the party.
Even though Spurs outplayed Swansea it took two pieces of free-kick magic from Christian Eriksen to rescue a point from their visit to Wales.
After his return from injury Christian Eriksen has featured without actually featuring in Spurs’ games. There but not there, fairly anonymous. Luckily others have been there to pick up the slack, noticeably Heung-Min Son and Erik Lamela in that forward role, with Dele Alli also playing his part.
But with the South Korean out for a few weeks after picking up a foot injury against Man Citeh and with Chadli not exactly being at the races, Spurs needed their little Danish maestro to turn up. And so he did.
Only Spurs could dominate a half in which the opposition only had one shot on target and yet go in at the break two one down.
Well one thing that was always going to be trouble for the visitors was the home side’s left winger, Montero, against Spurs’ right-back, Walker. Walker is not the cleverest defenders about, Montero one of the sharpest real wingers. The former’s idea of defending is grabbing hold of a player or trying to shield the ball out of play. To this he added staying as far away as the man you are defending as possible. Montero is hugging the touchline, Walker is closer to the opposite wing.
So no surprise that Swansea’s opening goal came from that side. Walker miles inside when Montero receives the ball, doesn’t really get tight and allows a cross which finds Vertonghen being out-jumped by a man a few inches shorter than him. There’s five between Vertonghen and Ayew.
It didn’t take long for the equaliser, Dele Alli fouled and up stepped Eriksen. His fifth direct free-kick in the league. Fabianski didn’t even bother flapping about for it, one step right, while watching it go to his left.
Shortly after it was forgotten though as a moment that will live long in the memory of most Spurs fans happened. Harry Kane doubled his league goal tally for the season, while reducing his goal difference from plus one to zero.
As own goals go it was a corker. All on his lonesome at the front post with no danger around him, all the time and space in the world to control the ball he decided on a wild swipe that flew into the net with an expertise matched only by his offside time-wasting hoof into the Old Trafford stands. Harry really is one of our own
, as that was about as Spurs as you can get.
Swansea hadn’t learned their lesson by 20 minutes into the second half when they fouled Alli again in free-kick territory. Eriksen had a sighter some time earlier but it took a foul on that lad Alli for the second of his free kick masterclass to level things up. His sixth in the league, which is twice the number of the next on the list in the time Eriksen has been in England.
After that it was mainly Spurs going out to win it, even though Pochettino took his only striker off with 10 minutes to go. Townsend went close with one cut in and shoot but that put him on wash, rinse and repeat mode as his shots got slowly worse.
It was left though to Lloris to save the day and the away point with an outstanding save that would have had Sky Sports in post orgasmic meltdown had it been de Gea.
Only down side being Dier picking up his fifth booking – his short pull after the ref whistled was pure Michael Dawson – meaning he’ll miss the Liverpool game after the international break, you know the one where they’ll now have Klopp in to inspire them rather than Brendan “David Brent” Rodgers.
It could even get worse… someone mentioned Bentaleb being back…