Premier U-18 Southern League 2017-18
        Hotspur Way, Bulls Cross, Enfield
      Saturday 23rd September 2017, 12 noon

            SPURS     v    ASTON VILLA
         (White/Blue)     (Claret/Blue)
           4-1-4-1           4-2-3-1

             0(0)              1(1)

   Jonathan De Bie(C) 1   Mani Idem
         Tariq Hinds  2   Jake Walker(C)
      Jamie Reynolds  3   Josh Williams
        Jamie Bowden  4   Jack Birch
Brooklyn Lyons-Foster 5   Dominic Revan
     Moyoyin Omolabi  6   Ethan Patterson
     Dilan Markanday  7   Mason Birch
       Paris Maghoma  8   Lewis Brunt
       Reo Griffiths  9   Demetri Sea
    Armande Shashoua 10   Jacob Ramsey
   Phoenix Patterson 11   Colin Otudayo

         Max Statham 12   Ben Guy
           (3)67Mins      (9)90+3Mins
    Joshua Oluwayemi 13   Kieran Boucher
      Rodel Richards 14   Isaiah Graham
           (2)73Mins      (3)67Mins
 Maurizio Pochettino 15   Michael Tait
      Maximus Tainio 16   Mungo Bridge
                          (11)73Mins

Scorer:-
                          Otudayo 21

Booked:-
                          Otodayo 55(Foul)
                          Ramsey 85(Holding) 

Coach:-
         Scott Parker     David Hughes

Ref:– Martyn Gospel
Assistants:- Ryan Dix & Daniel Todd

It was a cool morning for the visit of Aston Villa to Hotspur Way as Spurs returned to League action. Villa arrived without a league win losing at home to Norwich 3-1 in their last match while Spurs recorded their second win of the season at Southampton 2-1. Villa are in the same group as Spurs for the Premier League U-18 Cup losing 4-0 to Fulham while Spurs were beating Leicester 2-1. Spurs have a poor home record against the Midlanders with today's game being a chance to improve that situation.

Spurs lined up with De Bie in goal behind Omolabi and Lyons-Foster with Hinds at right back and Reynolds on the left. Bowden anchored the midfield with Shashoua and Maghoma ahead of him flanked by Markanday on the right and Patterson on the left in support of Griffiths up front.

Spurs defended the North end in the first half which saw the visitors employ a high press that kept Spurs pinned in their own half for the opening period as Otudayo fired over and Brunt shot wide. Villa were very physical in closing down Spurs to stop their passing game, getting numbers behind the ball and breaking quickly.

When Spurs finally got out of their half it was down the right with Hinds drawing a save. Maghoma took a free kick that was deflected off the wall before having another chance fly wide having been played in by Patterson. Sea got through to fire over before Maghoma saw his effort saved by Idem. Sea picked up a loose ball and drove forward playing in Otudayo to put Villa ahead.

Spurs were not getting through the "Villans"' defence who blocked manhy of their shots around the area. Griffiths played in Hinds to shoot over and Markanday saw his effort deflected for a corner. Bowden also fired over from a ball by Griffiths. De Bie saved from Otudayo at the end of the half.

There were no changes for the start of the second half which saw Villa continue to frustrate Spurs' attempts to play football. Otudayo was booked for a foul on Hinds in the corner to prevent him getting in behind. Shashoua played in Griffiths on the left but the striker crashed his shot against the near post. Mason Birch got into the area on the right and Bowden conceded a penalty tackling from behind. The wideman took the kick himself but De Bie guessed correctly diving to his left to make the save.

Spurs made their first change taking off Reynolds for Statham who went into the back four with Lyons-Foster covering the left back position. Villa were sitting back, but breaking as Spurs pushed forward in search of the equaliser. Ramsey drew a save and Sea fired over. Griffiths fired wide for a corner and Markanday played in Maghoma for an effort that was wide.

Spurs' second change saw Richards come on for Hinds to support Griffiths up front with a three man defence. Richards had a shot fly over before Brunt sent Sea away to draw a save from De Bie. A cross from the left by Bridge was headed well wide by Mason Birch at the far post. Patterson forced Idem to save before Ramsey was booked for holding. Another break saw De Bie save from Sea while Phoenix Patterson fired over as Villa hung onto their lead and picked up their first win of the season.

This was a poor performance by Spurs who never got going against a side that would not let them have any space. Poor passing added to a hard-hitting defence left them open to counter attacks by pacey attackers. Spurs need to work on breaking down determined defences, much like our U-23 and first team squads need to do. They have plenty of pace in the side but little experience of opening tight defences with killer balls. It will come in time as there is potential in the squad. Next week they travel to Reading who lost to Arsenal and are bottom of the table. I will not be there as I have a ticket for Huddersfield to tick them off on my list.

Ray

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