VAN DER VAART put on another Dutch masterclass for Spurs
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RAFAEL VAN DER VAART put on another Dutch masterclass as Spurs came from behind to beat Aston Villa at White Hart Lane.
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They have always preferred fine art to painting by numbers at White Hart Lane and in Rafael van der Vaart, they have a veritable Dutch master.
The man whose £8million transfer from Real Madrid was secured only at 4pm on transfer deadline day brandished his brush and delivered two more strokes of genius, his brace of goals bringing Tottenham another colourful win from the sort of end-to-end game in which they seem to specialise these days under Harry Redknapp.
It was a little harsh on Aston Villa, who are becoming a tighter, tougher team under the new management of Gerard Houllier. Courtesy of Marc Albrighton's goal, they were on course to deliver the Frenchman a third consecutive win but Van der Vaart had other ideas.
Jose Mourinho must have some side at the Bernabeu to allow the World Cup finalist to go. 'He was excellent again,' said Redknapp, grateful that Van der Vaart had done what he did a fortnight ago against Wolves: scored and hauled Spurs back from a losing position to ensure that there would be no Champions League hangover.
Villain as well as hero after being sent off in midweek against Twente Enschede, this time he was plain hero.
'He's a good footballer and they love that here. He is always looking to get on the ball,' added Redknapp. 'He's got a great left foot and a real eye for goal.'
Houllier could only agree. 'He was outstanding,' conceded the Frenchman. It might have been different, however, had Villa not lost their own outstanding performer in Emile Heskey just past the half hour with a dead leg, his replacement John Carew offering neither the same goal threat nor outlet from pressure.
'John did a good job but he is not the same player,' said Houllier. 'But it was a good test of football and we showed quality, effort and character. It may sound funny but I was happier with the performance than in the two wins.'
Enjoying a new lease of life under Houllier, Heskey created the game's opening goal, embodying the new mix of physical presence and determination that the manager is instilling.
There seemed little on when Heskey challenged Sebastien Bassong wide on the right but he muscled the Cameroonian off the ball and raced along the byline before pulling it back across goal, promising winger Albrighton arriving at the far post ahead of Alan Hutton to touch home.
It was reward for Villa having got their tactics right. Injuries forced Redknapp to move Tom Huddlestone into the back four and Spurs looked porous in central midfield as Nigel Reo-Coker, also re-energised under Houllier, and Stiliyan Petrov snapped at heels.
On the flanks, Albrighton and Stewart Downing put their fullbacks on the back foot.
Even though Spurs were not enjoying the disruption of the rhythm they like to set, they always have enough talent to conjure a goal when not fully firing, and in first half added time, they created one out of very little. Roman Pavlyuchenko crossed from the right and Peter Crouch rose at the far post to head the ball back across goal for Van der Vaart to nod home from close range.
Villa complained that the goal had come outside of the two minutes of added time indicated. Tottenham reorganised for the better.
Pavlyuchenko did not reappear and Aaron Lennon was introduced to the right flank - to push Downing back and keep him away from the defensively suspect Hutton - and the England winger almost created a second Spurs goal in the image of the first.
Lennon's deep cross from the right was headed down by Crouch but this time Petrov did enough to prevent Van der Vaart getting in a shot when he seemed certain to score.
Now Spurs were playing the game at their preferred higher tempo although they remained vulnerable to the break, Carew and Albrighton failing to turn home the inventive Ashley Young's curling cross.
Villa paid for the miss, Spurs deriving yet more joy from a high ball from the right. This time it came from Lennon's left foot, Crouch heading down again and Van der Vaart cleverly waiting for Richard Dunne, rusty on his return from injury, to commit before controlling and lashing home right-footed. Off went Luka Modric, on came holding midfielder Wilson Palacios and Spurs closed out the win. He can be a bit of killjoy sometimes, can Redknapp.
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out of 20plus shot
4 on for Spurs...
in deed Spurs is hungry for a win..
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indeed...villa's best performance since the opening day win against west ham....finally seen downing running with the ball for more than 5 yards...