at great cost.
Would Spurs prefer to lose to Millwall in the last Cup game at The Lane and Harry Kane be fit or lose Harry for a while and be one game away from the final?
Well you don’t get to chose, you just get what happens. Harry is out Spurs aren’t.
Who knows how long Kane will be out for, this Spurs after all where one week equals one month a couple of weeks equals half a year on the injury calendar. Could he be back for the weekend of 22 and 23 April, as that’s cup semi-final weekend. A timely return.
The gap to Chelsea in the league looked stiff enough with Kane, without even stiffer as the teams Spurs will face during his absence won’t roll over like Millwall. You can’t count on Son getting a hat-trick every week, nor indeed on Janssen scoring from open play every game.
So is the Cup the best option this season, is it the only option. Chelsea may implode but Harry-less it looks to be asking too much. Much better a one off game, even if it is at Wembley, with Spurs atrocious record there since it’s re-opening.
Six nil was a good scoreline but it could have been more… well as with so many Spurs games this season it should have been more.
The shots started early, one wonders if they’d got the nod about the young reserve ‘keeper Millwall fielded being dodgy, which the last goal hints at.
Again inept officiating prevented Spurs from scoring, Dele blatantly pulled down in the box. If neither ref nor lino can see that then they should be sacked on the spot. More inept officiating led to their only real chance when Dier was pushed while going for the bouncing ball.
Spurs were up for it, the crowd certainly were. Last week against Everton they seemed quiet this week it was a different story, right up until the Kane injury which just deflated the whole place.
When the opener did come on the half hour it was from the player that replaced Kane, Eriksen. Yet again Pochettino went with another option rather than a striker for a striker, leaving Janssen on the bench. From Dele’s chest down the English player probably thought he had a chance but the Dane swivelled and stroked in a cracker.
Eriksen certainly played his part in the game, it was a substitution that worked. Though before his introduction Winks was running the game and after the Dane came on I felt Winks deferred to Eriksen.
It was another ten minutes before Son got in on the act. Up until then he’d been woeful, so slack in possession he didn’t possess the ball much. Indeed in the build up he looked like he’d bugger up the chance by losing the ball under his feet, then he summoned the spirit of Kane and curled one in from the edge of the box.
His second was even better. A great chip forward from Trippier and from over his shoulder a first time shot on the run from Son was outstanding. It was about the only time his first touch resulted in the ball going where he wanted.
Dele finally got on the score-sheet after Eriksen put in an excellent cross, across the face of goal, curling away from a hesitant ‘keeper, out of the reach of the defenders for a tap in.
Some slick play then saw the biggest shock of the day. Davies to Son, Janssen – who had been introduced, finally, five minutes earlier for Dele – looked to be going to close to the defender as Son carried the ball, then the Dutchman dropped back, played square by Son, Janssen’s first time shot slid in the corner.
A goal… a goal from open play… could this be the turning point?
Your immediate reaction is yes but then minutes later he he has a clear headed chance, it goes and and yes, he’s off with perfect timing. But it doesn’t go in, it’s headed at the ‘keeper and you think… well, maybe not.
All the joy of his team mates celebrating that goal, why couldn’t the ‘keeper do what he did for Son’s hat-trick, let it squirm through him. Janssen doesn’t get them sort of breaks. Spurs needed them breaks to give him the confidence and maybe more importantly give Pochettino the confidence in Janssen.
As it is the Dutchman will more than likely still be on the bench when the team sheet minus Kane is announced next week.
So Chelsea in the semi, a repeat of the ’81 classic in the final or the first meeting with the scum in a final…