Forget outbreaks of Omicron, the Premier League may need a circuit breaker just to recover from Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool.
While half the league struggles to put together a starting XI these two teams packed all the action of the weekend’s other six postponed games into 90 surreal and unexpected minutes.
Unexpected in that we have not seen Spurs play like this for quite some time, surreal watching the penalties and red cards given or not given, as though the VAR was flipping a coin at Stockley Park to determine the contested decisions.
Spurs suddenly look good again under Antonio Conte, and there’s something about the Italian that’s infectious. OK, that’s probably not the choicest of adjectives to use right now, but you get the point.
More from Football
Jota and Son dazzle as VAR has its say in Liverpool classic at Tottenham - ratings and analysis19 December, 2021
Guardiola 'will support' Covid circuit breaker if Premier League is suspended19 December, 2021
The full Sports Personality of the Year shortlist and when the winner is announced19 December, 2021You can feel it in the stadium: his fury from the touchline, his energy, his enthusiasm, his tantrums, his arm waving and head holding, seeping into the stands, driving on the players, getting everyone believing once more.
Harry Kane ended his Premier League scoring drought then almost ended Andy Robertson’s season in six minutes of football that summed up Conte’s impact.
A pure striker’s finish, tucking the ball into the bottom left corner under pressure, for his first goal at home in eight matches, then a wildly overenthusiastic sliding tackle that arguably deserved a red card and had Robertson not jumped could have had far worse consequences.
For the first time in a long time there are glimpses of the Spurs who reached a Champions League final and challenged for Premier League titles through sheer passion and excitement and good football. They have a not dissimilar set of players who appear like themselves again, rather than browbeaten and brittle.
Dele Alli looked positionally and tactically disciplined, and as though he suddenly enjoyed playing football again. Harry Winks was defensively sharp and confident in attack. His perfectly-timed sliding tackle sparked the opening goal, the ball eventually finding its way to Tanguy Ndombele, who slipped in Kane.
It’s no exaggeration to suggest Spurs could have been four ahead within half-an-hour playing a counter-attack so rapid even their own players seemed to struggle to keep up with it, as though they were not quite expecting the final balls to reach them and fudged the finishes.
Kane clipping the ball round to Heung-min Son who looked certain to score only to send the ball wide. Son through on goal but making the wrong choice to round Alisson, the Liverpool keeper saving.
Another break, Son ignoring Kane’s decoy run and finding Dele with a wonderful pass, Dele who had made one of those late midfield runs that were the trademark of his early years only denied by Alisson’s fingerprints.
And then Liverpool scored. Because nobody can be allowed to have that many chances without scoring against Liverpool and not concede. It’s an unwritten rule.
Robertson played Sadio Mane down the left, collected the loose ball after Mane was tackled, then stuck a cross in the air for Diogo Jota to head level.
Yet still Spurs did not crumble like they have in recent times.
Still on the balance of chances they should have led again. Dele ran off the last defender (when did he last do that?) and cut back for Kane, the striker’s delicate finish saved. From the corner, Kane had a fairly simple header from a few yards out but it popped off his forehead and over.
It seemed almost unfair when Liverpool took the lead, with 20 minutes remaining. Dele went down through on goal and while VAR was checking a penalty, Liverpool went up the other end and Robertson ended up finishing with a low header, while the VAR checked a handball in the build-up. Dele, no foul. Mohamed Salah, no handball.
Not long after, Robertson booted Emerson Royal and ref Paul Tierney gave a yellow card, that was turned into a red on second inspection.
Have you managed to keep up?
More on Liverpool FC
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3FbEAYZ
Post a Comment