but don’t actually lose for once.
Spurs did their usual follow up to a four goal thumping of a top team by put in a lacklustre performance against “lesser” opposition, except this time they didn’t actually lose, but only drew with Fulham.
You could tell from the off that it was gonna be one of those games, when Sonny hot the keeper with a glorious chance in the opening seconds, after Fulham had gifted them the chance.
You could also tell it wasn’t gonna be good with the starting XI. With Sonny up front, where he doesn’t work and Werner out left. Oh joy. The latter showed up early as well, Udogie didn’t want to pass him the ball, he was the only open player but the young Italian just didn’t want to. He was right but had to. Werner’s return pass went over the byline, even with Udogie’s pace.
Forster was also back in goal, with Vicario a long term absentee now. And it was the home keeper who saw more action. Yes, the save tally was the same in the first half but Fulham had far more attempts. Forster making good saves, but you don’t want him doing that too often because, as in this game, he has a habit of following up a great save with a stupid flap. That reminds me of an old TV football sketch show, where the had an impersonation of Martin O’Neill asking why his keeper is 6 foot 4 when standing still but 5 foot 3 when jumping.
Spurs real best chance in the half, in which Fulham also had more of the ball, was a Maddison free kick. With the visitors not employing a draft excluder, the Spurs’ player went low with his kick just outside the area. It took a little bobble off the pitch as it went under the jumping wall which bounced it onto the post and out.
Ange saw this not working for 45 minutes and decided to go again in the second half. A half that went like so many before, with Spurs not turning up. Not turning up even more than the first half. They were doing that not getting the ball past the first wall of opposition players. Not stringing two passes together. Being on the back foot and just having to defend all the time.
For a few seconds Spurs didn’t do this, 10 minutes into the half, it started with a bit of dithering between Son, Johnson and Maddison, before Werner lofted a ball into the box and Johnson was on the end of it. It was Spurs only shot on target in the second half, from the whole three shots they mustered. Meanwhile Fulham had 4 shots on target. Their equaliser coming just under 15 minutes later.
Eight Spurs players, not including the keeper, in the box, to three Fulham players and yet the ball back to the Fulham player outside the box gets through and his shot goes past all of ’em.
Fulham deserved it. So did Spurs. And Ange looked on. He then finally made a change, Kulusevski for Werner. It didn’t make much difference. Even when Fulham went down to 10 men with what was really Kulusevski’s only contribution, getting studs right down the back of his calf from the Fulham scorer. It’s funny hearing the Fulham commentators in the video above trying to talk it down and claim Maddison got him sent off, because it was his first offence. If it had been the other way round they’d be caterwauling at such a high pitch. Much like the commentator at the time who thought it was a nasty challenge and a red card, up until the moment the ref went o the screen and was obviously gonna show him a red, then it wasn’t a red card challenge. It was a red. And as for the commentators on the video talking about diving and play acting, their side was wasting time from the very off, while happy to commit fouls, what with the ref not thinking this was a red and then letting them away with blatant yellow card challenges. One on Son in particular.
Shortly after Ange made more changes. He brought off Maddison and Sarr. Finally Grey was going to play in his natural position – no Mr Commentator, he’s not a left-back – but why remove Sarr, when he’d been far more involved and better than Bissouma and why when he needs goals does Ange take off his creative players? Remember it’s all action under Ange, yet there’s numerous occasions he’s gone defensive.
Unfortunately Grey didn’t last long before having to be replaced due to injury. None of it made any difference anyway. Spurs were just hanging on for the draw. It was another dreadful performance. Another typical after the Lord Mayor’s Parade game from Spurs. It’s not like Fulham flat back tenned it. If they played like they did against City, then the result would have probably been the same. But there seems to be… “Lads, it’s only a little team” mentality.
To go with Ange’s hit and hope coaching…