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A bit more time enjoying Hoffenheim’s hospitality and all of Tottenham’s problems probably would have faded away. After all Christian Ilzer’s struggling side certainly seemed intent on doing everything in their power to ease Spurs back to good health here, displaying such incompetence in defence that it would be not wise to conclude that Ange Postecoglou is out of the woods just yet.
What to make of a neurotic victory over the team sitting fourth from bottom in the Bundesliga? The positive for an injury-hit Spurs is that they were stylish at first, going up 2-0 with goals from James Maddison and Son Heung-min. They also saw off a fightback from Hoffenheim after half-time, Son sealing the points with a clinical strike, and were resilient enough to boost their chances of avoiding a two-legged playoff to reach the Europa League knockouts by surviving a nervy finale with four teenagers on the pitch at the end.
Equally the standard failings were on show at times, not least when Spurs’ momentum disappeared during the second half. Hoffenheim could have scored more than two and Postecoglou, who needs another win when Leicester visit in the Premier League on Sunday, would have faced more questions about his game management had an equaliser arrived.
There was a temptation to assume that Postecoglou would find some respite against opponents who, to quote their forward Andrej Kramaric, are enduring “one big shit season”. Not so fast, though. Hoffenheim might be in terrible form but Spurs could take nothing for granted given their injury problems. It is an absurd situation and, after travelling with only 13 first-team players, perhaps Postecoglou was making a point about the need for signings by leaving four seats spare on his bench.
Still, there was enough quality in Spurs’ starting 11. So it proved when Pedro Porro clipped a lovely ball over the top in the third minute, sending Maddison through to control, set himself and open the scoring by lifting a measured shot over Oliver Baumann.
Spurs had already threatened through Richarlison, starting for the first time since October, and the goal filled them with confidence. Maddison, who was in strutting, cocksure mode in midfield, soon produced an impudent spin away from Kevin Akpoguma.
Hoffenheim were comically bad. Trying to understand their defensive approach was pointless. Their line was high and disorganised, while an absence of any pressing in midfield meant Spurs created chances at will. It could have been 3-0 inside 15 minutes.
The need for a cushion was summed up when a poor clearance from Ben Davies gave Tom Bischof a chance in the 33rd minute. Brandon Austin, starting with Antonin Kinsky ineligible, did well to thwart the forward. Austin would also deny Max Moerstedt while Radu Dragusin made a vital block on Finn Ole Becker after a mistake by Rodrigo Bentancur.
Spurs eased off after going 2-0 up in the 22nd minute, moments after rightly surviving a penalty appeal for an inadvertent handball by Bentancur. Perhaps they were lulled into a false sense of security by Hoffenheim’s ineptitude. It was embarrassing when Maddison pounced on another mix-up and released Son, whose shot deflected off Pavel Kaderabek and looped into the net. For Hoffenheim, the only positive was that Davies and Lucas Bergvall not converting chances to make it 3-0.
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The contest was still alive. Hoffenheim pressed at the start of the second half, focusing many of their attacks down the right. Archie Gray, filling in at left-back with Destiny Udogie injured and Djed Spence and Sergio Reguilón unregistered to play in the competition, had his hands full. Hoffenheim should have halved the deficit when a cross found Kramaric, whose header hit the bar.
The warning signs grew after Spurs lost their outlet when Richarlison made way for Mikey Moore. They fell back and enjoyed a reprieve when the referee Morten Krogh overturned his original decision to award a penalty for Austin’s challenge on Moerstedt, but a goal was on the way and it arrived in the 68th minute. Kramaric combined with David Jurasek and the left-back’s cross was turned in by Anton Stach.
Instead of collapsing, Spurs regained their composure. They were in the clear again when Dejan Kulusevski dispossessed Stanley Nsoki and found Son, who swerved to the left before flashing a fine shot across Baumann.
It proved a vital goal given that there was still time for the substitute David Mokwa to head in a second for Hoffenheim. Spurs, who move into the top eight before hosting Elfsborg in their final game of the group phase next week, do things the hard way.
