Match Review – Bloody Terrible; Spurs 0 Leicester City 2
What can one say? Just bloody terrible, such promise squandered in two games. Granted, the season isn’t over yet, but depressing enough. All I can be now is optimistic and just hope that the last two matches – against Liverpool & Leicester, the two “L’s” – were just anomalies and our next League game (against Wolves) will put us back on track. However, Christmas, along with our authoritarian Government control (courtesy of COVID-19) will be a depressing one. Can this year get any worse? Well, we’ve got Stoke on Wednesday in the League Cup (let’s not go there!).
I was supposed to have gone to the gym this morning, but thanks to us becoming a Police state, our freedoms have been curtailed; the country has transformed itself into a Stalinist controlled authority. So much for fitness is your passport to a healthy and happy lifestyle. No wonder people turn to the bottle, that and Spurs collapse (hopefully limited to two defeats)… Sorry… I and disheartened. Back to the matter in hand… the match;
To be fair, it was a hard-fought battle and even two goals down, we continued battling as if our life depended on it.
Their first goal, Vardy hit the ball from the penalty spot in injury time. Again, thanks to our friend Aurier, he conceded another penalty to help Leicester on their way. It was a needless shove on Wesley Fofana via the pitchside monitor.
It could have been a lot worse after the start of the second half when Maddison scored after three minutes. Luckily for us, VAR came to our rescue. Their third, sorry, second, was a Marc Albrighton shot that hit Alderweireld and went into the back of our net. That was in the 49th minute.
Vardy’s opener arrived at the end of a closely contested opening 45 minutes, during which Kane’s saved free-kick in the 34th minute, and Maddison’s deflected shot from a distance were the only other attempts on target. While Leicester went close to a late third through Youri Tielemans.
Son was denied at close range by Kasper Schmeichel.
If City and Chelsea win, we could get pushed down to 8th. We are currently 5th in the league. That should depress the team even more. Maybe that is what they need; a dose of reality and a good stiff kick up the jacksie. Any more slip-ups, and we could see the top four teams creating a giant chasm between them and us.
My thoughts
Well, let us start with Bale. Since coming back, he hasn’t been the player he was at Spurs (the first time around) and Real Madrid. He’s been a shadow of himself. That is why I am not surprised that he only comes on near the end. Yes, he still needs match fitness; so, how long will that take? Then there are his injury issues.
Roberto Firmino’s last winner for Liverpool was a painful way for us to concede top spot, as we had spurned several good second-half chances at Anfield. But to be fair, Mourinho’s tactics almost paid off at Anfield (despite just 24% of possession), nonetheless the team were second best against Brendan Rogers’ team.
To add insult to injury, it also didn’t help when Liverpool travelled to Palace and then went on to demolish them 7-0, where we could only get a draw at Selhurst Park.
Hopefully, it was a rare off day for Son and Kane. Son fruitlessly chose to square for Tanguy Ndombele instead of shooting in his first opening. At the same time, Kane went close with a header from a corner as we increased our determination before our costly setback before the interval.
If I was Mourinho, I would be fuming as Aurier’s careless barge on Fontana concedes the penalty. He’s good at going forward but leaves a lot to be desired in defence, as this isn’t the first penalty he has given away either.
Because of the injured to Celso, Mourinho was forced to bring on Moura, but that didn’t make any difference, as we still failed to get going in attack.
It is now one win in five Premier League games for us, after a tough run of fixtures including Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Leicester in our past six.
We must put all this behind us and focus on ending a long wait for silverware and channel our minds to the Carabao Cup semi-finals, where we will face Championship side Stoke City on Wednesday. Get through that, and we are looking at the Finals.
The stats
Leicester won their first Premier League away game against us since a 1-0 victory in 2015-16, the season they won the title.
The Foxes have won 18 points in their past seven games on the road, the most in their first seven away games of a season in their history.
Jamie Vardy has been directly involved in seven goals in seven Premier League away games against us, more than against any other opponent.
Vardy has scored 19 goals in his past 19 Premier League away games. He also became the first player to score an away goal against an opponent at three different venues in the competition – White Hart Lane, Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers defeated a side managed by Jose Mourinho for the first time, at his eighth attempt.
We have lost two of our past three Premier League games against Leicester – as many defeats as in our previous 12 against the Foxes.
No player has scored more own goals for Spurs in the Premier League than Toby Alderweireld. His tally of three is level with Harry Kane.
Since joining Spurs in August 2017, Serge Aurier has given away four penalties in the Premier League – second only to Arsenal’s David Luiz (five).
What’s next?
We face Stoke City in the League Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday (17:30 GMT), before travelling to face Wolves in the Premier League on Sunday (19:15).
Depressing day, but now we must be focused and contrate on our next two games.
Until next time, take care and see you on Tuesday for my preview of the Stoke game.
Glenn COYS!
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”
