LONDON — It was not so way back {that a} workforce akin to Doncaster Rovers would possibly rock up on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with a well-worn and sometimes efficient plan for downing a Premier League large. Hold it tight in open play, belief yourselves to nick one thing from a set piece on the different finish. Eighteen months in the past, when Ange Postecoglou was at his most dismissive in regards to the worth of specialist set piece teaching, it’d even have labored.
In 2025, nonetheless, what was as soon as an amazing equalizing issue between the EFL and the Premier League seems to be to be one other facet of the sport the place cash talks. Every time Xavi Simons stood over a nook or Rodrigo Bentancur stood over a free kick, Andreas Georgson would step out from Thomas Frank’s shadow to oversee one other rigorously crafted routine. Examine their penalty space and it was obvious how a lot smaller and youthful the League One aspect regarded. Gone are the times when an enormous 33-year-old is perhaps the rock on which Doncaster constructed their protection. As a substitute, it was the Premier League athletes who leaped highest and hit hardest.
Within the early exchanges, Doncaster regarded firmly on this tie. They attacked aggressively out extensive, Tottenham loanee Damola Ajayi inflicting explicit points for his mum or dad membership, volleying a supply from extensive again throughout aim to a spot the place Toyosi Olusanya couldn’t fairly flip the ball dwelling. McCann’s aspect regarded comfy in possession too, and although they have been no much less weak down their very own flanks than they have been harmful after they had the ball, you may persuade your self that they may create a couple of points for his or her hosts as this sport went on.
Then got here Tottenham’s first nook, lofted menacingly in direction of the aim line by Simons. It’s honest to notice that with or with no set-piece coach at his disposal, Ian Lawlor within the Doncaster aim should have been capable of get a extra convincing punch on the nook. Sean Grehan may have cleared it anyplace, however the place he did, the right spot for Joao Palhinha to strive an overhead kick. With Lawlor in no man’s land, the connection did not even need to be that candy at hand Spurs the lead.
Make no mistake, with or with out set items, Tottenham would most likely have had this sport received with relative ease. Their high quality out extensive was past something proper again Tom Nixon may take care of, Wilson Isidor skipping previous him two minutes after the opener to ship a effective cross Jay McGrath may solely flip into his personal internet. Spurs may wait till the final kick of the ball so as to add a 3rd, Brennan Johnson charging by an exhausted protection to satisfy Lucas Bergvall’s by ball and clip dwelling.
Earlier than then, one other aim appeared extra seemingly than not, it could be from one other lifeless ball. There was a interval late within the first half when this was on the point of coaching floor train standing, Spurs engaged on a string of nook routines that ended with an unmarked Pedro Porro putting at aim. It was too simple for Bentancur to outjump the pink and white shirts when a supply went straight into the field whereas Kevin Danso’s knock on discovered Archie Grey within the field for among the finest probabilities of the sport. The previous limbering as much as hurl one into the mixer spoke to the burgeoning pattern for lengthy throws in 2025-26.
In all, 11 of Tottenham’s first 15 pictures got here from set items. And maybe the acute nature of their dominance from set items is strictly that, excessive. An enchancment from lifeless balls has been a key tenet of Spurs underneath Frank, whereas the early-season knowledge from League One would counsel that Doncaster are a reasonably unremarkable workforce with regards to attacking and defending such situations.
Equally, as set items develop into the most recent marginal achieve that obsesses the Premier League, it’s simple to see how the actual kind of dominance Tottenham utilized is perhaps utilized on the times which might be purported to be about large killing. When the nights attract for FA Cup third spherical weekend, what number of extra of League One’s best will discover themselves smothered and bullied at corners? If that does certainly show to be the case, it’s tougher than ever to see how the subsequent Doncaster would possibly pull off a cup upset.
