One way traffic.

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In Middlesbrough's case I believe the Sunday league shout is "good half".

In Tottenham's it's something like "come on lads, we haven't started yet".

For my money, Spurs have probed admirably but Mauricio Pochettino will no doubt want them to find another level of creativity.

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Harry Kane showing some predatory instinct there to peel onto the smallest Middlesbrough defender in Fabio. He looks lovingly as a high ball comes his way but Fabio shows some great spring to make a key header.

No one could question the Middlesbrough commitment in this half. Very disciplined in their approach. A narrow shape, blocks, tackles aplenty.

Aitor Karanka may well want to address two bookings for central midfield players. They are surviving but with a man less they'd be sitting ducks.

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As Dele Alli arrives in the box to join an attack a ricochet doesn't fall his way and there are five Middlesbrough players close enough to throw a blanket over around the ball. They team up to hack clear, only for Victor Wanyama to thrash a shot off a defender for a corner.

Again it's the left flank and Son Heung-Min. He dances around, waiting for the yard of crossing space to be given. In comes the low ball and Harry Kane dashes onto it to lift high into the net. Mark Clattenburg's hand goes up and Kane knows straight away that it's a no from the judges.

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Matthew Upson
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 live

Tottenham are just probing, they're waiting for a Middlesbrough player to make a mistake, and then they'll try and exploit any space that is created.

Mauricio Pochettino looks a bit cheesed off. He's in his traditional black coat, scarf thrown in there to give him that GQ cover-model look. His face carries a look of frustration though. Almost fed up.

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Son Heung-Min attacks the Middlesbrough area from the left. Tottenham have worked the ball this way a lot in recent minutes. He wants to create room to shoot and does but his left-foot drive is way, way over.

Marten de Roon joins Adam Clayton in the book. He was tugging away at Dele Alli's shirt. The second player Alli has lined up for a booking in a minute.

Both teams are favouring their right flank. Notably that's where Kyle Walker and Christian Eriksen call home for Spurs.

Dele Alli gets down the left this time though and a foul from Adam Clayton brings the game's first yellow.

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Tottenham should be one up. Harry Kane puts his hands on his head in frustration and blows a big puff of his cheeks. His header from 12 yards is over. He was running on to it, no challenge at all. A fine pick out by Son Heung-Min.

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There's some desperate stuff going on in that Middlesbrough defence. You know those moments where you're late for work and you're just grabbing stuff on the way out of the house, often with reckless abandon? Chaos. Very much like that. A cross comes in and with no threat near him, Ben Gibson just stabs it back to a Spurs player. This cannot continue, the resistance must break...

"Let's go forward Spurs, let's go forward," says one fan loudly.

They are trying. Mousa Dembele finds Son Heung-Min. Victor Wanyama, wide to Kyle Walker. The ball is worked left again to Son... corner.

Christian Eriksen places it and raises one arm. That's code for something... Victor Valdes punches clear. It was not code for that.

Victor Wanyama is no fool. Every time Middlesbrough try to clear their lines he takes his position up in line with Alvaro Negredo. That's the only target the away side have. He picks Negredo's pocket easily on halfway and gets fouled by he Spaniard. Spurs will come again.

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Matthew Upson
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 live

The last five minutes the tempo has dropped, from both times. The game started very brightly but as Middlesbrough have got a foothold in the game, Tottenham have slowed down and are looking for that spark of creativity to unlock the opposition.

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When Tottenham have possession, perhaps unsurprisingly Middlesbrough only lave Alvaro Negredo in the Spurs half. Armand Traore protects Boro's right flank, Stewart Downing the left. That leaves two solid banks to play through. It works this time as Spurs try to force a pass which runs for a goal kick.

Christian Eriksen stands over a corner. He whips it in and forces Victor Valdes to flap at the ball to clear. It's worked wide to Eriksen again... great whip in draws a header out for a corner.

Take three...Eriksen...Toby Alderweireld... off the upright. A glancing header at the near post rattles the post halfway up.

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Tottenham dominating the ball and on top in terms of territory. Just the three shots with one on target so far though.

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