EMIRATES FA CUP FOURTH ROUND
SUNDAY 9TH FEBRUARY, 2025
(5.35PM)
ASTON VILLA 2(1) TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1(0)
Villa scorers:-
Ramsey, 1
Rogers, 64
Spurs scorer:-
Tel, 90+1
Attendance:- 40,773
Referee:- Anthony Taylor
Assistants:- Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn
Fourth official:- Simon Hooper
(No VAR)
Teams:-
Villa (4-2-3-1):- 23. Martinez; 16. Garcia, 4. Konsa (sub 26. Bogarde, 27), 44. Kamara, 12. Digne (sub 22. Maatsen, 81); 7. McGinn (Capt.), 8. Tielemans; 31. Bailey (sub 21. Asensio, 66), 27. Rogers, 41. Ramsey; 17. Malen (sub 9. Rashford, 66)
Subs not used:- 25. Olsen, 48. Zych (GKs); 56. Jimoh-Aloba
No bookings
Spurs (4-2-1-3):- 31. Kinsky; 23. Pedro Porro, 4. Danso, 14. Gray, 24. Spence; 15. Bergvall, 30. Bentancur (sub 29. Sarr, 72); 21. Kulusevski; 47. Moore (sub 8. Bissouma, 46), 7. Son (Capt.), 11. Tel
Subs not used:- 20. Forster, 40. Austin; 3. Reguilon, 33. Davies, 59. Cassanova, 79. Hardy; 63. Ajayi
Booked:- Bentancur (foul on Rogers), Bergvall (foul on Ramsey), Pedro Porro (foul on Ramsey)
Just the Europa League to go for then
Thanks to Eugene Gasper for this picture
It's fair to say that due to Richarlison's injury sustained at Anfield on Thursday night, Ange Postecoglou had to go into this FA Cup fifth round tie with even less resources, with no players returning from injury just yet. However, the fact is that Spurs have been knocked out of the two domestic cups in just four days and Ange's hope of a second season trophy rests upon success in the Europa League. The same can be said of winning any place in Europe next season.
Spurs list of absentees runs to 12 with Dane Scarlett cup-tied for this game. Once again, we had to play without our top three scorers and arguably top four centre-backs. The depression deepens for Spurs and for Postecoglou, who has led us to 21 defeats in our last 46 games in all competitions.
At least we have a full week's interval before the visit of Manchester United next week. As Ange said in his post-match interview, the same group of players has had to manage two games per week since mid-November.
Spurs made four changes to the starting line-up today. One was enforced with Richarlison injured and Tel getting his first start. The others were Pedro Porro, Lucas Bergvall, and Mikey Moore for Davies, Bissouma and Sarr. Two of our substitutes were goalkeepers.
Unai Emery had to manage with seven players unavailable including top scorer Ollie Watkins. Villa could only name 7 substitutes, and their bench also included two goalkeepers. Emery also lost his one available recognised centre-back when Ezri Konsa had to be replaced after only 27 minutes.
One of Villa's new signings - Donyell Malen - made his first start. Two others, Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford, appeared in the second half.
Spurs kicked off and played towards the Holte End, away from the travelling army of 6,000 fans desperate to see success. After only one minute, they were a goal down as Rogers was allowed passage through the middle before passing to Ramsey who had space on the left because Pedro Poro was on the wrong side of him. Kinsky should have held Ramsey's shot, but the ball popped off his body and into the net. It was a horrible error, but Kinsky did redeem himself with three or four very good saves which prevented another cup thrashing.
Tel was playing on the left of Son. The early play was generally in one direction, towards the Spurs goal. The Spurs midfield, such as it was, failed to get any tackles in and Villa moved far too freely in our half. They dominated possession.
Something that constantly depresses me is the time and effort we waste in just trying to get the ball out of our own half. The first poor play-out led to a chance for former Arsenal academy player Malen, but he hit his right-footed shot over the target. Bailey advanced down the right side and hit a good left-footed shot which Kinsky saved well, diving to his right.
The Spurs crowd was already chanting "We want Levy out!" Such chants were a feature throughout the game.
Tielemans was allowed a free run from halfway but thankfully hit his shot wide of Kinsky's right post. Nobody was closing hm down or getting in a tackle. Another Ramsey shot passed wide across the goal from the left side.
Tel hit a good pass towards Son, who was fouled. Spurs hit the free kick backwards and put themselves under pressure again. We did see a good move midway through the first half when Kulusevski sent Mikey Moore clear on the right. Moore's low cross reached Son in a good position to score, but he hit the ball straight at Martinez.
Kinsky saved again from Bailey, who made a good run before shooting. Ramsey's follow-up hit the side netting. After a Spurs throw on the right, Bentancur passed inside to Bergvall, who tried a shot from distance but that was over the target. Bergvall is a good attacking player, but not so strong in the tackle. The balance of our midfield did not look right in the first half.
Rogers advanced through the middle again with no-one preventing him. Kinsky saved his shot and Malen's follow-up was wide. Malen missed another chance after more poor play-out football. Even Archie Gray is not exempt from criticism here. At the other end, after a good ball from Bergvall, Djed Spence hit a right-footed shot, but that was held by Martinez.
Mikey Moore was withdrawn after the interval with Bissouma playing centrally. Kulusevski moved to the right.
Villa kicked off and it was immediately evident that Spurs were now going to get stuck in, with one or two strong challenges. Kulusevski put a good ball ahead of Son, but 21-year-old makeshift centre back Lamare Bogarde cleared, at the expense of a corner. Tel won another corner, after which Digne went down, having been hit in the head by a team-mate's clearance.
Bissouma advanced and passed to Pedro Porro, who demonstrated trickery on the right side of the area, before crossing to Son. A confident Son would have shot, and probably scored, but he passed back to Bissouma whose shot was blocked.
We were seeing some end to end football. Approach play by Bentancur and Bissouma led to a trademark shot by Kulusevski, comfortably held by Martinez. The travelling fans were roaring the team on. The effort had taken their minds off Mr. Levy.
Kinsky saved again from Ramsey. Bentancur and Bergvall were booked in quick succession by referee Anthony Taylor. These were our first bookings in over 180 minutes of football, since the first half at Brentford last week.
Spurs were suddenly over-run after an attack which left Spence stranded behind the play. Rogers scored from close range in the middle of the goalmouth after Malen and Bailey's interaction. Malen crossed and Pedro Porro inadvertently got a touch which gifted the goal to Rogers. Now we had a mountain to climb.
We had little left on the bench, but Emery was able to insert both Rashford and Asensio, both of whom played with verve and skill. Rashford's first action was to bring his arm down upon Danso's head in an aerial challenge. Rogers missed the target after an exchange with Asensio. Kinsky spread his body well to save from Ramsey who was through for a one-on-one chance.
Pedro Porro hit a low cross from the right and Danso hit a reactive shot wide of the back post. Pedro Porro subsequently had a right-footed shot saved after Son had rolled a free kick across the edge of the area.
Rashford got away with another heavy challenge, this time on Archie Gray. In the first of five minutes added time, Mathys Tel, scored his first club goal when he cleverly converted Kulusevski's cross. This goal gave us a little hope, but it proved to be too little, too late.
Villa are through to the fifth round for the first time in a decade. Spurs' exit means a minimum of 35 years between FA Cup final appearances and wins. This defeat frees up an FA Cup weekend around 1st March, and we already have two whole midweeks free before our next two league games. Let's hope for returning players and making the most of the extra training time allowed. Incidentally, Liverpool were knocked out by Plymouth today, and that means we can travel to Anfield on FA Cup semi-final weekend at the end of April.
Spurs have now gone 34 seasons without winning the FA Cup. This is the longest number of seasons in the club's history without winning this trophy.
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