Spurs Online

Tag: uefacup

  • We’re almost there!

    We’re almost there!

    Preview:

    We go to Norway with a 2 goal lead but are we entering the lions den?

    Fixture:

    Thursday 8th May, 20:00

    Bodø / Glimt Vs Tottenham Hotspur

    UEFA Europa League – Semi-finals (Second Leg)

    Available On:

    UK – TNT Sports 2

    IRE – Premier Sports 2

    Result: 0-2 (Tottenham win 5-1 on Agg)

    Solanke (63)

    Pedro Porro (69)

    Match Report:

    Listen to Audio on Spotify

    Well we did it and despite all the hype and all the pre match nerves it turned out to be a text book victory with Vicario rarely tested.

    The conditions were difficult as expected and even though the rain was pouring, the grounds man watered the pitch for extra measures. Clearly Bodo were going to be more comfortable on this pitch but they still had to find a way to break down a pumped up pairing of Romero and Van de Ven. 

    But nothing was getting past those boys and after an hour of play it was clear we were heading to Bilbao.

    The first goal was always going to be enough but by the time Porro fluked in the second it was done and dusted. It was another solid European performance without doing anything spectacular which just goes to show these players can do it, at least against lesser opponents.

    Thankfully we are up against another lesser team in the final and who would have ever thought we would be playing Utd in the final with us sitting 16th and 15th in the Premiership table. It’s been a crazy season for sure and it’s not quite over yet, that’s right Arsenal, we’ve still got something to play for!

    There’s time for another twist or two yet this season and only last week we lost Bergvall and then Maddison to injuries, so if we are going to do this we are going to have to do it on grit and determination. I think that’s going to be the key between two teams that have both lacked quality and form this season, who will want it more?

    Of course we’ve beaten them three times this season already so the players will have that psychological advantage and belief, why can’t we make it four out of four!

    COYS!!!!!!!!

    Entertainment Value: 7/10 

    It was a comfortable victory but wasn’t great viewing to be honest as Spurs never pushed more than they had to and the conditions made it difficult for any football to really flow. Of course that didn’t matter, it was all about the victory.

    Standout Players:

    Romero and Van de Ven made it very difficult for Bodo to get much of a sniff on goal. To be fair it was a pretty well disciplined performance from all, nothing Spursy to report lol.

    Next Match:

    We are home to Palace on Sunday and maybe the knowledge of making the final will give the players that extra freedom to express themselves. Or maybe it will just be another shit show lol.

  • Uefa Cup – Semi-final 1st Leg

    Uefa Cup – Semi-final 1st Leg

    Preview:

    Are you counting down the games to the final or the days we finally say goodbye to Ange?

    Fixture:

    Thursday 1st May, 20:00

    Tottenham Hotspur Vs Bodø / Glimt

    UEFA Europa League – Semi-finals (First Leg)

    Available On:

    UK – TNT Sports 2

    IRE – Premier Sports 2

    Result: 3-1 (Tottenham Win 1st leg)

    B. Johnson (1′)

    J. Maddison (34′)

    D. Solanke (61′ pen)

    U. Saltnes (83′)

    Match Report:

    Spotify – Listen to Audio

    YouTube – Watch Video

    TikTok – Watch Video

    I think we can say 3-1 is a pretty good score in the first leg of a semi-final and of course it was nice of our boys to give them that traditional late goal so they don’t go home empty handed. We are the team that just keeps on giving lol.

    I could go two ways with this report, on one side I want to be positive as we are just one game away from a European final, but at the same time we cannot ignore the reality of where we are this season. All we can do is just enjoy the moment I guess, we’ve probably earned it this season!

    So on the positive side, we started brightly and a goal in the first minute set the mood nicely. Richarlison did well to set up the goal with Johnson becoming a master of the six yard box. I still think Johnson is wasted on the wing as he cannot dribble or beat a man, never mind cross a ball but he does know how to find the net and every team needs a goal scorer.

    The second goal was even better and not for the first time this season we saw a lovely direct ball from Porro and with just a couple of touches Mads had the keeper beaten. It was a great long ball over and Mads made it look easy, it’s a shame we haven’t seen this sort of play in the Premiership.

    The penalty may have been a little fortunate but Solanke put it away with confidence which meant after 61 minutes all we had to do was not throw it away. Now for most teams this would have been pretty simple just to shut up shop but of course we know better when it comes to Spurs lol. It only took one lapse of concentration and with their first shot on target (from 3 shots in the game) they found themselves a life line.

    Some people have said that the introduction of 3 players in the second half upset the rhythm of the game and whilst that may be the case it’s certainly no excuse for the defence to switch off, especially as the changes were forwards!

    Besides the late goal conceded the only other negative that must be mentioned are the fresh injury concerns which now includes Maddison and Bergvall. It’s a good job Kulusevski has returned because we might just need him.

    All in all the team looked good, they were composed and in control with even Bissouma having an acceptable performance. But I am reluctant to get carried away with the performance as we must remember the opposition, let us see if we can continue this into the next game on Sunday versus West Ham. Or will they take the weekend off again?

    Next Thursday is the 2nd leg of course so that will no doubt be the priority. At the end of the 1st leg the Bodo manager and their fans looked pretty happy about the result, they know what’s to come back on their artificial pitch in the Arctic circle. We cannot afford to be complacent!

    Entertainment value: 7/10

    It was a good performance but I’m not getting carried away considering the level of opponent.

    Standout Players: Richarlison & Maddison

    Richarlison had a positive impact in the first half and gave us something on that left side that Sonny doesn’t. Maddison not only came up with a nice goal but he is essential to that midfield with overall distribution.

  • Judgment Day

    Judgment Day

    Preview:

    Ange has been on borrowed time for what seems like an eternity, Thursday will be judgment day. And no, he won’t be back 🙂

    Fixture:

    Thursday 17th April, 20:00

    Eintracht Frankfurt Vs Tottenham Hotspur

    UEFA Europa League – Quarter-finals (Second Leg)

    Available On:

    UK – TNT Sports 3

    IRE – Premier Sports 2

    Result: 0-1 (Agg 1-2) Tottenham Qualify

    D. Solanke (43′ pen)

    Match Report:

    Well, what a night! And I’m not just talking about the Spurs match, the Utd / Lyon match was a 9 goal thriller and Lazio / Bode went all the way to Penalties. But let’s talk about Tottenham. It may have been the quietest game of the night but all we care about is the result.

    Apparently Opta stats gave us a 32% chance of winning that fixture and not too many would have argued against those odds to be fair. But even the bookies can get it wrong from time to time and it’s not the first time we’ve had to go away in the 2nd leg to pull it out of the bag!

    Watching it on TV, a reporter spoke to Solanke after the game and described the result as a typical Ange Postcoglu performance. I have no idea what games that reporter has been watching this season but that was anything but a typical Ange performance. We got a clean sheet for starters, there were less mistakes playing out the back and instead more direct balls played out with a ‘better safe than sorry’ approach.

    It wasn’t the best performance of the season, but what they did was done with composure and unity, never at any point did Spurs look panicked or fazed by the challenge ahead. And let’s be honest, for this Spurs team that was a pretty big challenge, to go away from home and get a result against a team whose 3rd in the Bundesliga. Sure at times we may have rode our luck, but that’s football, you can’t expect to dominate for 90 minutes. In the first leg Frankfurt very much rode their luck too so that evened out in any case.

    The first half I thought we were the more likely team to score although there wasn’t a lot in it, but the timing of the goal changed the course of the evening. Frankfurt looked frustrated, they certainly didn’t look like a team who was 3rd in the league and playing at home. Spurs were getting it right without being over the top, they weren’t trying to play like Brazil, I would even say we were being more like an efficient Germany and it was frustrating the hell out of them!

    In the first leg I was surprised at how much Frankfurt sat back and allowed us to play but I put that down to them scoring early and the fact that they were playing away with the knowledge of having home advantage in the 2nd leg. But the 2nd leg showed a similar type of performance from Frankfurt, they never really tried to press the Spurs defenders and this favoured us enormously. 

    In contrast to most Premiership fixtures, we always appeared to have time on the ball and this did us a favour. Our back four looked as good as they have all season and for the most part we maintained our shape without leaving those ridiculous holes. Sure there were a couple of times where just a single pass managed to expose our defence and Van de Ven did well to rescue those situations.

    But as the game progressed we sat back and made them work for it. Frankfurt struggled to find the answers although had Kristensen been in better form it could have been a different story. Losing Maddison so early in the game (hope he’s made a good recovery) was a concern but the return of Kulusevski is huge for Spurs. We have missed Kulu so much in the last month and as good as Madders is, we look better when we have the two of them.

    As for the goal all credit to the bravery of Madders, I’m sure he knew what was coming but he didnt back out, he took one for the team and there was never any question for me, it was a definite pen. I was a bit nervous when I saw Tel pick up the ball. I know Tel scored his last one but I wasn’t overly convinced by it. But it was Solanke who got the nod and a man who hasn’t scored in god knows how many games was also a worrying thought. Fair play to Solanke, for a man who was suffering a proper goal drought he never showed any nerves and took it like a pro.

    It appeared we got it right on the night and we all knew what it meant. In Anges words, “So, unfortunately for a lot of you, you’re going to have to put up with me for a little bit longer.”

    If we were told we would be playing a Norwegian club in the semis to reach another European final, the truth is we would have snapped at it. Of course, you should never take any team for granted, especially in a European semi final, but the fact is, it’s a good draw! And I will leave it there:) COYS!!!!!

    Entertainment Value: 9 / 10

    Of course I am biased but you can’t beat a European night like that and whilst it may have lacked goals, I was on the edge of my seat all night!

    Standout Players:

    Madders deserves a mention for his bravery but this night was all about the defensive display and Romero and Van de Ven were both outstanding.

  • Its the big one!!!

    Its the big one!!!

    Preview:

    It may be 2 legs but how will this Spurs team handle a top European side? Will they handle the pressure? Do they have the quality?

    Fixture:

    Thursday 10th April, 20:00

    Tottenham Hotspur Vs Eintracht Frankfurt

    UEFA Europa League, Quarter-finals, 1st Leg

    Available On:

    UK – TNT Sports 3

    IRE – Premier Sports 2

    Result: 1-1

    H. Ekitiké (6′)

    Pedro Porro (26′)

    Match Report:

    Quarter final fixtures in Europe bring back memories of that special night against Man City and of course I couldn’t help but dare to dream again!

    That dream was nearly over though as quick as it began when Ekitiké exposed appalling marking in just the 6th minute. In all fairness it was a lovely finish showing calm and composure that you would want to see from your own striker around the box. Vicario didn’t really stand a chance and it looked like Spurs were going to have to do this the hard way.

    I have to say I feared the worst and thought we could be heading for a humiliating evening so I was surprised to see Frankfurt take there step off the gas a little and allow Spurs a chance to regroup. Spurs were growing into the game without being spectacular but the equaliser certainly showed a bit of class. It was a lovely worked goal after some quick feet in the box from Maddison to set up Pedro Porro who somehow manages to flick it towards goal catching the goalie unaware.

    Going in at the break all square felt like a result with Spurs still not finding top gear. But the second half was a different show, whatever was said in the changing room seemed to wake them up and the chances began to flow.

    Bergvall’s shot hit the bar and Bentancur was denied a couple of headers from corners. Romero too pushed forward and it was nice to see Spurs on the front foot looking for that winner. One of the best chances fell to Johnson after good work from Solanke but he was unable to keep his shot down as it flew high over the bar. Van der Ven then looked to have sealed it late on with another header only for the goalie to save again. 

    Incredibly neither team could break the deadlock which means we go into the second leg level on goals and all to play for. It’s setup for another magical night in Europe and the dream goes on 🙂 COYS!

    Entertainment Value: 8 / 10

    I’m being generous again but let’s face it we’ve been starved of entertainment this season so will take what I can get!

    Standout Players: Frankfurt’s goalie Kauã Santos probably deserved man of the match but for Spurs I’m going for Bergvall. He worked hard throughout the game with box to box play and was unfortunate not to score with a fabulous long range effort.

  • All the Eggs are in!

    All the Eggs are in!

    Fixture:

    Thursday 6th March, 17:45

    AZ Vs Tottenham Hotspur

    UEFA Europa League – Last 16 (First Leg)

    Available On:

    UK TV – TNT Sports 3

    IRE – Premier Sports 2

    beIN Sports English 2

    Result: 1-0 (AZ Win 1st leg)

    L. Bergvall (18′ og)

    Match Report:

    So great news on the return of Van de Ven, Romero and Solanke who all traveled with the team and were on the bench. Of course in typical Spurs fashion though in came 3 players and out went the 1 player Kulu, who ironically is injured after being given a rest against Man City. He’s out til April so that worked well. I’m guessing players are now being over rested?

    So with the bulk of players having returned from injury it is fair to say we no longer want to hear the injury and fatigue excuses. After 2 seasons of rebuilding it is time for this team to walk the walk!

    So it began….

    After 15 minutes of play I was beginning to wonder if Spurs would join AZ and make a game of it. 3 minutes later AZ go 1 nil up from a corner via a slice from Bergvall into his own net that he will not be forgetting for a while:)

    Clearly against there wishes Spurs now had a game on there hands and would need to find second gear or at least get out of reverse. Unfortunately the rest of the half passed with very little to get excited about if you’re a Spurs fan. There was a few comical moments however with an hilarious training ground freekick that went as well as it probably had all week they had rehearsed it. 

    And Bergvall seemed to have put on 2 left footed boots for this match with the ball going the opposite way it was meant to on several occasions as his brain and feet were about as in sync as the rest of the teams passing abilities to find one another. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Bergvall fan but sometimes it’s just not your day!

    At half time Ange made a change bringing on Odobert in place of Tel, with Son moving into the middle.  Playing Son as centre forward hardly gives me confidence but if Odobert could show the glimpses of form he did against Man City it really couldn’t be any worse than the first half display, could it?

    Despite my naive Spurs optimism it didn’t get much better. The midfield continued to be non existent and the defence was simply all over the place. The front line lacked any real threat and after an hour of play I was looking at the bench wondering who can change this around, even if Ange wasn’t.

    Danso and Udogie both looked tired and couldn’t cope with the pace of the game, which made me wonder just how many of our players were struggling to overcome there jet lag from the long trip over the channel. I like Maddison but he was having no impact in this technical game of pong. I’m guessing Mads is more of a Donkey Kong fan! His time was up in this game.

    70 minutes in, 1 nil down and Ange decides maybe he needs to make some changes. By this point I’m not even thinking of us rescuing a draw and a 1 nil defeat would be the best we can hope for from this pathetic display. On came Porro, Solanke and Sarr, at least we had a striker on the pitch, that should help us?

    With ten minutes remaining Spurs were passing the ball sideways across the back line making sure we didn’t slip up and give away this 1 nil defeat, although Danso was doing his best to help AZ double there lead. Someone needs to buy that guy a new pair of boots with studs that work, either that or teach him how to run without falling over. I’m sure I’ve seen a useful guide in a toddlers book for this.

    With the clock ticking I couldn’t recall a single decent chance for Spurs the entire game. And it wasn’t going to be as Solanke hobbles off the pitch after just 20 minutes with another injury, this team is cursed I’m sure! Solanke is done for the day and that pretty much sums up Spurs day, a complete anti climax!

    Each week I think we have produced our worst performance of the season but all credit to Ange, he manages to outdo himself game after game. 8 days they had to prepare for this 6th placed team in Eredivisie. Remarkable!

    Are you not entertained? No mate!