Sunday 8th December 2002, 4.05pm

FA PREMIERSHIP, WHITE HART LANE

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3 (Ziege 3, Keane 30, Poyet 80)

Keller

Perry

Richards

King (Iversen 63)

Carr

Redknapp

Davies

Anderton

Ziege

Keane

Sheringham (Poyet 74)

Subs not used: Hirschfeld, Ferdinand, Doherty.

WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1 (Dobie 72)

Hoult, Balis, Clement, McInnes, Wallwork, Johnson (A Chambers, 84), Roberts (Dichio, 81), Gregan, Sigurdsson, Koumas, Hughes (Dobie, 55). Subs: J Chambers, Murphy.

Referee: - A Wiley

Attendance: - 35,958

This was Spurs 1900th win in all our league dating back to a 2-1 away win at Polytechnic in Sept 1892 season (144 Prem, 964 Div 1, 311 Div 2 and 481 in the various league before 1908, not including war time matches, but it was another modest performance against a poor West Brom side who can count themselves a bit unfortunate not to have been in the game more. Its not often you can say that Spurs quality was the difference between the sides in the key moments, and where as the baggies wasted good chances, we took ours when it mattered for three valuable points which keeps us in the hunt even if we cannot get out of second gear.

On a cold grey drizzly afternoon in N17, the world famous domain of the Spurs, a good crowd gathered in the Northumberland before match and it was good to meet up with BucksYid Steve. The cup draw was quite a laugh with cheers, boos and cries of relief when we avoided a trip to Cardiff before a mixture of cheers and groans greeted our pairing with Southampton.

I have to admit I was pleased with Hod’s team selection before the match (and am now, despite it underperforming). Leaving out the Fraudster and playing two similar passing players in Anderton and Redknapp does have issues of balance and ball winning, but I think people think Fraud is more of a ball winner cos he can’t pass not cos he actually wins the ball in the middle. This is an area we simply do not have anyone to fill the role at the club at the moment and should be an equal priority in the transfer market over Christmas. Also picking Davies ahead of Poyet allayed some irrational fears I had about what Hod was going to do and while I’ve had a bit of a wobble over him in terms of tactics, selection and who he wants in the transfer market, I still remain a supporter who desperately wants Hoddle to succeed at Spurs.

The West Brom following were a credit to the club, packing out the away end on a miserable December Sunday with the game live on the TV was a good achievement for the old yam yams.

Spurs kicked off attacking the wall of noise at the Southern end of the ground and took an early and welcome lead after just a couple of minutes. We got a free kick about 25 yards out and as the usual suspects gathered over the ball to concoct another way to send the ball into the crowd, I was watching Deano running backwards and forwards in front of the keeper as the man on the line ran in and out from the goal line. Like the keeper no doubt, I was still watching Deano when Ziege nipped in and took a sly free kick which crept just inside the post which the plank on the line was meant to be protecting with the keeper helpless. A double moment of joy, after the inspiration of backing the Lazy fella at 16/1. A quality goal from a quality player who unfortunately hides away most of his talent with his lack of work rate.

The game was pretty scrappy after the goal and WBA had a good period, esp. when exploiting the acres of space behind Ziege who was probably adding his goal bonus to his £40k a week salary. Spurs survived several close escapes – crosses missing outstretched legs, Roberts going round Keller but sending it high and wide from a tight angle before the miss of the day when Clement directed another cross from the area where Ziege was meant to be guarding wide when it looked easier to score.

The crowd grumbled its disapporoval at what was shaping up to be another disappointing performance but it was more of the same with Keller saving well from Koumas long range effort before the hour.

Fortunately we got a second to kill the game off. An interchange of volleyed passes between Anderton, Sheringham and finally Ziege below me on the left touchline, saw the latter send a brilliant volleyed pass for Keane to use his pace to do the Baggies back line to go one on one with the Keeper. Spurs players never really give me that much confidence one on one and Keane’s exploits at Turf Moor must have been on his mind but he let the keeper go down before nicking it wide of him. Top goal, but even better celebration. The Baggies had been giving him and Richards some stick as they both are former Wolves players and Keane, turned and ran back over in front of where they were gathered in the Park Lane and did his handspring and cupped his ears. ‘Ave it. Love to see a Spurs player with that sort of attitude and hopefully it is a rehearsal for next week.

More ordinary crap followed before Keane had another chance just before half time. Again it was a one on one with the keeper after beating an offside trap after a good pass from the middle. This time he chose a low shot which the keeper did well to get something on but on another day the ball would have found the net rather than coming off the keepers arm and looping over the bar. A fine effort from Keane and its great that we have a dangerous player with his pace in our team. Lets have some more.

The second half started where the first left off, misfiring Spurs and WBA being too poor to really capitalise. Keane was sent away down the right by Sheringham and as Davies raced in on goal, Keane should have looked back to an unmarked Sheringham in a great position on the edge of the box, but chose Davies and a defender did really well to clear.

Somewhat bizarrely, Iversen was introduced for King and Spurs went to 4-4-2. I can only assume Ledders got a knock but I’d have rather have had anyone, even Lars, instead of the prize log, who continued his inept performances.

Disaster nearly struck with a long ball over the top which suddenly saw the defence struggling leaving Keller no option but to come out of his area to try to deal with it, only succeeding in bringing the WBA player down. I looked across as he did this and there were about three Spurs players beyond him when he did it so I was hoping the ref would use his loaf and only give a yellow which he did thankfully, much to the disappointment of the WBA fans. Keller then saved the free kick. Top man.

Ever since Ziege scored, I’d had the prospect of Spurs 3-0 and Ziege scorecast at 110/1 in the back of my mind and despite playing ordinarily I was still hoping for the pot of gold when out of nothing one of their’s rode a few challenges and Dobie smashed the ball home from 25 yards. A fine goal but a real choker for me!

Soon after the goal, Ted was removed for Poyet. Ted just stood there giving the bench daggers before eventually wandering off to the bench. Maybe it was not a show of dissent, just that he is getting slower and slower in his actions – who knows. This was a good move as Ted does not do 90 mins and Poyet is not so bad against tired legs.

There have been times when I have been more worried at 2-1 but there was a huge sigh of relief when one of theirs headed a free header wide from a corner form about 10 yards. A great chance and relegation battles are settled with these moments.

Suitably woken, Spurs went up the other end and a fine move ended with Carr sending a wonderful cross under the crossbar which a normal forward would have scored from, but one of theirs nipped in front of Iversen and produced a brilliant header from under the bar for a corner. All it needed from Iversen was a bit of effort.

It was a temporary repreieve. From the corner which was cleared, Spurs had throw midway inside the WBA half on the right. Davies took it to Richards who got something on it and it fell to Iversen who seemed to wrestled to the ground as he scrambled to get his shot away. The ball came out to Poyet, who mishit a weak effort which thankfully crept in the corner to seal the match.

That was pretty much that. A good bit of forcing play from Carr, saw the ball fall to Keane on the edge of the box. All he needed was a cool head to chip the ball into an empty net as the keeper was in no-mans land, but he ballooned the ball miles away into the Paxton. Points safe this time but I wish he’d tuck those sort of chances away as it could cost us in the future. 22 and got it all ahead of him.

A long walk home in the freezing cold but its always good to see a win – just hope we can say the same next Sunday.

 

The Word of Hod

"We were never really secure and playing well - but it's a good sign, not playing well and winning. We're seventh and still in touch. West Brom are resilient and defend well but they came at us and played today - and played very well.

"They have been very defensive minded so we thought we would have to break them down. Gary Megson has a hard working side but they showed some quality today. It's never easy and they showed it. The free-kick from Ziege was superb, and the ball he played to Robbie was exquisite - but there weren't enough moments like that. I don’t think we'll be like that against Arsenal next week. If so we'll be three down before we even start.

On the Cup draw"We play them on New Year's day so I`ll have my tin helmet on twice in four days. They are doing very well so we know it'll be a difficult game."

Keller (6/10) – Another solid display with some good saves when required

Carr (6/10) – Good performance from Carr, Solid at the back and a good option going forward, esp. in the second half

King (6/10) – Ledders did not start to brightly but was playing ok by the time he was taken off

Richards (6/10) – A year on and he is now a commanding centre half, although the suspicion remains that he is better in a 4-4-2 than a 3-5-2

Perry (6/10) – Another does exactly what it says on the tin display from the great man. Brave as a lion

Ziege (6/10) – Top quality and as frustrating as hell. Some of what he does is right up there with some of the most gifted players Spurs have ever had but WBA targeted the area behind him and should have made more the opportunities they created. Would be best suited as the left sided midfielder in a 4-4-2 imvho

Redknapp (6/10) – Got back in the team after being dropped after Scumbury and did ok without being special. Given the choice of him or Fraud is a no brainer for me and its worth persevering with these three in midfield to see how it goes before we buy a proper midfielder in the window. Dream on.

Anderton (6/10) – I give Sharon plenty on here, and while he was n’t foot perfect today, thought he did ok, getting a few tackles in and providing some quality with his passing. Hope the Leeds United board read this and have a chequebook handy.

Davies (6/10) – Had a quiet but tidy game

Sheringham (6/10) – Sulked like a kid when subbed, Good that we have someone who wants to play for Spurs that much, bad that he is very old, slow and not as good as he once was. As it was a home game, Ted did ok dropping deep and linking with anyone one of our ball playing midfielders but in all honesty, we need someone better for Keano

Keane (6/10) – Another top quality show from Keane. Putting aside the Turf Moor night mare of one on ones with the keeper to score a quality goal and then going over and giving it to the Baggies fans. A Spurs paleyr with attitude – great lets have some more. Had another one on one well saved and blazed over when he should have scored in the second half but plenty of chances is a good sign. Still pisses me off by bottling headers, running behind or away from the ball, which sends the ball straight back at Spurs and needs to start to compete in this area of his game to be the complete hero. Also needs a top quality striking partner for Christmas.

Subs: -

Poyet (6/10) – Popped up with the decisive goal to give us an easy 10 at the end and this kind of role from the bench looks best for him (but for another 18 months on £30k a week?)

Iversen (5/10) – "dritt". Played like he was controlled by strings worked by a pissed puppeteer. The more we play him, the less likely we are to be able to sell him.

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