A tale of opening day defeats and own goals
The last time we started a Premier League season as early as this year was 16 years ago on August 7th, 1999. Our opponents that day were West Ham, and unfortunately the result on that occasion was also a 1-0 defeat (West Ham 1 Spurs 0 - 07.08.99). One purpose of the early start then, as now, was to benefit England's participation in the Euro 2000 tournament. Let's hope that England get out of the Group stage next year, which would be more than the 2000 team managed.
Spurs were participants in another little piece of Premier League history on Saturday, as Kyle Walker's own goal was the first time an own goal had been the first Premier League goal of the season. Kyle won't thank me for reminding him of that.
Another opening day defeat for Spurs came against Arsenal, at White Hart Lane 47 years ago (August 10th 1968), when Phil Beal scored an unfortunate own goal to set the gooners on their way to a 2-1 win. I was at that game, and I can assure you it was a sickening feeling. That own goal was the first goal of the game (21 mins). John Radford put Arsenal 2-0 up after 60 minutes, and Jimmy Greaves got one back for Spurs in the 81st minute. (Thanks to statistician Declan Mulcahy for the goal times)
Of course, Arsenal's surprise home defeat on Sunday to West Ham made us all feel better, not least because it put them below us in the fledgling table, and also put them at the very bottom of the league until West Brom were well beaten last night.
Let's home we can avoid the potential banana skin when Stoke come to town on Saturday, and get in the winning habit.
Toby Alderweireld had an excellent debut, and was by far the Spurs man of the match, whilst Nabil Bentaleb finished at the other end of the spectrum, with his unforced error (not the first) which led to the United goal.
· See this week's spursometer in full.
Results 08-10.08.15
Man Utd 1-0 Spurs
B'mouth 0-1 A. Villa
Everton 2-2 Watford
Leicester 4-2 S'derland
Norwich 1-3 C. Palace
Chelsea 2-2 Swansea
Arsenal 0-2 West Ham
Newcastle 2-2 S'hampton
Stoke 0-1 Liverpool
West Brom 0-3 Man City
Barclays Premier League Table
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Man City 1 1 0 0 3-0 3 3
2. Leicester 1 1 0 0 4-2 2 3
3. C. Palace 1 1 0 0 3-1 2 3
4. West Ham 1 1 0 0 2-0 2 3
=========================================
5. A. Villa 1 1 0 0 1-0 1 3
=========================================
6. Liverpool 1 1 0 0 1-0 1 3
7. Man Utd 1 1 0 0 1-0 1 3
8. Chelsea 1 0 1 0 2-2 0 1
9. Everton 1 0 1 0 2-2 0 1
10. Newcastle 1 0 1 0 2-2 0 1
11. S'hampton 1 0 1 0 2-2 0 1
12. Swansea 1 0 1 0 2-2 0 1
13. Watford 1 0 1 0 2-2 0 1
14. B'mouth 1 0 0 1 0-1 -1 0
15. Stoke 1 0 0 1 0-1 -1 0
16. Spurs 1 0 0 1 0-1 -1 0
17. S'derland 1 0 0 1 2-4 -2 0
=========================================
18. Norwich 1 0 0 1 1-3 -2 0
19. Arsenal 1 0 0 1 0-2 -2 0
20. West Brom 1 0 0 1 0-3 -3 0
