Tottenham run out of steam in Southampton draw

After missing several first half chances, Tottenham Hotspur could not hold the lead late and left St. Mary’s with a 1-1 draw with Southampton FC in the FA Cup fourth round.

While it yet again wasn’t the sharpest display, Tottenham created several first half chances but failed to capitalize in the first half. However, a Heung-Min Son goal just past the hour mark gave fans hope that Spurs would advance in the competition. The recent trend of fading in the second half came back to haunt Tottenham, who conceded a late goal to force a replay at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs First Half Chances

It is hard to justify saying a team got the better of a half when they only had 39% possession and less shots on target. But the first half was there for the taking. With a line-up featuring new boy Gedson Fernandes, Giovani Lo Celso, and a surprisingly healthy Harry Winks, Spurs fans had reason for hope. The reality is, while no one player shined in the first half and Southampton dominated possession, Tottenham had the better chances.

Spurs first opportunity came less than 10 minutes into the game, when a little combination play in the attacking third from Lucas Moura and Dele Alli led to Dele dibbling toward the penalty area. Dele played into space on his left for Son who –despite a goal midweek – hasn’t exactly been in-form, which showed as the South Korean took a touch and then rolled the ball wide of the far post with his left foot. The tentativeness in the attempt was obvious as the chance passed Spurs by.

By the 11-minute mark, the Saints had committed their third foul of the match. It looked like Tottenham were taking control as the threat of any counter led to an almost immediate tackle. Dele then almost broke through on 13 minutes, but his touch was a little too heavy and Angus Gunn came quickly off his line – as he did all day – to scuttle the chance.

Following a poor touch and subsequent foul by Gedson, Southampton started to get into the match. Japhet Tanganga – making his second start in three games at left back – blocked a shot, followed by Davinson Sanchez and Hugo Lloris doing well to block off Danny Ings on a long ball attempt. The Saints then got their first chance as Ings just missed connecting on a cross that Hugo Lloris cut out.

Just before the half-hour mark, it looked like Giovani Lo Celso had scored as Dele rolled the ball backwards to the Argentine in the box, who side footed the ball past Gunn and into the net. However, Son, who had started the play attacking on the left, had gone down and was slow getting up. He was in an offside position just a few feet from Gunn. As Lo Celso’s shot came through it clipped Son’s leg in the process. Given Son was in an offside position and touched the ball – which would have gone in anyway – the goal was rightfully disallowed.

Tottenham started ramping up the pressure as a little break led to a Dele volley that was blocked.  Spurs then missed a golden opportunity. Again, hitting on the break off a counter, Dele played Moura in on the left, who took a good touch and side footed toward the right corner. Gunn was coming out hard towards his right, then reached back with his left leg to just get a boot on Lucas’ shot and push it wide of goal. Another opportunity wasted for Spurs.

Later Danny Ings chested down and clipped it over the on-rushing Lloris. Tanganga ran in behind Lloris and headed a would-be goal out of harm’s way. Those final 5-7 minutes of the first half really laid the groundwork for a second half, where Southampton went on the front foot.

Spurs Second Half Slump

The second half started much like the first half ended, with Tottenham not quite able to connect and Southampton starting to create some chances. Spurs inability to control in the box led to a bad foul on Lo Celso and free kick in a good position. Historically this would be Christian Eriksen time, but with the Dane seemingly on his way to Italy, Moura stepped up. The Brazilian struck the ball well, but right at Gunn who held the ball for no rebound.

As Southampton started picking up the intensity, Lloris did well to fist the ball off of Ings’ head and gather the rebound, only for Ings to miss wide just a minute later. Seeing momentum swing toward the Saints, Jose Mourinho brought in Erik Lamela for Gedson – ending his anonymous debut.

As Son was failing in his effort to play striker, swapping places with Moura following the half, it looked like Spurs would never score without some hold-up play.  Then Lo Celso came alive. First Lo Celso stole the ball in the defensive half, out muscling two Saints to win possession. Then he began carrying the ball into the attacking half, beating two more would-be tacklers. After a nifty stop, Lo Celso found Erik Lamela open in the middle of the field, who took a touch and fed Son on the left.

This time Son wasn’t trying to dribble. He took one touch to set himself up and then blasted into the far post with his left foot. VAR came calling on the play as Dele seemed to have taken out a defender, but the reality is with or without Dele, Lamela’s pass and Son’s touch made the defender irrelevant.

Suddenly confident, Tottenham tried to take control, as Lo Celso played a nice lofted pass to Son in the box. But his volley sailed over the crossbar. This fourth good chance missed on the day would be one Tottenham would rue.

As Tottenham failed to dominate possession with the lead, the defence came under Intensifying pressure.

Lo Celso drew a yellow on Bertrand for a shot to the throat and then Ings couldn’t find the target with a long-range shot. As a microcosm of the Spurs attempt to seal the game, Moura hit a cross that was 10 yards over everyone’s head.

Then the predictable occurred. After Ings missed another opportunity, this one a header off a nice Nathan Redmond cross, Aurier lost possession in the middle of the pitch. The ball was played up to Ings, who cut it back in the box for Boufal to pound home his first goal in two years, ensuring yet another replay for a weathered Spurs side.