Saturday
10th February 2001
FA CARLING PREMIERSHIP
Rebrov, 89
Man City (4-4-2):- Weaver; Haaland
, Howey, Dunne, Granville; Kanchelskis (sub Ostendstad, 60),Whitley,
Wiekens (sub Grant, 85), Tiatto; Goater, Huckerby
Subs not used:- Nash; Prior, Ritchie
Booked:- Tiatto
Spurs (3-5-2):- Sullivan; Perry (sub
Booth, 45), Campbell, King; Anderton(sub Carr, 60), Freund,
Sherwood, Leonhardsen, Young; Doherty, Rebrov
Subs not used:- Walker; Thelwell,
Clemence
No bookings
Attendance:- 34,399
Referee:- S. Dunn
A classic smash and grab away performance
against a modest City side on a pitch not conducive to fluent
football. Spurs started with the same team as on Weds night with
Doherty up front with Rebrov and King at the back. City had new
loan signing Kanchelskis on the right wing of a side of
journeymen or sub standard players.
The train journey up from London was
quite eventful. I was amazed to find my Spurs site featured in
the Times Football Handbook, but dismayed to hear reports of the
Spurs hooligans getting off at Stockport for an arranged ruck and
the Police following other supporters around the centre of
Manchester. This fixture has a history of violence, notably the
pitch invasion of 1993 and getting in and out of Moss Side was
always going to be tricky.
City had the first effort, when Sullivan
had a straightforward save from a 25 yarder from Wiekins and King
had to be alert to clear from a dangerous cross from Tiatto.
Spurs had an early shout for a penalty when Sherwood was clearly
being held by Haaland, but ref’s rarely give these,
especially to away teams. City started brightly with Tiatto and
Kanchelskis giving good width to their play.
As with many Spurs matches on the road,
the game was quite scrappy and littered with errors, which make
claims that the Premiership is the best league in the world look
laughable. Much to my annoyance, Spurs continued to pump high
balls forward, and even when Doherty managed to win them, it
never produced good possession. Its also disappointing to see
Perry with so much responsibility in starting attacks as his
distribution and vision are lacking.
The best Spurs chance of the half fell to
Doherty who headed wide from an Anderton corner. Soon after,
Huckerby, who often saves his modest best for games against us,
skinned Perry on our right and sent over a cross that Ledley King
diverted on to the post and along the goal line in to Sully’s
grateful arms with Kanchelskis about to pounce. From where we
were at the other end of the pitch, this looked all over a goal
and we could not believe our luck when we realised we’d got
away with it. Maybe it was going to be our day.
At half time, while there were the usual
moans about the quality of the football, most people were happy
with our position in the match, but there was the usual concerns
about where a goal was going to come from. Graham, getting into
this tactical substitution thing, rang the changes with Booth
coming on for Perry, with Doherty switching to centre back.
I was still returning from the bar when
City had their goal disallowed and so cannot offer a comment, but
who cares. The ref did n’t give it, like he did n’t
give us the Sherwood penalty appeal. Apparently Sully muffed
Tiatto’s cross after getting in a tangle with the Sol man,
and Huckerby hooked home the rebound. Nevermind eh!
Huckerby flattered to deceive as ever,
with the danger created by his pace being negated by his
lack of brain. He did set up Kanchelskis for a good chance and we
were indebted to Young for a fine saving tackle. Young had a good
match at left wing back and I hope he gets and extended run in
the side in this position.
On the hour, Carr was introduced at the
expense of Anderton (when most people were wanting the end of
Sherwood or Leo) in what can be seen as a move to save the match
rather than trying to win it. Carr had a tough match against
Tiatto and was restricted in his usual forays forward.
City replaced Kanchelskis with Ostenstadt
at about the same time and he nearly scored with his first touch
when his glancing header from another Tiatto cross went wide of
Sully’s left-hand post from inside the six-yard box. King
blocked a Huckerby effort later on but that was the end of City.
While Sol has not got a mention so far, it’s worth
mentioning that he was the single most important reason we got a
clean sheet.
Spurs were playing mainly on the break
and had long-range efforts from Young (over) and Sherwood (wide),
while Booth missed his chance to open his account from an acute
angle.
Spurs fans were contemplating the record
5th consecutive 0-0 when out of the blue
in the dying minutes a break away move ended with Leo threading a
ball through to Rebrov, who all of a sudden was in on goal with
only the keeper the beat, and managed to slip the ball past
Weaver to send the traveling fans mad. A magic moment, giving us
our first away win of the season.
At the final whistle, all the players
went over to the traveling fans, and although their work was over,
we still had the tricky task of getting past the Police holding
back the Spurs fans for over 40 minutes after the end of the
match (as City fans tooled up with Bricks were waiting in an
ambush), and then walking from Moss Side to the City centre
without getting battered. It was just like the old days in more
ways than one.
| Sullivan
(6/10) – Did n’t have too much to do, but did
what he had to do competently Perry (6/10) – The weakest of
our back players, especially with the ball. Was replaced
in the halftime tactical change which indicates that he
is behind Doherty and King for the Centre back places
alongside Sol Campbell (8/10) – A great
performance from the great man at the heart of the
defence, repelling everything that City threw at
Tottenham King (7/10) – Back at Centre
back where he made his name, and turned in another good
display, although nearly scored and own goal from a
Kanchelskis cross Young (7/10) – Left wing may
not be Young’s ideal position, but he turned in a
polished display against City danger man Kanchelskis, so
much so that the latter was replaced. Left wing back is
our problem position – Clemence is left sided but
not a wing back, Young, like Taricco is a wing back, but
very right sided, Leo combines being right sided with not
being a wing back and don’t mention Fatcha to me.
Sunderland’s Michael Gray should be on George’s
shopping list over the summer imvho. Sherwood (6/10) – Man U have
Keane, Arse have Viera and we have Sherwood. The other
two are first and second in the league and we are 11th.
Another game of hospital balls, losing possession in our
half and lots of pointing and shouting. if Blackburn want
to buy him for £3m, I’ll pay his train fare. Freund (7/10) – Does not stray
from his simple remit of winning the ball when we lose it,
and giving a simple pass, but does this fairly
effectively Leo (6/10) – Is still
struggling to regain the good form of he displays at the
start of the two seasons he’s played here, but
always gives 100% and provided the pass for Rebrov to
score the winner Anderton (6/10) – Man U have
Beckham, Arse have Pires and we have Anderton (when he’s
not injured). The other two are first and second in the
league and we are 11th . Again struggles to
live up to his star billing, but does create what little
we did as an attacking force. Was replaced rather than
Leo or Sherwood when Carr came on which suggests that
Graham does n’t fancy him as a central midfielder. Doherty (6/10) – A good match
from Doherty who played the first half as Rebrov’s
partner, but replaced Perry in the back three in the
second. Will need to refine some aspects of his
game to reach the very top, but has an excellent attitude
and looks a fixture in the first team these days. Rebrov (6/10) – Still struggles
to get in the game enough with our direct style
and does not have many options when he has the ball at
his feet, but was in the right place at the right time to
score the winner, which will hopefully help his
confidence. Subs Booth (6/10) – Again gave 100%
but is coming up short of what we need up front. Carr (6/10) – Great to see him
back, but had a tough time against City star man Danny
Tiatto |