you'd expect from the £18million signing.


Chadli




He even runs with fists. That's hardcore.

 Promising. Very promising. The wide man looked dangerous at times, his main attributes blending incredible physical presence for a winger with a good touch and powerful shot. A few times he beat his man and unleashed a shot that unfortunately went wide. But the signs were there. He'll score goals this season for sure. He also rose well at the back post to head just over the bar, suggesting a different type of goal-threat. I also heard that he winked at a Crystal Palace cheerleader before the game. Perhaps we'll be calling him LADli from now on.



Soldado



Alright, Mr. Popular.

 Surprisingly not a lot to report about our record signing. Soldado did his job; after feeding off of scraps for the first half, he was given the chance to put us into the lead at the start of the second. He absolutely buried that penalty right into the corner. The keeper wouldn't have got it even if he dived the right way. That's exactly what you want from a striker. A cool head when it matters. That's Roberto off the mark too, which I suspect will do wonders for his confidence. His movement was also good in and around the box, a couple of earlier crosses from the wingers and he'll score plenty.


Capoue



I wonder why they call him 'The Tank'...

For me, Etienne Capoue was the most impressive of our new signings. This may come as somewhat of a surprise, since he had the least time on the pitch of the four new boys. However, he immediately made an impression on a number of Spurs fans. His sheer presence at 6'2" is almost misleading; he is incredibly composed on the ball, possessing an excellent range of passing which seemed to always find the player in space. Furthermore, I am told he made 6 interceptions, more than some teams as a whole made on the opening day of the season. Impressive. He'll be a very important player for us, no doubt. We will recoup the money paid for him through the sales of Huddlestone and Parker and, as much as it pains me to say it, this is brilliant business. It has even be said that the Frenchman is similar to Patrick Vieira. With this in mind and Sandro still to return our midfield is looking stronger than ever. 'Stronger' being the operative word. #Beasts




You could say he 'Rose' to the challenge. Ha.

A special mention should also go to our much maligned left-back Danny Rose. Admittedly, I have been one of his harshest critics in recent weeks. Today, however, Rose was one of the best players on the pitch. Energetic in attack and solid in defence. It remains to be seen how he'll hold up for the whole season should we not sign another left-back, but the signs are promising.

PS. Shout out to Hugo in goal who kept a clean sheet with some great saves towards the end.

Well, that about concludes my round-up. Although it wasn't the most exciting performance ever, it was important to get three points. Onwards and upwards.

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