English Premier League - Game 8 - Tottenham (Home)
Our lack of central midfield options right now means that youngster Callum Slattery is on the bench against the Spurs today. Morale is down, form is down, and we’re playing a very strong side. Can we steal a draw or a win today?
In the 6th minute Harry Kane outpaced Fonte and laid off for Lamela, but fortunately the Argentine’s shot was fairly tame, and Gazzaniga held it.
Just a minute later we countered, Sadio Mane finding Juanmi racing up the middle, and the Spaniard putting Dusan Tadic through in oceans of space on the left. With just Lloris to beat, Tadic found the net high to the near post side. Great start!
Vertonghen made a critical block on Van Dijk in the 12th minute after the Dutchman was picked out by a Ward-Prowse corner.
In the 36th minute we once again produced a lethal counter attack, and it was one of the best I can ever remember seeing, as the ball flowed from one end to the other through Ward-Prowse, Mane, Clasie, Davis and Juanmi, who played the most sumptuous through ball for Davis to continue his run onto, and the Northern Irishman finished off the move with aplomb. Scintillating play from the Saints!
Unfortunately in the 40th minute Spurs halved their deficit, Dembele chipping a ball into the 6 yard box, and Harry Kane making no mistake from point blank range.
Two minutes later St Mary’s was stunned into silence as the Spurs were level, this time through Erik Lamela, and he raced into the box to meet Kane’s ball with an emphatic finish. The worst part of both goals was how prone the two centre backs were, allowing an attacker who was further away to nip in front of them and get to the ball first.
In the 52nd minute we should have been behind as Spurs carved us apart on the counter, but luckily Eriksen missed the target.
Ramirez and Rodriguez replaced Mane and Tadic on the wings on the hour mark.
Cedric made a vital block on Lamela in the 71st minute after a cleared corner was worked back into our box by the visitors.
Targett replaced Bertrand in the 76th minute.
Just as it appeared the game was headed for a draw, we found an extra reserve of energy and regained the lead in the 91st minute! Davis lofted the ball wide for Ramirez, who outpaced Rose and sent in a first time cross. Juanmi burst ahead of Wimmer to volley from the near corner of the 6 yard box. His shot was headed for the top left corner, but went straight into Wimmer’s face, and instead found the bottom right corner! I’ll take it!
A fantastic win today, with Juanmi the undoubted star of the show, laying on two goals and scoring the late winner himself! I was a little concerned when we appeared to have thrown away a winning position, but we showed great resolve to keep fighting and find a way to take all three points, particularly after a string of poor results. Hopefully we can kick on from here!
POM: Juanmi (9.0, 1G, 2A)