Tottenham Thrashes Charlton: Savio Shines in 5-0 Victory
Tottenham had to bide their time. For 40 minutes they probed, circled and nudged at Charlton without landing the punch. Then, just before the interval, the game flipped.
Two goals in three minutes from Mikey Moore and Dominic Solanke sent Spurs into half-time 2-0 up and in complete control, the tension that had lingered around the stadium suddenly evaporating.
From there, they cut loose.
Moore’s spark, Solanke’s statement
Moore lit the touchpaper. Rated as one of the club’s brightest prospects, he delivered the kind of moment that justifies every word of the hype. He broke the deadlock with a burst of strength and close control, wriggling through challenges and refusing to be shrugged off. Once he scored, his confidence soared. He kept asking questions, driving at defenders and emerging as Spurs’ most persistent attacking menace. An 8 out of 10 performance, and it felt every bit of it.
Solanke followed quickly, underlining why Roberto De Zerbi views him as the man to lead the line once fully fit. Dropping deep, he won foul after foul, using his body smartly to protect the ball and bring others into play. When the chance came, he took it with a lovely turn and finish to make it 2-0. On this evidence, it is hard to see anyone else starting ahead of him once his sharpness returns.
By the break, Charlton were clinging on. After it, they were swept away.
Savio arrives with a bang
If the first half belonged to Moore, the second belonged to Savio.
The £85million signing came on to a roar and wasted no time justifying the noise. He smashed in his first Spurs goal with a powerful low drive from the edge of the box, exactly the kind of end product De Zerbi had publicly demanded from him. The Brazilian played with purpose and bite, immediately changing the temperature of the contest.
His influence didn’t stop there. Another effort from Savio cannoned off Ben Davies and flew in, officially going down as an own goal but born entirely from the winger’s aggression and intent. By then, Spurs were 5-0 up and cruising, their record signing already off the mark and looking hungry for more.
Set-piece precision and a late blemish
In between Savio’s interventions, Kevin Danso made his own impact. Sent on from the bench, he scored with his very first touch, thumping a header home from a deft clipped free-kick by Mateus Fernandes on 67 minutes. He took a whack to the head in the process but got his goal, even if he left frustrated at not preserving the clean sheet.
At the other end, goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky produced one strong save in each half and looked set for a shut-out, only to be beaten late on by a Jones header. A 6 out of 10, and the mark summed it up: largely solid, but he will feel that clean sheet slipped away too cheaply.
Midfield control and defensive calm
Fernandes, making his full debut as an £85m summer signing, offered glimpses of why Spurs paid so heavily for him. When the game opened up, he glided out of pressure, carried the ball through the middle and injected thrust into Spurs’ attacks. His free-kick for Danso’s goal showcased his technique and awareness. A tidy, promising 7.
Alongside him, Rodrigo Bentancur needed time to settle. Early on he was a touch rash, but once Spurs took control of the ball, he began to dominate. Strong but fair in the tackle, composed under pressure, he gradually imposed himself and helped lock Charlton out of midfield.
At the back, Jan Paul van Hecke quietly dictated the tempo. He misplaced just six of his 96 passes and no player hit more balls into the final third. Everything from the backline seemed to run through the Dutchman before he was replaced midway through the second half. A composed 7 that underpinned Spurs’ dominance.
Ben Davies, also rated a 7, enjoyed a largely straightforward evening. Charlton rarely troubled his side of the pitch, and his most notable moment came in attack, however unintentionally, as Savio’s shot deflected off the Wales international and into the net. A defender’s goal in name only, but they all count.
Destiny Udogie’s 6 reflected a different type of outing. This was about minutes, rhythm and recovery. On his first start of the season, he threw himself into challenges and gradually began to show the attacking drive that makes him such a weapon down the flank.
Wide options and attacking depth
On the right, Archie Gray’s work-rate stood out more than his final product. He constantly looked to support Moore, but too often his last ball lacked quality. Faced one-on-one with Millenic Alli, he seemed a touch cautious, though Charlton rarely had the platform to exploit it once Spurs went ahead. A 6 that hints at room to grow.
Lucas Bergvall, also given a 6, looked far more assured on the ball than in his previous outing against Brentford. This felt like a small but important step in rebuilding confidence, with cleaner touches and more purpose in possession.
Pedro Porro’s return gave Spurs a different look. Rated 6, he offered his usual attacking width and energy down the right, the kind of profile De Zerbi will relish as the season unfolds. For all of Gray’s effort, the Spaniard’s presence instantly stretched the game in a way Charlton struggled to handle.
Mathys Tel, handed a 7, buzzed around the final third and was heavily involved without finding his scoring touch. On another night he could easily have been on the scoresheet, but as Spurs ran riot after the break, his lack of a goal became a footnote rather than a concern.
A ruthless marker laid down
By full-time, the story was clear: Spurs had made to wait for the breakthrough, then dismantled their visitors with a ruthless second-half display. Moore’s spark, Solanke’s authority, Fernandes’ composure and Savio’s explosive cameo combined to offer a glimpse of the attacking depth at De Zerbi’s disposal.
If this is what Tottenham look like while key players are still playing their way to full fitness, what happens when this machine really starts to purr?
