until it didn’t in dramatic fashion.
Spurs finally took to the pitch for a league game, after nearly three weeks, and what a game it was as Brendan Rodger’s side bottled it again, while Conte kept his unbeaten league record.
Finally a team didn’t bottle it before facing Spurs in the league, after the NLD was called off due them being scared, Leicester had players missing and so did Spurs. With Sonny missing this lead to a change in Conte’s preferred 3-4-3, with just Moura and Kane up front and an extra body in the middle.
For a change Spurs came out of the traps with pace and intent. They looked up for this one, as the opening 25 minutes were all out attack from the away team. Of course with all that attacking there came chances, but this being Spurs there didn’t come goals.
We finally found the point of Winks, who was that extra man in the middle, it’s for corners and we shouldn’t be surprised, after all it is passing sideways. Kane should probably have scored from one.
But with all those missed chances, coming and going, we all knew what would happen next. This ain’t our first rodeo. And sure enough about 25 minutes and the home side have their first attack, first attempt and first goal, with the help of some inept defending The ball bouncing around the area, Leicester never really had control of it before Reguilon passes it straight to their scorer.
Spurs keep helping the other team to score, it would be the last time on the night.
From there the home finally side got into the game and were on top but that only lasted until half-time. But even then during this period, Spurs had good chance and did produce the equaliser. Winks actually played a ball forward, one of his usual hit and hope jobs, which Kane got on the end of. This season, Kane in such a position you figured he’d take too many touches, get closed down and blocked out but he put the Leicester defender on his arse, when cutting in on his left and slotted the ball in off the far post.
Level at the break, Conte made a change then, bringing Doherty on. Thankfully for once, not at left wingback. From the off it looked like a different Doherty. It helps being on his correct side but this was a better Doherty than his previous outings on his preferred wing.
Again while Spurs were on top they had another attack that ended up in the back of the net, thanks to a Spurs intervention. Some nice build up play, but did Hugo have the attempt covered before Tanganga deflected the ball away from him and in off the post?
They did have other chances, one in particular saw a brilliant bit of defensive work from Hojbjerg, who after a couple of games where he wasn’t at his best, he was back close – it came fro some inept play by Winks. Then with Spurs repeatedly attacking, it looked like that first half an hour when no goal would come. Lo Celso had replaced Winks and then Bergwijn had come on for Reguilon. Conte was going for it.
Just it wasn’t coming. Then three players who, well divide opinion could be the diplomatic way of putting, combined. Bergwijn had just been booked, for clashing with the defender Kane had put on his arse earlier, the time added for that player’s rolling around feigning injury helped.
With the clock at 94 minutes, Hojbjerg played a lovely ball over the top, Doherty made the type of run into the box that he used to make for Wolves, that saw him pick up 15 assists in the two seasons before his move to Spurs. He chested it, before bouncing off a defender, which the ball also bounced off before dropping at the feet f Bergwijn who slammed home the equaliser.
He celebrated but only after going straight in to get the ball back, Kane eventually shoved the keeper out of the way to retrieve it. Tellingly the equaliser wasn’t enough. From Leicester’s restart, Hojbjerg won the ball in the middle of his own half, through to Kane, still in the Spurs half, turning Kane played the perfect ball through the home defence for the onrushing Bergwijn. Picking up the pass he went round the keeper and then slotted home the winner and put that defender on his arse again. He’d been on his arse three times, twice for goals and once for that rolling around, time for which was added on at the end, just enough time for that winner.
So Leicester moaning holds no water. But it isn’t as holey as Brendan Rodgers post match comments about “I don’t think Tottenham won the game, we presented them the three points”.
Yup, there’s a reason someone started a Twitter account called Delude Brendan. He wasn’t Happy… he’s usually Dopey. With 27 attempts, Spurs had nearly twice the number of the home side, while they had 4 on target, Spurs were in double figures with 10. Apparently the expected goals was a record for the season. While during big patches of the game Spurs ball possession was getting into the 90% plus range. He could even claim to have “won the passing”.
Keeps bottling fifth place, bottled this, his utterances are a complete embarrassment. Still can’t believe some Spurs fans wanted him as the manager.
The cup defeats have been dispiriting but this, does this show Conte has brought something new to the club? Of course if a defeat follows then we know it’s still our Spurs.
Also when he sees his manager doing this with the players he’s got, you wouldn’t put it past Levy to figure he doesn’t need any new faces… I mean 20 days into the window and nothing…