until he leaves anyway.
Conte finally got Spurs to turn up on time and to keep going for a bit but they still weren’t a 90 minute team, even against a Forest team that they were cruising against.
I have to say, the outcome did come as a bit of a surprise, earlier in the day Liverpool, who lay just three points behind, with a game in hand and a superior goal difference, went and lost at Bournemouth, meaning a Spurs win would negate that game in hand and keep them in fourth.
Spurs never normally grasp gifts like that with both hands, they normally drop them, then stick them into their own net. In the most embarrassing fashion. Of course in the end they almost tried to throw it away.
It was almost the perfect start just a few minutes in when Skipp played a glorious ball from about 10 yards in his own half, to Richarlison, he let it bounce and it sat up perfectly for the Brazilian to bang it home from about 10 yards from the goal. It was a cracking goal, right up until VAR got involved. To quote someone VAR has had a “shitty season”. It was millimetres. If not singular.
It would have been the best way to get off the mark in the league for Richy. The perfect response to Conte, who I didn’t see celebrating with the gusto of the other goals. While Richy raced in the opposite direction from his manager. Though you imagien Conte will be taking credit for what was probably Richy’s best game for Spurs, so far.
That ball from Skipp though. Kanesque.
It was about 15 minutes later when the first goal came. It also came about via a player who probably had his best game, so far. Richy’s cross was going nowhere, when Davies – who is better at left wingback rather than centreback but still isn’t the answer – lunged to play it back into danger, Porro then stood up the perfect ball for Kane to head back across goal, giving the keeper no chance. It was Kane’s 19th league goal of the season. His 20th came another 15 minutes later. Started by both of those improved players.
Porro chipped a ball to Kane, immediately controlled he then played the ball through for Richarlison to chase in the box, in doing so he was taken down. It was funny seeing the Forest defender who committed the foul go to raise his arm to claim it was a fair tackle, or for the goal kick, but halfway through realise the stupidity of doing so, as the rest of his team mates didn’t bother to complain.
Navas in the Forest goal pranced about until he pranced himself to his right as Kane put the ball straight down the middle. For his first pen since that World Cup game.
Of course it couldn’t last as they didn’t exactly turn up with the same thrust in the second half and Forster in the Spurs’ goal had to actually get involved. But just after the hour Spurs broke when Richarlison was played down the right, his first time cross, on the edge of the area, was cut out but the ball bounced straight back to the Brazilian, his second cross found Son, who just backed off his defender in taking the ball, giving him the space to get his shot off. Scoring his first league goal in a start.
You’d think it would be all over now. Three nil, at home to Forest a team who’ve only managed 6 points away from home, all season but no this is Spurs and there’s that gift they need to drop.
First up Forster makes a good instinctive reaction save, it was matched a bit later by a save from Navas to prevent Richarlison getting his first league goal. But then Forster a bit full of himself after that ave, came flying out flapping but not getting off the ground at a corner, nodded on it was put in at the back post. Still nine minutes plus stoppage time, this is Spurs after all.
It was five minutes into that added time when Forest could have, should have, pulled another one back. Kulusevski on late for Richy – Conte making sure he didn’t score – trying to get his body between the Forest player and the ball he punched the ball, inside the area. Forster went the right way and redeemed himself a bit after that flapping howler.
So in the end all’s well, though it keeps a manager who should have probably been gone before this game in his job. Richy and Porro had their best outings. Son scored after starting. All good things but can they keep it up for next week’s relegation fodder…