Son Shines On A Gray Day

Having been away I didn't get the chance to put my thoughts on last Thurdays match in Glasgow against Rangers down on paper but in summary it was pretty much what we've seen barring one or two exceptions for most of this season. 

Star man again was Fraser Forster, who is making me meet eat so much humble pie recently I'm thinking about joining 'Weightwatchers'. Like Spurs, Rangers played exactly how I expected them to and could count themselves a little unlucky not to win the match. Although Ange called out the performance of Timo Werner after the game, he could have been talking about any of the front five or Bissouma all of whom were dreadful in the first half.

Given the situation, the defenders did well and the team improved with the second half changes. Kulusevski scored a fine equaliser, so now we roll on to the last two matches in the league stage still with a half decent chance of avoiding the extra round by finishing in the top eight.

Sometimes the footballing Gods that seem to have had it in for us on the injury front this season, smile on you and having the next fixture against the frankly awful Southampton is one of these occasions. Ange gave Lucas Bergvall his first Premier League start and Jed Spence his first Spurs start 881 days after he signed for the club. After 881 days and 36 seconds Spence provided his first assist, when after a fine turn and driving run he slipped a lovely pass to Maddison who finished through the legs of Alex McCarthy in the Saints goal. 

The lesser spotted Jed Spence

Eleven minutes later Maddison found himself on the right wing after a one-two, whipped over a cross which deflected off a Southampton defender across the area where an onrushing Son smashed it into the net. The mood in an already toxic St Marys took a definite turn for the worse only three minutes afterwards when Son running onto a long ball from Maddison crossed to Solanke where a rare decent piece of defending prevented him from scoring. Unfortunately for the Saints, the ball dropped to Kulusevski who tapped it into an empty net. Pretty much game over for Southampton, even given it was against us. 

At this point I'm thinking that the team will just carry on, being that they really can't play any other way and of course the home side are complete shit. And surely, in the 26th minute, Odogie won the ball, it may have been a foul but its not really effected the overall result,  drove forward found Son who knocked the ball across to Sarr who jinked his way into the box before finishing into the corner. The TV company showed scenes from outside the ground where people were already leaving in fairly high numbers. 

125 Premier League Goals / 68 Assists.
One Of Our Greatest Ever

Spurs created more chances, McCarthy saved well from Son who was rolling back the years. Southampton looked literally like they'd only just been introduced to each other 5 minuted before kick off. Then Spurs managed to score their fifth in stoppage time when Son found Maddison with a delicious pass using the outside of his foot. From the byline Maddison cut back and somehow crashed the ball into the opposite top corner. An amazing finish.

The second half brought something we haven't seen much of since we overloaded on it during Conte's reign, pragmatism. Given the injuries and the run of games coming thick and fast this is totally understandable. Johnson replaced Son at half-time, Southampton improved (they had to in all honesty) Spurs definately took their foot off the gas. The only notable efforts where a long range shot from Sarr and right at the end Johnson got on the end of a Werner cross but missed the target. I think he may have been offside anyway. On 77 minutes Dorrington replaced Spence along with the aforementioned Werner who replaced Maddison. Five minutes later Lankshear replaced Solanke.

This meant Spurs finished the game with four teenagers on the pitch, the first time thats happened in the Premier League this season. It was our first look at Dorrington, we've seen a bit of Lankshear and gradually more of Bergvall who's growing in confidence with each game.

I know he has more experience and he cost a lot of money but I find Archie Gray a quite remarkable player, given his tender age. Since he's been at the club he's had to play right across the back four (two different positions again on Sunday) when he's really a midfield player. He shows calmness on the ball that belies his years and a confidence to bring the ball out of defence that points to him making a top class 'number 6' in the future. 

We All Dream Of A Team Of Archie Grays

Onto Thursday when we entertain Manchester United in the quarter final of the League Cup. United have a new manager but nobody can be sure which United will turn up in exactly the same way that we can't be sure which Spurs will turn up. Hopefully it'll be more Villa at home than Ipswich at home.


 

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