Hearts decidedly on fringes as Spurs steal the capital show with 5-0 win

graeme macpherson

19 Aug 2011

THEY have grown accustomed to seeing the big names appearing in Edinburgh at this time of year and last night it was Tottenham Hotspur's turn to take centre stage.

There had been a buzz in the city ever since Hearts were paired with Harry Redknapp's side in the Europa League draw, the prospect of Barclays Premier League opposition appearing at Tynecastle prompting a queue for tickets all around the block. This was proper box office and the locals lapped it up.

Hearts made all the right noises about wanting to progress but undoubtedly part of the attraction was the chance to gawp at some highly-paid superstars up close, as if they were some sort of circus curiosity.

Look, there's Gareth Bale! Is that Aaron Lennon? Isn't Roman Pavlyuchenko even taller in real life? And the line-up didn't disappoint those of a voyeuristic bent. Even missing some of their regulars – there was no Luka Modric, Ledley King or William Gallas – most of the Spurs understudies would still have been recognised had they elected to take a stroll down Princes Street earlier in the day.

A capacity crowd, that included some poor soul in a Hibernian top perched among the away support, watched Spurs put on a festival of football, leaving Paulo Sergio's side decidedly on the fringes. Well, to be more accurate, a capacity crowd plus 11 other bystanders, for poor Hearts could get nowhere near their opponents whose vast superiority became apparent early on.

\ Hearts could get nowhere near their opponents whose vast superiority became apparent early on

The optimists among the Hearts support – and those of us in the media who naively trumpeted the underdog's chances – felt that Spurs would be off the pace having not played a competitive match this season, would not treat the match seriously, and that the famous Tynecastle atmosphere would all work in the home side's favour.

Alas, it was all wishful thinking. Spurs started at a gallop and never let up. Bale, a player who terrorised sides in the Champions League last season, did the running of someone who was desperate to get back to playing football after the summer break.

Lennon was similarly lively on the other wing, while Rafael van der Vaart darted back and forth, linking play neatly with a series of astute passes. Their fitness could not be questioned.

There is little doubting that Spurs would much rather have been back in the Champions League this season and that Redknapp will rotate the squad once the group matches come around, but there was little sign they were taking it easy last night because this was only a Europa League qualifier.

The Hearts fans did their best to raise the roof, most notably at the start of each half, but it was to little avail. For all Tynecastle retains a certain menacing hostility, it was realistically never going to unnerve a group of players who will have experienced it all before. It was loud and raucous at times but did little to put Spurs off. The visitors were simply too good, their passing too slick, and their defence too resolute.

Hearts cried foul at the first goal, claiming Van de Vaart had used an arm to control a defensive ricochet, but it was the only time they could feel hard done to all night. Lennon's defence-splitting pass sent Jermain Defoe in for the second, while Jake Livermore swapped passes beautifully with Defoe for the third. It could have been worse for Hearts, who rallied briefly at the start of the second half, before Bale knocked in the fourth and Lennon added a fifth.

Bale departed after his goal to an appreciative round of applause from the home support. Their team had been poor but Spurs' star names had at least lived up to their top billing.

Taken from the Herald