TOTTENHAM 1 VAR TOO KIND TO TOTTENHAM
WATFORD 1
DELE DEL ALLI’S late equaliser spared spar Tottenham a fifth defeat de efea in six games – but it was wa as only o a breath of stale air. Reecal Recalled for his first Premier Leaguue League s start of the season, Alli pounceed pounced in the nick of time as lucky Spurs sccrap scraped a point amid more VAR chaos.
Tempeers Tempers flared, and the handbags came ouut out to play, as battling Watford aired theeir their g grievances over a push by Englandd England captain c Harry Kane on Christiann Christian Kabasele Ka in the build-up.
And when wwhen the giant screen signalled ‘No goal’, adding ad farce to the Hornets’ fury, it ju just about summed up
Watford remain without a victory in the Tottenham’s desperate scramble to stop the rot.
In the end, Spurs’ performance wasn’t unrefined manure, but it was pure compost.
Alli said: “It’s a relief. We made it difficult for ourselves. We know we have a world-class team, but it’s about showing what we can do when things don’t go our way.”
Things not going your way?
Rock- bottom Watford were understandably livid about Alli’s controversial goal and, especially, a dreadful VAR penalty decision which went against them.
Under-pressure Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino admitted: “The performance wasn’t great, but after our last game here against Bayern Munich it’s normal that our confidence was on the floor. It’s the first step towards building our confidence again. When you concede an early goal, it’s always tough.
“It showed the team was fighting and they showed character.”
Smarting from
Carabao Cup embarrassment at lowly Colchester,
Champions League humiliation by sevenup Bayern and league surrender at Brighton,
Spurs could not have wished for more vulnerable prey than rock-bottom Watford. But when Poch Spice rattled his collection tin, the Hornets refused to give any loose change. Despite former Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck lasting only four minutes before limping off, Watford were ahead inside six minutes. Skipper Craig Cathcart’s 50-yard pass picked out Daryl Janmaat on the opposite flank, the Dutch full- back’s perfect low centre was an open invitation for Abdoulaye Doucoure to tuck away his first goal of the season. And Spurs were lucky to survive VAR official John Brooks’ review when Jan Vertonghen brought down Gerard Deulofeu before the