Fouls, Dele Alli and our start

It used to be a Chelsea tactic under Jose Mourinho and it has been a tactic of the top teams in Europe for a while. To stop the opposition and break up play you commit fouls.

Not bad ones, not bookable ones, just keep committing fouls and apologising or pleading innocence simply to stop the opposition and let you team get back behind the ball.

It seems to be one of the tricks of the trade that Tottenham are learning this season, as only Watford have committed more fouls than us. They have conceded 111 while we have conceded 98 in our seven Premier League outings.

The remarkable record we have when Dele Alli scores was extended to against Manchester City. When he has bagged a goal we have not lost in 12 games now, winning 8 games and drawing 3 while defensively we have kept 13 clean sheets in 36 games when Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen have been partnered together.

We must be doing a few things right because this is out best ever start to a Premier League season.
2016/17 - 17 points