PREMIER LEAGUE
SATURDAY 17TH FEBRUARY, 2024
(3PM)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1(0) WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 2(1)

Spurs scorer:-
Kulusevski, 46

Wolves scorer:-
Gomes, 42, 63

Attendance:- 61,532

Referee:- Anthony Taylor
Assistants:- Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn
Fourth official:- Andy Davies
VAR:- Craig Pawson
Assistant VAR:- Lee Betts

Teams:-
Spurs (4-2-3-1):- Vicario; Emerson Royal (sub Lo Celso, 85), Romero, Van de Ven, Davies; Sarr (sub Bentancur, 71), Bissouma (sub Werner, 71); Kulusevski, Maddison (sub Hojbjerg, 85), Son (Capt.); Richarlison (sub Johnson, 71)

Subs not used:- Austin; Dragusin; Skipp, Gil

No bookings

Wolves (3-4-3):- Sa; Kilman (Capt.), Dawson, Toti; Semedo, Lemina, Joao Gomes, Ait-Nouri; Sarabia (sub Bellegarde, 73), Hwang (sub Traore, 88), Neto (sub Doherty, 90+2)

Subs not used:- Bentley; Santiago Bueno, Hugo Bueno; Doyle, Chirewa; Fraser

Booked:- Joao Gomes (foul on Emerson Royal)

Spurs mugs mugged

Here's an admission. I am growing tired of watching my football team play. I know I sound like a broken record at games with my constant moans about backward and sideways passing. I swear the home crowd tire of our style too. I can't remember the last time I heard "I'm loving Big Ange instead".

Our coach seems to stand impassively on the touchline in the first half, leaving it to the likes of Ryan Mason and Matty Wells to urge something out of the team. Yes, there was a moment of magic within 46 seconds of the restart when Kulusevski equalised, but Gary O'Neil's excellent Wolves side had the measure of us and a winning game plan.

Spurs were missing both Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie, and their absence was painful with both Emerson Royal and Ben Davies being found out for pace on the flanks. Son looked the most likely source of inspiration for Spurs in the first half, but to be honest players such as Emerson, Bissouma and even Maddison lacked edge today.

Wolves completed a third league double over Spurs, the last of which was in 2009-10. They've now won four of our last five top flight meetings and have won three consecutive times against Spurs. We slipped back to fifth and on this form can say goodbye to a Champions League place. To add to our pain Arsenal beat Burnley 5-0 away and are flying after a 6-0 win at West Ham last week. It is all so depressing.

Wolves must have turned us round because we kicked off and played towards the South Stand. There was an exciting moment in the first minute after Richarlison won the ball and passed to Kulusevski who spread the play to Son on the left. Son passed inside and Richarlison's effort was deflected out for a corner by Wolves skipper Kilman.

Spurs did put Wolves under some early pressure with another Son cross being headed away.

It was obvious early on that only really cynical or forceful fouls were going to cause referee Anthony Taylor to blow his whistle and Spurs seemed to suffer more from his lenience, although later in the game he upset Wolves fans as well. They even chanted his name in a derogatory fashion.

Wolves' first shot came from 25 yards by Sarabia, but that was easily picked up by Vicario. Sarabia had scored and assisted for their added time goals at Molineux in November. Spurs are also missing Fraser Forster, who has a foot injury and won't be seen before April. Brandon Austin deputized today.

Wolves so nearly took advantage after more lenience from the referee after Richarlison had been caught in the middle. Vicario saved well from Semedo, and thankfully Hwang Hee-Chan missed from close range. Wolves slipped up at the other end and Richarlison looked to have a shooting chance but slipped on the ball.

Ben Davies fired over from outside the area on the left after Emerson had headed down a ball to his feet. Maddison lost out in midfield which led to a sharp Wolves move at the end of which Ait-Nouri's shot was held by Vicario.

Lemina needed treatment and had to spend the compulsory thirty seconds on the sideline, but did we try to take advantage of his absence? Of course not. We spent most of that time pedantically passing backwards and sideways in our half. Playing from the back is fine, but it needs to be more dynamic and threatening to the opposition. Our style allowed Wolves to form their effective defensive dome, and they regularly caused us problems with swift breaks, good passing and all the pace in the world. I swear Vicario was the harder working goalkeeper.

A cross by Son threatened but passed clear across the goalmouth. At the other end, a shot by Neto passed over the target. Spurs had a free kick taken by Maddison 25 yards out which reached Sarr to the left of the area. Another corner followed his cross, but nothing came of it. As Wolves broke out, Micky van de Ven was required to make a great tackle and clearance on our right flank.

Spurs broke out after an excellent Bissouma interception, but Richarlison's final effort was blocked. Van de Ven sent a great ball to Maddison who fed Kulusevski, but his shot was just wide.

Wolves fans were upset when Mr Taylor touched the ball and gave a dropped ball in our favour, but we couldn't take advantage as Sa picked up a cross by Emerson.

Pedro Neto won a corner on the left in a tussle with Emerson. A ball following that corner was put out by Richarlison when a shout would surely have ensured he let the ball go out of play for a goal kick. Sarabia took the corner and Joao Gomes rose to head his first goal for Wolves.

Vicario made a great save from Sarabia in added time, but the Wolves man had been offside.

Kulusevski always seemed to have two men on him when he was on the ball, but his moment of inspiration came in the first minute of the second half after he won a throw deep on the right. The ball was worked into the Wolves area where Richarlison got a touch before Kulusevski took the ball on and beat Sa with a low shot through his legs from a sharp angle. Hope was restored and within minutes Spurs had a corner on the left taken by Maddison but headed over by Richarlison. Spurs had a free kick after a foul on Emerson. Maddison took the kick but ultimately Son's cross/shot was held by Sa.

Wolves broke out down the right flank and Sarabia got on the end of Semedo's cross with Vicario making a vital save. Micky van de Ven did the rest with the rebound after the save.

Kulusevski forced a good save by Sa near his post, after touches by Maddison and Son gave him the chance to try a shot across the goalmouth from 25 yards.

Spurs were then well and truly mugged with what turned out to be Wolves' winner. This time Neto made their trademark break down the right wing, getting the better of Emerson as he neared the bye-line. Neto's perfect pass found the advancing Joao Gomes who fired home and had a second club goal. Bissouma had been caught out allowing the break, and he was left flailing by the scorer at the other end.

Joao Gomes was shown the one yellow card of the game when he stopped Emerson's advance on the right of midfield. Maddison pulled a shot wide after taking a short pass from Son.

Now Postecoglou made three substitutions (Werner, Bentancur, and Johnson) with Werner playing in the middle. Emerson came to the rescue after another Neto break. The Spurs full-back blocked Sarabia's shot. After a corner, Vicario saved a shot by Lemina on his line.

Sa held a shot at the other end after Bentancur had fed the ball across the edge of the area and Emerson Royal aimed for goal. Two more Spurs subs followed with Lo Celso and Hojbjerg joining the fray. Now Son took up a central position with Werner on the left.

Van de Ven hit a header on target after Lo Celso's free kick, but this was comfortable for Sa. There were five added minutes, during which the crowd bayed for a penalty when Werner had two shots blocked. Ben Davies had the better chance, but failed when he met Bentancur's cross but headed wide back across the goal.

Now we have two weeks off, as our scheduled opponents (Chelsea) play Liverpool next week in the Carabao Cup Final. That match falls almost on the 16th anniversary of our last trophy win. When will we see another?

Follow @spursodyssey

. Squad numbers,appearances,bookings & goalscorers
. Read the preview for this game.
. All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here! THFC6061 Sports Stats