the one that got away.
Spurs looked to be heading to another Newcastle scoreline, then got it back Man U style, before grasping defeat from the jaws of parity, thanks to a classic bit of Spursy and some bog awful officiating.
Well Spurs survived the first minute without conceding but it wasn’t long after than when the scoreline was matching that from the Newcastle game, two down after just 5 minutes, thanks yet again to some gifts from the defence.
It was Groundhog Day again. Opposition player on the ball, plenty of Spurs players around him but none of them doing anything to stop the ball going over to Spurs’ right, where Porro and Romero have switched off and haven’t a clue about that opponent coming in behind them to score.
Again, there’s far more white shirts in the box than red. Which there was again when the second went in a couple of minutes later. As the ball is played down the line, there’s nine white shirts, three red. The player who then cuts the ball back from the byline isn’t challenged the cross isn’t remotely in danger of being cut out, while the scorer is unchallenged.
Ten minutes later and more self inflicted damage. Again the ball finds its way through a sea of white shirts without interruption but for a change, someone actually tries to attempt a challenge. Of course it results in them taking down the home player and a penalty being awarded. Romero being wild and out of control, what are the chances?
Amazingly it didn’t take until after halftime for Spurs to actually show up. In fact by break it could actually be level at 3-3. Almost should have been. First Son was through, after some pressing from Kane, but he fluffed his chance. Then some brilliant build up, with one touch passes, saw the ball played down the line where Perisic put “the greatest defender that has ever played” (© English media) on his arse, before lofting the ball over for Kane to volley through the keeper. Then after some more pressing by Kulusevski he was through but getting the ball caught under his feet he had to square it to the open Kane but chose instead an attempt that was just blocked by a leg.
Not long into the second half, Kulu played a glorious ball over to Son, curling his shot round the keeper it came back off the post. Spurs could be in front. Been awful but could be winning.
Spurs were now playing some decent stuff, a floated cross from Kane was met in the box by the only white shirt in there, Romero – nope no idea why – he met the ball which then bounced off the post again. It could be 5-3.
Then just over half an hour in Romero lifted a cracking ball over the packed red lines, for Son, got the ball under control then slid it by the keeper for 3-2.
Hojbjerg had already been denied a pen when pushed in the back, while in the air going for a header. Anywhere else on the pitch and it’s a foul. When in the 80th minute Jota is only shown a yellow card for kicking Skipp in the head. It’s dangerous play, it’s a straight red. There’s no argument. But ref and VAR decide they don’t want the scouse whinging, especially the big fake Klopp. of course this would come to haunt Spurs.
Then with five minutes left Richarlison is dragged down in the box. Again a clear foul, clear pen, but waved away by the ref and VAR.
Two minutes into added time and Kane is hacked down by Milner – cue more scouse bleating, especially from Klopp – the resulting free kick sees what we thought we would never see. Richarlison scoring a league goal. Son’s ball in and Richy goes round the back of the defenders and gets his head on the ball amongst another high boot.
It looked like they’d repeated what they’d done against Man U, comeback when they were so awful it didn’t look possible. But. But there was still four minutes of that added time left.
All it took was a hump up the park and Moura choosing an almost no look sideways path nominally to Romero but in fact to Jota to put it into the far post. Yup the player who shouldn’t have been on the pitch gets the winner. Just so Spursy.
An awful start to the game but hit the post three times, should have had a couple of penalties, keeper didn’t actually have a save to make and the winner comes from a player who should have seen red some 15 minutes previously. It could have… should have been a win.
But Klopp whinges about the hack on Kane for the equalising free kick. Claims the ref has something against him, after getting a yellow for his embarrassing, hamstring pulling, celebration. But of course he gets away with it, without being called out, what with all those ex-scouse players in the media.
Should have won that. That’s the worst thing. They’ve played two mediocre teams in the past two games, given them both a gift start and come away with a point, when they could so easily have got all six, then the league table looks a bit better.