Backline boys blast Tottenham into top four
AFTER a mediocre attacking display in their midweek draw at West Ham, Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou said he would have loved a joystick to put his players where he wanted them.
It is doubtful he would have placed two of his back four inside the Nottingham Forest box last night when their goalscoring opportunities arose. But where his forwards failed, his defenders triumphed.
Two lethal piledrivers, the first from centre back Micky van de Ven, the second from right back Pedro Porro, saw Spurs take control of the battle for the top four.
In a week when Tottenham posted an £87million annual loss, Postecoglou said it is not his job to worry about the financial pressure of qualifying for the Champions League. At full time he laughed that he could not care less about the race for fourth.
His supporters certainly do — and so do his employers. After Aston Villa and Manchester United dropped points for the second time in seven days, it was vital Spurs took advantage.
For periods of this game they had threatened to falter like their European rivals but eventually they grasped their opportunity.
It is a win that could prove vital. For the first time since February, Spurs are fourth — level on points with Villa but with a superior goal difference and the benefit of a game in hand.
Nuno Espirito Santo did not have many happy days in this stadium during his four months in charge of Spurs and this was another miserable one, but it could have been different.
Murillo was inches away from a goal-of-the-season contender to open the scoring. Instead, he did so at the other end, putting Timo Werner’s cross in his own net. Chris Wood levelled midway through the half but then hit the post from two yards out. Those are the kinds of fine margins that define relegation battles.
Another one, Nuno argued, was the decision not to send off James Maddison in the first half after he appeared to give Ryan Yates a soft punch in the stomach. Yates made the VAR sign but the incident did not appear to be checked. There was not much in it but it was certainly silly.
Only goal difference is keeping Forest out of the bottom three. Luton’s win over Bournemouth has put them level with Nuno’s side and, above Forest, Everton’s win over Burnley has opened up a gap of four points.
Spurs started strongly but Forest nearly opened the scoring in style in the 10th minute. Murillo spotted Spurs goalkeeper
Guglielmo Vicario off his line and tried his luck from his own half. The home fans held their breath but the ball bounced just wide.
The Forest defender was not afforded the same luck when he attempted to clear Werner’s cross. The forward drove down the left and sent the ball into the middle. Murillo was not under pressure but sliced his clearance past his goalkeeper Matz Sels.
Werner was causing Neco Williams all sorts of problems and should have had an assist when he crossed for Brennan Johnson but the former Forest man saw his effort superbly saved by Sels.
Spurs’ wastefulness came back to bite them when Wood provided a clinical touch at the other end. Anthony Elanga found space on the right and crossed through the legs of Cristian Romero. Wood beat Porro to the ball and sent a first-time finish past Vicario for his fourth goal in as many games.
He should have had his fifth shortly after when Vicario pushed out Yates’ shot but he could only smash the ball against the post when it looked easier to score.
Spurs had gone off the boil and Postecoglou was clearly dissatisfied as he made two half-time changes, with Rodrigo Bentancur and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg replacing Pape Matar
Sarr and Yves Bissouma. Hojbjerg almost had an immediate impact as his long-range effort forced Sels into a fine save.
But the goalkeeper could get nowhere near Van de Ven’s thumping shot. Son Heung-min laid the ball off to the defender inside the box and he fired a leftfoot strike into the top corner.
Spurs were in the ascendancy and shortly after Porro fired in an effort of equal measure to his defensive team-mate. Maddison’s cross was flicked on by Bentancur and landed in front of the full back, who hit a superb volley into the top right corner.
Son nearly added a fourth but Sels stuck out a hand to push the ball around the post.
TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Vicario 6.5; Porro 7, Romero 6.5, VAN DE VEN 8, Udogie 6.5; Bissouma 6 (Hojbjerg 46min, 6.5), Sarr 6 (Bentancur 46, 6.5); Johnson 6.5 (Scarlett 89), Maddison 6 (Kulusevski 76), Werner 7 (Lo Celso 76); Son 6.5. Scorers: Murillo 15 (og), Van de Ven 52, Porro 58. Booked: Werner, Bentancur. Manager: Ange Postecoglou 7.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST (4-2-3-1): Sels 7; Williams 5 (Montiel 87), Omobamidele 6, Murillo 6, Aina 6; Yates 5 (Sangare 81), Danilo 5 (Reyna 81); Elanga 6.5, Gibbs-White 5 (Dominguez 68, 6), Hudson-Odoi 5; Wood 6.5 (Origi 68, 6). Scorer: Wood 27. Booked: Yates, Gibbs-White, Williams, Danilo. Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo 5. Referee: Simon Hooper 6. Attendance: 61,098.