working.
Spurs became the first team to beat Leeds at home in over a year, in another spotting performance, but they’re riding high in third, while having not played that well, imagine if it starts to click.
Yes, this sounds clap-happy. It is. Spurs needed to regroup and restart, build from the back and sort out the defence, it all starts there and then the rest can be worked on. After defensive ineptitude of Angeball work had to be done massively and the fact that just seven games into the league season they are demonstrably better – second fewest goals conceded.
No, this is not Mourinho/Conte stuff, Frank doesn’t have Kane and Son for a start. He had Tel and Odobert here. That’s one hell of a downgrade. It wasn’t a forward line that inspired thoughts of victory. That along with it being the early kick-off and the game before an international break and a newly promoted oposition.
Things nearly got off to another poor start though with a bit of a Vicario headless chicken routine at a Leeds free kick, old Spurs boy Rodon hitting the woodwork at the back post, while Vic was all over the shop.
The main problem is at points the team revert to that fannying about at the back, playing themselves into trouble. When they go forward quickly, they are so much better as with the opening goal. Bentancur battling and winning the ball, Kudus with a quick ball forward and Tel running forward. It worked. Took a deflection from Tel’s shot but worked.
The problem for a lot of the game Bentancur was passing the ball sideways and back. Kudus was stopping and turning inside or back and running into opposition players, who were double or treble teaming him. None of which worked. For all the plaudits for Kudus he is too quick to stop going forward.
Spurs were just lucky Leeds had Calvert-Lewin up front – remember when Spurs were interested in this permanently injured non-scorer, because he was cheap on a free?
I saw someone giving Udogie a 5/10, obviously missing the number of times Udogie laid a great chance on a plate, only for the likes of Kudus to miss a glaring opportunity, or for Tel and Kudus just not to be there for a tap in. Kudus is never at the back post for them. Johnson needs to teach him how it’s done.
The equaliser was not much of a surprise, Leeds were well in the game. It was just a matter of if they could actually get it in the net. Vicario getting the blame for palming a shot out to the scorer. Well, yup he did but the shot took a deflection so there might be mitigating factors here. But I do wish if he was gonna palm balls he would palm them out of the danger area. Actually I’d prefer if he actually tried to catch balls.
Xavi was more in a floating number 10 role, than being stuck out on the wing. And he looked far better for it. Played some lovely balls through and over the defence, which his teammates just didn’t quite click with. Though it did lead to Tel hitting the bar with a header, from Odobert’s cross. Though his Rabona when Spurs were in a great position, nearly resulted in a Leeds goal, only stopped by a great save by Vicario.
The winner came from Kudus cutting inside, but he’d got away from the white shirts, though his shot again took a deflection to get past the home keeper.
It still took another great save from Vicario to save the day. So yes even with the happy-clappy intro there’s still work to be done in the defensive department… but I’m just Ange free happy-clappy, would almost put up with anything to be rid of that clown, while laughing at his latest failure, seeing all the things that were prevalent during his tenure, all coming around a little quicker, he’s already started on the reporters, can’t handle a bit of questioning.
A win before an international break… it’s unheard of.