Postecoglou says Tottenham showed “who we want to be” in Europa League win

Manager Ange Postecoglou said Tottenham were “the benignant of squad we want to be” arsenic they shook disconnected a delayed kick-off and a very early reddish paper to commencement their Europa League run pinch an awesome 3-0 location triumph complete Qarabag.

After kick-off was put backmost 35 minutes because recreation disruption delayed nan presence of Qarabag’s squad bus, defender Radu Dragusin was shown a consecutive reddish paper successful nan seventh infinitesimal for a cynical propulsion connected Juninho.

It grounded to sound Tottenham disconnected their stride though, pinch Brennan Johnson capable to people for a 3rd successive lucifer 5 minutes later earlier Pape Sarr doubled nan hosts’ advantage successful nan 52nd minute.

Qarabag did regularly frighten and Tural Bayramov fired a punishment complete earlier grounds signing Dominic Solanke scored nan third.

Postecoglou said: “We want to beryllium a squad that tackles immoderate situation we person successful a definite way.

“When you spell down to 10 men invariably astatine times you can’t beryllium arsenic fierce aliases support nan shot arsenic overmuch aliases play arsenic fluently but for nan astir portion nan intent was there.

“I deliberation for nan astir portion nan boys showed that intent. That’s nan benignant of squad we want to beryllium and immoderate situation we person earlier us, is to tackle it that way.”

🔥 Johnson scores again!
🫡 Sarr volleys home!
🏹 Two successful 2 for Solanke!

Highlights: Spurs 3-0 Qarabag 📺 pic.twitter.com/WpOtKvhbfU

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 26, 2024

Solanke made it back-to-back goals pinch a slick decorativeness successful nan 68th infinitesimal aft Son’s changeable had been spilled and earned nan praise of his head aft a selfless show successful attack.

“He is getting location and astir apt played longer than I wanted for him to play, conscionable pinch nan circumstances of nan game, but nan 1 point astir him is he conscionable keeps going,” Postecoglou reflected.

“It was awesome for him to get different extremity but his all-round capacity was really strong.

“When you’re down to 10 men, you request your striker to beryllium capable to clasp up nan play and do immoderate difficult running, which I thought he did.”

Qarabag only arrived a short while earlier nan scheduled commencement clip and their head Gurban Gurbanov revealed they had been stuck connected nan squad autobus for two-and-a-half hours.

Gurbanov said: “Imagine being caught successful postulation for two-and-a-half hours? I don’t want to make excuses, but it shouldn’t person happened because we had to travel by ourselves.

“We had nary constabulary to escort america and evidently it had a large effect connected our footballers, but it doesn’t return thing distant from our opponent. They were a bully team.”