Tottenham - Man. City 4/18 10 am FSW This is an important game for Spurs as they try to get into the UEFA Cup. Some of their better players are still out with injury . remains to be seen if Keller can save them. Live today on FSW . "It means Richards, Jamie Redknapp, Christian Ziege and Steffen Freund are the senior players unavailable to Hoddle "Spurs are still clinging to a chance of UEFA cup qualification, although Hoddle warns the Easter games at home to City and at West Brom are must-win affairs if they are to retain real hope of finishing a minimum seventh for European entry. 'I can't look beyond getting six points from those two games but Everton and Blackburn who are probably our biggest rivals for a European place have some tough games, derby games, this weekend and we can take advantage.'
Spurs down one goal, of a corner, a free header, Keller hesitated to come out. Second minute three scoring chances for Man City, no Spurs defence.
0-2 to City. Barton. Some text comm: http://msn.skysports.com/skysports/xml/invision/0,,1860-1006138,00.html or http://soccernet.espn.go.com/livescore/commentary/LiveCommentaryCenterFrame?matchId=54754
FSW announcer pretty much summed it up nicely: "Spurs -- they're gonna give schoolboys a bad name, because their defending was shocking." The first goal, at 2', was off a corner. City forward Sommeil made a run away from the near post to about 12 yards and was left completely unmarked for an easy finish. Keller has some decent saves during the half, particularly a diving save on a 20 yard blast from Wright-Phillips. The second goal, at 20', was another piece o' crap by the Spurs defense. Through ball played to a wide open Anelka down the right side, who went in one on one with Keller. Kasey came out to the edge of the goal box to cut off the angle and made the initial save on a spinning bouncing ball, but couldn't hold on. Anelka recovered the ball a dished to a trailing player, while Keller continued to pursue about 12 yards from goal. The City player dished to Barton, who hammered it from about 19 yards. Keller managed to get back to about the penalty spot to cut off the angle and get a hand on it, but the ball still managed to find its way into the left corner. Keller looked a bit silly roaming around the area, but with 3 attackers left wide open he had little choice.
83' gone. Two-thirds of the possession has gone to Spurs this half, but they have put almost no significant pressure on the City goal. Keane missed a sitter on a long ball out of midfield, and Sheringham mishit a shot, but other than that it's been pretty quiet. Hoddle must have read the team the riot act at halftime, because the defense has stopped the jailbreaks. Keller hasn't had much to do, other than make a good save on the Fowler shot at 55, organize for a couple of free and corner kicks, and handle a handful of back passes and loose balls.
Obiviously, the key to Spurs and their defense are the absent Richards and Ziege--especially the former. It should be an interesting offseason, to say the least, at WHL.
FT, Spurs 0 - 2 City The boos rightfully rain down onto the team in white from the fans at WHL. Agreed, Buff, about the offseason. Let's hope that DCU puts the hurt to them in May to make it even more interesting BTW, do you recall KK's contract situation?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/photo_galleries/2958433.stm Here's a photo after the 2nd goal.(Use the arrow to get to the third photo) Keller looks really pleased with how the play developed.
Thanks for the posting of the photo. I guess I should learn to do that...\ As an aside, by all accounts Davies has been terrific for both Spurs and Wales this year.
the first goal man-marking reminded me of the bocanegra goal vs. canada...nobody was within 5 feet of the guy and kasey was screwed.
That's my impression too. Does anyone know what is the win-loss record of Spurs with and without Richards? Has Richards ever been capped by England? The few times that I saw him play, he looked very cap-worthy.
Davies hasn't been too good for Spurs since Christmas but most people chalk that up to not playing in his favored position of right midfield or right wing. He's been mostly in central midfield and his strengths aren't really creativity and passing. I think he needs a more dynamic midfield and attack like Wales has with Giggs and Bellamy, and he just isn't getting that with Bunje, Anderton and Sheringham.