obviously doesn’t count for Spurs.
Spurs ground out a victory against newly promoted Luton, with 10 men, in a game that could very well have turned out very Spursy.
For the first quarter of this game was going one way, towards a smash and grab job by the home team. Spurs were running riot, running rings around those in orange but couldn’t finish off any of the many chances created.
When they weren’t missing the target the keeper was having that playing against Spurs highlight reel day, you know… a Tim Krul day.
That first 20 minutes saw Spurs have over 80% of the ball and eight attempts. Good attempts. Attempts that were off target and should have been on, attempts that should have seen the game done and dusted halfway through the first half.
Two minutes in and Richarlison should have opened the scoring but missed a sitter at the back post from Kulusevski’s excellent cross. Throw your head at it son. He was then one on one with the keeper after a glorious through ball from Maddison but found the keeper’s leg with the shot. Porro slid one just past the post after a good one-two with Son. Son himself had three chances he didn’t take.
The start of what could have been the real turning point in the game came just over half an hour in. After Porro had coughed up the ball, rather out of position, Bissouma took one for the team, with a bit of a rugby tackle. A deserved yellow and at that point the worst part being it meant it was his fifth of the season, so will miss the next game with a suspension.
But worse was to come. It could have been immediately worse, as from the free-kick, Luton had the ball in the net, it was chalked off, rightly, for a push on Romero.
It did get worse, just before the break, when Bissouma on a mazy run through orange shirts, lifted his leg and fell over under no contact. The ref blew for simulation, no one in whatever colour shirt Spurs were needlessly wearing complained, certainly not Bissouma as he was shown his second yellow and given his marching orders. A long walk of shame at the smallest ground in the league.
Stupid thing to do at any time but when you’re already on a yellow, even worse. And to add to it, he’s now suspended for the next game for the red card but still sits on 4 yellow cards, so his next yellow will see that one match suspension imposed.
Gonna be a big miss, for two games because that fifth yellow will come.
Ange made the change at the break, misfiring Richarlison off for the Biss replacement, Hojbjerg. Not a like for like as before he got that first card, I tweeted how Bissouma’s turn was “teh sex”.
Of course this meant Spurs didn’t see anywhere near as much ball in the second half. From 80/20 to 50/50. While attempts went from 12/3 to 3/9. One glorious chance right after the break to open the scoring. But the opener came at the other end just seven minutes into the second half, after two corners taken by Maddison it looked like he was coming over to take the third when he received the ball in the box from Kulu’s quick take. Dipping his should he was free and cut the ball back, where Micky van de Ven somehow turned his massive frame to score his first goal for the club with his favoured left foot.
From there it was a fight to preserve the three points. Romero and Micky putting on a show. Ange went full Conte again with his subs, Son and Maddison making way for Emerson and Skipp with 15 minutes to go. The Davies coming on later. Eventually he gave Veliz another couple of minutes.
But they saw it out. Yes it’s Luton. Yes, I still say they’re in a three way competition with the other two promoted teams to break the record for the lowest points total in a PL season but this could have very easily been a Spursy game…