was still outcoached.
Spurs managed not to lose to each of this season’s relegated teams by scraping yet another unconvincing victory over a Southampton side that outplayed them in the second half and were then the earliest team relegated in Premier League history.
Ange could quite easily have done it, lost to each of the teams that will be relegated this season – only Southampton have been confirmed but it doesn’t look good for Ipswich and Leicester.
When the teams met earlier in the season, Southampton had one league win to their name, were blown away in the first half, yet outplayed Spurs after the break and then their manager was sacked. Since then Southampton have picked up just one more victory, they weren’t exactly blown away in the first half but they did outplay Spurs after the break, their manager is being sacked and they’ve become the earliest team to be relegated from the Premier League.
In both games they looked clueless, yet still could outplay Ange’s side for a half. In the first game it was too far gone at five nil. At just two nil it was all to play for and they did after the break.
The starting XI saw Ange make some expected changes, resting Micky for the midweek Europa League game, but again with most of the players available to him, Gray was sat on the bench while the midfield he’s seen not really work was sent out again.
It wasn’t working again. It was a lifeless performance from both sides. Yet it still took an extended Romero leg to get his foot on a shot to stop a really good chance for the visitors. Vicario might have had to save it but you never know. Before that Romero had a great chance with a header from a corner, which he powered straight at the scrambling keeper.
Spurs only real bit of football came just before the quarter hour and brought the opening goal. Yes Southampton finally had left a bit of space but for once Spurs played forward with pace. It ended with Sonny playing the ball to the overlapping Spence – oh overlapping fullbacks eh Ange? – heading to the byline, he cut it back for Johnson coming in from the right to smash it home for his 10th league goal of the season.
The lead could have been doubled a little later, Porro’s free-kick is headed down by Romero and Bergvall sticks his foot out and the ball loops into the net. Three hours later and VAR decides that a sliver of Romero’s shoulder was offside. Still think it should be the part of the body that makes contact with the ball.
The lead was doubled just before the break again there was a bit of fast forward play. Bentancur’s cross was cut out but the ball was headed straight up in the air, it bounced as Solanke was faffing about, then Maddison headed it over for Johnson to be the only one on his toes and he nabbed his 11th. Southampton’s defending was very Spursesque, just standing about and watching.
Spurs finished the half two up, yet still managed only two more shots than Southampton.
After the break, we saw the usual post Ange team-talk slump, which saw Southampton have more of the ball and more shots, including more on target in the second 45. It was yet again another awful second half as the useless lump stood there passively watching on. Even the crowd couldn’t be arsed calling him out – which of course doesn’t get to him, no in no way does it do that, otherwise he reacted like the very thin skinned over inflated ego that he is.
In a twist on the usual Spurs game it wasn’t a surprise that it took them so long to get a goal, they’re that bad. But then it still wasn’t a surprise that they did score because… Spurs are that bad. One cross and two Southampton players were at the back post with just Spence to cover both. A nice chest down and a shoot through Vicario’s legs and the last few minutes were gonna be dodgy for Ange’s outfit.
They hung on, helped by more inept Southampton defending in giving away a 95th minute penalty. The panicked arms on the head when he did it was a real giveaway, followed by the “what me guv?” act after.Johnson was on a hat-trick but Tel demanded to take it, lucky for him he scored it. About as much as he did in his time on the pitch, after replacing Solanke, who did very little himself, as per usual. What a bum. £65m. Bet Bournemouth are still laughing over that price.
There was just time to kick-off and then Southampton’s relegation was confirmed and Ange had avoided losing to all the relegated teams. Frankfurt lost at the weekend, still can’t see them being overly worried by a team that scraped past a team that could still beat Derby’s lowest points in the PL record, a team that just sacked the manager who had the lowest point per game tally of any manager in the league with the number of games he’s managed.