The last time Tottenham Hotspur won a trophy, an 18-year-old from Cardiff with jets in his heels started the adventure. He was mainly known as left-back in those days, and, unfortunately, he was becoming known as a little injury-prone. But he was terrifically exciting.
His name was Gareth Bale, and as he celebrated the opening goal in a League Cup third round tie against Middlesbrough in late September 2007 with a knee slide towards the corner flag at the old White Hart Lane, he sensed in the cheers that Spurs supporters already saw him as a fine investment.
He had signed from Southampton that summer. The goal against Boro that put Spurs on their way in their triumphant League Cup run was his third from three successive starts.
Sadly for Bale, he would not feature again in that cup campaign, one that ended with Tottenham’s first trophy for nine seasons, thanks to a 2-1 Wembley win against Chelsea.
Bale, injured for long chunks of his first season in London, watched the final from distance, nursing an injured foot. It would be over the next five years, all trophyless, that the Bale phenomenon took flight, and made him the most expensive footballer in history when he joined Real Madrid for more than €100 million in 2013.
Two years earlier, Sergio Aguero had come from the Spanish capital – from Atletico Madrid – to a Premier League a club about to thoroughly dismantle their reputation for lacking silverware.
Aguero is synonymous with Manchester City’s serial success in the last decade. He will certainly add to his 14 trophies with the club this season; the immediate question is whether today Aguero picks up his sixth League Cup with City, and whether, in what are his final weeks as a City icon, he plays a significant part in the final, given he is only just back from an injury lay-off and that he is no longer an automatic choice in City manager Pep Guardiola’s strongest starting XI.
Bale, 31, and Aguero, 32, look on Sunday’s League Cup final through a similar lens. Both must suspect this may be their last Wembley final.
Both are approaching a farewell to clubs that has shaped their careers, Aguero because his contract will not be renewed in June, Bale because his season-long loan back at Spurs expires then. The Welshman has one year left on his Madrid deal, and Tottenham have not been persuaded in the last 10 months he is consistently a brilliant enough performer to justify a bid to keep him in North London.
Bale is, though, the most expert cup-winner on Spurs' premises, especially as the task of picking and coaching the team is no longer Jose Mourinho's but has been handed over from the sacked Mourinho to Ryan Mason, who like Bale, was a teenager on the Spurs roster when the club last had a fresh trophy.
Mason’s trajectory took him eventually to Hull City, and a grave head injury that curtailed his career. Bale took off to Madrid, and in between his disruptive periods of injury, four European Cups, two La Liga titles, and a knack of stamping his excellence on some of the grandest club finals.
Interim manager Mason, 29, has a decision to make on what role to assign Bale, 31, at Wembley. With Harry Kane’s fitness uncertain and doubt over how much of the final Kane can endure, Bale may be required to assume greater responsibility for leading the forward line.
Mason, six days into the job, has already coaxed a goal out of him, a fine finish against Southampton in midweek, which augurs well in a season that has had its ups and downs for the Welshman. As his former manager at Spurs, Harry Redknapp, put it: “What he needs is somebody to believe in him and tell him, ‘You’re the best, Gareth!’.”
What Aguero will have, from City, is a very respectful, noble send-off reminding him he was their best, when he plays his final minutes in light blue. But that will happen next month. What he would really cherish would be a memorable part in sealing his next City trophy.
Spurs 2 Southampton 1: player ratings
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TOTTENHAM RATINGS: Hugo Lloris: 7 – Lloris made sure that Spurs stayed in the game, making a fantastic double save in the second minute before being called into action on several occasions. Was unable to prevent Ings’ well-placed header. EPA -
Serge Aurier: 6 – The fullback defended well down the right flank but could and should have been tighter to Ings for the opener. Linked up well with Bale in the second half, overlapping and causing chaos for the Saints backline. Getty -
Toby Alderweireld: 6 – The Belgian was rarely called upon but was kept busy by Saints’ attacking intent and movement throughout. Reuters -
Eric Dier: 6 – The defender made some good blocks but was grateful to see Ings substituted. AFP -
Serge Reguillon: 6 – He failed to clear the ball from the box in the first half, giving Southampton a chance and needed Lloris to save his blushes. The defender had an assist to his name, teeing up Son, before it was chalked off for offside. Reuters -
Giovani Lo Celso: 6 – Played his way into the game, struggling at first but having a bigger impact in some of the attacking moves before being substituted in the 79th minute. Reuters -
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: 6 – The Danish international kept the home side ticking, playing neat passes around to ensure they kept possession. Reuters -
Tanguy Ndombele: 6 – The midfielder struggled to get on the ball and impact things in the final third for the home side before he was substituted in the second half. Getty -
Lucas Moura: 6 – Moura failed to stamp his authority on the game, picking up the ball on occasion between the lines. He was also ruled offside for Son’s disallowed goal. Reuters -
Heung-Min Son: 7 – Son caused issues with his movement at times, particularly for his disallowed goal where he broke free to coolly finish from the edge of the box. The forward later stepped up to convert from the spot to earn all three points. Reuters -
Gareth Bale: 7 – The Welshman had a quiet first half but showed real composure with a neat finish in the second half to draw Spurs level. Bale and Aurier’s overlapping on the right caused some problems for the away side. Reuters -
SUBS: Harry Winks (For Ndombele 73’) – 6 – Winks gave a composed performance, showing off his passing range at times and made sure Spurs recycled possession well. AP -
Erik Lamela (For Lo Celso 79’) – N/R – Came on as a roll of the dice from Ryan Mason but had little impact in coming off the bench. Reuters -
Steven Bergwijn (For Bale 83’) – N/R – Bergwijn came on to chase a winner for Spurs but did not get enough time to impact the game. Reuters -
SOUTHAMPTON RATINGS: Alex McCarthy: 6 – The goalkeeper had a quiet game, making some routine saves and claiming well for his side. He was unable to do anything about Bale’s well-placed finish in the second half, or Son’s penalty. Reuters -
Mohammed Salisu: 6 – The young full-back had a shaky game with some loose touches of the ball, but he defended well considering his hands were full with Bale and Aurier on his side. Reuters -
Jannik Vestergaard: 6 – The defender wasn’t called into action too often but was undone by the Tottenham movement for the Bale equaliser. Getty -
Jan Bednarek: 6 – Got drawn in by Tottenham’s attacking movement, which created the space to allow the home side to equalise. Defended relatively well otherwise. Getty -
Kyle Walker-Peters: 6 – Defended well for most of the game, though lost concentration on a couple occasions, most notably the disallowed Son goal. Reuters -
Nathan Tella: 6 – The midfielder put in a good performance without producing much in the final-third before being subbed off in the second half. Getty -
Stuart Armstrong: 6 – Armstrong’s running and attacking play in the first half caused issues around the Tottenham box on many occasions, but he looked to fatigue as the game went on. EPA -
James Ward-Prowse: 6 – The Saints captain put in a good all-round performance, covering a lot of ground, and grabbing an assist with a trademark set-piece. Reuters -
Theo Walcott: 6 – The winger got into some dangerous positions in the game, looking most threatening when given space to drive at the Tottenham backline. EPA -
Danny Ings: 7 – Ings had a great game, scoring a well-directed header at the half hour mark. The forward didn’t just cause issues offensively, but tracked back the length of the pitch to stop a cross. He came off with an injury ten minutes into the second half. Reuters -
Che Adams: 6 – The Scotland international had a big chance to open the scoring in the second minute but he was denied by Lloris at close range. Reuters -
SUBS: Ibrahima Diallo (For Ings 57’) – 6 – Had a quiet game when coming on for the injured Ings, as Southampton were on the backfoot for the majority of the second half. Getty -
Moussa Djenepo (For Walcott 67’) - 5 – Came on to offer some fresh legs in the second half but his rash challenge just inside the box gave away a penalty late on. Reuters -
Nathan Redmond (For Tella 84’) – N/R – Redmond was subbed on to add some legs to the field as Southampton looked to fatigue late on, having little impact on the final result. Getty
