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Sunday
4th November 2001, 12.00noon |
FA PREMIERSHIP, Elland
Road |
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LEEDS UNITED 2
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Martyn, Mills, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte,
Bowyer (Johnson, 40), Dacourt (Batty, 80), Bakke, Kewell, Keane (Smith, 73),
Viduka |
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Sheringham |
Ferdinand |
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Poyet
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Ziege
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Anderton
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Freund
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Taricco
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King
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Richards
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Perry
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Sullivan
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Subs not
used: Keller, Bunjevcevic, Thatcher |
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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1 (Poyet 52) |
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Referee:- |
Attendance:- |
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Another away trip to one of the top five and another defeat! But this masks the story of a match where Spurs weathered the early Leeds pressure before asserting in the game and going ahead, only for two daft and uncharacteristic errors to cost Spurs at the very least a share of the spoils. The gap between results and performances against the top sides still remains, but the fact Spurs again competed well against a top side demonstrates the progress under since Hoddle took over only 19 league matches ago.
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The madness of the footballing authorities and the old bill meant that what was a normal 3pm Saturday kick off before Leeds qualified for the next round in Europe was in explicably switched to 12noon when moved to the Sunday. Police advice – it would be dangerous with fireworks - being given as the feeble reason. This meant that Spurs fans had only one train available to them to get to Leeds before kick off - with no margin for lateness. Thankfully, things went smoothly and we were in Leeds with enough time to make the horrible 30-minute walk from the station to the ground. The obligatory finger was given to Scumbury as we passed it as well. |
Elland Road – view from
the walk to the ground |
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Outside the visit to Chelsea, Leeds has to be the least appealing away game of the season. Unfriendly locals and a ground in the middle of nowhere. Elland Road is an unattractive ground in an unattractive location – and for whatever reason is always, always freezing cold.
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Leeds kicked off attacking the end South Stand, where the Spurs fans were shoved in a corner and behind a lot of pillars, and were quickly into their stride with Spurs on the back foot for much of the opening 10 minutes. Spurs gradually worked themselves into the match through Anderton and Freund in the middle but Leeds, with the lively Keane and Viduka, aided by a lino who would not raise his flag, gave the Spurs back three a tough time. |
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Bowyer took advantage of the lino's lack of flag and raced onto a through ball with the Spurs defence square, but luckily for is he shot straight at Sully. Spurs first chance came after about 15 minutes when excellent play involving Ziege and Sheringham, put Poyet through in the inside left channel, but his clear shot on goal from 20 yards was always rising and did not test Nigel Martyn.
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Leeds had further attempts on the Spurs goal with a cross from the left finding its way over to Kewell who hit his shot into the ground and it bounced up and over the bar. Bowyer wasted Leeds best chance of the half when he scuffed a low shot from the left hand side of the box wide of Sully's far post when clean through after Spurs lost the ball in midfield with plenty of players committed forward. As Bowyer lay on the floor (and after we'd made sure he'd missed) - the Spurs fans picked up with the popular "Bowyer's going down" song for the nasty but talented little git. The Spurs fans were in good voice while the Leeds crowd could not muster a song. The whole routine of songs were sung, with the Glenn Hoddle's Blue and White Army and the Ledley King songs being the most popular. |
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The best Spurs moment of the half came from Anderton - who used all of his skill to beat three Leeds players on the right hand side of the box before hitting an excellent low cross which Ferdinand managed to let go through his legs when all it needed was a touch to score his first goal away from the Lane since Aug 1999. Ziege retrieved the ball on the other side and although his cross picked out Sheringham, Ted could not get over his header sufficiently to keep it down.
Spurs attacks were in between longer periods of Leeds pressure and Sully had to again save from Bowyer, as the little runt fired in another shot across goal, this time from the right-hand side. Bowyer and in particular Dacourt were playing well for Leeds and we were pleased to see Bowyer depart with an injury near the end of the half
At half time most Spurs fans were glad we were still in the game and most were looking for a better showing from Spurs in the second half after the halftime teamtalk and words of wisdom from the great one and Gorman.
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Spurs celebrate Poyet's goal |
After a few minutes of the second half, the balance of play within the game began to come in Spurs favour. Without Bowyer in the midfield, Anderton had more space and we looked a better team. It was not long after that Spurs took the lead. Sheringham collected the ball just inside the Leeds half, advanced with the ball before slipping a pass out wide to Ziege on the left who collected the ball and hit a low early cross in front of the Leeds defence, which reached Poyet coming in from the right. The Uruguayan took the ball central past Johnson, before hitting an excellent shot beyond the diving Martyn and into the top corner. This was the first goal Leeds had conceded at home. |
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Thoughts of a win started to come down from fantasy to possibility as we contemplated a tired Leeds having to comeback from a goal down with their best player off the field injured. Spurs continued to hold the upper hand for a while after the goal and could have gone further ahead when an Anderton 30 yarder fizzed over the bar.
As the hour approached, Leeds began to pick up some of the momentum they had in the first half, but Spurs, although cutting it fine a couple of times never looked seriously in danger until Sully dropped his clanger. A long cross from the right was worked back to Harte on the edge of the box, and as Anderton showed him on to his less favoured right foot, he hit an ordinary looking shot, which Sully fluffed at and forced onto the post and then into the net off his back. A true disaster.
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Leeds upped the tempo and had a goal disallowed before Sully was alert in coming off his line to block Keane. Spurs continued to have a threat on the Leeds goal and from a corner, a goal bound Anderton shot was working its way through a crowd of players before being flicked by Freund just wide of the post to ensure his goalless record has now stretched to 101 matches. Ledley also had a blocked shot during another Spurs raid. |
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Inside the last 10 minutes disaster struck again. A nothing situation on the Spurs left was turned into a nightmare when Richards inexplicably headed weakly towards his own goal. Sully, Perry and Kewell all went for the ball, with both of the Spurs players looking favourites to beat Kewell, but fatal hesitation by both Sully and Perry allowed Kewell to nip in and poke home a soft goal. A real sickener!
Spurs pressed for an equaliser and Richards had a chance to make amends from an injury time corner when the ball seemed to present itself at his feet, but he could not move them to divert the ball home from a couple of yards out and that was that. At the end of the match, I was disappointed to see Rebrov not acknowledge the Spurs fans who have stuck by him - despite how low he must be feeling, it was the least he could have done. Sully looked a bit sheepish at the end, but still received a warm round of applause from the fans.
No points again, but a good match and plenty of hope for the future. Hoddle has already won 42% of his 19 league matches, which compares favourably with all managers going back to the likes of Pleat 86/7 and Shreeves 84/5. We're getting there and we must go into the goon game with plenty of optimism, esp. after seeing them dumped 4-2 at home by Charlton later in the day.
Hoddle knows what he is doing, but virtually everyone in the crowd wanted to see Rebrov replace the virtually useless Ferdinand and I though a fresh pair of legs such as Davies could have added impetus to the midfield in the latter stages. But I have complete faith in Hoddle and trust his judgement implicitly.
Now that everyone can see what a good job Hoddle is doing at the Lane, his vision for Spurs must be backed with the cash when he needs it for players. We will not challenge at the very top with the likes of Ferdinand up front and we need a top goalscorer to turn all of our good performances into wins. I’m sure everyone is aware of this and its up to the Board at THFC Plc to back Hoddle when he finds the right man. No excuses.
A few post match beers in the Royal Park and Woodies in Headingley before we headed off home on the late train – no points but full of hope for the future of Tottenham.
The
word of Hod
"We did not deserve to come away from here with nothing.
We've shot ourselves in the foot with the two goals we have conceded - it's as
simple as that. I'm scratching my head wondering how we have lost the game. We
didn't deserve to lose it. At 1-0 up I didn't know where their goal was going
to come from. To give two goals away like we did is a bitter pill to swallow.
Neil and Dean know they have made two big mistakes. Dean should never have been
heading the ball from where he was because there was no danger. To be fair to
Neil, seeing Harte's shot at bench level the ball did swerve.
"But if it's not your day then the ball hits the goalkeeper and goes in
the back of the net like it did. If it is your day then you get away with it.
But mistakes happen in football. No one means to make them, and Neil has been
excellent for us this season. He is a world-class goalkeeper.''
Sullivan (5/10) – Oh Sully! So often the hero last season and player of the year with 4 in every 5 of the 3200 votes - but was totally at fault for the first goal and jointly responsible for the second goal. Played well otherwise, but a game he will want to forget at a ground where he also turned in a under par performance last season
Taricco (6/10)
– Treacle played carrying an injury which limited his forays forward - but he
put in a good defensive effort against Kewell
Perry (5/10) – Mr Ed would have been pretty close to a share of man of the match with Anderton and Freund but for a moment of indecision with Sully which cost Spurs the second goal. Excellent defensively otherwise throughout the match - but his errors have now cost us two goals in the last two matches
Richards (5/10) – Culpable along with Mr Ed and Sully for Leeds winner with a poor header -Richards generally did ok, but apart from being able to pass the ball better than Perry, did not look anything different to the undervalued Perry. Its still early days and hopefully I'll be looking back and laughing at me not being able to tell me Perry's from me Richards - but until he does the questions remain in my mind.
King (6/10) – Stretched a couple of times, Ledley did a good job against the lively Leeds strikers and put in another good display
Ziege (5/10) – A topspurs favourite, but did not have one of his best matches - not getting into the game enough and not looking 100% interested in defending. Got a long lecture from Cap'n Ted after allowing the ball to be crossed for the first goal, but did claim an assist for our goal. I should imagine Ziege's style will often frustrate, but his quality will shine through more often than not
Anderton (7/10) – With England squad due to be announced tomorrow, the cynic in me realised that Anderton would be up for one of his good days - and so it proved. Our main creative force going forward and excellent in the rest of his midfield role.
Freund (7/10) – Played on painkillers after a training ground collision with a twat who will hopefully be on his way soon, Freund had another excellent match - chasing everything in midfield and using the ball well. 100% top geezer giving 100% effort
Poyet (6/10) – Scored a fine goal and much to my relief had a much better all-round match. Hopefully Poyet’s non goal scoring contributions will continue to improve and even if it was just for his goals - he is a valuable asset to a team that has not got a proven goalscorer at the moment
Sheringham (6/10) – Prompted well from his deep role and again worked well with Anderton, but unfortunately has not struck up a meaningful partnership with Ferdinand and the Spurs strikers did not come near matching the effervescent Leeds pair of Keane and Viduka
Ferdinand (5/10) – A poor match for Ferdinand, in which he missed a simple chance in the first half and did not contribute much in the way of anything to the team. Can Rebrov or Iversen do better? They can’t do much worse and we won't know unless they get a try, and that time is rapidly approaching
Subs:
Davies (6/10) – Looked a good as he could in the 5 minutes he got at the end - deserves better
Rebrov (6/10) – Looked a good as he could in the 5 minutes he got at the end - deserves better
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