Maurico Pochettino: 'Kane has again shown he is a fantastic player. He is young and he showed real character today in a very tough match'

Published: 7 March, 2015
by DAN CARRIER

Premier League
QPR 1, SPURS 2

A HARRY Kane double sealed a vital away victory at Queens Park Rangers this afternoon – and the 21-year-old's 26th and 27th goals of the campaign mean Spurs are now just three points off the top four. 

Speaking after the game, Kane said he and his team-mates had got the Capital One Cup Final defeat out of their systems with two wins on the spin.

Kane said: “We have had a disappointing couple of weeks, going out of the Europa and then losing in the final, and we knew we had to get straight back on it and build up some momentum. We now have had two important wins.”

His boss Maurico Pochettino highlighted his forward's telling contribution in a tough London derby, where Kane's goals mean he has now scored against every other London club this term.

Pochettino said: “Kane has again shown he is a fantastic player. He is young and he showed real character today in a very tough match.” 

Rangers, led by former Spurs development coach Chris Ramsey who has known Kane since he was a schoolboy, were in desperate need of three points and played a muscular game, hitting high balls for Eric Dier and Jan Vertonghen to deal with.

It put Spurs under immediate pressure. On 12 minutes, Kyle Walker's risky header towards his own keeper gave Rangers forward Charlie Austin a chance that Hugo Lloris did well to get a hand to. Five minutes later the striker walloped a shot against the bar with Lloris beaten. 

Spurs were on the ropes, and it looked like they were hoping to stumble to half-time. But a free-kick conceded on the Spurs right saw Andros Townsend send a ball over from deep, Kane wriggle away from his marker and plant a header from a central position home. It was not deserved, but Kane's movement and finish were beautiful. 

After half-time, Spurs made their class tell. On 46 minutes, Christian Eriksen found space and sent a curler against the post. This time, Kane couldn't react quickly enough to turn in the rebound.

Moments later, Townsend found himself in space centrally but he could only send his effort high and wide.

Things got heated after Ryan Mason was brought down in the box and the Rangers players felt he had dived. Mason, fired up, was everywhere. On 68 minutes, the young midfielder spotted Kane drifting forward and his perfectly weighted ball sprung the offside trap. With the calm confidence of an in-form striker, Kane strode on to it, drew Rangers keeper Robert Green and rolled the ball home. 

With 10 minutes remaining, ex-Spur Sandro hit a reply. It was against the run of play, and Rangers failed to build on it. 

Spurs, led by Kane, ran out worthy winners.

SPURS: Lloris, Vertonghen, Dier, Walker, Davies, Bentaleb, Mason, Eriksen (Stambouli, 88), Townsend (Dembele, 64), Kane, Chadli (Lamela, 80).
Subs: Vorm, Rose, Soldado, Lamela, Dembele, Fazio, Stambouli.
Attendance: 17,992

SPURS COMMENT by Dan Carrier

FIVE minutes after the end of this bad-tempered game, Mauricio Pochettino came back on to the pitch and strode 80-odd yards to the away end. He had his mobile phone in his hand and he was filming the Spurs fans celebrating. They spotted him and suddenly it became a love-in. 

He'd been ferocious on the touchline throughout. You could see what this meant to him. Since the disappointment of the Wembley defeat, he has picked his charges up and won maximum points. 

Today, he knew what was needed at half-time to make the class tell. His side had allowed themselves be dragged into a physical encounter. 

Pochettino spent the 15-minute break reminding them they didn't have to resort to QPR's up and under approach themselves, and they listened.

He has shown time and again he knows what he is doing – and with Spurs three points off fourth, his stewardship is setting the end of this season up nicely.