for 13 minutes ma!
Harry Kane’s wonder strike against the 10 man Woolwich Wanderers looked to have sealed the deal on top spot, for a little longer than 13 minutes but old failings surfaced again.
One point, two games, either Leicester bought a job lot of lucky heather or there’s a permanent streak of guano running down Claudio Ranieri’s back.
It could have been worse of course, could have been no points while those about Spurs took maximum points since last weekend, as it stands they’re still a win above third and just the five behind the league leaders with the best part of a quarter of the season to go.
Could have quite easily have taken the full three points from this game while at the same time quite easily have been beaten. One ‘keeper slightly further behind the line and its three one, Kevin Wimmer makes a mess of a late tackle and it could be two three.
Well, Spurs dominated the game without really dominating it. While they had the ball for the most part the players just weren’t at it. Lots of passes just off, while Kane was doing his best Defoe impersonation of shooting on sight when maybe a pass off to others would have been the better option.
And was it any real surprise that after dominating whole doing nowt much that the opposition should open the scoring. Same old failing, being unable to prevent crosses into the box. And when it got into the box the other fullback being so far infield it makes it easy to play the ball into a dangerous area. Rose sucked in then sliding out doing absolutely nothing to stop the ball to Ramsey.
Heard a lot about how two of the Spurs fullbacks should be the first choice and the rotation should be stopped. People seem to have a very high opinion of Rose and that for Walker seems to be growing in some circles. Well people seem to be enthused by pace. Wow he can run fast.
We keep hearing that Walker loves to bomb forward. Does he? Does he really? Well if he does he does sod all when he gets there. Said it before and I’ll say it again, I’ve never seen a player so reluctant to play the ball. When “defending” it’s all hands and arse, playing the man not the ball. When attacking he stops and dithers slowing down any chance of a successful counter.
Waiting for Walker. He likes to wait, Spurs have to suffer for it. The one time he did anything instantly, he banged a cross in without hesitation, and Lamela nearly scored. But that was a one off the rest of the time it’s a waiting game. The ball is played to him in acres of space and he leaves it until the last second to play it up field, in the process bringing pressure from opposition players on himself and then playing other into trouble.
Going forward, well there was a prime example in this game. Again an early cross would have preferable but he waited and waited and waited, as did those in the box, before hammering the ball over the top of them and out of play on the far side. One touch crosses can sometimes be excused but when you wait and line it up and majorly bugger it up like that, there is no excuse.
After the opened the scoring it looked like a free for all for them, as Spurs opened up at the back and just invited a second.
It of course took the sending off for Spurs to really get into the game. Deserved red card after two stupid bookings. Five minutes later and Alderweireld had equalised. A corner fought for by Lamela – he fought for everything until substituted – and Toby was on the end to bang it in.
Toby, buy of the season? Spurs have gone from easy pickin’s to the best defensive record in the league since his arrival. Add in a few goals as well. His flick on a little earlier created the chance for Kane which their stand in ‘keeper just kept out, by about a Piers Morgan dick length.
Two minutes later and it looked to be on. Completely on top Dele Alli chased down a lost cause – wasn’t his best game but he still contributed – back heeled to Kane who hit a cracking curler round the ‘keeper. What was I complaining about shooting on sight. The mask comes off the celebrations start and that looks like a worthy winner.
But that lead didn’t last long. As Rose prevents a ball coming in yet again and Spurs get Sanchez back on the score-sheet after months. Rose went of straight away injured, maybe contributed to his failure but it’s something he’s prone to do fit or not.
He’s going to miss some games now, people are getting fraught, not much love for his replacement Davies. Now I know some people loath stats but certain figures show there’s no down side to Davies playing. While some go on about Walker making more interceptions than any other player – how many of those were getting the team out of a situation of his creation? – other stats for Trippier and Davies match up quite favourably. Walker and Rose vs Trippier and Davies
So it ended in no gain for either team, though they could have won it. Dier very lucky not to get a second yellow card for his three or four fouls on Giroud in one go, though Bellerin should also have seen a second yellow for a pull back. That was another failing of Spurs, with their fullback on an earlyish caution they didn’t attack him and try and get him to do something to bring the second.
Walker played his defence into trouble on a couple of occasion on real howler. Their centre-back nearly put in his own net and then Wimmer saved the day with an excellent last ditch challenge in the box.
The substitutions I have to say didn’t help Spurs. Pochettino head scratchers. Yes I get that Lamela probably had to come of, on a yellow with a ref you thought probably looking to even it up, and Erik was putting himself about a bit, but why not Chadli, a similar type of player. Why bring on a more central midfielder. Especially as it was unlikely that Dembele would last the 90.
Points dropped but any more important than the six points lost, bizarrely to Newcastle and Leicester themselves?
Hey, remember when we were top of the league for 13 mins
— Jo (@All_About_Jo) March 5, 2016