After a rather dominating first half, Tottenham Hotspur decided not to play for 44 minutes in the second half and it cost them two points in a tight table.
The first half was what Tottenham Hotspur fans have been looking for, the team possessed the ball well, completing 41 more passes than Palace had even attempted. Instead of stepping up and on the throat of Palace, Tottenham struggled to pass and maintain possession in the second half. As the fouls added up, so did the chances and Palace eventually equalized. By the time Tottenham decided to play again it was too late to get back the points dropped.
First Half Frenzy
Tottenham Hotspur were strong in the first half, working to keep Crystal Palace pinned into their own half of the field. Tottenham had 60% of the possession in the first half but both teams had opportunities and 8 shots. The difference was that Tottenham had created some good chances and Harry Kane had scorched one past outstanding Vicente Guaita to give Spurs the lead.
It was obvious early the game was going to go back and forth, as the pace and power of the Palace attack can provide a handful for defenders. Such was the action, just moments after Son Heung-Min was missing out on a breakaway with some solid Van Aanholt defending, Zaha is shooting on the other end.
The end-to-end play was benefiting Tottenham as they were the first to the ball most of the half. While not always first to the second ball, Spurs were quick and making sure to cut the opportunities before they arrived. This effort and activity helped to limit the Palace possession and got Spurs the ball back often.
The openness was even more apparent after Kane scored at 23 minutes, which allowed for opportunities at both ends. However, two things happened before the half ended, which likely changed the complexion of the second half.
First Moussa Sissoko picked up a yellow card late in the half certainly impacted the second half, as Sissoko was a bit more conservative defensively. Additionally, a late Eberechi Eze shot that bounced off the post may have contributed to a more conservative second half approach. Whatever, the cause of the change, the Tottenham team that took the lead did not come back out for the second half.
Spurs Slump in Second Half
For whatever reason, in the second half the pressure and passing from Tottenham that had dominated the first half was absent until it was too late. After being first to the ball in the first half, Tottenham were second to almost every 50/50 ball in the second half. Tottenham were even a step slow to the 60/40 balls they should have been winning.
Further, whereas in the first half, winning the first ball helped to cover for NOT winning the second. Well, when you lose the first ball and lose the second ball, that is how you lose possession and get pinned in your own end. And pinned in is what Tottenham were in the second half.
This was not the masterclass sit back and absorb pinned in Tottenham were intentionally against City or Arsenal, this was a scrambling, out of sorts side, asking to get pegged back. Add in the fact that Spurs were a step slow and the fouls started adding up. After committing only 2 fouls in the first half, Tottenham committed 9 in the second half, giving Crystal Palace set-piece, after set-piece.
Give a team with targets like Palace have enough chances and they will eventually score. It was not Benteke the big man, rather the screening of Hugo Lloris that caused a missed ball and a tap in for Jeffrey Schlupp. Schlupp probably deserved the goal having given Sergio Reguilón all he could handle all day until he was taken off for Ben Davies late.
After Schlupp scored, Mourinho made some changes and Tottenham decided to play, stepping up the pressure and the passing trying to find a winner. Ultimately it was too little too late as Guaita continued to make saves, stopping an excellent injury time free kick from Eric Dier. Certainly, the man of the match and even as poor as Spurs were in the second, they would have won were it not for Guaita’s heroics and five saves.
Tottenham Not Good Enough
It hurts to drop points, but no team is perfect. The nature of the dropped points is what hurts more, and we should expect a response from José Mourinho as the team were simply not good enough. From the 45th minute until the 89th minute Tottenham completed 91 total passes – 2 per minute. From minute 89 until the final whistle at 90+4, Tottenham completed 23 passes – 4.6 per minute.
Given Spurs could double the volume of completed passes per minute in the last five minutes of the match confirms the dropped points were more on Spurs than they were on Palace. Had Tottenham played with the same intensity for the middle 44 minutes they played with the first 45 and last 5, they would have left with three points and a clean sheet. Instead, let us just say that I am glad I will not be a player at practice tomorrow.