then the handball wouldn’t matter?
Yet again Spurs inability to kill off a team they were destroying costs them and yet again their opponents are helped by the inept officials running and ruining the game.
It shouldn’t have come to this, if it happened it should have just been a footnote not the major talking point that cost Spurs a win and gave Newcastle a thoroughly undeserved point.
The Sky reporter thought it might have been deserved, when she asked Jose, if he did. Deserved, after doing nothing and for not having a shot on target for 97 minutes. That penalty being that shot. Their only shot.
And there’s why the penalty decision shouldn’t have matter. The game should have been dead and buried long before the ref decided to be the centre of attention. But it’s Spurs against Newcastle and yet again a game between the two where the Newcastle goalkeeper is man of the match, with a career highlight day.
It started very early and as soon as it did everyone was thinking he’s gonna do a Tim Krul and it’s gonna be one of those days. Just minutes in after some decent build up play the ref actually did something right by bringing back play for a foul on Lo Celso, being pulled back by Shelvey. The keeper makes a great save from Lo Celso’s free-kick, then gets back up to deny Harry on the follow up.
He went on to make another 9 saves, in between seeing the ball come back off the woodwork from Son, twice. After seeing Brighton set a new record in the Premier League for hitting the woodwork the day before, it looked like Spurs were trying to beat it.
Twenty five minutes in and Harry’s cross was too far away from the keeper for him to stop it going right across the face of his goal, before Moura nipped in at the back post to tap it in as the dozy defender waited for the ball to go out of play.
There was just far too many spurned chances. Highlighted by the echoing “fucking hell” that rang around the empty stadium after Eric Dier missed a sitter of a header. There were a number of apologies by the broadcaster mostly after missed chances.
Newcastle through all of this offered nothing. When they did they met Hojbjerg, who had his best game in a Spurs’ shirt – yes with that caveat of Newcastle being nowhere. It wasn’t just the mopping up though from the Dane. He put in some excellent balls, throughout. Looking forward and finding Spurs players through the channels, everything that Winks doesn’t provide. This is what they bought.
Spurs weren’t so good after the break. Probably due to Son being withdrawn at half-time. One highlights I saw said he was hobbling just before they went off and they said later it’s a hamstring. They missed him. His link up with Harry and the way he will drag defenders with him, along with the fact keepers don’t know which foot he’ll take a shot with, being so adept with both.
Ndombele came on in the half and again showed some great touches but again he came on when Lo Celso came off. With Newcastle offering nothing was Winks required? Couldn’t we see the pair play together, even just for a bit. Come on Jose don’t be so cautious.
During that half there was an indicator of what was to come. Harry had got into the box with the ball and with nothing on he kicked it straight at the Newcastle defender. Hoping the ball would hit an arm and that the ref would give a spot kick. There was a number of claims for handball, none of which would have been under the original laws but these days, who knows. You see ’em given, you see ’em not.
Anyway, I Tweeted early in proceedings how many more chances would Spurs miss before Newcastle equalised. Everyone knew it was coming and if you held a poll on how it would come, this would probably come top. it’s just ever so Spurs.
Anyway. It wasn’t a foul by Hojbjerg that resulted in the free-kick. Dier was fouled as the free-kick came over and it wasn’t a handball to anyone who has ever loved the game.
Other than that the ref on the field and the dimwit behind the screen got it… spot on. Jose walked off. That’s what it really needs, all XI and the management to walk off. Or a club owner to sue. There was confusion at the end as first there was talk of Kane being red carded, then it was assistant manager João Sacramento then cleared up that goalkeeper coach Nuno Santos was shown the card.
When Jose was asked that question by the Sky interviewer, the look on Jose’s face brought back memories of the old Dundee united manager Jim McLean saying “you think I’m gonna answer a stupid question like that”… though McLean then went onto thump the interviewer.