Bale's rise followed by another fall

Tottenham 3 Inter Milan 0: Andre Villas-Boas had preached extreme caution and simply sought to take something tangible to San Siro next Thursday in the quest for a place in the Europa League's quarter-finals.

The Tottenham Hotspur manager got much more as his team enjoyed an occasion that was memorable principally for its comfort.

There was little to get excited about regarding the mighty Internazionale and, as Tottenham cut through them, it became a question of whether the second leg would remain alive.

There was glory to be had, even if the evening carried little of the barnstorming qualities of the 3-1 Champions League group stage victory here over Inter in 2010. Inter were lacklustre from back to front.

Tottenham punished their dismal defending and the only negative was Gareth Bale’s 14th-minute booking for diving, which represented his third caution of the competition and, as such, ruled him out of the return tie in Milan.

Bale has been booked for simulation in the Premier League fixtures this season against Liverpool, Fulham and Sunderland.

He was fundamental to everything at the outset and when he collected possession in the seventh minute on the left, a posse of Inter players swarmed to meet him.

Bale simply fired low and square to Jermain Defoe, who dropped his shoulder toopen up the chance. The shot was too close to Samir Handanovic.

Aerial prowess

By then, Bale had put Tottenham ahead, with his 10th goal in eight matches for the club and it was one that advertised his aerial prowess and awareness, although Esteban Cambiasso’s attempt to track him from Gylfi Sigurdsson’s left-wing cross was lame. Bale leapt and powered his header down and into the far corner.

Tottenham scored their second when Defoe took Aaron Lennon’s low cross, performed his spin-and-shoot routine and watched Handanovic parry. Sigurdsson reacted sharply to steer home the rebound.

Jan Vertonghen’s looping header caused a nervous moment for Handanovic and Tottenham were supremely comfortable.

Yet Ricardo Alvarez could have painted a different half-time picture when he streaked clean through for Inter’s only chance. He slumped to the ground after he dragged his shot wide of the far post but Tottenham had their warning.

Villas-Boas’ team’s focus had to be spot on and it was, while Inter were sorely lacking in the department.

Tottenham’s third would have had the stalwarts of previous Inter generations spluttering with indignation.

It was not as if Inter had not been warned about Vertonghen’s threat from set-pieces. Moments after the restart, he had sneaked in on the back post to meet Bale’s free-kick only to slice. His header from Bale’s corner brooked no argument but none had been forthcoming. Again, Cambiasso was slack, passing Vertonghen on to Cristian Chivu, who also failed to challenge.

Tottenham sought to deepen Inter’s misery and they could have regrets that the final scoreline was not heavier.

Guardian Service