Su Dong tore Tottenham apart!
The Mirror used this headline for its front-page lead the next day, featuring Su Dong on the cover as it summed up the crazy slaughter at White Hart Lane the night before.
"The weather forecast was accurate. The day after the match, White Hart Lane was bathed in bright sunshine—a rare spell of good weather—but it certainly could not heal the pain in the hearts of Tottenham Hotspur's fans."
The Mirror began its report with those words, recounting a cruel tragedy.
Tottenham Hotspur had home-field advantage and had not lacked the fighting spirit to launch a comeback. In fact, early in the match, Tottenham had caused Man City quite a few problems. But their poor finishing, combined with an outstanding performance from Man City's young goalkeeper Courtois, saw their attacks come to nothing time and again.
"Redknapp has always been steady in his tactical decisions, but in this match at White Hart Lane, he showed unprecedented courage. With an almost gambling-style lineup, he went toe to toe with Man City, determined to blunt their momentum on home soil."
The Mirror analyzed that Tottenham Hotspur had not taken such risks without reason.
The first factor was the schedule.
After Tottenham finished the third round, they would be entering a two-week International Break. Man City, however, had no such luxury. They still had to divide their attention for the European Super Cup, and their opponent was Barcelona, a powerhouse of that caliber.
"From the management to the coaching staff and the players, everyone at Man City is caught up in an unresolved grudge with Barcelona. Therefore, Man City could not afford to hold anything back against them. They would have to give it everything and fight for victory. That was non-negotiable."
Redknapp knew this perfectly well, so