Take the money and

Colchester United 1 - 4 Tottenham Hotspur - F.A. Cup fourth round - Jan 3th, 2016

run.

Colchester no doubt got a decent pay day from the TV company as the cameras followed Spurs to the lowly Third Division side in the fourth round of the F.A. Cup.

Colchester also got a consolation goal, which contrary to the pundits that went with those cameras, wasn’t exactly deserved and that’s all they really got as Spurs comfortably headed into the fifth round draw.

Yes colchester had to deal with losing two of their starting XI to injury very early on. A bit of a sickening blow between their centre-back pair, left Wynter spark out, looking like he was having a fit, while the other, Eastman, was covered in blood. The former of course was substituted right away the latter went off to be patched up, which after a while he was ut in the end couldn’t carry on.

A blow to the hosts yes but Pochettino’s, otherwise strong side, had to play the whole game with nine men. Otherwise known as a midfield pairing of Carroll and Bentaleb.

While completely dominating this pair showed nothing. Carroll has featured a bit this season, he’s made some decent cameos but when he’s started he’s generally disappointed. Nothing performances, where especially compared to Dembele he’s looked lightweight and out of his depth. Now this was a lowly third division side and to look out of his depth against that level of opponent doesn’t bode well.

His Walcott goal – the last goal in an easy victory – was a big roll of wallpaper to cover the cracks.

Maybe it didn’t help having Bentaleb next to him…

…together it’s a void in the centre of the park.

Luckily it was still Colchester so Spurs could dominate in that way Spurs dominate sides. All the ball, all the chances and none of the goals.

Trippier, as more a right winger than right-back, had the left side of Colchester in knots and was putting in some cracking crosses, just nobody was getting on the end of ’em. Do wonder what Soldado would make of some of the balls the lad was putting in.

It took an excellent bit of play to open the scoring, just before the half hour. A lovely defence splitting ball from Lamela to Chadli who smacked the ball in from just on the edge of the box.

That another half hour had to go by, well even more if you figure in first half injury time, wasn’t anything to do with “plucky” Colchester but a carrying on of Spurs wash, rinse, repeat routine.

How Chadli himself didn’t double the lead is beyond anyone’s ken. Kane haring don the left fed the Belgian in the box, he had to stop and turn but hitting the bar from eight yards out was Ronnie Rosenthal stuff.

The second though wasn’t unlucky on Colchester. If a defender turns his back on a shot and ponces out of blocking it then it’s not unlucky. And that’s what happened when Dier did double the lead.

Things could have been different when Colchester actually went forward after a slip by Dier, when they hit the post. That would have been undeserved.

Trippier finally got the reward, of an assist, that his crosses deserved as Chadli added his second and Spurs third to put the game out of sight. As said Carroll’s fourth a few minutes later was wallpaper for his cracks not the team’s. It came just a couple of minutes after the hosts had scored their undeserving consolation. Or rather Spurs had scored their consolation goal. Ben Davies putting into his own net after the ball had bounced of the post.

So onto a fifth round tie at home against Palace.

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