the easiest route.
So far Spurs have been drawn against lower league teams in the F.A. Cup and they’re doing their best to make heavy weather of it.
Though Pochettino said there was no excuses for a bad display in the first game away to Newport there was mitigating circumstances. In the replay there was none whatsoever to explain the awful display as they struggled to a 2-0 victory.
Though again there is the “well the manager picked Sissoko, so if he’s not trying, why should we?”.
From the off this dope was doing everything he could to help Newport. On the pristine surface of Wembley he resembled someone playing at Newport’s Rodney Parade. From a bout a yard away he couldn’t find Lamela with a simple pass. He wasn’t the only one that wasn’t playing well, it’s just he was by far the worst. And that pointing he does. Why? What is it for? What is he signalling and to whom? He minces over pointing and lets the Newport player run past him. He minces over pointing and not bothering even to close an attacker down, leaving it to Aurier. What is the point?
Dear god get him out of the club, somehow, someway. Why does nobody ever injure him?
The defence looked jittery, giving away early good chances to the visitors, who again could have gone ahead in the tie. The midfield and front were missing, with only Wanyama and Lamela showing. Victor got an early booking and a bit of panic the thought of him getting a second, with him putting himself all over the pitch making up for others, thankfully he could be subbed before this happened.
Winks was anonymous, while Son was lively but just didn’t link up with Llorente at all. Not helped by Rose, who some were praising for his forward runs, did sod all when he got there. Him and Son seemed more intent on Chuckle Brothers passing – to me, to you – than getting the ball into Llorente.
What to do with Fernando Llorente Torres as he joins Roberto Soldado and Vincent Janssen in the strikers that have forgotten how to strike club. Spurs, where bought strikers come to die.
The problem is they just don’t know how to play to him. At the weekend he showed his worth with his header from Trippier’s throw that ended up with the second penalty for Spurs. But here no crosses came into the box as Rose dithered and Sissoko Sissokod, he could have put a cross on Llorente’s toe but instead whacked it miles away from the Spaniard.
So when he was gifted two excellent chances, Llorente made a complete mess of both. The first header was an absolute shocker. Spurs have just done for him.
Newport didn’t serve the opening goal. Nobody deserves that. A Sissoko cross that was going, god knows where, is deflected in for an own goal. I mean when you see the results of spot the ball competitions and the the winning entry doesn’t seem realistic, well that’s a Sissoko pass.
The second goal was the only real piece of class play all night. A lovely ball by Wanyama to Son and for once a lovely ball by Son to Lamela, nicely taken under control and his first goal for years and years.
Lamela was in his pomp them. All the usual tricks. Poch’s subs should have seen the game done but they chose to duff their chances to get on the score-sheet. The only saving grace was that the Newport defender David Pipe didn’t knacker a Spurs player, though not through the lack of trying. Martin Tyler said it was a story with a happy ending, Pipe being back playing after a stint of stir, I wonder if the bloke left with metal plates in his head after the assault thinks so. Pipe could quite easily have done Son’s knee ligaments and later Rose with some rash challenges. Luckily they survived intact.
So now off to Rochdale and their Spotland Stadium beach, which bodes well for an easy game, doesn’t it…