PREMIER LEAGUE
MONDAY 21ST APRIL, 2025
(8PM)
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1(0) NOTTINGHAM FOREST 2(2)

Spurs scorer:-
Richarlison, 87

Forest scorers:-
Anderson, 5
Wood, 16

Attendance:- 59,314

Referee:- Peter Bankes
Assistants:- Marc Perry, Nick Greenhalgh
Fourth official:- Tony Harrington
VAR:- John Brooks
Assistant VAR:- Dan Robathan

Teams:-
Spurs (4-3-3):- 1. Vicario; 23. Pedro Porro, 17. Romero (Capt.) (sub 4. Danso, 46), 37. Van de Ven (sub 33. Davies, 46), 24. Spence; 29. Sarr (sub 15. Bergvall, 81), 30. Bentancur, 21. Kulusevski (sub 19. Solanke, 67); 28. Odobert (sub 22. Johnson, 67), 9. Richarlison, 11. Tel
(Armband to Vicario)

Subs not used:- 31. Kinsky; 14. Gray; 8. Bissouma, 10. Maddison

Booked:- Romero (foul on Anderson)

Forest (4-3-3):- 26. Sels; 7. Williams, 31. Milenkovic, 5. Murillo, 15. Toffolo; 16. Dominguez (sub 22. Yates, 58), 8. Anderson, 28. Danilo (sub 14. Hudson-Odoi, 58); 21. Elanga (sub 4. Morato, 46), 11. Wood (sub 9. Awoniyi, 76), 10. Gibbs-White (Capt.) (sub 24. Sosa, 90+3)
(Armband to Yates when he replaced Dominguez)

Subs not used:- 33. Miguel; 19. Moreno, 44. Abbott; 6. Sangare

Booked:- Gibbs-White (foul on Pedro Porro), Yates (foul on Bergvall), Sels (Time wasting), Toffolo (foul on Johnson)

Spurs felled by Forest

Thanks to Curtis Harman for this image

Spurs fell to their eighth home defeat of their Premier League season and their eighteenth defeat in all. With the Europa League in mind Ange Postecoglou made five changes to the team which started against Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday. Nuno Espirito Santo also made changes, with an FA Cup semi-final coming up against Manchester City.

With this eighteenth Premier League win, half of which have been away from home, Forest are following the traditional path to the Champions League and climbed back to third place, above Newcastle and Manchester City. The race for European places is the only issue likely to go to the wire.

Results at the weekend finally confirmed Spurs' mathematical safety. I felt they started this game in gung-ho style with little end result in the first half. Spurs fell foul to Forest's lethal counter-attacking style. After two early goals, Nuno's side were second in terms of possession, shots on and off target, and expected goals. No matter, they defended well. Sels made three vital saves, Toffolo (making his first Premier League start of the season) cleared off the line and Spurs didn't score until the 87th minute. It's goals that count.

Son was absent with his foot injury and Udogie was also missing from the squad. Ange is clearly intent on giving his fit players as many minutes as possible to prepare for our Europa League semi-final next week. Richarlison made only his third Premier League start of the season and his first in any game since early February.

Despite Spurs' concerted efforts through the wing play of Tel on the left and Odobert on the right (supported enthusiastically by their respective full backs), Richarlison hardly saw the ball in the first half. I felt that he and Dejan Kulusevski (who replaced James Maddison) needed those minutes. Sarr wasn't getting into the game much, and Spurs lacked beef in the middle. The nature of the game was very much end to end in that first period.

As always, the game was heralded with "Oh when the Spurs!" Forest kicked off, playing towards the South Stand. There had been rain and significantly, Romero changed his boots at the last minute. He took a while to settle down.

Tel made an early advance into the Forest area but was prevented from getting his shot on goal. Anderson found Gibbs-White with an excellent pass through the middle and Vicario had an early save to make. Spurs had to defend a corner. After the corner from the right, the ball was diverted to Anderson, whose shot was deflected through the legs of Bentancur. The bounce of the ball deceived Vicario and he was beaten to his left.

A cross by Tel was cleared, before Spurs defended well inside their area when Elanga threatened. Top scorer Chris wood had the ball in the net after a cross from the left by Anderson, but VAR found him to be offside.

Spurs now attacked on the right side and after Kulusevski's pass, Pedro Porro tried a left-footed shot which was blocked. Spurs went two down in the 16th minute. Romero had fouled Anderson, who found Elanga with the free kick. Elanga crossed from the left and Wood was unmarked between both our centre-backs, heading home, again to the left of our goalkeeper. The home fans were not happy but urged their side on.

Odobert had a cross go close, then had a shot saved by Sels to his left. Tel had provided the pass for Odobert, who was in a central position. Tel soon headed over from a Pedro Porro cross. Kulusevski had a right-footed shot comfortably held. Tel had again been the provider. Odobert hit a dangerous cross, but that passed across the goal area and past the far post.

Tel had a chance when Williams had a poor touch from Pedro Porro's cross, but the Spurs number eleven fluffed his lines and his shot. Both Richarlison and Sarr challenged to meet Odobert's cross, but it was Richie who headed wide. Richie had another header go wide after Tel's cross. By this time Romero had taken the first booking of the game for his third foul of Anderson.

Postecoglou switched his centre-backs at half-time. Nuno added a centre-back when Morato replaced Elanga. Forest now had a back three. Their fans didn't see much of their players at their end in the second half, but Forest defended their lead all too well.

Spurs kicked off. VAR was apparently offline due to a fire alarm at Stockley Park. A fine breaking run by Tel ultimately came to nought. Sarr was more active now. He received from Pedro Porro; turned to shoot, but the ball ran to Sels. Sarr then tried an elaborate flick from another Pedro Porro cross, but this was an easy pick-up for the goalkeeper.

Spurs were nearly caught on the break when Wood headed to Gibbs-White, but the Forest captain was off target. Sarr latched onto a loose defensive ball but fired wide.

Spurs came oh so close when Kulusevski glanced Pedro Porro's corner towards the far post, but Toffolo cleared off his line. Spurs came close again. Pedro Porro's cross had missed its target, but the ball rebounded off Forest defenders into the path of Richarlison, whose shot was smothered by the advancing keeper.

Odobert and Kulusevski were now replaced by Johnson and Solanke. Danso advanced and tried a left-footed shot, which Sels saved to his right. Time was ticking on, and Sarr was replaced by Bergvall. Spence miscued a shot after yet another Pedro Porro cross.

Spurs finally scored with three minutes of normal time remaining. Pedro Porro's 107th touch of the game was a cross, met by Richarlison and headed into the net across the keeper at the far post.

Forest were getting desperate and took three more bookings in the closing stages. A Tel shot was blocked, and Ben Davies' effort was over, but that was all Spurs could muster. Forest were at least in front of their fans at the final whistle and celebrated with gusto.

This was Forest's first league double over Spurs since the 96/97 season.

Spurs have now failed to win any of their last 12 Premier League matches when conceding first and they haven't won a league match when trailing by two or more goals at half-time since beating Arsenal in November 2010.

Spurs had 22 shots on goal, compared to 4 by Forest. Three of their shots were on target. Spurs managed 6 on target and enjoyed 68% possession. We hit 51 crosses in all.

Only the bottom three sides have lost more games than Spurs this season. Our next game is at Anfield on Sunday when Liverpool will be keen to win and secure their second Premier League title.

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