FA BARCLAYS PREMIERSHIP
SUNDAY 19TH FEBRUARY, 2006
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 (1) WIGAN ATHLETIC 2 (1)
Spurs scorers:-
Mido, 23
Defoe, 68
Wigan scorer:-
Johansson, 10, 67
Attendance: - 35, 676
Referee: - Uriah Rennie
Fourth Official: - T. Kettle
Teams:-
Spurs (4-4-2):- Robinson; Stalteri, Dawson, King (Capt.), Lee; Lennon, Carrick, Davids (sub Huddlestone, 84), Murphy (sub Keane, 73); Mido, Defoe
Subs not used: - Cerny; Kelly, Gardner
Booked: - Mido
Wigan (4-4-2):- Pollitt; Chimbonda, Henchoz (sub Jackson, 46), De Zeeuw (Capt.), Baines; Bullard, Kavanagh, Scharner, Thompson; Camara (sub McCulloch, 89), Johansson
Subs not used: - Filan; Mahon, Teale
Booked: - Kavanagh
On this form, Spurs will be lucky to qualify for Europe at all, let alone hold on to their fourth place. I said “Hats Off” to Wigan before the game, and it is Paul Jewell’s side that deserves all the plaudits following this excellent performance, one week ahead of their League Cup Final against Manchester United at Cardiff. There was no sign of Wigan playing at anything below 100%, as their players challenged Spurs for the ball in all parts of the field, were quicker off the mark for loose balls, and who successfully stifled Spurs creativity.
Michael Carrick was hardly in evidence to be honest. I can remember one neat trick from him in the first half to evade a marker, but little else. Edgar Davids battled away, but ran down too many blocked routes. Danny Murphy making his full debut, tried a few decent balls, but the balance of the midfield did not look right, perhaps partly due to a forced re-shuffle as Jermaine Jenas was absent with a fever.
Wigan were forced to play without top scorer Jason Roberts, but Henri Camara and Andreas Johansson gave the Spurs defence plenty to worry about. Spurs will once again be looking to their opponents to stumble when the rest of the Premiership plays next week-end. Jermain Defoe got the nod ahead of Keane to play beside Mido, and the Spurs midfield started with Lennon on the right and Murphy on the left. That’s when we looked more threatening, and in the second half, when Lennon switched to the left, we looked less effective, as Stalteri hardly got forward, and Lee was simply inept in the opponents’ half.
It was Lennon who had the first chance of the game after just 4 minutes, when Defoe nodded the ball down for him 20 yards out, and Lennon hit a shot outside Pollitt’s left post. Wigan caught Spurs on the hop (and perhaps the referee’s assistant) when a ball was headed over the Spurs defence, and Johansson got goal-side of the back four to beat Robinson with a shot touched but not kept out by the keeper. Camara had been in an offside position but was “not interfering with play”.
A Lennon cross had tested Pollitt, before the Wigan keeper made a great close range save from Defoe, who should have scored after an attacking throw on the right. After 20 minutes, Mido was fouled on the edge of the box. Murphy’s shot was blocked and Davids’ follow-up was hit wide. Spurs equalised in the 23rd minute, after a good piece of pressure by Lennon to win a throw near the corner flag. It was Stalteri who crossed hard and low though, for Mido to divert past the keeper with just a flick. Spurs followed this with a good move, thanks to fine work by Lennon, making a run for Defoe from behind the striker, who picked up the ball in his own half. Defoe passed ahead for Lennon, and his cross was headed just wide by Mido. Spurs should have been out of sight by now, when you consider these chances, and hardly matched that sort of threat in the second half.
Wigan replaced Henchoz with Jackson at half time Davids had an early run that carried him to the edge of the area, where he might have had a pop for himself. However, he chose to try and pass ahead for Defoe, but the ball ran out of play. Camara had a good effort after 53 minutes, when trying an overhead kick to Chimbonda’s cross. Shortly after that Camara bundled Davids off the ball too easily, and hit his shot over the bar.
It came as no surprise to be honest, when following a neat exchange of passes between Johansson and Camara, the Swede finished off with a low shot past the Spurs keeper. Luckily for Spurs, Defoe replied immediately, when De Zeeuw made a mistake and allowed Mido’s header through for a neat flick over the keeper by Jermain. Defoe fancied his chances against De Zeeuw in no time and tried a flick which Pollitt held.
Robbie Keane replaced Murphy, and Defoe moved out to the right. As much as Robbie put himself about and got into decent areas, it was Wigan who threatened more in the closing stages, and they might have had a 4-2 win if it were not for Robbo’s saves, and more than a little good fortune with the run of the ball, as he parried into dangerous areas. Camara picked up a ball over the top and hit a shot that was cleanly held by the keeper. Five minutes before the end Scharner met Chimbonda’s cross at the back post, and Robinson could only parry that effort. Robinson had to make a similar save from a Wigan free kick in injury time.
The final whistle was greeted with boos, but the draw was the least that Wigan deserved. It will be a nervous remainder of the season for Spurs fans, desperate for a taste of Europe, especially as we have sat in fourth place since early December. I hate to tell you this, but my predictor programme has us finishing as low as tenth, with only 9 more points in the next 11 games. Maybe I won’t need to renew my passport after all.
· Squad numbers,appearances,bookings & goalscorers
· Read the preview for this game.
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