BARCLAYS PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 31ST JANUARY, 2015
(3PM)
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 0 (0) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3 (2)

Scorers:-
Eriksen, 6
Kane, 15, 64 (pen)

Attendance:- 25,079

Referee:- Kevin Friend
Assistants:- S Long & C Hatzidakis
Fourth official:- K Stroud

Teams:-
West Brom (4-2-3-1):- Foster; Wisdom (sub Gardner, 61), McAuley, Dawson, Lescott; Morrison (sub Dorrans, 88), Yacob; McManaman (sub Ideye, 60), Berahino, Brunt (Capt.); Anichebe

Subs not used:- Rose (GK); Baird, Pocognoli; Sessegnon

Booked:- Berahino (foul on Rose), Yacob (foul on Paulinho)

Spurs (4-2-3-1):- Lloris (Capt.); Walker, Fazio, Vertonghen, Rose; Paulinho, Mason (sub Stambouli, 74); Lamela, Dembele (sub Chadli, 62), Eriksen; Kane (sub Soldado, 88)

Subs not used:- Vorm; Dier, Davies; Townsend

Booked:- Lamela (foul on Yacob)

Spurs in total control (most of the time!)

I was thinking about a headline of “Baggies Kaned”, but it didn’t seem quite appropriate, as although Harry scored two fine goals, it would not have been quite right to say that West Brom were caned, despite the scoreline. It is true to say that for most of the game (63% possession), Spurs were in total control, but Hugo Lloris was called upon to make two or three fine saves, and the home side did cause the Spurs defence problems at times. Kane’s was not the only outstanding outfield performance either, as Christian Eriksen got us going with another superb free kick, and he was always at the heart of Spurs’ attacking play.

This was our biggest away league win of the season, and our second biggest league win after the early season hammering of QPR at The Lane.

Spurs fans were in fine voice today, throughout the game, crowing about the forthcoming Capital One Cup Final, and warning Jose Mourinho and the Chelsea fans about what was to come. Of course, we all hope that will be a win!

Back to Harry Kane though, and it was a great day for him, as his two goals took him to 20 club goals in all competitions for the season so far, with plenty of games to come. Our Harry is on target to beat Gareth Bale’s total of 26 goals two season ago, but he’ll have to go some to match Bale’s 21 league goals that season. Kane does now have 10 league goals, ahead of Eriksen (9) and Chadli (7).

Pochettino’s team selection was not quite as predicted, with Paulinho playing beside Ryan Mason, behind the attacking midfield trio, which included Mousa Dembele. Whilst Kane, Eriksen and Lloris quite rightly will take the plaudits, both Paulinho and Dembele had good games, in my opinion. Dembele was the victim which led to Eriksen’s free kick, and gets the assist for Kane’s first goal.

Tony Pulis probably had something of a dilemma. At home, he has to take points, although the early defeat of Hull today must have taken away some of the pressure. Hence, he perhaps set up his team with more attacking intent. New signing from Wigan, Callum McManaman made his debut, whilst Berahino played behind Anichebe.

Spurs had already been playing their controlled possession football, before Dembele received the ball down the left channel, and hit a shot wide. However, the bonus for Spurs was that Mr Friend decided that Dembele had been fouled in the act of shooting, and awarded a free kick. Up stepped Eriksen in a more central position from which he scored at Bramall Lane, but he still beat the goalkeeper, with a dipping shot, touched by Foster, but still hitting the roof of the net.

That possession game of Spurs doesn’t lead to as many attempts on goal as we would like, but in the fifteenth minute we were two up, away from home, and feeling good! Dembele had the ball in the middle, and passed to Kane on his left. Kane took a quick step, and beat Foster with his right footed shot. Albion’s hopes of a fourth win under Tony Pulis had been blown away already, surely?

After 22 minutes; many passes; and good work by Eriksen in the build-up, Ryan Mason had a go at goal, but missed badly. West Brom started to get into the game more, and skipper Brunt tried a long range shot, which Lloris held with ease. Soon after that though, Lloris made an excellent save, tipping Morrison’s shot over the bar, after Anichebe had carried the ball down the left channel. From the corner, Lescott (playing at left back today) headed wide of the far post.

After 29 minutes, some intricate play by West Brom ended with a ball to Berahino, who got to the bye-line on the left, cutting it back to the middle where Yacob fired for goal from close range, but was thwarted by that man Lloris, making a superb reaction save low down. Lescott, Morrison and McManaman had been involved in the move. West Brom had a free kick from the right after 37 minutes, and Craig Dawson’s header hit the bar. It looked as if two goals was not going to be enough for Spurs.

Spurs got their act together again though, with Mason finding Eriksen on the left with a good pass. Eriksen crossed deep from the left, but Foster just beat Kane to the ball. Referee Kevin Friend had words with Brunt after a heavy challenge on Lamela, but showed no card. The home fans had been aggrieved by the referee’s failure to award a free kick in the Spurs half, a little before this incident.

Early in the second half, after lots and lots of passing play, Spurs developed the play through excellent work by Kane down the inside left channel. Kane fed the ball to Paulinho, who switched it to Walker on the right. Walker’s cross reached Eriksen, who had the keeper beaten, but saw his shot pass just the wrong side of Foster’s right post.

Pulis made a double substitution on the hour, replacing his new boy McManaman with striker Ideye, and right back Wisdom with Craig Gardner. Soon after that, Dembele was replaced by Chadli, who got a good welcome, after his absence on compassionate leave, following the sad passing of his father. Chadli played down the left flank, which allowed Eriksen to play centrally, where he does belong, after all!

It was Eriksen who picked up Danny Rose’s long clearance, turning it into a good pass, before feeding the ball out to the over-lapping Kyle Walker. Walker got the edge of the box, and hit a good low hard cross, which was fielded by Lescott, as he went to ground, unfortunately using his hand. Harry Kane took on the penalty, and beat Foster fair and square with a shot inside his right-hand post. Now it was 3-0, we could relax, couldn’t we? Even some of the home fans started slinking away now.

Chadli led a Spurs break down the left, and both Kane and Lamela were blocked in a good shooting position in the middle, when Paulinho crossed low and hard from the right. Ryan Mason was replaced by Stambouli, who offered plenty of energy and grit to the midfield.

There was a worrying moment though when Fazio was up against Berahino, who managed to get a cross in, which Spurs managed to clear. At the other end, Paulinho seemed to be released forward more, with Stambouli on hand. He and Chadli created an opportunity for Lamela, but Erik screwed his shot – literally!

There was more work for Spurs though, as Lloris and Rose managed to prevent Berahino and Anichebe from close in, before Harry Kane had a free kick tipped over at the other end, after Yacob had been booked for his foul on Paulinho. There was another nervous moment for Spurs, but the referee awarded a foul against Gardner, and Lloris saved anyway.

There were four minutes of added time to see out, but not too many home fans were present by now to cheer on their team, who have slipped down a place, but are still three points clear of the bottom three.

Spurs have hit the “magic” 40 point mark with 15 games still to go, and hold fifth place overnight. However, you wouldn’t bet on Aston Villa to prevent Arsenal climbing back above us tomorrow. Spurs now have their first full week off for the first time since the International break in November. The rest will be most welcome to prepare for next week’s North London Derby. I use the term “North” loosely, of course!

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