SWAN ACHE
Spurs’ Wembley wobble returns as Kane and Co fail to break down some heroic Welsh resistance
LUKASZ FABIANSKI performed heroics behind Swansea’s red brick wall as Tottenham were made to wait for their first Premier League win at Wembley.
The former Arsenal keeper made several fine saves and Harry Kane in particular must have felt like it was August all over again as two fine efforts were equally well kept out.
Once, when Fabianski could do nothing about a Kane effort, the crossbar came to his rescue.
And Spurs were left wondering how they had managed to not to break the deadlock in as onesided a game as you are likely to see at this level.
Credit to Swansea for some robust and resolute defending.
Manager Paul Clement said: “I am very proud of the players.
“I said to be confident in your defending and if you do that, and are nice and compact, you can get a result here.”
But it was hard not to feel some sympathy for Mauricio Pochettino’s men, who did everything they could to find a way through but time and again were frustrated.
How different this game was to Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund, which Tottenham won 3-1.
The Germans came to play football and, as they attacked, gaps opened up for Tottenham to exploit.
Swansea ensured gaps were few and far between, and their well-drilled defensive unit, led by captain Federico Fernandez, were so, so difficult to break down.
Pochettino made two changes to the side which started in midweek, bringing back Dele Alli, who missed that game through suspension, for Mousa Dembele, and Kieran Trippier at Serge Aurier’s expense. But while both Alli and Trippier have creativity in their lockers, just like the rest of their team-mates they couldn’t pick a way through, round or over the Swans defence in a disappointing first half.
Spurs were restricted to long-range efforts which, more often than not, were blocked well before they even got anywhere near Fabianski’s goal. Kane did trouble the Polish keeper early on with a tasty freekick but he got down well to his left and tipped the ball round his post.
And twice Fernandez did well, first heading away Christian Eriksen’s dangerous ball into the area, and then turning over Heung-min Son’s whipped ball into the box.
Hugo Lloris wasn’t troubled at the other end until Mike van der Hoorn rose well and even then it was only for a split second before the Spurs keeper saw the effort was flying over.
The battle between Davinson Sanchez and Tammy Abraham was one to keep an eye on with the Spurs new boy edging it.
But he’ll need to learn to use his body better than his hands in the Premier League against more wily, experienced, forwards than the Swansea loanee. The second half, thankfully, was a more entertaining affair with Tottenham really upping the ante.
Son, in particular, brought some dynamism that was badly missing in the first half and when he started to attack Swansea at pace his team-mates followed suit.
Trippier’s cross was flicked on by Alli and hit Martin Olsson on an arm but ref Mike Dean, fairly, waved play on.
Pochettino, speaking to Match of the Day, said: “Very disappointing result because we did everything to win.
“We created chances and dominated the game but were a little unlucky.
“I am happy with the performance although it is another game we draw here at Wembley and that is no good.”