Spurs dropping like flies but are still winning ugly
THIS win told one tale about Tottenham’s season but another seems to be playing out in their treatment room. The unknown at this point is which will have the greater bearing on their campaign.
The early assessments suggest Kieran Trippier’s groin injury is not serious and yet it is hard to ignore the correlation developing between those in this squad who went to the World Cup and those dropping with muscular injuries.
The tally is now at nine and, while most have not been severely inconvenienced, it is certainly a trend and by extension a concern.
Of course, it is a credit to Mauricio Pochettino and what he has built that against the backdrop of strains and pulls, the wins keep coming. But it is natural to wonder if Tottenham can sustain their momentum.
It has been noted that the wins are harder fought than previous seasons, and this was their sixth in the league by a single-goal margin. Winning ugly is an essential art that they have mastered, but it isn’t a huge leap to imagine those fine-line results drying up when this squad hits the fixture madness of December.
It is always the month that most examines the fitness of a squad. Spurs’ key players had less recovery time in the summer than many rivals because of the success of England, Belgium and France at the World Cup.
As Moussa Sissoko put it: ‘We know it is never easy after a tough season that is followed by a World Cup. You use a lot of energy there and come back and don’t have a good pre-season and you start again to play with the team. But it is like that and you have to deal with it.’
Sissoko has been on the fringe for most of the two years since he signed for £30million, and midfield injuries have seen Pochettino give him his chance, with five straight league starts. He was excellent against Crystal Palace.
Pochettino hinted there were times when the 29-year-old may have been on his way out of the club. ‘There are many players in football who were close to going and then come in like this. Good things can happen if you keep pushing and working hard.’
There was a similar tale of redemption for Juan Foyth, who gave away two penalties on his league debut against Wolves but here headed in the winner.
Palace need a saviour of their own. They are yet to win at home and Wilfried Zaha missed this one with a hamstring injury that Roy Hodgson fears could keep him out of the Manchester United match after the international break.
CRYSTAL PALACE (4-4-1-1): Hennessey 7; Wan-Bissaka 6.5, Tomkins 6.5 (Kelly 60min, 6), Sakho 7, Van Aanholt 6; McArthur 6 (Sorloth 70, 6.5) Milivojevic 7, Kouyate 6, Meyer 5 (Sclupp 66, 6.5); Ayew 6, Townsend 6.5. Subs not used: Guaita, Ward, Puncheon, Riedewald. Booked: Tomkins. Manager: Roy Hodgson 6. TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): LLORIS 7.5; Trippier 6 (Aurier 23, 6), Foyth 6.5, Alderweireld 6.5, Davies 6; Sissoko 7, Wanyama 6.5; Lamela 6 (Winks 83), Alli 6.5, Lucas 6 (Son 70, 6.5); Kane 6. Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Dier, Llorente, Eriksen. Scorer: Foyth 66. Booked: Winks. Manager: Mauricio Pochettino 7. Referee: Jon Moss 7. Attendance: 25,685.