FA BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP
SATURDAY 3RD DECEMBER, 2005
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3 (1) SUNDERLAND 2 (1)
Spurs scorers:-
Mido, 37
Keane, 51
Carrick, 77
Sunderland scorers:-
Whitehead, 16
Le Tallec, 60
Referee: - Mr. P. Walton
Attendance: - 36,244
Teams:-
Spurs (4-4-2):- Robinson; Stalteri, Dawson, King (Capt.), Lee; Jenas (sub Lennon, 62), Carrick, Tainio, Davids; Mido, Keane (sub Defoe, 73)
Subs not used: - Cerny; Pamarot; Reid
No bookings
Sunderland (3-5-2):- Alnwick; Caldwell, Breen (Capt.), Collins; Nosworthy, Whitehead, Bassila, Woods (sub Lawrence, 62), Hoyte; Stead (sub Le Tallec, 53), Brown (sub Gray, 32)
Subs not used: - Davis; Welsh
Booked: - Breen, Nosworthy
The much expected walk through the Sunderland defence did not occur today, as Mick McCarthy’s men gave Spurs more than a little to think about with a re-shaped 3-5-2 formation, a couple of well taken goals, and a performance to give them some hope for the rest of their season. At the end of the day though, the Black Cats are left stranded at the foot of the table as Spurs “won ugly”, thanks to Mido’s close range first half equaliser, Robbie Keane’s scrambled goal, and finally a quality winner from Michael Carrick, scoring his first for the Spurs first team.
Martin Jol fielded an unchanged side, with Jenas on the right, and Tainio on the left of Carrick, and Davids out towards the left wing. The presence of Aaron Lennon on the bench at least gave us hope that we would see more attacking flair at some point in the game. Sunderland played three at the back, with Nosworthy and Hoyte as wing-backs. The Spurs crowd were alert to the fact that Hoyte is a loanee from Arsenal, and gave him the customary welcome for such individuals. Another loanee, French under-21 star Le Tallec was also left on the bench, but did replace Jon Stead early in the second half.
Spurs played towards the South stand in the first half, and whilst they had a fair bit of pressure, their final touch was not ruthless enough, and too often players would decline shooting chances when outside the area. Jenas did have a great 6th minute shot palmed round for a corner by Ben Alnwick, who was later to prove a thorn in Robbie Keane’ side, saving a second half penalty kick. Two minutes after Jenas, Tainio had a firm left foot shot saved then cleared, and from the corner, Ledley King’s shot was somehow cleared, as a scramble in the Sunderland goal area was also thwarted.
Out of the blue, the visitors took a 16th minute lead, after Dawson was penalised, and Whitehead curled a free kick round the wall and to the right of Paul Robinson, correctly positioned but helpless to reach what was an excellent kick. Spurs nearly countered immediately through Lee’s excellent cross but Keane could not quite reach. Jenas’s free kick mid-way through the half was a disappointment as it flew straight into Alnwick’s arms. Spurs equalised with 8 minutes of the first half to go, after the ball was threaded to Keane on the right of the box, and Robbie’s cross was hit home from close range by Mido. Mido then headed over from a corner, and Keane hit a good shot from 20 yards, which Alnwick held with his hands high above his head. Mido had another chance after 42 minutes, when Lee and Keane set him up, but Mido’s left foot shot was just wide.
Six minutes into the second half, Spurs were ahead, and it was not a pretty goal. Mido headed on a long ball and the keeper and Collins failed to win the ball, which in fact appeared to hit Collins on the hand, then hit Keane’s hand, trickling into the net. Le Tallec surprised us with another Sunderland goal, which came after Carrick hit a really high clearance, that Keane could not win. The ball was headed back to the Spurs area, and Le Tallec was left in space, beating Robbo well with a low shot to the keeper’s left.
Again, Spurs nearly made an immediate response, with a header by Tainio that rebounded off the post, and when Peter Walton kindly gave us a penalty after Gary Breen handled Keane’s shot (from very close range), it looked like we would be on our way again. Keane strode up confidently, but Alnwick flew to his right and saved well. Lennon now came to the fore and made a few exciting runs and passes down the right. Michael Dawson was still up following a corner, and Lennon found him on the near post. Dawson hit a shot that was deflected into the side netting.
Jermain Defoe replaced Keane, but had little impact in his thirteen minutes on the field. Spurs did build up the pressure, and again, after some good work by Lennon and Stalteri on the right, a head back across the area by Mido, and a final pass by Tainio, Michael Carrick was in space on the right, inside the box, and picked out a clever shot low across the box, beating the keeper, and two defenders to hit the net at the back post. It was a great goal and one that Carrick celebrated with gusto in front of the North-West corner.
This was to prove enough to secure the victory that takes Spurs to fourth, above Arsenal, who today lost at Bolton. This is the third time already this season, that Spurs have won and the “others” have lost on the same week-end. The times are certainly a-changing, but it would be nice for Spurs to start winning convincingly. Their next opportunity will be at home to Portsmouth on Monday 12th December, when it seems likely that Harry Redknapp will be back at the helm, after he resigned from Southampton today.
· Squad numbers,appearances,bookings & goalscorers
· Read the preview for this game.
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