this one.
Spurs got their second one nil victory of the league campaign, with a struggling victory over Nuno’s old side, Wolves, thanks to the home sides goalkeeper and inability to score.
Certain parts of this game against Wolves it looked like the midweek game in Europe, Wolves kit was somewhat similar as was Spurs performance. That is, not very good.
Spurs kit was completely different. Dear god, that thing is an abomination.
Unlike against Pacos de Ferreira, Spurs managed to score, ironically it was party due to Wolves man of the match that they did score, while also down to him they didn’t make life a bit easier, with more goals. That they didn’t concede was down to Wolves as well.
Nuno started with the same XI for his return to Wolves, as he played in the league opener. It clicked perfectly ten minutes in, when Reguilon cut out a pass, when he got the ball back from Bergwijn he played a glorious ball, that was matched by the brilliant run by Dele, in the box, where he was taken out by the keeper. Yes, dele left his foot hanging, inviting the contact and he got it, it was a pen.
For the rest of the half, well pretty much the rest of the game it was mostly Wolves, while both sides had the same number of shots on target, the hosts racked up 25 attempts in total. And that saved Spurs. Their inability to finish dangerous moves off.
It was all coming down Wolves’ left through Adama Traore. Tanganga after last weeks man of the match performance wasn’t muscling the big Spanish winger off the ball the way his did Sterling and Grealish. Traore was in full beast mode and you can see why when doing that so many Spurs are excited at the club making an offer for him… except they also saw what followed as time and again he failed to find a Wolves player with a pass.
Wonder how many of them watched 90 minutes of Traore doing that were slagging Bergwijn and Moura off during the game. Spurs have enough wide guys that are a bit hit and miss, they don’t need to spend £40m on one that’s probably even worse with the end product.
Traore’s moment of glory came just on the hour when clean through. Dier had met a forward ball from Wolves, his touch was a bit heavy and in retrieving the ball it was taken off him, now out of position the middle was wide open and one pass had Traore one on one with Hugo, make his 300th league appearance for the club the captain stood big, brilliantly blocking the attempt with his right foot.
While Wolves had all those attempts, Hugo didn’t have any real saves to make bar this one, while his opposite number did. Bergwijn and Son tested him, one of the few times the latter was really in the game – don’t know how he got the BBC man of the match. According to Nuno he was a bit dodgy before the game and after he was seen walking “gingerly”, so might explain his game. Also might, though not too sure it does, explain why it was Son that made way when Kane was brought on with 18 minutes to go.
His arrival brought the chants of the day…
The Wolves fans sing: "Harry Kane, he wants to f*** off". Spurs supporters reply that he's one of their own. Once he's on, Wolves fans chant "There's only one greedy b*****d" and "He'll be a Manc in the morning". The Spurs fans retort: "Harry Kane, he's worth more than Wolves."
— Alasdair Gold (@AlasdairGold) August 22, 2021
Kane had his chance, it came from Bergwijn doing this, which technically far better than Traore’s muscled running…
https://twitter.com/SpursOfficial/status/1429553967005114377
The keeper saved Kane’s shot. Five minutes from the end, Dier had a good chance for the second with a header from a corner. Wolves may have had the quantity of attempts, Spurs had the quality.
Dele was the man of the match for most, because unlike Traore he had an end product. He won and scored the penalty and his all round performance was excellent. He was present in all three areas of the park, attacking and defending. Yes some of the Dele touches and flicks didn’t come off the way they used to, but with more game time under a manager that trusts him.
It was a win… don’t they say it’s the sign of a good team, winning ugly… or is that only when it isn’t Spurs?
Be interesting to see what the final week of the transfer window brings… or departs. Unfortunately the manager brought Winks on in the dying moments, which suggests he’s their in Nuno’s thoughts.