If Queens Park Rangers were expecting to challenge Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, they were swiftly disabused of that notion as the hosts ran riot. QPR were completely incoherent, and Spurs took full advantage. Within a quarter of an hour they were ahead.
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Queens Park Rangers: Final score 4-0, Spurs crush woeful QPR
Christian Eriksen won the ball in midfield, the ball breaking to Nabil Bentaleb in the center circle. The Algeria international then drove upfield, picking out Emmanuel Adebayor with an incisive pass before the striker chipped to the back post. There lurked Nacer Chadli, who peeled off the hilariously ponderous Richard Dunne, controlled on his chest and poked past Robert Green for the lead.
For a few minutes it seemed as though the visitors might have some fight in them, and they certainly gave Spurs a scare when Joey Barton’s long pass forward caught out Younès Kaboul, letting in Matt Phillips. But although the striker took the ball down cleanly and managed to cut back into shooting position, his ultimate effort ended up ballooning sadly over the bar, and QPR’s big chance was gone.
And soon the game was out of reach. Before the first half was done, Tottenham had two more goals. Eric Dier added to his game winner against West Ham with a smart near-post header from a corner kick, and seven minutes later Chadli secured his brace when he found himself completely unmarked in the area and free to nod in Érik Lamela’s clever chip.
QPR tried to stop the bleeding by withdrawing Dunne for Nedum Onuoha at halftime, but that merely prolonged the arrival of the inevitable fourth goal. Just after the hour mark, Danny Rose burst down the left flank, slipped a pass through to Adebayor, and although Onuoha got a toe to the ball, that only pushed it toward the striker’s run. An easy finish made it 4-0, pushing Spurs to the top of this young table after perhaps the most impressive performance of any team this season.
Tottenham Hotspur starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Hugo Lloris; Danny Rose, Jan Vertonghan, Younès Kaboul, Eric Dier; Nabil Bentaleb (Mousa Dembélé 59’), Étienne Capoue; Nacer Chadli (Harry Kane 68’), Christian Eriksen, Érik Lamela; Emmanuel Adebayor (Roberto Soldado 80’).
Goals: Chadli 12’ 37’, Dier 30’, Adebayor 65’.
QPR starting lineup (3-5-2): Robert Green; Richard Dunne (Needum Onuoha 45’), Steven Caulker, Rio Ferdinand, Dunne; Armand Traore, Leroy Fer (Alejandro Faurlin 68’), Joey Barton, Jordon Mutch, Mauricio; Matthew Phillips (Bobby Zamora 74’), Loïc Rémy.
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