At a rain soaked White Hart Lane, Tottenham brushed aside a thoroughly disappointing Monaco team with consummate ease, with a first half hat-trick from Erik Lamela setting the home side well on their way to a 4-1 win, with Tom Carroll and Stephan El Shaarawy netting after the interval. Here, WhoScored highlights four observations from the European encounter.
Lamela beginning to justify his hefty fee
When Spurs cashed in on Gareth Bale, Franco Baldini was trusted to spend the money gained on improving the squad. While the Italian brought in more failures that successes, supporters were prepared to prepared to be patient with Erik Lamela, who signed for a club-record £30m. After a two-year settling in period, his third season in London was tipped to make or break the Argentine. However, while some still had their doubts earlier in the campaign, Lamela has indeed begun to justify his hefty fee. The 23-year-old's first half goals were three well-taken finishes, even if the second was a result of some poor goalkeeping from Danijel Subasic.
Regardless, it was another impressive showing from Lamela, who bagged a first half hat-trick to guarantee Spurs top spot in group J, the fourth player to do so in Europe's second competition this season. The former River Plate and Roma attacker was indeed the star of the show in Thursday's Europa League tie, with his WhoScored rating (10) enough to secure the man of the match award. His ruthless efficiency - Lamela netted three goals from three shots - and link up play with Heung-Min Son and young Josh Onomah - more on him below - routinely brought the home crowd to their feet. It wasn't just his goals that helped Spurs to all the spoils either, with Lamela playing the second most key passes (4) on the pitch as Monaco struggled to limit his offensive influence. He deserved his standing ovation following his second half withdrawal as he continues to develop into a fine player under Mauricio Pochettino.
The future's bright for Onomah
Pochettino is renowned for his work with young players, sanding down diamonds in the rough so they sparkle brightly. Spurs have one of the youngest squads in Europe - indeed Toby Alderweireld at 26 was their oldest starting outfielder at White Hart Lane on Thursday night - and the Argentine has rightly drawn the plaudits for his work. It was little shock, then, to see 18-year-old Josh Onomah make make his first senior start for the north London side in a game that resembled more of a training match rather than a competitive European encounter. The youngster had made a handful of substitute appearances before Thursday's win over Monaco, yet showed all the composure of a seasoned professional, despite him not turning 19 until April.
Nonetheless, he seems a player who has the ability to make the grade for the north London, particularly under Pochettino. Any teenager making their debut against one of France's heavyweights would be enough to overawe a player, but Onomah took it all in his stride, gaining a respectable WhoScored rating of 7.76. Two of the youngster's four shots forced Subasic into action, but it was his work off the ball that will have appeased Pochettino. Only Kieran Trippier (7) made more tackles than Onomah (3) of Spurs players in the European encounter, while two interceptions highlighted his commendable reading of the game, a notable asset in a player so young. He is one who - like many others - have quickly bought into Pochettino's philosophy and, as the season wears on, will be who accumulates more and more minutes.
Bernardo Silva flattering to deceive
After a superb debut campaign in France and an even better showing at the European U21 Championship over the summer, big things were expected of Bernardo Silva this coming season. With the departures of key attacking threats Anthony Martial and Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco to Manchester United and Atletico Madrid, respectively, plenty of offensive onus was thrust onto the shoulders of Silva, yet rather than rise to the occasion, the 21-year-old looks to have shirked the responsibility. Thursday's showing at White Hart Lane was one that nobody will remember fondly, with the Portugal youngster struggling to have any sort of impact for Monaco.
Granted, Leonardo Jardim lined his side up in an unfamiliar 3-4-1-2 formation - the first time this system was used in league or European competition this campaign - but Silva's showing was as far from spectacular as possible. Only Elderson Echiejile (5.80) gained a lower WhoScored rating than Silva (5.91) of all starting outfielders, with the former Benfica youngster playing just one key pass and failing to complete a single dribble prior to his 64th minute substitution. An upheaval in personnel means he is unfamiliar with his new teammates as of yet, but the severe dip in form is indeed cause for concern.
Europa League exit allows Monaco to focus on Ligue 1
Leonardo Jardim insisted after the full time whistle that the aim for Monaco on Thursday night was to qualify for the next round of the Europa League, yet they were completely blown away by a rampant Spurs side in England's capital. Monaco's head coach deployed a very attacking system that was carved to pieces in a superb opening 45 minutes by the Premier League side, but the Europa League exit could be a blessing in disguise for the French outfit. Monaco currently sit fourth in Ligue 1 and while they are unlikely to catch runaway league leaders PSG, who hold a 15 point lead at the top of France's top tier, a second-placed finish is well within their grasp.
Suprise packages Angers and Caen currently occupy second and third, respectively, but Monaco's exit from Europe means they can instead focus their efforts on bettering last season's third place finish, especially with Lyon and Marseille both labouring in Ligue 1 so far. Jardim has the quality at his disposal to finish as the best of the rest in France this campaign and Thursday's exit from the Europa League means they are presented with the opportunity to finish in the top two rather than worry themselves with European competition.
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