This was my first visit to White Hart Lane so to add a bit of spice to the trip we went on the Black Country Coach with JohnakaSauce in attendance. Me and BaggieTrousers left Cradley at 7.15am en route to the Albion Pub in Goldsmiths Row, Shoreditch – it’s well worth a visit for anybody going to north London.
It was a glorious day, the sun was out and so were quite a few Baggies fans at the pub where I met MK, and you’ll never guess who...Oldham!
What were our expectations for the game after the Roy Hodgson influence on our team? Massive!
After several pints, Baggie Trousers and I were back on the coach to Spurs – nice ground I have to say.
A quick pint and off to our seats, upon which I saw this smart lady sitting in the seat next to me with her husband. Oh dear I thought, I will have to behave with no swearing. As I was three parts to the wind that was going to be hard! Here goes, “hello love, do you swear?” I asked. “Well no, not really” was the reply. “OK I apologies now if I do.” “oh, don’t worry just don’t say anything about the manager, he is my brother!” That made my day, lovely lady.
The teams
Tottenham: (4-4-2) Gomes; Kaboul, Dawson, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto; Van der Vaart, Modric, Huddlestone, Bale; Pavlyucenko, Defoe. Subs: Crouch, Sandro, Jenas, Bassong, Pienaar, Lennon.
Albion: (4-4-1-1) Carson; Reid, Meite, Olsson, Shorey; Brunt, Mulumbu, Scharner, Thomas; Vela; Odemwingie. Subs: Cox, Morrison, Myhill, Fortune, Ibanez, Tchoyi, Jara.
After the last game at home, I could see why Vela was in for Morrison.
First half
It was going to be hot work and we started like we were on fire with Vela laying off Thomas who shot wide from about 22 yards. The Albion faithful soon found their voices and were raising the roof.
A few minutes of Spurs’ inter-play and we were on a break, Vela again at the heart of our strike force laying off Peter Odemwingie who rounded Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Dawson to curl a sublime ball round Gomez, GOAL!!! Boing Boing, my head was pounding through the alcohol and too much sun. Ekotto was subbed in place of Sandro after the goal.
The goal gave Spurs a new lease of life and a sustained spell of pressure saw Bale racing down the wing to cross to Defoe only for Olsson to head clear.
A free kick from Van der Vaart met Gallas only for the former Arsenal man to head over from close range. But it was Albion who came close next when Chris Brunt had a 25-yard effort fly over the Tottenham goal.
But Spurs soon drew level with Pavlyucenko fighting off Chris Brunt’s challenge to fire wide of Scott Carson and into the corner of the net off the post. I thought Brunty should have done better and cleared the ball at the first time of asking.
The Spurs crowd made lots of noise to cheer their team and more pressure was on us with Carson called in to action again with a fine save from Van der Vaart.
Steven Reid had to come off injured a few minutes before from the half time whistle and on came Jara.
Half time
That gave me a chance to have a chat with Roy’s sister. I said how he had worked his magic on us and he will be knighted at the end of the season. She did say how unfair it was at Liverpool and I said their loss is our gain.
Second half
Tottenham started well with our back four playing out of their skins with body and soul blocking several shots from the Spurs’ strike force. Carson found Shorey who played a lovely ball to Odemwingie who headed goal bound only for Gomes to tip it over the bar. Odemwingie was again the centre of attention with a fine effort which went just wide of the mark.
Spurs had a free kick from Van der Vaart who fired over the bar. Back they came again piling more pressure on our defence who should have closed down Defoe as his shot went in off the post. 2-1 to Spurs.
We were not going down without a fight and we were back on the attack with Morrison appealing for handball in the Spurs’ penalty area as Dawson put his arm up and the ball did strike him. But that muppet of a ref waved our protests away.
Soon after, Cox came on for Scharner. Brunty came close with a fine effort, but it was Cox who stole the headlines with a magnificent goal as good as you would see any where, that’s why we pay our money to see that sort of thing! Brilliant, I grabbed Roy’s sister and kissed her and hugged her and shook her husband’s hand before he decked me!!!
The game fizzled out and we drew; it was a great game to watch.
On Reflection
I probably drank too much and had too much sun, but hey it only comes round now and again.
Roy’s sister was an added bonus to the day.
Since the arrival of Roy Hodgson he has transformed our team. He has given us belief and turned the likes of Meite in to match winners and match savers - he was brilliant again, all the lads played well and I would not pick any one out for criticism.
I have posted before on this subject. We are not safe yet, and we will not take our foot of the gas, we will stay up and we will beat the Villa – pity Northy will not be there to see it!
And for all you Carson knockers, he got us here in the first place; name a keeper in the Premier League who has not made a few mistakes?
Boing Boing
ARDBAGGIE
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