Former Tottenham Hotspur star and Sky Sports pundit Michael Dawson was left stunned by his old side’s performance against Borussia Dortmund as he drooled over the display of Jan Vertonghen.
A goal from the Belgian defender was sandwiched by efforts from Heung-min Son and Fernando Llorente to give the Lilywhites a commanding 3-0 lead in the first leg of their Champions League tie against the Germans.
Forcing himself to pick his jaw up off the floor after the second half at Wembley, Dawson admitted he could hardly believe his eyes after the first 45 minutes, Dortmund having looked the most likely to seal victory.
He told Sky Sports’ Soccer Special (13/02, 21:50): “What an unbelievable second half. What a performance that has been.
“Did not see that happening. They’re in dreamland. If you’d have said at the start of the night: “Dele Alli not playing, Harry Kane not playing” and watching it in the first half, you’d have said this was going to be 3-0, I’d have laughed at you.
“There was no chance, in the first half there was only one team with the right mentality. In this second half Jan Vertonghen, he was super Jan Vertonghen, he was incredible with the goal, assist, he was up and down, kept (Jadon) Sancho quiet.”
Opinion
What a night this was for the Tottenham faithful, who will already be dreaming of the possibility of a Champions League quarter final appearance for the first time since 2011. Everyone in white impressed but Dawson is absolutely right to pick out Vertonghen as the man of the moment for Mauricio Pochettino’s side. He might have been installed as a makeshift left back, having operated in the role a couple of times during his career, but he looked as though he had been there all his life in the second 45 minutes, when he finally reined Jadon Sancho in and kept the dazzling Dortmund winger silent. Not only that but he posed a massive threat down the other end of the pitch, finding himself on the scoresheet as well as setting one up for his teammates. It was a complete performance from the Belgian and should give Pochettino plenty of food for thought when it comes to who starts on the left flank for coming games. Danny Rose has impressed but not to this level, while Ben Davies has not been his usual dependable self. Vertonghen could be the answer to the Lilywhites’ problems.