TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR  4  (1)  CRYSTAL PALACE  1  (1) 
Date : –  7th March 2021 Kick off : –  19.15
Competition : –  Premier League Venue : –  Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 
Crowd : –  0,000
Referee : –  Stuart Attwell (Leamington Spa) Linesmen : – Mr. Constantine Hatzidakis; Mr. Neil Davies
Fourth official : –  Andre Marriner
VAR official : –  Darren England VAR Assistant : –  Mark Scholes
Weather : –  Dry, chilly
Crystal Palace kicked off the first half attacking the Park Lane end
Playing time : –   90 + 9 minutes

 

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR CRYSTAL PALACE
GOAL-SCORERS
    Bale  24m 48s   Benteke  45+0m 49s
    Kane  48m 56s  
    Bale  51m 17s  
    Kane  76m 00s  
CARDS
  Doherty (foul on Zaha)  90   Ayew (foul on Bale)  29
     Cahill (foul on Moura)  35
     Riedewald (foul on Moura)  47
 

 

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR CRYSTAL PALACE
1.   Hugo LLORIS (c) 31.   Vicente GUAITA
     
2.   Matt DOHERTY  2.   Joel WARD
6.   Davinson SANCHEZ 8.   Chiekou KOUYATE
4.   Toby ALDERWEIRELD 24.   Gary CAHILL 
3.   Sergio REGUILON 3.   Patrick van AANHOLT
     
5.   Pierre-Emile HOJBJERG  ( 11.   Erik LAMELA  70)   10.   Andros TOWNSEND  ( 15.   Jeffrey SCHLUPP  65)  
8.   Harry WINKS  ( 17.   Moussa SISSOKO  70)   4.   Luka MILIVOJEVIC  (c)
  44.   Jairo RIEDEWALD 
9.   Gareth BALE     ( 11.   Erik LAMELA  70)   25.   Eberehi EZE  ( 11.   Wilfried ZAHA  46)  
27.   Lucas MOURA     
7.   Heung-Min SON   9.   Jordan AYEW 
  20.   Christian BENTEKE    ( 14.   Jean-Philippe MATETA  74)  
10.   Harry KANE    ( 45.   Carlos VINICIUS 80)     
Substitutes Substitutes
12.   Joe HART 1.   Jack BUTLAND
33.   Ben DAVIES 6.   Scott DANN
15.   Eric DIER 34.   Martin KELLY
20.   DELE Alli 38.   Reece HANNAM
28.   Tanguy NDOMBELE 21.   Connor WICKHAM
23.   Steven BERGWIJN 23.   Michy BATSHUAYI

 

Manager : – Jose Mourinho Manager : –  Roy Hodgson
Kit Supplier : –  Nike Kit Supplier : –  Puma
Shirt Sponsor : –  AIA Shirt Sponsor : –  W88
Shirt Sleeve Sponsor : –  Cinch Shirt Sleeve Sponsor : – 
Colours : – 

 

Colours : –
Images of kits courtesy of the marvellous Colours of Football website

 

MATCH REPORT

Much discussion goes on in the Sky Sports studios for live games concerning Spurs, mainly about whether they will challenge for the title, a Champions League place or a win in the upcoming game.  That still goes on, but the criticism spotlight also falls on Gareth Bale, who after this game with him scoring two (and Harry Kane the other two) still comes under scrutiny as he intimated that he has to manage his game time.  Well, Crystal Palace will wish they had a player like him who could play for 70 minutes and affect the match, as they only had a half-fit Wilfried Zaha for 45 minutes and although he hit the post but didn’t look vaguely interested as he wandered offside and kicked the ball away in frustration at his team-mates as his side sank to a 1-4 defeat, although things could have been so different.

In fact, it was the introduction of the Ivory Coast winger that was the beginning of the end for the Eagles.  Having equalised just before half-time, it looked as though Spurs might be in one of those “chuck it away” moods after taking a 1-0 lead.  However, it proved to be a different Tottenham to the one who let a goal lead evaporate at Selhurst Park earlier in the season and they ran out comfortable winners in the end.  

It didn’t take long for Palace to ensure Spurs didn’t break away, with Moura in the centre circle and three Palace players in a line, Riedeveld was happy to bring him down as he looked to speed past them.  Stuart Attwell after receiving criticism for his recent performances was content to just to talk to the Dutchman, when a foul like that later in the game would probably earn a yellow card..In the fifth minute, Gareth Bale was in the box faced by two defenders.  Shifting the ball from foot to foot, he cut between them and crossed with his left foot for Son to win a header in the six-yard box, but he couldn’t generate any power on it and it went easily into Guaita’s hands.

Two clean sheets in their last two matches saw Palace set up with their two banks of four that got behind the ball as soon as it was lost, but they would look to try and spring forward when they were in possession.  The Eagles were closing down quickly too and that meant that there was little space to play in and most moves by Tottenham were forced backwards, as there was difficulty finding a player who would be able to receive the ball. 

Lucas Moura did some closing down off his own taking the ball off Milvojevic just outside the Place area and set Harry Kane down the left.  He showed to pass it back to Moura, but took it on, selling the Palace skipper as he did so and then he played a perfect square ball across goal that cut out Cahill and Gareth Bale was on hand to knock the ball into the net from close range.  Palace got caught out at their own game and losing that ball that close to their own goal was costly, as Bale showed his awareness to be in the right place at the right time.

A second haul back on the halfway line, this time by Ayew pulling Gareth back in an entirely unsubtle way, was punished with a yellow card and bore little difference to the one in the first couple of minutes.  Another yellow card was waved when Moura pressed hard again, winning the ball and setting off on a run that took him to the edge of the penalty area, where Cahill tried to back out of a challenge but Moura was floored and the referee gave a free-kick.  Bale and Kane stood over it, with two men to the side of the Palace wall, but Harry’s shot hit he wall and spun into he air, with Lucas just unable to make a decent contact with it at the far post.  Bale was the one who set up the next chance with 37 minutes gone.  He bamboozled van Aanholt on our right wing and picked out Reguilon in the box at the far post.  Regi got in behind Townsend but could not meet the ball with his laces and it squirted off his boot to go wide.  It was a presentable chance which could have made things much more difficult for Palace.

Davinson Sanchez had to be alert when the ball was switched from their right to look for van Aanholt moving forward, but Dav got a boot to the ball first at the expense of a corner.  Spurs defended it well, but Palace were getting a bit more possession and were playing higher up the field.  Davinson was back in his own box to block another header, but this time it was from Toby Alderweireld and the ball cannoned off him for another corner, which Spurs defended well again.  It wasn’t so convincing at a last minute free-kick, when Lloris punched, but it didn’t go far and had to be hacked clear.  Moura nearly broke away again but Ayew won it back and then dragged the ball back, straight to Son.  Spurs could not capitalise on it and the ball went left to Milivojevic, who crossed it in to the unmarked Benteke, who powered his header to Hugo’s left, leaving the Spurs captain standing.  It was a blow with the goal coming seconds before half-time, with Spurs having had control of much of the first half, although once more the closing out of a game was leading to goals at the wrong end. 

Roy Hodgson was feeling buoyant after Benteke’s goal and brought on Wilfried Zaha for Eze, as they looked to improve their situation.  So, the second half started as the first half did with a foul on Moura by Riedewald and this time he did get a booking.  The Palace press was seeing their players committing themselves and when Tottenham moved the ball around them, Bale played it left to Reguilon and his ball to the far post was headed back across goal by Harry Kane for Bale to run in and beat Kouyate to the header that buried the ball in the roof of the net.  So, Spurs were in the lead again, but could they hold onto it this time ? 

Well, a couple of minutes later, Kane passed the ball to Lucas Moura, 25 yards out.  He moved it to Son, then Bale and then the ball was spread right to Doherty.  The Irishman cleverly knew where Harry Kane would be and he pulled it back for the striker to drill it across from right of centre to bulge the net on the other side of the goal to make it 3-1. It was a very good build up and an even better finish that the keeper had no chance of getting near.  It appeared that the offensive change made by Hodgson had backfired, with Zaha not as keen to track back as the team-mate he replaced.

Bale hit a big diagonal pass from right to Son on the left, with his resulting shot not as accurate as Kane’s and it flew over the bar.  Sergio had a chance when Doherty’s cross was headed on by Kane and the ball ran to the far post, where the left back came in, but his shot was blocked by Ward, although not that the match officials could work that out.  There was even more confusion when the linesman gave a foul against Cahill for a challenge on Doherty, the referee gave a throw and after consultation, it ended us as a corner !!

Matt did well when it looked like Zaha might have been played into the box beyond the Spurs back line, just getting his head to the ball to concede a corner.  Hugo dealt with this better., punching it outside the box, but when a move from Palace saw the ball run in their favour a couple of times, Zaha ended it with a shot from the edge of the area that hit the base of Lloris’ left post and it came back to hit the keeper, luckily going to Toby to clear for a throw-in.

When Palace were making a more attacking substitution and were trying to get up the pitch, Schlupp got around the outside on the right, but could only find Hugo’s hands with his cross.  The ball was rolled out to PEH, who meandered forward with the ball before he played it inside his own half inside to Sissoko, then Moura got it and moved it on to Doherty on the right.  Matt played the ballot Erik Lamela (on for Gareth Bale) and he played it back to Sanchez.  The ball travelled left across the back line and then Sissoko, Hojbjerg and Alderweireld had touches with Toby launching a diagonal right to Moura.  His touch gave it to Lamela just inside him and Erik picked out a super pass that dropped over Ward’s head for Son to cushion volley the ball into the middle and onto Harry Kane’s head.  You can guess the rest.  A couple of yards out, H headed the ball down and into an empty net, with Guiaita by Son’s ball.  Despite a long look at the goal by VAR and a lot of lines appearing all over Kane’s arm, it was eventually allowed and Spurs were 4-1 ahead, just as the Sky commentators were hoping a Palace goal would make it an interesting finish.  

In the last ten minutes, Spurs were grateful that neither Zaha or substitute Mateta cold keep themselves onside, as they got behind the Tottenham defence, only to be pulled back by the linesman’s flag.  Right at the end Lucas left van Aanholt for dead on the right side of the box and flashed a ball along the ground across the face of goal, but there was not a white shirt there to convert the cross. 

Spurs had dominated the majority of the game, but made the mistake of letting their guard down when Benteke scored.  It is a mistake that they will can ill afford against sides better than Palace.  The finishing today was top class and if Tottenham can keep that up, it might be a case of “we will score more than you”, although the defence has improved over the last week, but let us not be fooled.  These wins have been against sides that we should be beating if we want to qualify for the Champions League, according to the panel of pundits.  Let’s hope we can keep the run going !

Spiky Mikey

 

MATCH NOTES

100th meeting between Spurs and Crystal Palace.

Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son linked for the fourth Tottenham goal and broke the record for a pair of players who have assisted each other for goals in a season, totalling 14.

Harry Kane became the first Spurs player since Jurgen Klinsmann against Wimbledon on 02.05.1998 to score twice and have two assists in the same Premier League match.

Tottenham’s fourth goal was the 100th scored by the club this season in all competitions.

 

OTHER RESULTS
West Bromwich Albion 0 Newcastle United 0
Liverpool 0 Fulham 1
Manchester City 0 Manchester United 2
Burnley 1 Woolwich Wanderers 1
Sheffield United 0 South Coast Big Club 2
Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Leicester City 2
Aston Villa 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0
Tommy Tucker’s Chelsea
Leeds United
Everton
West Ham United London

Premier League Table 2020-21

Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Points Goal difference
1 Manchester City 28 20 5 3 56 19 65 +37
2 Manchester United 28 15 9 4 55 32 54 +23
3 Leicester City 28 16 5 7 48 32 53 +16
4 Chelsea 27 13 8 6 42 25 47 +17
5 Everton 26 14 4 8 39 33 46 +6
6 Tottenham Hotspur 27 13 6 8 46 28 45 +18
7 West Ham United London 26 13 6 7 40 31
45 +9
8 Liverpool 28 12 7 9 47 36 43 +11
9 Aston Villa 26 12 4 10 38 27 40 +11
10 Woolwich Wanderers 27 11 5 11 35 28 38 +7
11 Leeds United 26 11 2 13 43 44 35 -1
12 Wolverhampton Wanderers 28 9 8 11 28 37 35 -9
13 Crystal Palace 28 9 7 12 30 47 34 -17
14 South Coast Big Club 27 9 6 12 33 44 33 -11
15 Burnley 28 7 9 12 20 36 30 -16
16 Newcastle United 27 7 6 14 27 44 27 -17
17 Brighton & Hove Albion 27 5 11 11 27 35 26 -8
18 Fulham 28 5 11
12 22 33 26 -11
19 West Bromwich Albion 28 3 9 16 20 56 18 -36
20 Sheffield United 28 4 2 22 16 45 14 -29