The West Stand Senior on Town vs Tottenham

Pre-match thoughts

Good to be home again.

I found it interesting that the media recently applied the epithet ‘struggling’ to the Ipswich and Spurs teams, making this game sound eminently winnable, especially as Town beat them on their home ground.

But Tottenham have started to pick up in the last few weeks, winning their previous three games on the bounce and now with players back from injury. So we mustn’t count our chickens, especially against a team with a cockerel for an emblem.

The cockerel was adopted in honour of Sir Henry Percy (better known as ‘Harry Hotspur’), whose Northumberland family once owned land in the area, including Northumberland Park in Tottenham, where the club is located.

At the station, chatting to a West Ham supporter and a Chelsea fan, they wished Town luck – because "nobody likes Tottenham". This was news to me.

According to Wikipedia, “Spurs were one of the five clubs that pushed for the founding of the Premier League, created with the approval of The Football Association to replace the Football League First Division as the highest division of English football”.

So why is Tottenham so unpopular?

The answer from my Spurs-supporting grandson Harry:

“The reason that most teams don’t like Tottenham is because when the Premier League was starting, Tottenham was in it, but Chelsea were not, and when they asked to join, everyone said yes, but Tottenham said no.”

Problem solved.

On the train, Clive and John’s score predictions were 1-1 and 2-1 respectively.

First half

Team choice looked good, and we started with a flourish that had at least three ‘oh so nearly goals’ in the first twenty minutes. Vicario saved Spurs in the first minute from a shot by DeLap, whose next shot was just inches wide a minute later. Shortly after, his clever glancing header hit the post. Our chance of a flying start was not to be. 

Town really need to capitalise on these chances, and this inability to do so is causing most of their problems at the moment. Spurs were dangerous on the break, and we were weak on the left-hand side of the pitch during the first half of the game.

From one of these runs on the left Son centred the ball for Johnson to slot home on 18 minutes. An almost identical move by the same players gave rise to another easy goal for Johnson.

Unsurprisingly, Spurs then settled and relaxed into the game for the rest of the half, but without too much pressing – more a possession passing game.

Regaining the ball, a great pass from Phillips through to Clarke on the wing, was cut back by him to Hutchinson in the centre. Hutchinson unleashed the perfect shot curled into the right-hand corner of the net – a humdinger of a goal on 36 minutes.

Palmer denied Spurs a third goal on 42 minutes with an excellent low save which Greaves pushed out for a corner.

Ipswich 1-2 Tottenham

Half time

My seat neighbour Gary is in New Zealand, so I chatted to his daughter in law instead. We felt there were more goals to come and of course hoped they’d be ours.

Second half

Ben Godfrey did not run out in this half and was substituted for Woolfenden. He had not played a very effective part in the game, so I’m not sure whether this was the reason for the exchange or an injury problem. It’s very unusual for McKenna to use a sub this early in a match.

Both teams came out in sprightly fashion, and on the hour mark, our spirits were lifted when Woolfie headed into the net past Vicario. But our cheers at the levelling of the score were short-lived when the goal was swiftly ruled offside and disallowed.

I think heads dropped a little at this point, and again when Spence scored Spurs' third goal on 77 mins, from an assist by Maddison and a deflection off Woolfenden. Maddison, without a doubt, brought renewed energy to his team.

Ipswich tried to pick up the pace again, but Spurs understandably slowed the game down with possession passing across the middle of the pitch which was hard to break through. Town didn’t give up, it’s one of the things I love about our team, they always battle to the end. But, the fourth goal by Kulusevski came at 84 mins when play was allowed to run despite Greaves, from a challenge in Spurs' half, being still down after a clash of heads. The calls for assistance from other players and supporters were ignored. Very hard to step up from there, even with eight added minutes. 

Final score Ipswich 1-4 Tottenham Hotspurs

Men of the Match

Ipswich: Greaves played well. Delap was Delap. Dara O'Shea was solid and there was a nice moment when he took off the captain’s armband and gave it to Morsy as he came onto the pitch. Phillips was excellent. It was definitely one of his best and most confident games since joining us.

MOTM: Son

Round up

The Tottenham team have definitely become much stronger in the last few weeks, with some key players back and some encouraging recent results. Although Harry had advised me that ‘five out of eleven of Tottenham’s usual first team are injured’, they fielded a competent team with a good backup. Maddison made a noticeable impact off the bench.

As a bum note, I have to be honest about this game. I thought free kicks were given too readily to Spurs players who fell a little too easily on minimal contact. I confess I don’t understand the many Premier League teams who deem this necessary, considering the talent and skill they have on offer – and I don’t believe I’m alone in this. However, to use the meaningless and much disliked (by me) phrase - ‘it is what it is’ I suppose.

Negatives? Davis doesn’t fit well in a defending role, and Godfrey seemed a little off-form. Tuanzebe was sorely missed in our defensive lineup courtesy of his red card at Aston Villa. Hutchinson was out of his best-performing position at right wing, though his goal was a cracker. Jaden Philogene, in only his second match, has not fully settled into the team yet. My opinion only, of course.

I optimistically underestimated Spurs before the game, but though it wasn’t as one sided as some of the reports I have seen and heard suggest, they were the more clinical side, they converted their chances, controlled the game when ahead and ultimately deserved the win. They are one of the six teams that have never been outside the Premiership since it was invented (so to speak). Respect.

Barry and Barry on the train made me laugh and made the journey go quickly – I nearly missed my station. We agreed that some matches hinge on what KMcK would call ‘fine margins’, which can go either way.

Town fought hard, played well (with a few exceptions), and had only a couple of slip-ups, but were too often missing that killer finish, which will mean survival or otherwise in the Premiership.

And quite often, that little bit of luck, too, it seems.