are worse than Qarabag.
Spurs fourth victory on the trot, saw them cruise past a Man United team that didn’t have eleven players even before the red card, with a display that has been slightly overblown.
United were worse than Coventry, a team currently lying in 21st place in the second division. They were worse than Qarabag, the team currently on top of the Azerbaijan Premier League. This run of Spurs wins and United’s form, including being so bad in this game means the Manchester club, currently lying 12th in league, are now well in the lead in the race for Gareth Southgate.
Ange made one change from the now regular league XI, with Son’s midweek departure not having cleared up for Sunday’s game. A lot of people were getting excited about Mickey Moore getting a start but as I tweeted Ange was never going to do that, and no matter how not up to Sonny’s standard the captain had been so far this season, it could be worse and it was. It was only ever going to be Werner getting that left sided slot, a choice that meant Spurs played most of the game with ten men.
But they started off well, Spurs were pressing Man U into giving the ball away but were then guilty of doing the same but not under any pressure, with the wrong ball. Though the opener came from a Man U attack. Rashford losing the ball, after an Udogie challenge stopped the initial break, which was picked up by van de Ven, who glided forward in true Rolls Royce style, running past everyone, he got to the byline and stuck the perfect cross over and as he was sliding out of play, Johnson was at the back post to tap it in for his fourth goal in the last four games.
The Welshman knew, he was straight over to his Dutch teammate pointing at him. Micky made it. The defender said he knew Johnson would be there, because that’s what they’re coached, and yet you barely saw it again. Well, there was someone there on the left that might have had something to do with that.
Spurs proceeded to do that thing they habitually do when well on top. Spurn their chances. Johnson hit the post with another attempt, one from a pass by Kulusevski, all the talk about how great the Swede was in this game – against a non-existent opposition – but he was wide open in front of goal and bottled taking a shot with his right foot to pass the ball to someone in a worse position, with his left.
Any while Spurs were on top it still required Vicario to make some saves. His one from the Z player just after Johnson’s attempt was a cracker. But that just highlighted those missed chances. Romero could have made it better with a very acrobatic attempt from a Porro cross. They then hit the post.
It had that Spursy edge to it. The hosts looked pathetic and Spurs just couldn’t put the boot in. Highlighted perfectly 40 minutes in when another Man U attack was cutout by Udogie, Maddison’s pass was deflected, Kulusevski chased it down an played a perfect ball through to Werner. The German was off before meekly rolling the ball into the keeper’s legs. It was prime Werner. Nobody had the slightest confidence that the outcome would be any different. Ten men, 77 minutes.
United were officially down to 10 shortly before the break. Fernandes took time out from marking the referee, to slip over and in the process lunge his leg out to stop Maddison. Catching him high, cue the usual caterwauling. No doubt those saying it wasn’t a red would have exactly the opposite viewpoint of the roles had been reversed, or it was Romero. People saying there was no intent because he slipped. Well, when you slip you try and put your feet under you to control the fall, not kick it out at someone else’s shin. He was out of control.
Did not get Ten Hag’s substitution. But thankful he brought on the useless Mason Mount. But it was still just one nil.
That didn’t last long after the break, a hump out from defence, saw Solanke pressing, and winning the ball in his own half, he nodded out to the right, where Johnson picked up the ball and ran forward with Kulusevski, the Welshman went straight while the Swede cut into the box, Johnson’s cross deflected up into the air where Kulusevski jumped and tapped it by the keeper. It was all Kulusevski apparently, from his celebration.
Kulusevski then laid Werner on again. A nice run through the middle of United, keeping the ball, he played the German through perfectly and again Werner Werner’d it. A pathetic attempt. Moore couldn’t have been worse than those two feeble attempts by Werner. While at the same time he would have been getting big game experience. Something Ange’s insistence on playing Werner is holding back.
77 minutes in and the fire drill at Old Trafford had cleared many of the seats, when a couple of Ange’s subs played their part. While happy to see Werner finally depart, I didn’t understand Maddison and Johnson making way. But one of the replacements, Bergvall put in a corner, where another Sarr nodded it on, for Solanke to get another tap-in, his third goal in three games. He’s OK at the tap-ins. When it’s just there and he has to react, perfect.
When he has to think about, he goes all a bit Werner. As shown a little later, when Porro played the ball through and he was free one on one with the keeper and just hitting his legs.
Man U were so bad they couldn’t even get close to making it Spursy. Fans, were still on the edge of their seats expecting it but it never arrived, thanks to an awful home side. And just think, with Southgate it could be worse, oh that would be funny. It’s all eased the pressure on Ange, so thankfully levy won’t be tempted to beat United to a man he’s wanted previously.