PREMIER LEAGUE
SUNDAY 10TH NOVEMBER, 2024
(2PM)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1(0) IPSWICH 2(2)

Spurs scorer:-
Bentancur, 69

Ipswich scorers:-
Szmodics, 31
Delap, 43

Attendance:- 61,505

Referee:- Darren England
Assistants:- Simon Bennett, Neil Davies
Fourth official:- Robert Jones
VAR:- John Brooks
Assistant VAR:- Mark Scholes

Teams:-
Spurs (4-3-3):- 1. Vicario; 23. Pedro Porro, 17. Romero, 6. Dragusin, 13. Udogie; 21. Kulusevski, 30. Bentancur (sub 8. Bissouma, 84), 29. Sarr (sub 16. Werner, 66); 22. Johnson (sub 10. Maddison, 84), 19. Solanke, 7. Son (Capt.)

Subs not used:- 20. Forster; 14. Gray, 24. Spence, 33. Davies; 15. Bergvall; 42. Lankshear

Booked:- Bentancur (dissent after the award of a foul)

Ipswich (4-4-1-1):- 1. Muric; 40. Tuanzebe, 26. O'Shea, 15. Burgess, 3. Davis; 18. Johnson, 5. Morsy (Capt.), 12. Cajuste (sub 25. Luongo, 90+2), 23. Szmodics (sub 47. J. Clarke, 71); 20. Hutchinson; 19. Delap (sub 27. Hirst, 70)

Subs not used:- 28. Walton; 2. H. Clarke, 6. Woolfenden, 7. Burns, 22. Townsend; 10. Chaplin

Booked:- Tuanzebe (kicked ball away after free kick award), Delap (foul on Romero), Johnson (foul on Sarr), Davis (foul on Kulusevski), Hutchinson (not retreating at free kick)

Doctor Tottenham tends to Ipswich

"We could go third," I said in the pub before the game.

"Don't say that!" was the response, given in unison. "This is Spurs, after all," they offered.

"It's why I always predict 2-1 against us in the prediction league!", said the manager of "Gazza's Kebabs".

"3-1. Trust me!" I foolishly suggested.

And so it came to pass, fellow suffering Spurs fan (we have to be made of tough material), that "Doctor Tottenham" came to town and as he had done at Selhurst Park a few weeks ago, he delivered Ipswich's first win of the season. Most of the 61,505 crowd went home with their tails between their legs.

Ipswich were in the pink, and indeed wore a salmon pink third strip for the first time. This was sponsored and partly designed by "Tractor Boys" super fan Ed Sheeran, who was among the visiting fans.

At the end of the game, three former Spurs players (all lesser known to most of the home crowd) were on the pitch, celebrating with their ecstatic fans. These were manager Kieran McKenna, once on the coaching staff at Old Trafford (and even linked with the manager's job this summer); and substitutes Jack Clarke (signed from Sunderland last summer) along with Australian national Massimo Luongo.

A lot has been made in the press regarding the fact this was Ipswich's first Premier League win in 22 years. This was also Ipswich's fourth consecutive win over Spurs, who last managed to beat the Suffolk side in August 2000.

Today's game was held on Remembrance Sunday, immaculately observed before kick-off.

The pre-match team news suggested Ipswich would line-up with five at the back, but it was nothing of the sort. I swear I saw five salmon pink shirts across the front line at times. So ponderous (and inept) are Spurs regarding getting out off their own half, even a bottom three side know our game and press us relentlessly. Ange said after the game regarding our failures that "It's on me." So it is.

Played 11, won 5, drawn 1, lost 5 is not good enough. We've had a couple of marvellous 4-1 home wins recently, but too often, "Ange-ball" just isn't working, and I'm not sure he'll be given much longer to get it right. Our next game is at The Etihad when we're sure to tend to City's recent run of four defeats. After that, we'll be a bottom half side.

Our most successful pass today was to the Ipswich keeper Arijanet Muric, signed from relegated Burnley. Countless crosses and corners went safely into Muric's hands.

Spurs kicked off and aimed at the North Stand, but Ipswich soon threatened after a long ball (what are they?), after which Szmodics (signed from Blackburn) forced an early save by Vicario. After the corner, former Arsenal and Chelsea junior Omari Hutchinson had a near post header go wide. Hutchinson thrived all game against the Spurs defence.

Spurs responded with a good attack down the left wing by Udogie and Son, whose cross was met by Johnson at the near post but pulled just wide. Udogie was required to head out a cross from the left by Cajuste for Ipswich's second corner. Following Davis's corner Burgess's header rolled across the Spurs bar.

You'll note that few household names were featuring in Ipswich's early threat, and Spurs had yet to win a corner. Johnson did have another chance after a Spurs break. Son passed inside to Kulusevski who teed up Brennan, but his shot was well over the target. Spurs did have a corner after Solanke followed up a blocked effort by Bentancur with a shot that was deflected wide. Guess where the corner went!

"Sonny" had a solo effort from the left, but Muric held that too. Muric had to save a good right-footed effort by Solanke after Porro's delivery, and Spurs had another corner. A Johnson cross was deflected towards goal, but Muric held that too. That was as good as it got for Spurs in the remainder of the first half.

It was not such a surprise when Ipswich took the lead after Delap was afforded acres of space in which to cross from the right. Szmodics scored with a clever overhead effort back into Vicario's left corner.

Solanke needed treatment but he was okay to continue. Son and Udogie advanced and Udogie went down in the box but there was no foul. After a rare Muric error, Sarr passed to Son, but the captain hit a poor cross. Ipswich countered with devastating effect, and Delap (son of Rory; once of Man City) scored a scrambled goal from close range after a cross from the left.

In added time referee Darren England had "words" with Delap and Romero after a set-to near the half-way line. Spurs were out early after the break and Delap soon got a booking for a foul on Romero.

Had Spurs played with the energy shown after the break in the first half, they might have got something out of the game. Bentancur made a great run and passed to Johnson who crossed. Son's shot was tipped over the bar by Muric.

We thought we had got an early goal back when a corner was flicked on by Bentancur and Solanke scored from close range, but VAR deemed he had "accidentally" handled the ball before the disallowed goal.

Udogie broke up an Ipswich attack and Spurs countered but Kulusevski fired over. Delap got the better of two Spurs defenders, but nothing came of his ball to Hutchinson. At the other end left Pedro Porro's cross might have hit left back Davis's hand, but despite appeals and a VAR review, no penalty was given. Son fired well over after Kulusevski's corner.

Sarr was replaced by Werner and Son moved inside. Spurs did get a goal back after Pedro Porro's cross won a corner, which he took, and Bentancur headed in from the near post. It was Rodrigo's first Spurs goal since January.

There was plenty of time for Spurs to score again, but Ipswich showed they can master the dark arts with players going down injured and the goalkeeper slowing down the play.

Spurs generally lost their momentum, and Ipswich pressed us again at times. After a throw-in Pedro Porro hit a good long pass to Werner, whose shot was deflected wide. Werner failed woefully (and typically) with a later shot.

Maddison was a late substitute for Spurs but failed to create an opening. Solanke had an added time shot blocked in the box and Ipswich held out for the eight added minutes. Substitute George Hirst (once a Leicester junior) needed prolonged treatment for a head wound at the end of the game while his team-mates celebrated.

Son said "Sorry" after the game, but we've heard it all too often before. This Spurs team, and coach, needs to deliver consistency and the goods soon. At least we have an International break in which to forget about football before the forthcoming visit of "Doctor Tottenham" to Manchester City.

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