Tottenham vs. Norwich: 6 Things We Learned

Here are six things we learned following Tottenham Hotspur's 2-0 win over Norwich City in the English Premier League. 

Gylfi Sigurdsson scored both goals for Spurs as they earned three points at White Hart Lane. 

Tottenham have started the season with three wins from four games. 

Feel free to comment below with your thoughts on the game. 

Tottenham Hotspur Valued Possession, Norwich City Didn't

The reason Tottenham Hotspur dominated proceedings was their possession-orientated approach to the game coupled with Norwich City's inability to keep the ball. 

Norwich had 31 percent of possession and when they did try a pass, there was a 34 percent chance it either launched a Spurs counterattack or went out of play for a Spurs throw-in. 

Whereas, the lowest pass percentage for a Spurs starter was Kyle Walker's 86. 

Bradley Johnson and Leroy Fer, Norwich's two centre midfielders, need to be safe passing outlets but they weren't. They were a big reason why Chris Hughton's side was not competitive against Spurs.

Christian Eriksen's Bright Start

In Christian Eriksen's last 10 games for club and country, he has registered seven assists and scored three goals (two by free kicks). 

His perfectly weighted pass, made possible due to Roberto Soldado's trapping the ball with his chest, is why Gylfi Sigurdsson was presented with an easy goal. 

Eriksen completed 90 percent of his passes while creating three goal-scoring chances. 

Expect Roberto Soldado to cash in on Eriksen's vision throughout the season. 

Gary Hooper Time?

Gary Hooper, who netted 31 and 29 goals in his last two seasons for Celtic, will win a starting position in this Norwich City starting XI if Johan Elmander continues to struggle. 

Even a half-fit Hooper would have done more than Elmander, who's better at dribbling blind than passing the ball. 

The Swede only completed 42 percent of his passes meaning everytime he passed, there was a 58 percent chance he would give it away. 

Aside from one ungainly run deep into Tottenham Hotspur's defensive half, Elmander had a poor night.

Gylfi Sigurdsson Proving His Worth

When Gylfi Sigurdsson was on loan at Swansea City, his class was evident with braces against Wigan Athletic and Fulham. 

Even at Hoffenheim, he had a standout game against Hannover 96 with two goals in the span of three minutes whilst playing alongside Demba Ba, who would later become a Chelsea player, and Luiz Gustavo, on his way to becoming one of the best midfield destroyers in the game. 

Sigurdsson's two goals against Norwich City reminded everyone that he isn't a squad player. 

Starting as an left attacking midfielder, with Christian Eriksen the No. 10 and Andros Townsend on the opposite flank, Sigurdsson exploited Norwich's inability to track runners, enabling him to get in front of goals twice. He punished the Canaries on both occasions. 

 

Unleash Leroy Fer

Leroy Fer wears the No. 10 shirt but don't scoff at his number selection because at his best he's a complete midfielder, strong in the tackle but also a goal-scoring threat. 

Under then-Twente manager Steve McClaren, Fer once scored nine goals with two assists in an eight-game stretch. 

Norwich City manager Chris Hughton won't see the best from Fer if the Dutchman is forced to defend a zone. 

Yes, he can tackle but he can do much more for Norwich.

Andros Townsend: Fun to Watch but Wasteful

Javier Garrido was at a speed and strength disadvantage against Andros Townsend, who tore him to shreds. 

Townsend is elegant with the ball, quick to evade tackles and difficult to stop. 

One problem. 

He isn't efficient—he's wasteful. 

Nine shots, no goal. 49 passes, no assist.

Gokhan Tore and Jefferson Montero are recent examples of world-class dribblers made redundant due to their inability to produce. 

Statistics via WhoScored, FFT Stats Zone, Squawka and Transfermarkt 
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