‘It was cruel’ – slick Spurs hit seven but Ho still not satisfied

If anything, Tottenham boss Martin Ho was a little disappointed by his side’s 7-3 success at Aston Villa.

Having just watched his side comprehensively take apart the hosts for their second biggest Women’s Super League win, he said: “We probably could have had another five or six more.”

Ho might well have been thinking they should have beaten their 8-0 record victory over Brighton back in October 2022.

Spurs had 27 shots, 12 of them on target, in dismantling struggling Villa, who have now tasted defeat in four straight league games.

Villa boss Natalia Arroyo admitted: “They were ruthless and clinical in every action and didn’t allow us to breathe for one second.

“It was like being thrown in a swimming pool and not allowed to get air – it was cruel. I am really sorry and disappointed.”

The goal rush was started by Signe Gaupset’s first Spurs goal on 10 minutes. Villa equalised but were only level for three minutes as Spurs grabbed two more in seven minutes to take a 3-1 lead at the break.

Oriane Jean-Francois pulled another goal back for Villa in the 68th minute but just like in the first half, Tottenham responded quickly – just 12 seconds later – and three more followed to complete the rout.

Before becoming Tottenham manager in July last year, Ho was in charge of Norwegian side SK Brann.

In his first nine games, he got seven wins to help Brann finish fourth in the table.

He also created history in the Champions League, leading them to victory in all four of their qualifying matches to become the first Norwegian side to reach the group stage.

His Scandinavian connections are now bearing fruit at Spurs, with five from that region playing a part at Villa Park.

“We’ve been speaking about having more of a ruthless edge with the ball in front of goal because we are creating chances,” said Ho afterwards.

“We had 27 shots – that’s a lot. We probably could have had another five or six [goals] with the chances we created but when you score that many goals, it shows the belief in the team and the confidence through the group.”

Norway duo Blakstad and Gaupset each scored and provided an assist, while compatriot Tandberg came off the bench to score twice. Denmark winger Olivia Holdt also scored one and made one.

The 20-year-old Gaupset only joined Tottenham in January from Brann, while Blakstad, 24, signed from Hammarby four days later.

As for Tandberg, 21, and the 24-year-old Holdt, they came last summer and have also been instrumental in the side’s efforts this season.

Tandberg is their top scorer in the league with six goals, and has two assists, and Holdt just one behind, but has provided three assists.

The exciting forward options has given fifth-placed Spurs hope of pushing for a Champions League place as they joined Arsenal on 29 points – five adrift of second-placed Manchester United, with Chelsea in third.

Even if they miss out, there has been radical improvement under Ho.

At the end of the 2022-23 season, Villa finished fifth on 37 points and there was talk of them going on to break into the top three.

Since then, they have at least stabilised in mid-table, finishing seventh with 24 points and then sixth with 25 last term.

Currently however, Arroyo’s side are ninth with 16 points from their 16 games – just seven above bottom club Leicester City, while fellow strugglers Liverpool and West Ham show signs of revival in the fight to stay up.

Villa do have the league’s second top scorer in Kirsty Hanson, whose nine goals are six fewer than Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw.

At the back, however, things are starting to unravel, with 25 goals conceded in the past six league matches.

They have also shipped 12 in the final 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other team in the league this season.

Arroyo said: “We don’t want to lose a game, we don’t want to concede seven goals and we need to do better.

“We will have a few weeks to work together and hopefully get fresh legs, more options and a deeper bench. I am proud of scoring three goals and will take some of the positives but we can’t let teams score almost all of chances they have. See if we can close our house.”