Mental Lapses, Late Goal Cost Spurs in Race for Top 4
By Aaron Coe
Tottenham Hotspur let an opportunity to secure a top-four spot and a place in next year’s Champions League slip away with two red cards and an injury time Bournemouth winner as Spurs lose 3rd in 4, 0-1.
Since the thrilling Champions Leg Quarterfinal victory over Manchester City just 2 weeks ago, Tottenham Hotspur have played five 1-0 games, coming up short in 4 of them. And while Spurs still hold their top-4 place in their own hands, it may require a victory over Everton on Championship Sunday to secure Champions League.
In a game that felt too much like the Battle at the Bridge for a Spurs fan, the first minute of action set the tone of this match as Joshua King clattered into Moussa Sissoko and the first of 23 fouls on the day was whistled by Craig Pawson. Even worse for Spurs one of those fouls and then a skirmish after a whistle led to two straight red cards, leaving Tottenham without Heung-Min Son and Juan Foyth for much of the last 45 minutes.
The First Half
Besides the physicality – evident with two hard fouls in the first 5 minutes – it was clear Eddie Howe’s plan was to sit back and attack on the counter. This plan of attack led to the first yellow of the game, as Eric Dier continues to struggle in his ongoing recovery from injury and illness. Dier tackled a rampaging Ryan Fraser on 11 minutes providing further insight into the action to come.
Travers Big Debut
Maybe Howe thought the physicality was necessary given his keeper was Mark Travers, a 19-year-old making his Premier League debut. Before Son’s red card, Travers was the story of the first-half. He was only beaten once, when Lucas Moura caught him off his line from near midfield abut seven minutes in – luckily for Travers and Bournemouth the effort sailed wide. Beyond that near calamity, Travers held his ground and knocked away five solid efforts by Tottenham as the first half flew by.
Dele made a beautiful turn near the top of the box and took aim, but Travers parried the ball away at almost 14 minutes. About five minutes later Sissoko found Lucas Moura who was in, but couldn’t beat Travers with the high heat, as the balled was deflected over for a corner. Just before 25 minutes Moura was again in 1-on-1 after a fantastic touch to bring down a long-ball in the box. This time Moura tried to slot it past Travers, who managed to turn his foot just enough to avoid a nutmeg and clear the ball away.
Tottenham had two more efforts on target before the game went on its head. The first was probably Travers best save of the day as a nice cross from Danny Rose was met in the air by Dele Alli who powered a header on goal, but too close to keeper who again made the save. Spurs final effort on target, which seemed quite unlikely at the time was a relatively tame left-footed worm-burner from Christian Eriksen at almost 40 minutes.
At this point, with five minutes left in the half, it seemed only a matter of time before the Lilywhites efforts would be rewarded with a breakthrough. However, the breakthrough never came and what seemed a likely Tottenham victory turned upside-down.
Tottenham’s Demise
Dier had already gotten a yellow on his foul against Fraser in the first 10 minutes. Then after Pawson failed to see a foul against Christian Eriksen right in front of his face – the ensuing Cherries counter led to a professional yellow from Toby Alderweireld near 22 minutes as he brought down Joshua King out wide left. After nearly twenty minutes of wide-open football, Moussa Sissoko joined the book as he was shown a yellow for a foul on Nathan Ake. Three yellow cards for Tottenham, zero for Bournemouth for those counting at home.
It was after this third yellow that Spurs lost the plot. A tough battle for the ball led to both Fraser and Son on the ground. The Cherries seemed to go to ground after every little touch on the day, so this wasn’t a surprise. What was a surprise was the fist to the back and back of his head Heung-Min Son received from Jefferson Lerma as he was rising from the pitch, as Lerma was charging in to take the ball for the free kick.
Son took exception to being hit in the back stood up and shoved Lerma to the ground. Lerma went “crashing” to the turf grabbing his face, as Son’s left arm was up higher on his body. That was enough out came the Red Card from Pawson and suddenly the complexion of the game was all new. In this case, losing a man, while three Spurs sat on a yellow just before half really put Tottenham in a bind.
One must wonder what the instigator may have received with VAR, but that is for next season. As is often the case in sports, it is the second person who is scene and receives the punishment, in this case Son for his reaction, which was quite out of character for the South Korean.
Bournemouth fans likely thought it was fair justice after Eric Dier took a huge chance on 34 minutes making a tackle from behind that was not called, but maybe could have been giving him a second yellow on the day. Instead Son lost his cool, provoked or not it just can’t happen and ultimately Spurs paid the price.
Second-Half Second Straight Red
Mauricio Pochettino was playing it conservative being a man down heading into the second-half, as he took two of his three players on a yellow – Dier and Alderweireld – off the pitch at half-time. Victor Wanyama and Juan Foyth were slotting in to help avoid the un-thinkable, going down to 9 men.
Its been said people end up getting something the more they try to avoid it and that was the case for Tottenham today. Just two minutes into the second-half, Juan Foyth was successfully dribbling out from the back splitting the Cherry attackers moving into the attacking half. Unfortunately for Juan, his last touch of the ball on the day was a bit too far out.
Foyth slid in to try and win the loose ball with his right cleat just too high. Pawson came running in from well behind the play and produced another straight red, the worst-case scenario had just occurred for Spurs, they were down to 9 men.
This was the worst-case in so many ways, because win, lose or draw more energy than ever should have been exerted against Bournemouth was going to be needed to see out some 42 minutes plus injury time.
Lloris Not as Lucky
Both keepers were beaten once on the day. The first shot of the day, the long gambit from Moura had beaten Travers but went wide. Then the last shot of the day – bar Moura’s attempt at a bicycle at the death – beat Lloris, but unfortunately for Spurs found the net.
Hugo Lloris had gotten down well on a Fraser first time effort from an angle. He had denied a strong header from substitute Mousset. He had punched away a corner to be floored for his efforts – a call Pawson did make for Spurs. Lloris even booted away a loose ball in the box on a corner where everyone was scrambling for a play. Before the goal, Lloris hadn’t so much as given-up a rebound. It truly was unlucky for Spurs and for Lloris that Tottenham didn’t get their second tie of the season. Instead, they went all 19 away games without a draw.
Bournemouth Picks Lucky Cherry
I used to think Eddie Howe was an up-and-coming coach. Despite the smile on his face and the victory for his club today, I’m not sure I still think that is the case. Let’s face it Bournemouth really was lucky. Up two men some good movement and solid passing should cut apart just about any team. Instead Bournemouth looked a team out of ideas hoping for a lucky break.
Rather than piercing movement against a team short on numbers Bournemouth stood around A LOT, continuing to fall at the slightest touch as they waited for that free kick or corner to produce a goal, which an injury time corner – the 10th of the game for the Cherries – did. The statistics confirm this, as Bournemouth only took 30 more passes than Spurs on the day barely winning the possession battle 53-47 for the match.
Sure, Spurs held most of the possession in the first half 63-47, but for Bournemouth to not dominate more up two men, left Spurs fans with hope. That hope was extinguished in injury time. Cherries ran the picked-fence from Hoosiers as Joshua King spread his arms and Steve Cook came jumping in to effectively block out three Spurs defenders. This left a gap in the defense for Nathan Ake to run through and head home the winner.
More than disappointment, the goal really left a taste of disgust in my mouth. Another foul not called, just like when Dele Alli was tackled in the box in the final second of the match, only this time it cost Spurs big time. I’d like to say fair play to Bournemouth, but I just can’t.
Following the goal, three more cards were shown, as Dele and Wanyama each were tagged, Wanyama’s called for, Dele’s I just don’t know. In an almost ironic moment, Jefferson Lerma finally saw yellow at 94 minutes as Pawson and three Cherries discussed the weather at midfield for a good 30 seconds wasting was little time was left.
Tottenham pushed for a tying goal, getting a corner right at the end. Unfortunately, Davison Sanchez’s flick did not lead to a successful overhead kick for Lucas Moura and the whistle blew. As Dele Alli pulled himself off the ground after being tackled in the box he realized complaining was pointless and it was time to move on.
What’s Next for Spurs
Tottenham still have it all to play for, despite the collapse that has been the last two months of their campaign. Where no signings seemed to be a potential revelation the cold hard truth of playing on four fronts across a 10-month season have become reality as Spurs have simply lacked the numbers for this last quarter of the season.
Sure, Kane doesn’t get injured, Dele doesn’t get injured, Winks doesn’t get injured, Dier doesn’t get appendicitis, Son doesn’t get suspended, and Lamela doesn’t do whatever it is that Lamela does to miss so many games and things could be very different right now. But the cold hard truth is all those things happened and a little cover could have made a big difference over the last two months.
Regardless Tottenham travel to Amsterdam for a winnable second-leg versus Ajax, which could put Spurs in the Champions League final. Additionally, if they win next weekend at home versus Everton, they will finish in the top-4 no matter what their rivals do. It is all still in Spurs hands at this point, just wish they had a few more of them.