even Newcastle couldn’t prevent ’em.
Spurs limped over the line with an insipid victory over Newcastle, climbing to third place in the league and securing Champions League football for the new stadium.
Said in my last post after the inept display in losing to WBA that even with nothing to play for and on a losing streak Newcastle would be tough to beat, and so it proved.
People are asking if they’d ever seen a team defend tenth place in the league as vigorously as Newcastle did at Wembley, wondering what they were playing for exactly to bring this level of performance. What the people asking these questions missed out was the motivation playing against Newcastle.
Sissoko.
Those in the very shiny away kit had the very motivation playing against them. Here was an example that you could very well play like a bum for a whole season, if not two or three, then pick this one game to have a blinder and get your big pay day move away from Sid James Park darn sarf to possibly Champions League football.
This was the fourth start Sissoko has made in 2018. The previous three games were all insipidly, ponderous, dire one all draws against relegation fodder, for the most part of this game that looked like it would be a good result. The rest of the description of those games fitted with this one. Yeah, I know, what a surprise.
You don’t know what Poch’s thinking is playing him, it can’t be a shop window job, I mean Newcastle don’t want him back as the away crowd showed every time he got the ball, with boos, and every time he gave the ball away with cheers. They were noisy most of the night.
His presence just hindered everything. Everything through the middle was slowed down as he dithered and then passed sideways. It was hindered by the defence looking forward and seeing Sissoko and not wanting to pass it to him.
Eriksen in the end had to drop deeper and deeper to make up for the rubbish coming from the middle. Why couldn’t Poch see this, take Sissoko off put Eriksen in there and either add Toby in defence or another attacker. Poch’s post match praise of the Frenchman, shows why this didn’t happen and explains why they struggled if Poch really thinks he performed well.
A defender might have helped, what with the chances Newcastle were creating. Jan wasn’t having his best day but an early chance for the visitors wasn’t down to an error of his as certain pundits would have you believe but a foul, which is what a shoulder to chest. While the midfield weren’t stopping balls through or players getting through. Much like recent games it was only the ineptness of the opposition in taking their chances that saved Spurs from another embarrassment against Newcastle.
In the end when it came to finishing they went full Sissoko, maybe looking at what he does when playing for Spurs they were thinking this was the way to get their move.
At the other end the finishing was equally inept, on the few times any finishing was attempted. Harry Kane looked like he was playing in August up until shortly after the break. Some two touch stuff for a change, Dele to Harry to Son, then back to Harry and he curled a lovely finish. Even no where near fit, should he really even be starting you wonder, he can still do it when given a decent ball and doesn’t stumble over his first touch.
Relief palpable. But Newcastle were till dangerous, tension was relieved again when the news came through that Huddersfield had held Chelsea to a draw meaning as it stood top four was secured. There was just the thought the ref could hand Newcastle and Chelsea a lifeline. He was as per usual for the PL inept. One late tackle on Trippier should have seen a red card, it was damn well ABH seeing the fullback limp off minutes later.
But luckily the ref stayed out of it and Newcastle, well they usually beat Spurs but they can’t win at Wembley and so Spurs did the double over ’em for the first time in years and the streak of Sissoko one alls was broken… and the new stadium will host Champions League games next season, let’s just hope this performance by the visitors doesn’t give Levy ideas and that a certain someone doesn’t grace the new pitch…