Woolwich Wanderers (Home) 15.01.2023

I’m not saying that it might have affected the outcome of the match, but from the second minute of the game Woolwich were time-wasting taking a free-kick and when Cristian Romero broke up a move just inside the Spurs half and looked to put the ball through the visiting defence, the Woolwich player whose name cannot be mentioned handled the ball without even being spoken to.  Deliberate handball at any time of the match should be a booking, but not in the official’s opinion.  Much as a late kick on Lenglet just outside the box, which was only deemed a free-kick, while similar tackles on red-shirted players brought a yellow card out of his pocket quicker than you could say “I have the briefest understanding of the laws of the game or how to apply them.”  That included Romero slipping and fouling Martinelli, who bought a number of free-kicks throughout the match.  Yes, it was a foul, but having slipped, it was harsh in the extreme to show a yellow card without consideration of that slip and that Romero only body-checked him rather than endangering him like some Woolwich challenges.  The level of officiating is dropping off rapidly and I am afraid this referee is living embodiment of the paucity of quality in the men in the middle (and in a studio somewhere West of London).  While a Spurs player jumping against two red shirts in attack is adjudged to be the offender and a free-kick given against him, a Spurs defender jumping with a red-shirted player is also deemed to have committed a foul.  Same incident, different result.  Equitable ?  I think not.  Gabriel went through the back of two Tottenham players without getting booked, but picked up a yellow card for time wasting … in the 91st minute.  A whole 90 minutes (including added time) after they started dawdling over every throw, free-kick or goal-kick.  Ironically they were quick enough to run over to their fans after the match.  This referee totally undermined every noise that comes out of the PGMOB about attempts to cut down on time-wasting.  And we all know that referees are unable to count as high as six when goalkeepers have the ball in their hands.

During the match Spurs had to try and come back after Saka flashed a cross in from the right and it came off Ryan Sessegnon’s foot, which caused the flight of the ball to confound Hugo Lloris, who could only direct the ball into his own goal off his arms. It took a minute and twenty seconds for the celebrating Woolwich players to get back for the restart.  The second goal came in the 35th minute, when Odegaard wasn’t closed down outside the box, Romero turned his back on the shot and Lloris couldn’t get to it as it went in low at the foot of hi s left-hand post.  A further minute before the kick off could be taken again, with the referee showing no ambition in getting them ready in their own half, but allowing them to celebrate in front of the Spurs fans.  Remember Dier getting booked at their place for just that ?  Hmmm.  Obviously, that is no longer anything that referees will deal with.  

Tottenham’s best opportunity of the first half had come between the goals when Sessegnon played Son into the area and his shot on the turn was blocked by the keeper and cleared away.  The player who cannot be named hit the post with a 25 yard volley and Lloris pushed a shot wide.  Right on half-time Doherty’s low cross found Harry Kane’s head and the ball was pushed out for a corner, which came just after Hojbjerg had tried a shot following a corner and was caught by a high boot.  Nothing was given even though the same incident drew a free-kick for the away side when it was outside the penalty area.  Perhaps it was unsurprising when Mike Dean was on VAR duty and even when Kane was having his shirt ripped off his back in the second half as he tried a shot inside the box, there wasn’t even a review.

It was also no surprise that when Spurs players received yellow cards, the player supposedly badly tackled sprung up straight away.  Dark arts were very much in practice by the Wanderers and Arteta’s criticism of Newcash’s time-wasting evidences the hypocrisy that is rife among some managers (Newcash were slagging off Fulham today for slowing the game down too, when Howe said he would do whatever is necessary to get results).

The second half brought a better performance from Tottenham.  Kulusevski curled a shot just over the bar, Kane forced the keeper to a stop with a shot across him, Harry then played in Sessegnon on the left and his shot was saved at the expense of a corner.  Dejan hit another effort wide coming in off the right and Hugo had to be alert at the other end to keep a shot out from one of their forwards, before coming out to deny the same player as he had a run on goal.  Hojbjerg made a fine block as it looked as though Woolwich might slip a player into a good position from a quick free-kick, a benefit Tottenham were often denied by red shirts standing right in front of the ball and even blocking it when it was taken without being 10 yards back.  The punishment, a wagged finger and nothing more.

There was a free-kick for Spurs (yes there was one !) and in the second phase, the ball pin-balled around inside the area before it came out to Richarlison via a poor clearance.  To the left of the goal, he hit his shot on target, only to see it saved.  Sonny had a great chance, but his shot flew over the bar off a red-shirted defender.  

At the end it all kicked off and then after the game, there were fireworks thrown by Woolwich fans at Northumberland Park station.  In a reflection of the game, the Police did nothing.  Why is it that at most other grounds we are kept in for a period of time after the final whistle, but at home away fans are allowed out straight away.  There were more police than I had seen for some time at one of our games, along with a helicopter, but they never seemed to be where they were needed.

It was another poor performance by Spurs, in which we rarely looked like threatening a goal.  We had plenty of shots but few clear chances.  Going behind so often is not a blueprint for success and letting goals in where players are not doing enough to stop shots is costing us points.  The run of games coming up is not looking promising with two games against Man City and three London derbies, against clubs who will raise their game when they don’t for matches against other clubs.

Woolwich were moving around when they had the ball and it was in contrast to our players, who rarely provided an option or tried to drag players out of position by making runs.  In the first period, we found it difficult to clear the ball, as every ball won was hurriedly passed and then mis-controlled or played back towards our own goal.  There was little pattern to our play during that first 45 minutes and any attempt to get to half-time on level terms failed, with the visitors being two goals to the good.  While our play picked up in the second half, it had to try and break down 11 men behind the ball and also not to get caught on the break.

There was a great demonstration of the lack of class of the visiting supporters when the chanted “You let your country down” to Harry Kane.  Remember when Spurs played a home pre-season tournament match against them and Saka got a round of applause when he cam eon as a sub.  Class is permanent and will never be a word associated with the South Londoners.

Another day to forget and another home defeat, which makes the pursuit of a top four finish more difficult.

Stan Chun