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Headed down to White Hart Lane this afternoon for the Spurs v Liverpool game a little more confident than I would have been a week ago. Its been a pretty good week for Spurs fans, Harry Rednapp being appointed manager had seen 3 points and a first season win last Sunday against Bolton and then a fantastic comeback from 4-2 down at the Emirates Stadium to snatch an injury time draw against Arsenal (4-2 and they f*cked it up!).
The start of the game was frantic, with Liverpool dominating possession and piling on the pressure. As a Spurs fan you could be mistaken for thinking that you'd dreamt the last week. The pressure applied soon had the desired effect with Esso-Akotto mucking up and allowing Dirk Kuyt to put the Reds ahead after 3 minutes......it seemed as though the regular service at the Lane had returned.
The game seemed to settle for a while after the initial 15 minutes and it seemed as though Spurs would hold out. Both teams had a few chances in the first half, though aside from the early defensive mix up, neither really looked like scoring. The WHL crowd was pretty subdued and it was left to the away crowd to make most of the noise.......I guess the first few weeks of the season have taken their toll a little and ending up down 0-1 early didn't help.
At half time Harry made 2 changes, he replaced left back Esso-Akotto with Hutton and he took of left winger O'Hara and brought out the Summer signing Pavluchenko. This necesssitated a structural change to a 4-4-2 formation. Whatever he did it didn't seem o be working. Liverpool came out after half time and dominated. Chances to Kuyt, Gerard were missed, but again and again through a combination of defensive f*ck-ups and sheer Liverpool brilliance they opened up the Spurs defence. If not for King and Woodgate at the back the score line would have been much greater than the 0-1 it was at the 60th minute. Soonafter, Rafa took off former Spurs player RObbie Keane. He received a mixed ovation, some boooed others cheered, but to be honest his contribution during the day was limited. Whilst he had a hand in the first goal, other than that he was well marked by King.
After Keane went off the game seemed to change. Liverpool offered less threat up front, though they still looked dangerous everytome Kuyt or Gerard got the ball. Spurs made a further change and brought on Lennon for Modric, who really hadn't played well since half time. The introduction had immediate effects. With two wide players in Lennon and Bentley Spurs seemed to work the ball better and got it into dangerous positions, eventualy drawing the corner which led to the own goal by Carrager. David Bentley whipped it in, the pack rose and Carragher rose highest, directing the ball passed Reina. The game tied in the 70th minute at 1-1.
The mood changed. The fans sensing that Spurs were back in the game found their voice and renditions of WHL favourites began to reverberate around the ground. On the pitch the defensive frailties which were so evident earlier disspiated. The Spurs midfield began to get hold of the ball and pass it around. They pressured the Liverpool players, not giving them time to work the bal around and up front Pavluchenko and Bent seemed to find some rhythm and as the clocked tick down a cross came into the box (not sure who!!) which was deflected by Reina passed the goal mouth into the path of Bent, who centred the ball for it to be calmly put away by the big Russian! 2-1 to Spurs.
The fourth official held up the card signalling 4 minutes of extra time. The WHL booed and then whistled for the game to end.......probably sensing that Spurs had riddent their luck and to be ahead at this stage of the game was not soemthing to be taken for granted. The whistle blew....Spurs had won........2-1......the Harry factor continues........bring on Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Cup on Thursday.....
The start of the game was frantic, with Liverpool dominating possession and piling on the pressure. As a Spurs fan you could be mistaken for thinking that you'd dreamt the last week. The pressure applied soon had the desired effect with Esso-Akotto mucking up and allowing Dirk Kuyt to put the Reds ahead after 3 minutes......it seemed as though the regular service at the Lane had returned.
The game seemed to settle for a while after the initial 15 minutes and it seemed as though Spurs would hold out. Both teams had a few chances in the first half, though aside from the early defensive mix up, neither really looked like scoring. The WHL crowd was pretty subdued and it was left to the away crowd to make most of the noise.......I guess the first few weeks of the season have taken their toll a little and ending up down 0-1 early didn't help.
At half time Harry made 2 changes, he replaced left back Esso-Akotto with Hutton and he took of left winger O'Hara and brought out the Summer signing Pavluchenko. This necesssitated a structural change to a 4-4-2 formation. Whatever he did it didn't seem o be working. Liverpool came out after half time and dominated. Chances to Kuyt, Gerard were missed, but again and again through a combination of defensive f*ck-ups and sheer Liverpool brilliance they opened up the Spurs defence. If not for King and Woodgate at the back the score line would have been much greater than the 0-1 it was at the 60th minute. Soonafter, Rafa took off former Spurs player RObbie Keane. He received a mixed ovation, some boooed others cheered, but to be honest his contribution during the day was limited. Whilst he had a hand in the first goal, other than that he was well marked by King.
After Keane went off the game seemed to change. Liverpool offered less threat up front, though they still looked dangerous everytome Kuyt or Gerard got the ball. Spurs made a further change and brought on Lennon for Modric, who really hadn't played well since half time. The introduction had immediate effects. With two wide players in Lennon and Bentley Spurs seemed to work the ball better and got it into dangerous positions, eventualy drawing the corner which led to the own goal by Carrager. David Bentley whipped it in, the pack rose and Carragher rose highest, directing the ball passed Reina. The game tied in the 70th minute at 1-1.
The mood changed. The fans sensing that Spurs were back in the game found their voice and renditions of WHL favourites began to reverberate around the ground. On the pitch the defensive frailties which were so evident earlier disspiated. The Spurs midfield began to get hold of the ball and pass it around. They pressured the Liverpool players, not giving them time to work the bal around and up front Pavluchenko and Bent seemed to find some rhythm and as the clocked tick down a cross came into the box (not sure who!!) which was deflected by Reina passed the goal mouth into the path of Bent, who centred the ball for it to be calmly put away by the big Russian! 2-1 to Spurs.
The fourth official held up the card signalling 4 minutes of extra time. The WHL booed and then whistled for the game to end.......probably sensing that Spurs had riddent their luck and to be ahead at this stage of the game was not soemthing to be taken for granted. The whistle blew....Spurs had won........2-1......the Harry factor continues........bring on Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Cup on Thursday.....
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