15  Cristian ANSALDI (18  Caner ERKIN  60)
24  Jeison MURILLO  (13  Andrea RANOCCHIA  75)
25  MIRANDA  (94  Eloge YAO  75)
33  Danilo D'AMBROSIO

77  Marcelo BROZOVIC  (  5  Felipe MELO  60)
  7  Geoffrey KONDOGBIA
19  Ever BANEGA  (10  Stevan JOVETIC  60)
44  Ivan PERISIC    (55  Yuto NAGAMOTO 60)

11  Jonathan BIABIANY

  9  Mauro ICARDI  (c)    (12  Daniel BESSA  75)

Unused subs: 
30  Juan Pablo CARRIZO
46  Tommaso BERNI
  8  Rodrigo PALACIO

  2  Kyle WALKER  (16  Kieran TRIPPIER  46)
38  Cameron CARTER-VICKERS
  4  Toby ALDERWEIRELD
  3  Danny ROSE  (33  Ben DAVIES  46)

  8  Ryan MASON  (29  Harry WINKS  46)
15  Eric DIER  (46  Luke AMOS  85)

11  Eric LAMELA    (48  Marcus EDWARDS  81)
20  Dele ALLI    (43  Shayon HARRISON  76 )
23  Christian ERIKSEN  (  9  Vincent JANSSEN  46  )

10  Harry KANE  (c)      (28  Tom CARROLL  62)

Unused subs: 
31  Luke McGEE
45  Anton WALKES
26  Kevin WIMMER
 

A friendly against Internazionale might not sound the most thrilling of events, but the end result provided a happy evening out for Spurs fans in Oslo.  A 6-1 win, with Spurs changing personnel quite drastically and Inter doing the same later in the match, showed that the Tottenham players were sharper than their Italian counterparts.

The return of the Euro 2016 participants saw Tottenham field a near ready to start Premier League XI, with Inter not short of star names in their line-up at kick off, but the start wasn't anticipated to be the opening to the game that few imagined.  There had already been signs that Dele Alli hadn't changed, with a nudge on Miranda that didn't go down well and then he kicked the ball away as the free-kick had been placed too many yards ahead of where the offence had been committed.  An early through ball from Dele into the left side of the penalty area saw Harry Kane chase it down, but he was unceremoniously given a shove in the back by Murillo without anything given more than a goal-kick.  It was a weak decision, even though the game was only two minutes old.  However, the ref showed he didn't lack courage when Walker broke into the Inter area a minute later.  Ansaldi slid in and got the ball, but as Kyle went to ground, falling over him, the Norwegian official pointed to the spot to the amazement of many in the ground.  It didn't look as much as a penalty as the Kane incident, but Harry gratefully put the ball on the spot and slammed a shot to the keeper's left, as he dived right.  So, 1-0 before we had time to settle.

It was almost 2-0 in the tenth minute, when Walker went up the right wing, knocked a pass inside to Eriksen, who nudged it past the man closing him down and then squared it to Mason, who shot just wide from eight yards out at the near post, as the keeper came out to him.  Inter had decided they weren't going to lie down and Brozovic and D'Ambrosio went in late before the latter went through Eriksen form behind without even a talking to.  It all got a bit niggly, with pushes and late tackles, with Mason surprisingly being the first in the book for a stretching challenge on Kondogbia.  The Italians passing was a lot slacker than their tackling, as they failed to find their team-mates with even the most straightforward pass.  When they managed to string a couple of passes together, Ever Banega tried a surprise shot from 25 yards that flew just wide of Vorm's left hand post with him struggling to get to it if it had been on target.  Spurs also were making chances, with Lamela playing the ball into the centre of the pitch to Mason, 30 yards out and he moved the ball quickly onto Walker, who moved forward and had his shot blocked by Murillo. 

Vorm was alert to race out of his box to clear a long through ball, but he stood little chance in the 23rd minute, as Ivan Perisic was set free on the left by Banega and he was away from Walker before firing a fierce rising left foot shot past the keeper at his near post before Cameron Carter-Vickers could get across to him.  It was a fine strike and while there may be questions about Michel getting beaten at his near post, it was a rocket of a shot.  Vorm was soon in action again, running out of his box to head clear as Icardi looked to get on the end of a  long ball, but the game was very stop-start, with a lot of free-kicks as the referee failed to maintain control.  He decided to book Eriksen for an innocuous trip when much worse was happening.

Perisic was looking dangerous on the Inter left wing and he wasn't afraid to shoot, hitting one from outside of the box, just after the half hour, which caught a deflection, so it was easy for Vorm to collect.  The Croatian winger then almost set up a chance for Icardi, who, for all the millions being asked for him, looked a pale shadow of a 40 million pound player, but the square ball was met with a weak shot that was blocked.  Icardi was offside anyway.  Brozovic then tried to con a penalty out of the ref by going down under challenge from Danny Rose as Perisic's cross went way over both of them, but it was he who was pulling the Spurs left-back's shirt.

It was Tottenham who were moving the ball better and stringing passes together.  Eriksen played a classy reverse pass to Rose on the left wing, but the cross was blocked and from the corner Toby Alderweireld headed over.  But five minutes from half-time, Spurs did get one on target and how !  Dele Alli took a pass inside from Walker, he then played it into Kane, who passed into Lamela's path.  Taking one touch, he whipped a left foot drive high into the keeper's top left corner with no chance of it being saved.  It was a precision strike and probably gave the score-line a more realistic look on the balance of play.  Inter did threaten before the whistle for the break, when Perisic pulled a low ball into the box from the left and Mason made a timely interception to prevent a shot on goal.

Half-time brought a number of changes, with Lloris replacing Vorm, Trippier coming on for Walker, Davies for Rose, Janssen for Eriksen and Winks for Mason.

Inter had the first chance of the half, with Murillo heading over at the near post form a corner, but Spurs were soon back on it and the ball was worked from right to left and Davies played the ball inside to Alli.  It was then knocked into Janssen in the box with a defender at his back, but he held him off and put it in front of Dele to sweep a shot across the keeper first time to make it 3-1.  It was  a well created and sweetly taken goal.  It almost got a lot better a few minutes later, as Spurs played the around and found Trippier in space.  His far post cross from the right was headed against the upright by Kane and although the ball rebounded behind Lamela, he fashioned a back-heel donkey kick that sent the ball just over the bar from a couple of yards out.  It would have out-done his Rabona if it had gone in !

With 57 minutes on the clock, Eric Dier broke up an Inter attack and played the ball to Kane.  He gave it left to Alli, who moved the ball onto Lamela in a central position, with it then finding Kane to his right.  Harry took a couple of touches and then drilled a shot from the 18 yard line that was past the keeper before he moved.  A fine finish and one that shows there is no hangover form the dreadful experience he had with England at the Euros.

Harry Winks blazed a shot over after Janssen had used his strength to hold off a defender, before Inter made three substitutions, one of which saw a foul within a minute of entering the play, so the referee showed Melo yellow.  Kane was rested as Carroll replaced him and Winks picked out an astute pass inside the full back for Trippier, but his cross was blocked.  The passing from Tottenham was crisp and purposeful, as Alli played through and he went past Biabiany and then Miranda dived in, but the ball had been poked forward for Vincent Janssen to go one on one with the keeper.  From around the penalty spot, the Dutch striker finished across Handanovic and Spurs were 5-1 up.  Janssen showed his goal-scoring instinct, which will be a useful asset this season.

As it was, Inter had not reacted to going behind before half-time and in Miranda, they had one defender who looked way out of his depth.  This was surprising, because when he was at Atletico Madrid, he was much sought after, but he looked his age as he was way off the pace of the game.  Not that many Inter players impressed, with Kondgobia being a big money signing but only  peripheral figure in the game, while the defence looked pretty shambolic.  Banega and Perisic were the only ones who looked interested.  Icardi shook off his lack of involvement to fire a shot over the bar when Cater-Vickers' clearing header fell to him on the edge of the box, but that was all he had to contribute in the second half before he went off fifteen minutes from time.  There were more Inter subs and Shayon Harrison came on for Dele Alli, who had done his job. 

A couple of minutes later, Janssen showed he will fit into Poch's philosophy very well, as he battled a defender off the ball and slipped a pass into the right hand side of the box, where Lamela had made a run.  Erik was aware that a square ball into the six yard box was the best option and Shayon was there to tuck away his first Spurs goal and he may not get an easier one.  The youngster was overjoyed and the benefit of this game to his development will be seen in the future.

Having created the goal, Lamela was then booked for a foul that was a little unnecessary, but his own confidence was shown by the tricks and back-heel passes he was attempting.  He made way to a standing ovation in the 81st minute, as Marcus Edwards made his entrance.  Much is expected form the little midfielder, but he had little opportunity to show his stuff, having been shoved over and landing heavily, injuring his shoulder.  Spurs were looking much more comfortable on the ball than their Italian opponents and had done throughout, but apart from a hopeful shout for a penalty when a cross from Trippier hit BIanbiany, they closed the game out without any concerns and it ended a satisfactory evening's work.

So, what does this result prove ?  That we are going to win the Champions League ?  Well, it does not prove a lot really.  It showed that Tottenham are a week nearer their preparations for their league campaign and Inter looked as though they were not really concerned about the outcome too much, other than trying to hospitalise a few Spurs players.  The good thing for Tottenham was the clinical finishing and understanding in the build-ups to the goals.  Almost everyone put in a  good shift and there was valuable time on the pitch as individuals and as a team, with the new signing Janssen getting time alongside Kane and linking well with Alli, as well as the youngsters getting time under their belts.

Carter-Vickers played the whole game and grew in confidence as it went on, Winks looked sharp when he came on, Shayon Harrison took his chance well and showed he knows where to be when opportunities arise and while everyone had waited to see Marcus Edwards, unfortunately, a fall that jarred his shoulder restricted his involvement.

The star man was Erik Lamela though.  His confidence had grown since his regular inclusion in the side and he showed a great hunger for tracking back (and less favourably picking up a caution), while his ability on the ball and to create chances makes him a dangerous player.  The fact that he can pick out a shot into the top corner from 20 odd yards out even more so !!

A good run out against a tough side, which Everton will be when we go to Goodison next Saturday and a good confidence boosting result to go into that match.

A similar result against the Toffees would be a welcome start to the season !!

Sheldon Herring