Another great win!
However what an awful game!
In the push for a top four finish though we can’t afford to be picky and with City losing to United and Liverpool only drawing at home to Wigan It was a bloody good day for us!
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| It's Niko time! |
Before I start I must apologise, the internet decided to stop working which meant I missed out talking about The Olympic Stadium on Friday and doing a match preview yesterday – great timing!
The big thing before the match was the line-up. To start with we were missing our entire usual starting midfield. Bale, Modric and VdV all out with Lennon starting on the bench. The good news is that Kranjcar got a much deserved start out on the left – only his second of the season! A good sight also was Sandro getting a start ahead of Palacios; he has looked good in his sub appearances lately so a start was definitely warranted.
Let’s not disguise the fact that this game was a shocker to watch - neither team was particularly smooth, the passing was quite scrappy at times and there seemed to be a lack of pace from both sides going forward. The start of the game however hinted at the opposite to this, quite a lively beginning resulted in a really well taken goal from Gyan on the 11th minute to give the home side quite a deserved lead.
It happened it really quite strange circumstances though, Gallas disappeared from the field to change his boots (apparently he didn’t like his studs?) and after a lot of faffing about had to be pushed back on the field by our physio, not before Gyan got his goal though. Poor old Dawson was left to mark two attackers and so it was kind of inevitable really.
This seemed to make Tottenham heads drop somewhat and we rarely got forward, when we did it wasn’t particularly convincing. Sunderland luckily didn’t have much more luck going forward either with the defence doing a very good job throughout!
On the 44th though it all changed when Dawson rose brilliantly to head in a Pienaar corner – not just that but he nutmegged the keeper in the process! Love a bit of style! So the half finished 1-1, not sure what Harry said at half time because the goal changed his team talk somewhat from a rant to a stern telling off.
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| NUTS! |
Whatever was said we came out much better in the second half and we really took the game to Sunderland during the opening exchanges. Gallas should have scored with a simple toe poke but managed to fall over instead.
Then the game changing moment – Sandro broke away after a Sunderland attack and whipped in a cross from the right side, only partially cleared by Bramble it fell to who else but Mr. Kranjcar who fired a right footed volley past Gordon! Awesome!
After this the game went a little flat with both sides cancelling each other out, our only real attacking threat came from Kranjcar on the left. Defoe was busy thinking about his grocery shopping for most of the day and Pav was up to his usual tricks of refusing to run after the ball – you can moan all you want but this is why you don’t start to often!
Sandro was great in the middle, not just in the second half but in the first as well. He tackled well, showed great strength and was the presence in the middle that we have missed this season.
It's fair to say that we have coped well with the absence of some really key players, however I can only be thankful that these injuries have fallen at a time when we didnt have to play any of the bigger teams as I'm sure it wouldn't be quite so rosy.
This victory see’s us end the day back up in fourth, we are now 3 points ahead of Chelsea who play Fulham away on Monday, we’re also 2 points off of Man City who lost today against United. AND we’ve got a game in hand on them!
This was a BIG result, especially with other games going our way!
All in all it sets up Tuesdays return to The Champions League rather nicely!
COYS!
Player Ratings:
Gomes -6- Strange game today, was in one of his ‘mad moods’ and don’t some really odd things. Seemed to argue with the Sunderland fans, rolled around as if he had been shot after a tap to the belly then got booked for getting involved with the fans again...
Corluka-7.5- Actually had a good one today, got forward well and was pretty solid at right back. Good to see!
Dawson-8- Another great game today, wasn’t his fault for Sunderland’s goal and then scored one himself. Nearly got caught out a couple of times and gave away a silly free kick on the edge of the area but was great at the back!
Gallas-7- Started off quite poorly with the ‘boot issue’, seemed to re cover but never really looked comfortable today.
BAE-7- Defended very well most of the game but nearly always whacked the ball up-field and thus giving it away – needs to stop doing this!!
Pienaar-7- Provided the corner for Dawson’s goal but didn’t really add much more, quite an average game.
Jenas-6.5- Yawn.
Sandro-8- Produced a great display today in the centre, had a couple of wobbles but was otherwise solid, looks very promising!
Kranjcar-8- Could well start against AC Milan on Tuesday. Great, positive play. His reaction in the post match interview said it all – smiles all round!
Defoe-6- Could well lose his starting place soon, can let him off for not scoring but he looks a shadow of himself from last season. Lacking in pace, direction and confidence. Didn’t get a touch in the Sunderland penalty area all game, says it all really.
Pav-6- Nearly got a 6.5, started like he wanted to prove a point then got bored and minced around the pitch for the rest of the game – terrible attitude!
Subs:
Lennon (For Pienaar, 78) -6.5- Not really enough time to make an impact
Palacios (for Defoe, 87) -6- Even less time to make an impact, just on to shore on to shore up the defence
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