FRIENDLY MATCH
WEDNESDAY 21ST JULY, 2021
7.45PM
COLCHESTER UNITED 0(0) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3(3)
Spurs scorers:-
Son, 11
Lucas Moura,15
Dele, 38
Attendance:- TBC
Referee:-TBC
Teams:-
Colchester 3-5-2:- 29 George, 4 Chambers (sub 23 Poku, 77), 18 Eastman (sub 22 Tchamadeu, 77), 5 Smith (Capt.) (sub 2 Welch-Hayes,77); 7 Hannant (sub 21 Kennedy,77), 8 Skuse (sub , 27 Coxe, 77), 6 Wiredu (sub 41 Cornish, 82), 10 Judge (sub 31 Thomas, 77), 3 Clampin (sub Triallist, 77); 11 Sears (sub Triallist, 77), 9 Nouble (sub 43 Beadle, 77)
Sub not used:- 44 Collins (GK)
Booked:- Wiredu (foul on Lucas Moura)
Spurs (4-2-3-1):- 41 Whiteman; 42 Paskotsi (sub 60 Lyons-Foster,67), 38 Carter-Vickers (sub 52 Cesay, 67), 15 Dier (Capt.) (sub 25 Tanganga, 46), 44 Omole (sub 43 Fagan-Walcott, 67), ; 29 Skipp (sub 57 John, 46), 8 Winks (sub 48 White, 67), 20 Dele (sub 54 Devine, 67); 27 Lucas Moura (sub 39 Parrott, 67), 7 Son (sub 53 Scarlett, 46), 23 Bergwijn (sub 47 Clarke, 67)
(Armband to Dele, then Tanganga)
Subs not used:- 46 Oluwayemi (GK)
Comfortable win for Spurs in their second friendly
Colchester finished six points and three places ahead of the League Two drop zone last season, but their most recent history against Spurs featured a League Cup Third Round win (on penalties) in September 2019. Two of the “U”s starters tonight – Frank Nouble and Tom Eastman – featured in that game. Eric Dier, Oliver Skipp, Lucas Moura, and Dele Alli all started that inglorious game, and started tonight. Son Heung-min and Troy Parrott were subs in that game. “Sonny” and Oliver Skipp made their first starts of this season, as did Alfie Whiteman. The absence of Joe Hart perhaps give credence to the rumours that Atalanta goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini will join Spurs and will therefore challenge or replace Joe Hart as Hugo Lloris’s number Two. Erik Lamela has been training from the outset with Spurs, but he has yet to feature and is rumoured to be going to Sevilla in a swap plus payment deal for 20-year-old Bryan Gil.
Spurs won this game comfortable with a mix and match starting line-up of experience and youth. Once again, Spurs’ final goal was scored in the 38th minute, but this time that made the score 3-0 and it remained that way to the finish, by which time once again our regular first-teamers had left the scene, apart from Japhet Tanganga.
Colchester are managed by former West Ham player Hayden Mullins. The home side kicked off, but Spurs were soon on top with “Sonny” taking an early free kick which led to Dele, Dier and Carter-Vickers getting touches ending with another corner, taken by Son but headed over by Dier. Eric Dier had another chance from a Son corner after four minutes, but that went over the target too. That corner resulted from a good ball into space on the right by Lucas Moura and a good run by Paskotsi, once again being given an opportunity to impress.
Frank Nouble did his best to be a thorn in Spurs side and his shot from the left of the area after a corner did trouble Whiteman but passed over the corner of goal. Lucas had a shot to the right of George, who saved comfortably after 10 minutes, but within a minute Spurs broke forward through Bergwijn who laid the ball up for “Sonny” for his first goal of the new season.
Whiteman managed to push clear a cross from deep on the right by Hannant, intended for Nouble. Hannant was giving plenty of work to Spurs’ young left back Omole, who had played in the middle of defence at Leyton Orient. A shot by Son from an angle on the right was saved. This led to a corner taken by Son from the right and headed home from the near post across the keeper by Lucas Moura.
Very soon after the restart Bergwijn raced forward down the left and got into the box where he appeared to be fouled, but no penalty was given.
Spurs survived after a free kick was headed into the danger zone off Dele with former West Ham youth player Freddie Sears close to goal, but Spurs managed to clear. Nouble was onto a long ball and hit a left foot shot, but this one was comfortable for Whiteman.
Once again Dele was playing a deeper midfield role, this time in a 4-3-3 formation with Winks in the middle and Oliver Skipp to his right. Dele started a move that involved Lucas and Son, but when the ball was cut back into the middle of the area, Dele could not make contact. Sears gave Dier a scare, getting the better of him and fed the ball to Hannant but the right winger could not keep his shot down. That third goal came after “Sonny” made an excellent run ahead of Paskotsi on the right, getting to the bye-line before crossing to the 6-yard-area where Dele was there to bundle the ball into the net. A free kick by Judge was comfortably held by Whiteman.
Spurs kicked off the second half, having made three half-time substitutions. Colchester’s Wiredu had a powerfully driven shot from outside the area after a corner and Whiteman made a very good save, diving to his right. Nouble showed skill against Paskotsi just inside the area after 51 minutes, but his shot went over the bar.
Dele hit a shot towards the keeper’s left corner, which was saved but not convincingly. Bergwijn had been Dele’s provider. After Dele's approach work, John worked himself room for a right foot shot which passed just wide of left post. Lucas hit a great ball from the right after 55 minutes and Dane Scarlett finished with aplomb with an early touch, but he was offside.
Wiredu was shown the only yellow card of the game for cynical tackle upon Lucas Moura who was breaking forward after a pass by Bergwijn following excellent work at back by John. Scarlett showed strength and pace on the right to get into the area but had no final pass. A Chambers header hit the top of the bar following a corner after 61 minutes. At the other end Bergwijn hit a poor shot after good work by Scarlett in the middle.
Spurs made six more substitutions in the middle of the second half and the team now read:- Whiteman; Lyons-Foster, Fagan-Walcott, Tanganga (Capt.), Cesay; John, Devine, White, Clarke; Parrott, Scarlett.
After Lyons-foster had been in an advanced position, Nouble took advantage racing into the Spurs area, demonstrating a fancy step-over, but having his shot deflected wide. Parrott and Scarlett combined well at the other end and Scarlett was determined to shoot but could not get the ball through a defender’s legs.
Colchester had a couple of corners with one shot deflected and another hitting the side netting. A final shot by Hannant was over the target. Colchester made a rafter of substitutions after 77 minutes and the game basically fizzled out with Troy Parrott taking on a long ball to the right of goal and wanting the shot, which was blocked.
The first team, perhaps with one or two more returning players, is next in action at Milton Keynes next Wednesday when I will be in attendance.
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