A Look Back at Spurs’ Draw at The Hawthorns
It’s a tale as old as time.
Tottenham make needlessly heavy work of opposition more than happy to spend the afternoon heating up marshmallows and camping in the deepest depths of their own half.
Yes, the North London side enjoy large swathes of possession, but they just can’t seem to push through the blockade of determined bodies.
If they do find a route beyond the tightly-woven masses, they’re faced with a goalkeeper possessed by the ghost of Lev Yashin.
Ladies and gentlemen, Ben Foster.
The final chapter for matched betting, and here’s the real thigh-slapper, the opposition score in the game’s closing stages. Tottenham lose. Everybody is sad.
Thankfully, Spurs are composed of a more resilient fibre these days, so when Tony Pulis’ defensively-minded West Brom did take an 82nd minute lead at the Hawthorns on Saturday, it wasn’t necessarily cause for despair.
Indeed, it was a mark of the character of Pochettino’s men that they were able to fight against the tide of past fiascos — not simply accepting that this just happens from time to time— and push for an equaliser.
Perhaps Dele Alli typifies this durable strain of Tottenham DNA more than most; it was his inventive out-side-of-the-boot stabbed finish that rescued the point and ensured the unbeaten start to the season continued.
That’s 8 games without loss now.
Ah, Nacer Chadli. I might’ve known.
It was mentioned in the preview that the Belgian was bound to cause trouble. Easily West Brom’s best player, and, recently, their most dependable source of goals; over three-quarters of the Midlands club’s total efforts this season have benefitted from Chadli’s involvement.
4 goals and 2 assists. It was no surprise to see him crash one past Lloris from a yard at the weekend.
Chadli, a veteran of 88 League games for Tottenham, spanning some three whole years— just seven shy of a testimonial— opted for the deadpan non-celebration after scoring, which is just a big shame for everyone involved.
More concerning, was the untimely departure of Toby Alderweireld. The Spurs fan universe near collapsed in on itself when the former Ajax man thumped his fist to the ground in agony— rarely a sign that all is well.
Despite exiting on a stretcher, with the quiet sobriety of a Viking burial, Pochettino is confident he’ll be fixed within 10 days, which confirms my suspicions that Alderweireld is made of reinforced steel.
We believe it’s not a big issue, the Argentine said. Let’s hope not.
