John Ellis is known to many Spurs fans and we have over 450 mutual friends on Facebook. I am pleased to add this "third eye" feature article written by "El Gringo". This time John offers his thoughts on our FA Cup win at Swansea.

John invariably comments after every Spurs game on his Facebook page, and I usually agree with everything he writes. That applies to John's detailed eye-witness report on this game, which is published below, with kind permission:-

Swansea 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur (FA Cup Quarter Final)

Having won their last seven matches at the Liberty Stadium including victories against Liverpool and Arsenal, Swansea came into this tie with reasons for optimism. (Ed:- Spurs were the last team to win there on January 2nd!)

Under the astute leadership of Carlos Carvalhal, the team which had looked odds on for relegation just a few short weeks ago are now sitting in a position of relative safety. Swansea v Spurs matches always seem to have a proliferation of ex players on the same pitch. Today was no exception with Carroll, Routledge and Naughton in the Swansea squad and Vorm, Davies and Llorente available for Spurs. Also finally available was Toby Alderweireld who took his place on the Spurs bench.

As the teams lined up for kick off it was sad to see so many empty seats in the home end for an FA Cup Quarter Final. Other than Vorm being called upon to dive at a Swansea player’s feet, the first ten minutes passed by without too much incident. Christian Eriksen however changed all of that and in spectacular fashion!

Lamela started the move picking up possession deep in his own half before embarking on a long winding run down the right. After cutting inside, aware of Eriksen running to his left, he cleverly slowed his run to release the ball into the path of his team mate. Eriksen advanced forward to his left before unleashing a quite superb shot on the run which curled beyond the keeper's despairing full stretched dive into the corner to put Spurs 1-0 up! It was a sensational strike.

Shortly afterwards, Moura went on his own shorter mazy run and brought a save from the keeper. Without a natural target man, Tottenham played the ball along the floor with a mixture of skill, patience and intelligence. In the 23rd minute, another good move led to a sumptuous through ball from Eriksen which was controlled perfectly and finished off brilliantly by Son but sadly the official’s flag went up for offside.

Wait a minute - VAR! We waited and we waited...Even if the goal had been given all the spontaneous joy of the moment was lost and during the wait Spurs fans round me said forget it, just get on with the game. VAR in its current format doesn’t work.

Eriksen and Lamela were in fine form and the catalyst for much of Spurs good play. On the half hour mark, Eriksen found Lamela who had taken up a good possession on the left wing before whipping in a teasing cross which Moura just couldnt quite reach. In the 37th minute good play by Trippier found Lamela this time on the right. He passed inside to Eriksen who smashed a second tremendous longe range effort on target which the keeper this time somehow kept out by flying across his goal to tip onto the bar and over.

Swansea enjoyed a rare attack which was well intercepted by a Sanchez header and on the counter Sissoko galloped forward, passed to Lamela who in turn found Son shot whose shot was blocked. The quality of Spurs' free flowing play was a joy to behold. Next Lamela dribbled through and brought another save from the keeper.

Sissoko then fed Lamela who rolled his foot over the ball whilst on the run. He took the keeper and the travelling Spurs fans by surprise by shooting with his right foot! The shot went through a defender's legs and with the keeper totally wrong-footed put Spurs in complete control of the tie with a two goal lead! It was a classy goal and backed up Pochettino’s midweek comment of Lamela being back to close to his best. On this form, he is pressing for a place in the first eleven. The referee blew the half time whistle on a very one sided first half. The talk on the concourse was of men against boys. It had been that much of a dominant performance.

Swansea immediately went on the front foot at the start of the second half. An attack down the right released a fine strike from the left (Olsson) which forced an excellent save from Vorm. The ball though rebounded up perfectly in to the path of the incoming striker (Abraham) to surely score...except he doesn’t! Vorm reacted quickly to impressively keep the follow up out and pull off a fantastic double save.

In the 49th minute Moura dribbled down the left but rather than crossing checked back. Dier let fly from outside the box to bring yet another fine finger tip save to keep the ball out of the top corner.

Swansea made more of a fight of it in the opening stages of the half. A good dribble down the right led to a dangerous cross which Sanchez did well to head clear. Moura was receiving plenty of the ball down the left and in quick succession was involved in two attempts on goal. First he passed to Eriksen who chipped a delightful ball forward for Son but the keeper was alert to the danger and collected. Shortly after from a marvellous Hoddle-esque Eriksen cross field pass Moura sprinted forwards to force the keeper to save.

Eriksen seemed to cover every blade of grass at a stadium in which he very much seems to enjoying playing. Two fine crosses from the right created yet more danger. The Spurs attacks were relentless and another Son shot won yet another corner. In the 62nd minute Dier popped up in an advanced position down the left, pulled back to Davies and Moura for Eriksen to lash a deflected effort in for his second from outside of the box and Spurs much deserved third - Spurs are on their way to Wembley!

A couple of minutes later Eriksen again tested the keeper. It wasn’t that long ago when question marks were held against Eriksen. Could he do it in the big games? This season we have seen a step up in performance. He personally took responsibility for driving Denmark to Russia 18 and now in the absence of Kane relished taking on the lead role with a virtuoso performance. He is fast becoming a leading player in the world game.

Lamela was also having a fine game and from the most acute angle, almost on the touchline fired a shot against the keepers chest. Sissoko revelled in a more central role and was involved in much of Spurs play as exemplified by a ball out to Trippier onto which he ran on for the return. A fan close by commented Sissoko is far too big a frame to play on the wing; another fan retorted Sissoko is far too weak in technical ability and ball control to play through the centre. The challenges of a coach!

In the 79th minute a fabulous through ball by Lamela put in Son through the left who drew the keeper before releasing a pass across the face of the goal. Llorente didn’t read Son’s intentions and reacted a little too slowly to get on the end of the cross for what would have been a tap-in. Lamela brings something different to the team. He has strong technical abilities and a good eye for a defence-splitting pass. We just need to keep him fit! Eriksen forced another save from a free kick and from the rebound an almighty scramble ensued before the ball was turned away for another corner.

The words “another” and “again” are being written a lot - such is the tally of shots on goals and corners! As the game drew towards the final whistle, Spurs enjoyed long spells of possession. The travelling hordes amused themselves in urging shot-shy Sissoko to shoot. Eventually he did but alas it deflected high and wide. And so the final whistle blew and Spurs marched on to their second successive FA Cup semi final in some style. The whole team performance was nigh on perfect.

A few of the players came over and handed their shirts to the fans at the end of the game including Sissoko, Dele and Trippier. It was a gesture which was very well received by the fans. Spurs have proved their doubters wrong again and bounced back from the shock and misery of the Juve defeat with two massive away victories. This Spurs side seem to enjoy proving their doubters wrong.

After being the only club to challenge Leicester, the fact they were never given the opportunity to close a seven point gap proved they are Spursy. Wrong! Those days are long gone. Spurs have a hoodoo and can’t perform at Wembley. Only one Premier League defeat in their opening home game. Wrong! Those days are long gone.

Spurs are a one-man team reliant on Harry Kane for goals. Seven goals in less than two away games without him. Wrong! Those days are long gone.

Spurs are a good side but can't win trophies. Please please please Spurs prove your doubters wrong again by lifting this season’s FA Cup! As we move into the international break, with one defeat in 20 games, Spurs are in good shape. Next there is another formidable hoodoo in the form of Chelsea away where we haven’t won for 28 years. The breaking of this particular hoodoo would virtually guarantee a Champions League campaign at the new White Hart Lane!

#COYS

· Spurs Odyssey match report

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