BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 19TH DECEMBER, 2009
BLACKBURN ROVERS 0 (0) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 (1)
Scorer:-
Crouch (2), 45, 83
Attendance:- 26,490
Referee:- Mr. P. Walton
Assistants:- Mr. S. Proctor-Green & Mr. R. Pollock
Fourth Official:- Mr. A. Woolmer
Teams:-
Blackburn (4-4-2):- Robinson; Jacobsen, Nelsen (Capt.), Givet, Chimbonda; Salgado (sub Pedersen, 64), Nzonzi, Grella, Hoilett (sub Roberts, 81); McCarthy, Di Santo (sub Kalinic, 72)
Subs not used:- Brown; Jones; Andrews, Diouf
No Bookings
Spurs (4-4-2):- Gomes; Corluka, Dawson (Capt.), Bassong, Ekotto; Lennon (sub Hutton, 90), Huddlestone, Palacios (sub Jenas, 58), Kranjcar; Crouch, Defoe (sub Keane, 67)
Subs not used:- Alnwick; Bale; Rose; Pavlyuchenko
Booked:- Corluka
Rovers get beat in the sleet
Some people (well, alright, Stan Collymore) suggested that Spurs “won ugly” today. I wouldn’t put it that way, but there was less of the pizzazz of Wednesday night but more in the way of control, discipline and efficiency. For much of the game, I felt that Spurs were almost playing for a 1-0 win, as they did not get too adventurous until late in the game, by which time they were two goals to the good and could afford to relax a little. This was a second consecutive clean sheet, and that is the first time Spurs have achieved that this season.
Harry Redknapp fielded an unchanged team, with the only change on the bench being the insertion of Danny Rose for the injured Luka Modric. Sam Allardyce, celebrating his successful first anniversary as Rovers’ manager made one or two surprising selections (in my opinion only) with Pedersen, Roberts, Andrews and Diouf consigned to the bench, allowing youth in the shape of Frenchman Steven Nzonzi and Canadian David Hoilett to start the game. Allardyce also has the services of Chelsea loan player Franco Di Santo available, and it was Di Santo whose pace and movement caused Spurs most trouble in the first half, with Michael Dawson struggling to keep the 20 year old Argentinean away from goal.
On a day when many lower league games were postponed due to the frozen and snow-covered conditions around the country, no Premier League games suffered such a fate, and this one kicked off in driving snow, which at times turned to sleet, and which never settled, although there was a fair amount on the hills around Ewood Park.
Former Spur Pascal Chimbonda had the task of marking Aaron Lennon and his efficiency must be measured by the fact that Lennon was nowhere near as influential as on Wednesday night, although in truth the team was not getting forward in numbers. Defoe did forge an early half-chance for Crouch though with a ball to the right side of the box. Crouch wanted a bit too much time and when he did cross the ball, it went to no-one. Michael Dawson had one of those troublesome moments with Di Santo after 8 minutes, and the ball bounced half clear where Salgado followed up with an attempt which Gomes punched clear.
After 13 minutes, Dawson was penalised outside the box and McCarthy took a free kick which was deflected off Lennon, landed on the bar and bounced clear. Mid-way through the half, Blackburn went on the attack, after a poor ball by Defoe back to Corluka, but the excellent Ekotto covered and picked out Defoe down the right channel with his pass. Defoe hit a shot but it passed all the way across the goal-mouth and wide of the far post.
Defoe was in a constant battle with the Rovers’ centre backs and often struggled to control the ball satisfactorily. In midfield, Palacios’s passing was too often astray, but that was a problem for a number of the players, perhaps struggling with the cold and wet weather conditions. Gomes was again tested by a 25 yard effort by Hoilett, but he held the shot cleanly. Tom Huddlestone did well when intercepting a loose midfield ball, and carried it forward on the run. With Crouch and Defoe on either side of him, and Lennon on the wing, Tom had options, but chose to go for glory, hitting a shot well over the top.
Huddlestone started another good attack with a fine ball to Lennon, but it was Palacios’s pass that caused the move to break down. Blackburn responded with a good ball to Di Santo, who controlled well, then hit a right footed shot, saved well by Gomes. Corluka got the only yellow of the game with a tackle from behind on Hoilett from whom the ball was running out of play, but the youngster had been getting away from Corluka. Again McCarthy took the kick, which was headed wide.
In added time, Huddlestone tried and skewed a shot so much that it actually turned into a good pass for Kranjcar who had switched momentarily to the right wing. Niko crossed and Crouch headed in from close range off the underside of the bar. There was only time to kick off after the goal.
Blackburn came out for the second half fired up and their crowd became noisier too. The home side were rarely turning possession into threat though, as Spurs defended competently for the most part. Huddlestone actually found his way ahead of Crouch for a Spurs move and received Crouch’s header. Tom fed the ball out to Lennon on the right wing, and his short cross was met by Defoe, but put out of play. The biggest threat offered to the Spurs goal came from a close range McCarthy effort. Gomes got a touch, which was enough to put the shot onto the post coming back out for Bassong to run the ball clear. Gomes then held a Di Santo shot, before Jenas replaced Palacios.
Jenas then played the more adventurous role of the two midfielders, with Huddlestone at the back of midfield. Jermaine played well, linking effectively with his team-mates, and ultimately assisting for the clinching goal.
A shot by Nzonzi gave Gomes trouble, as he failed to hold the shot, parrying it quite a distance away before retrieving and clearing. Robbie Keane replaced Defoe, and he too was effective with his better all-round footballing skills, feeding the ball accurately over 90% of the time. Sam Allardyce was ringing the changes too, with Pedersen replacing Salgado, and Croatian striker Nikola Kalinic replacing the tiring Di Santo. Jason Roberts also got on for Hoilett.
However, Spurs were getting more and more confident, and Harry’s substitutions had plenty to do with it. Lennon fed Crouch, who did fire the ball past Paul Robinson, but the offside flag had already been properly raised. Incidentally, Paul Robinson was lauded by the travelling support, which he acknowledged with waves. The chants for Robinson increased after he conceded a second goal when Keane, Jenas and Crouch advanced upon goal, with Keane, then Jenas acting as providers from the right, before Crouch put his shot into Robbo’s left corner. This was Crouch’s tenth goal in his (so far) short Spurs career, of which four have been scored in Premier League games.
In added time, Robbie Keane made a good pass to Kranjcar who cut inside from the left before hitting a right footed curler that went just outside the post. The “Jingle Bells” chants had been aired for quite a while by this time, and all Spurs fans went home happy, as their team remain in fifth place, but consolidated their renewed challenge for the top four. We are still 4 points above Man City and six points clear of Liverpool, who were beaten at Fratton Park earlier today.
Finally, I understand that Spurs legend Dave Mackay was at “The Fearnhurst” P.H today and was taken ill before the game. I also understand that he is recovering well in hospital, and along with all fans of Spurs and the game of football, I wish Dave a speedy and full recovery.
I wish all readers all they wish for themselves and their families this Christmas.
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