FA BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP
MONDAY 26TH DECEMBER, 2005
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 (0) BIRMINGHAM CITY 0 (0)
Scorers:-
Keane (pen), 58
Defoe, 90
Attendance: - 36,045
Referee: - Phil Dowd
Teams:-
Spurs (4-4-2):- Robinson; Stalteri, Dawson, King (Capt.) (sub Pamarot, 67), Lee; Lennon (sub Defoe, 58), Jenas, Carrick, Davids; Keane (sub Brown, 72), Mido
N.B. Captain's armband to Keane, then Robinson
Subs not used: - Cerny; Rasiak
Booked: - Stalteri, Carrick, Pamarot, Davids
Birmingham (4-2-3-1):- Maik Taylor; Cunningham (Capt.), Martin Taylor, Upson, Lazaridis (sub Dunn, 72); Izzet, Kilkenny; Pennant (sub Pandiani, 82), Jarosik, Gray; Heskey
Subs not used: - Vaesen; Butt, Clemence
Booked: - Izzet (foul on Keane)
Sent off (Second Yellow):- Izzet (dive in penalty area)
Spurs’ Christmas Fayre was not wrapped up or delivered in the way that their fans would love, but in the end we all got the present we wanted. That was three points to consolidate our fourth position in the first of four festive matches. There was a bonus, as the package was sealed with a genuine cracker of a goal in added time, by substitute Jermain Defoe. Thus Spurs have taken maximum points from their last three home games against the current bottom three, but none of the performances in those games have been satisfactory.
Birmingham came in desperate need of anything from the game to get a recovery on the road. Steve Bruce chopped and changed his side, and packed the midfield, with Heskey playing alone up front, but with support available from three attacking midfielders – Pennant, Jarosik, and Gray. Izzet and Kilkenny were given the task of protecting the defence, which has now leaked 25 goals in 17 games. Jarosik (on loan from Chelsea) was the most impressive of The Blues, forcing a neat reaction save from Paul Robinson in the first half, and giving Julian Gray a superb opportunity early in the second.
Bruce has been scathing about his own team after several games recently, and occasional lapses were there for all to see, as defenders mis-judged the bounce of an attacking ball, or passes went needlessly out of play. It is more upsetting therefore, to know that Spurs really did struggle to get out of their half at times, and too often were short on ideas on how to break down the blockage inside the Birmingham half. Although Mido was getting short shrift from referee Phil Dowd, and getting tugged around a bit, he did not manage to win enough in the air.
Speaking of the referee, he was to have a big say in the game, when awarding Robbie Keane a penalty after 56 minutes, due to Matthew Upson’s challenge. Whilst we have seen many such challenges allowed, replays do support the referee, who saw Upson hold back Keane, as Robbie tried to pass the number 5. Later on, Mr. Dowd had no hesitation in showing Muzzy Izzet a second yellow for allegedly diving at Michael Dawson’s challenge in the Spurs area.
Aaron Lennon made a welcome start, and the hope we all had of an enterprising and entertaining display looked as if it might be fulfilled as early as the second minute, as Lennon nearly capitalised on a defensive error, but was blocked when he got to a shooting position. Spurs were rarely going to give Lennon the amount of ball he needed, and with Davids playing that inner left sided midfield position, Spurs were always going to struggle for width again. Indeed, Birmingham seemed to have spotted a potential flaw in the Spurs defence, as they concentrated, through Pennant, on piercing the Spurs left flank.
Birmingham nearly scored an early goal after 5 minutes, following a corner from the left. Kilkenny returned a cleared ball to the near post, where Jarosik got a vital touch that forced a great save from Paul Robinson, stretching his right hand low to push the ball round the post in front of the Paxton Road stand. Decent action was at a premium in that first half, as Carrick touched off a free kick to his right for Jenas to drive low and wide. Heskey had one or two headers wide, and from a Spurs corner, the ball was headed across the area, and Ledley King’s shot was saved by Taylor. Izzet had seen yellow for a lunge on Robbie Keane.
The visitors were inspired a few minutes after the break. Heskey and Jarosik worked the ball from right to left and Julian Gray was in the clear at the back of the area, but took too much time over his shot, allowing Robinson to recover some position and make a good save. From the following corner, it was Mido who made a headed clearance in front of goal. The keeper and a defender were behind him, covering though. Heskey hit a good low cross/shot from the right, which Robinson parried, and the Spurs crowd tried to rally a performance out of their team, who were struggling to find the Brummies’ half, with the likes of Jenas getting dispossessed too easily.
Jenas had as much influence over the final result as anybody though, as he showed great stamina, from box to box, leading several good break-away attacks. When Spurs did take the l3ead though, it came as a surprise. Keane flicked the ball past Upson and tried to round him, but was held back. The referee’s whistle was greeted with great cheers from the Spurs fans, who suddenly are seeing their side awarded such kicks. Keane stepped up, sent Taylor the wrong way, and planted the ball in the left bottom corner for his sixth goal of the season, and the fourth in five games.
Jermain Defoe was already being prepared to replace Lennon, before the kick was taken, but Martin Jol stuck to his plan, with Spurs showing a bit more guile in the closing stages of the game. Davids sent Keane away with a marvellous ball from defence, over the Birmingham defence, which Keane chased, and was faced only with the advancing Taylor. Keane chose to shoot high, and the keeper plucked the ball out from above his head with both hands. Then came the Izzet dismissal, before Spurs lost skipper Ledley King with a groin strain. He was replaced by Noe Pamarot, who has been looking sharp and confident in the Reserves at both full back and centre back, but he got a booking with his first involvement in the game.
Spurs rehearsed their clinching goal as early as the 71st minute, as Jenas cleared from deep, and the ball beat Lazaridis (an unusual choice for left back, surely?) Defoe carried the ball towards goal, but fired wide this time. It was Jenas again, with a shorter pass to Defoe on the half way line who started the move for the second goal. Jenas made a run ahead of Defoe too, but Jermain had goal in sight and left the defence in his wake, hitting a great rising shot that beat Taylor at his near post. Mido spurned a great chance to make it 3-0, when Davids pierced the defence, but the Egyptian took an age to shoot with three defenders closing him down.
Next up for Spurs is the fourth-bottom team, West Bromwich Albion, whilst Steve Bruce has the unenviable task of negotiating Man Utd at home, and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this Saturday.
· Squad numbers,appearances,bookings & goalscorers
· Read the preview for this game.
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