A Perfect Away Day in Huddersfield

Spurs have not won at Huddersfield Town for 63 years but that is mainly because Huddersfield Town have not been in the top league for the past 45 years.  It does how however how strong Huddersfield Town was back in 1954 and despite missing so many years in the top flight, Huddersfield have won more league titles than Tottenham.

In the year when Manchester United look alarmingly good and the reputation of its manager Jose Mourinho for winning titles during his second season, Spurs are creating a few omens of their own - for this fourth successive away league win equals the away form start from Spurs only title winning season in 1960-61.  

Today Huddersfield were hit for four in the early game and it did look like Huddersfield were caught sleeping in the first 24 minutes of the game, but Spurs were also playing the best football of their short season to date.  Harry Kane is quickly building a skill level that is moving him closer to the world class standard that is represented by Messi and Ronaldo.  He may not be in that class yet, but with his young age, development curve and hard work in training to perfect his goal-scoring, all of that is clearly evident in his control, poise and hard work.

What is most extraordinary about Harry Kane is how hard he works all over the pitch, falling back into midfield at times to win the ball back for Spurs or even lending a hand in defense.  He is the kind of striker that a manager like Jose Mourinho would be willing to pay a world-record fee for, though Neymar's transfer fee to PSG does border on the ridiculous.  Spurs know that so long as Kane's career is not ended with a damaging injury, the likes of Barcelona in particular have the financial clout to provide Spurs a windfall.  Should Harry Kane go to Spain, it is better that he goes to Barcelona than Real Madrid, because after the Gareth Bale deal, the partnership Spurs arranged with Real Madrid has provided Tottenham no real benefit - as the Isco non-transfer bears out when Madrid were not playing him.  Now Madrid recognize what keeping Isco means.

Spurs will soon find out where they stand in terms of a developing European powerhouse when they visit Real Madrid next month for a Champions League group game.  If Spurs are to lose an away game this season, no one will fault them to lose in Madrid, but Tottenham players actually believe that they can earn at least 1pt and are even talking about going their to win.

Just as Spurs now see Real Madrid as their benchmark,  Huddersfield's manager David Wagner made it clear that he see's Tottenham as his benchmark.  The result fit the scenario that Wagner had painted and he was resigned to the possibility of losing big.  At the end of the day, it was only a 4-0 loss for Huddersfield, because Spurs took the foot of the ball and began cruising and not playing to win in the second half.   A freak goal from Mousa Sissoko did justice to the scoreline because that was the baseline difference between each team, but Tottenham could have scored twice the number of goals in this particular game. 

The passing, movement and desire was very evident in a scintillating start to the game, but Mauricio Pochettino did not like seeing his team put on the brakes and league title contenders are usually marked by a resolute ruthlessness.  It is true that Spurs last year picked up 18 points from a possible 18 when playing against newly promoted sides, so that form continues, but at home they have dropped points against teams like Burnley and Swansea.  It is the away from which is keeping Tottenham in the Top 4 right now, so Spurs need to fix the mentality of playing at Wembley.  It is true that for visiting teams like Bournemouth, who are Spurs next "home" opponents, playing at Wembley means that smaller teams rise to the occasion, because for some a league match may be the only time they will play at the hallowed turf of Wembley.

For a quartet of English players such as Kane, Alli, Dier, Trippier and that is not mentioning Danny Rose when he is finally healthy again, they will expect to play at Wembley for the England team during the World Cup group games in the following week during the International break. It would be odd if these players play better for England at Wembley than they are doing for Tottenham, but it would also prove that the problem is mental and not a physical one.  Despite the wretched home form, it was very pleasing to see Tottenham complete a club record equaling fourth consecutive away win to start the season.