FINISHING COOL
Spurs’ season is running out of steam without Kane and Son, But wolves are dreaming of Champions League as hitman Jimenez is on target again
THE race for that final Champions League place will probably come down to who has the man to bang in the goals. Tottenham don’t – but Wolves certainly do.
Raul Jimenez expertly converted his chance to take his tally for the season to a remarkable 22, and his combination with the electric Diogo Jota simply tore Spurs apart.
Meanwhile, still in the treatment room for probably another six weeks each, are Tottenham’s two main strikers, Harry Kane and Heung-min Son.
If ever that huge loss was exposed, it was yesterday. Jose Mourinho’s team strived, they battled, they probed.
But they simply did not have the wit or invention to open up a formidable Wolves defence or, crucially, the strikers to finish off the chances. Wolves did.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s powerful, pacy, and clever team moved ahead of Spurs into sixth place with victory.
They are only behind fifth-placed Manchester United on goal difference – and fifth could be good enough for the Champions League if Manchester City fail to get their European ban overturned.
Mourinho’s side, after successive Premier League defeats, are running rapidly out of steam.
It was the second weekend in a row where the manager had been schooled by one of his pupils – Frank Lampard with Chelsea last week, his former Porto goalkeeper
Nuno ( far left) yesterday.
Spurs suffered a blow before kick off, when keeper Hugo Lloris was ruled out with a groin injury. But Mourinho’s decision to play Eric Dier in defence was a spectacularly bad one.
Wolves’ ability to break with pace from defence was also instrumental in their fifth away league win of the season. The danger was there right from the start, as
Adama Traore broke clear but shot wide.
But Spurs, with Lucas Moura again gallantly leading the line, actually grabbed the initiative. From an excellent Giovani Lo Celso pass, Serge Aurier crossed low, and Steven Bergwijn slotted home after Dele Alli’s effort had been saved by Rui Patricio.
Wolves, though, were never quiet, Jota shooting over. And then they were level with a goal that will give Mourinho nightmares.
Ruben Vinagre burst down the left, Dier completely missed his cross, the ball bounced back off the hapless Japhet Tanganga, and Matt Doherty finished with aplomb.
But on the stroke of half time, without really creating too much, Spurs were ahead again. This time Alli (above) played in Aurier on the right, and the full-back cut in to curl his shot nicely past Rui Patricio.
Though Ruben Neves headed over, the key moment for the hosts came when Ben Davies slung in a long cross, and Alli escaped his marker – but glanced his header wide. Had that gone in, Wolves might not have recovered.
But they did. Traore found Doherty once again breaking with pace down the right, and Jota stabbed in his low cross at the far post.
And then came the best move of the game.
A lovely touch by Jota saw him get away from Moura. He raced away to cut inside, rolled a pass to Jimenez, and the Wolves marksman fired home.
It was all about precision and finishing ability. And right now, Mourinho’s men do not have enough of it. And the tinkering with his defence is not helping.