Spurs 1 City 1
Report by Colin Murrant
Someone never read the script, pre-Champions League City lose by 3 goals away from home, then go on to win mid-week. In truth this was the best away performance of the season so far and a three goal deficit was never on the cards. The match swayed one way then the other with City dominant in the first 10 minutes and particularly so in the last quarter. In between there was plenty of Tottenham possession but City are getting back to the 30:70 possession game where they absorb the pressure and hit on the counter.
The North London afternoon was grey but warm as the train pulled into White Hart Lane station and I took the opportunity to walk around the new stadium that is being developed. Still in its early stages, the hoardings surrounding the development are covered in posters depicting the new stadium announcing this is the future and others showing pictures from the club’s past. The stadium itself promises to be a magnificent creation costing over £400m and housing 61,000 fans. But that is the future, and today’s business is the visit of The Premier League Champions.
This was the day a lot of Leicester fans had waited for, the day they could taunt their close rivals in last year’s title raise for most of the season until their late capitulation: and taunt they did throughout the match. As you go around the Premier League grounds these days it is amazing how the great atmospheric crowds have disappeared and Tottenham are no different in that respect. In truth the match did not have as much on it as that heady night in January and the City fans I spoke to before the match were not overly optimistic, may be in light of the poor away form to date.
The only change for Leicester was the inclusion of Jamie Vardy in place of Islam Slimani who was apparently nursing a minor groin strain. City kicked off defending the South Stand end and got off to a lively start without creating any real chances.
After 12 minutes Spurs won a corner which was headed out of the area to Alli who shot through a crowd of player which Kasper Schmeichel must have seen late and punched away to safety
At the other end the growing confidence of Musa was in evidence as he looked to take on players in the box. He then put in Vardy who appeared to be in on goal only for the ball to hit his heel and allow the Tottenham defenders to clear.
Wanyama was increasingly dominant for Tottenham and with Dembele also showing strength and guile in midfield, King and Drinkwater were having to work hard to keep City in the game. Danny Rose was also proving a handful and Riyad Mahrez committed a couple of fouls on him according to the referee although they looked soft decisions at best.
Again City had chances with Okazaki flicking on a Mahrez cross and a sublime volley from Fuchs from a practise ground routine corner. Alli replied for Tottenham rattling the crossbar.
Referee Robert Madeley had been angering the City faithful with a series of soft decisions in Spur’s favour and then he became a magician in the 44th minute conjuring up a penalty from nowhere which Jansen struck home in some style for his first Premier League goal. Now I have not seen MOTD to see whether it was a penalty or not. However, I can say that at half time City fans were discussing who was meant to have conceded it and what it was for, Tottenham fans afterwards were saying no penalty, and Tweets from Lineker, Neville, and Peter Schmeichel all agreed NO! NO! NO! Coincidental that the cup-tie here in January ended with a similar trick, pulling another penalty from Mr Madeley’s hat! The referee had a shocker in terms of yellow cards too, there was not a single bad foul in the match yet he booked 3 Spurs and 4 City players.
In the 48th minute City were level. Dier headed the ball away but it only fell to Wanyama who headed it back towards the Spurs goal and into the path of Vardy who took the ball to the goal line and pulled back to the on-rushing Musa to score at the far post. Musa was injured in the process of scoring and lay in the back of the net for several minutes, there was some concern as a stretcher was brought onto the pitch but fortunately he was able to resume after treatment. This was evidence that Musa is beginning to adapt to life in the Premier League with 2 goals in successive games.
Spurs responded and had several half chances without unduly troubling Schmiechel. Throughout the game Eriksen had several free kicks in increasingly dangerous positions but all came to nothing, in fact a l0t of Spurs fans were giving him a lot of criticism after the match: how the mighty have fallen.
As the game came to the last quarter City regained the initiative and looked more solid as Schlupp and Albrighton had replaced Mahrez and Musa. Spurs had their moments however and a header from Vertonghen hit the crossbar with Schmiechel stranded. King and Ulloa (on for Okazaki) both went close for City and Rose shot into the side netting late late on.
At the final whistle it was a good hard earned point in an entertaining game. As we went to the exits we could reflect that of our first 10 games we have played 6 of the current top 9 teams, 4 of them away from home. We are beginning to capture last season’s form and Musa is looking the part. Danny Drinkwater must be the best English midfielder on current form and our bench is full of class. The quality of football was much improved and was less reliant on the long ball.
The simple fact is that City have now been to White Hart Lane three times in calendar year 2016 and remain undefeated. In fact but for the two dubious penalties in favour of Spurs, awarded by the same referee, City have probably been robbed City of three wins. The performance was much improved but still work in progress. Now to take the form onto Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen and prove that we do not have to lose by three goals at the week-end to win in Europe mid-week.
So, as we go hunting in pastures new, I am reminded of those memorable words of the late Jack Curtis at the Junior Foxes sessions of the 80s – Tally Ho, Tally Ho, Tally Ho Foxes!
TOTTENHAM: Lloris (c), Walker, Rose, Vertonghen, Son, Janssen, Wanyama (Winks 87), Dier, Dembele, Alli (Nkoudou 83), Eriksen . SUBS NOT USED: Vorm, Trippier, Onomah, Davies, Carter-Vickers
GOAL: Janssen pen 44
CITY: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan (c), Huth, Fuchs, Drinkwater, King, Mahrez (Albrighton 72), Musa (Schlupp 68), Okazaki (Ulloa 78), Vardy. SUBS NOT USED: Zieler, Hernández, Amartey, Gray
GOAL: Musa 48
REFEREE: Robert Madley Attendance: 31,868.
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation