We go top (briefly): West Bromwich Albion 0 Tottenham Hotspur 1
As I write this, we are top of the league table, and we – Tottenham supporters – are smiling that bit extra today. Even if that changes (and it did), we are still in a good position as we now go into a two-week break. When it goes well for us, we float like a butterfly, when it doesn’t, we feel deflated (like shit). Granted, I predicted 5-0+, nevertheless, we won, and that is all that matters (my excuse for not getting it right). To be fair on WBA, they battled and took the game to us (fighting all the time). They didn’t try to defend but went for it, in the end, the one goal in the game achieved its aims.
The Premier League table before the Leicester & Liverpool games.
- Tottenham 17 pts
- Southampton 16 pts
- Liverpool 16 pts
- Chelsea 15 pts
Sadly, in a blink of an eye, Leicester City leapfrogged us by beating Wolves. However, Liverpool drew with City.
Premier League table after Leicester City beat Wolves and Liverpool drew
- Leicester City 18 pts
- Tottenham 17 pts
- Liverpool 17 pts
- Southampton 16 pts
One point separates us and 1st.
To the match
Kane got another one to add to his tally – a bit late getting there, but they all count – with 2 minutes to go. And that was all we needed to go on top. It was the first time since August 2014 when we last graced that position.
To be honest, we all thought this was going to end in a draw. Hugo Lloris had kept out Karlan Grant’s second-half header and a flurry of chances had come and gone without reward. But we are learning to persevere, and it finally paid off. Kane punished a minor lack of concentration. Their defence – WBA’s – failed to track Kane as he ran into the box, allowing him to leap unchecked to meet Matt Doherty’s cross and nod his 150th Premier League goal over their unfortunate goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. Across the world, Tottenham supporters rejoiced in all sorts of manners. I suppose it was lucky we were all isolated as the embarrassment of our follies – if witnessed widely – could have shamed us all into an asylum (I am thinking of, “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s nest,” here). Anyway, back to the land of the living… or living isolation!
Our lead only lasted for a short while (at the top of the table), but it was the kind of cynical play and narrow win that is the trademark of great champions.
As for the Albion, who have only scored once in their last five games, it was a result that keeps them entrenched in the relegation zone.
Are we title contenders?
Some may say it is too early to tell, however, with no team in the Premier League outstanding, I do fancy our chances. As I said in a previous article, a group of us have put money on Spurs winning the league, and if we do, we should get about £9,000. You can just imagine the tremendous big piss up we’ll have if we do!
If we look at some of the players who did not even make Mourinho’s squad, such as Winks, Sanchez and Bergwijn, then it gives one confidence that we will bag some trophies and fight all the way for the League title this season.
As for Mourinho: apart from the start of his last season at United, when they played a day before everyone else, this was the first time he has been at the top of the table since September 2017.
Mourinho has instilled grit and orderliness into Spurs to make them a top side, and of course, we’ve got Bale, who is improving in every game. Granted, Bale wasn’t at his best in this match; nevertheless, he managed to start a game for the first time since leaving the club in 2013. He formed a possibly deadly attacking trio alongside Kane and Son. Great potential there.
Son came close with an earlier chance that came his way. Sadly, he took too long to set the goal up, and he was finally blocked by Kyle Bartley. It could have changed the whole dynamics of the game if he had scored. After that, it was a succession of long-range shots.
And then Doherty had an effort saved near the end, and we thought it was all over (a draw). But as we know Kane (is it ever over until the final whistle?), his brain kept ticking, looking, observing, hunting and finally taking his chance and scored. He is a great footballing predator.
As the saying goes, the cock was out, and once out you can’t quickly put it away… not without it giving all its best… and then he shoots! I had to reread that twice, anyhow, I know what I mean (in the best possible taste!).
Comments by Mourinho
“West Bromwich gave us a very difficult match,” José Mourinho said. “They way they played meant we had to play even better. I am pleased that we are compensating in away games for the points we have dropped at home, but it is too early to get excited about anything at the moment. In a lot of countries, we might be talked about as title hopefuls, but it is hard in the Premier League. You can have a very good season and still find Liverpool or Manchester City ahead of you. I am happy that Kane reached another landmark, but mostly I am pleased to have Harry playing for us. His all-round game is worth just as much as his goals. As well as scoring goals, he recovers the ball and wins so many challenges.”
WBA manager
As for Slaven Bilic, well he couldn’t disguise his displeasure at such a late goal. He said, “We made good chances against a good team today, and if we can keep doing that we will have a chance of staying up.”
The stats
We have won each of our opening four away games of a league season for just the fourth time in our history (also 1949-50, 1960-61 and 2017-18).
West Brom have failed to win any of their first eight games of a league season for only the second time, having last done so in 1985-86, when they would go on to be relegated from the top flight.
We have kept a clean sheet in back-to-back away league games for the first time since October 2018.
West Brom have failed to score in back-to-back home Premier League matches for the first time since doing so in four in a row from April to May 2017.
Kane has been directly involved in 27 goals in his last 14 starts for Tottenham in all competitions, scoring 17 and assisting 10.
What’s next for our title-chasing team?
We entertain Manchester City at home (17:30) on Sunday 21st Nov and then five days later another home game, where we are back in the Europa League (Thursday night football), against Ludogorets. Three days after that, we are on the road to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsa.
Glenn
COYS!!!
There is a longer version of this article on my blog, for that click here. To comment, you can do so below, or you can go to our Fan Forum and comment as much as you like (of course, you can comment as much as you like below, you choice). For the Fan Forum section, click here.
My name is Glenn Renshaw.
I am currently a Premium Season Ticket holder (West Stand) in the new stadium. Before that – at White Hart Lane – a season ticket holder in various parts of the ground (mainly in the North stand).
Before becoming a season ticket holder, I stood on the shelf and various other parts of the ground since the 1950s. In 1987 I became one of the first to hold a Spurs Membership card. I was also a life long member of the Spurs supporters club (now defunct).
I go to all home, away and abroad matches.
I was born in 1955, Edgware, London (it was in the late 50s – as a baby – that my dad took me to Spurs to initiate me). I currently live in Berkshire.
I also collect all Spurs books (and have everyone printed), Spurs handbooks (from 1920s onwards, Spurs programmes (since the 40s).
Previously, I wrote for Spurs Fanzines: The Spur, Spur of the Moment, My Eyes have seen the Glory and various other Spurs fanzines’. I also wrote for the SpursWeb app & its website.
I currently write and work for spursnetwork.com and its website. I write its Reviews & Match reports and a lot more.
My other interests are; reading, history, social history, Politics, going to the gym, wine, going out for a meal, music (all sorts), writing, theatre, concerts, going on holidays, socialising etc.
I have been writing blogs/ articles since 1989
If you wish to read more of my blog, please click “here”
