Tottenham vs Manchester United a few quick thoughts
Dan Tracey
May 15, 2017
1,926 Views
- Second place secured – Check
- Unbeaten Home record this season – Check
- The perfect send off for White Hart Lane – Check
- It was always going to be an emotional day yesterday in the White half of North London but Mauricio Pochettino’s men did not disappoint the legion of Tottenham fans both inside the ground and out as they edged past Manchester United yesterday afternoon
- With the title race already done and dusted and off the back of their defeat to West Ham the previous week some did question if we would once again witness a Tottenham end of season collapse such as 12 months ago
- But this is a Tottenham side that although did not get over the line has certainly developed in that timeframe and has a much more steelier edge to them now
- Any concerns that another collapse was going to take place were quickly alleyed as they were in front after just five minutes
- Christian Eriksen’s short corner found Ben Davies in plenty of time and space and he placed an inch perfect pass onto the head of Victor Wanyama
- All the Kenyan international had to do was make sure he headed the ball on target and the rest would take care of itself
- The ball arrowed past David De Gea and it was first blood to Spurs in a game that was being played in an electric atmosphere
- Tottenham were relentless in the way the pressed and squeezed United up the park with the midfield parring of Michael Carrick and Axel Tuanzebe having something of a torrid time in the middle of the pitch
- Tuanzebe was deployed to a man man marking job on Eriksen but he could not get close to the Dane who was orchestrating every thing at the heart of Tottenham did going forward.
- Both sides did swap chances Heung min-Son should have done better when driving into the box
- He rushed his shot and fired straight at De Gea, either side of the Spaniard and Tottenham would have doubled their advantage
- Tottenham were given a scare though when Anthony Martial curled an effort just the wrong side of the post
- He outmuscled Toby Alderweireld which in itself is something rarity and left Lloris scrambling for position and his shot glanced away to safety
- That was about as much as United threatened in the first half, captain Wayne Rooney headed over as he tried to atone for his poor marking of Wanyama which led to Spurs opener early on
- But he could only see a header from close range fly over the bar and without troubling Lloris
- Tottenham should arguably have gone ahead with at least a 2-0 advantage and you just had to hope that they would not be left to rue missed half first chances
- But that would not be the case as soon after the break the advantage was doubled by who else but Harry Kane
- Kane who has been the talisman this season scored his 49th league goal and his first against United when he prodded home a delivery from Eriksen
- Once again United failed to deal with the ball from out wide
- The decision by Jose Mourinho to play all centre backs across the back four meant that they were somewhat susceptible to this exact issue and it showed as they conceded both goals in a similar vein
- Tottenham further ahead and they all but home and hosed
- But although Kane would be the last Tottenham player to score at White Hart Lane it would not be the last ever goal as Rooney would be credited with the goal that made something of a contest of the last 20 minutes.
- With United changing their shape and putting Martial out on the left, he was getting a lot more joy when up against Kieran Trippier
- Martial would win this personal duel and his low ball in the box would first find Rooney and then a small deflection off of Jan Vertonghen
- The ball was going in anyway but the nick off of the Belgian would mean that it was 2-1 and all of a sudden the party atmosphere got a bit nervy
- Trippier was replaced by Kyle Walker in what was a part enforced, part tactical switch
- In doing that it nullified the threat of Martial
- Will we see Walker feature once the new stadium has been built, on the balance of probability perhaps not
- But there was almost one final twist in the tale
- Marcus Rashford was United’s final roll of the dice and he had three Tottenham defenders chasing after him after a long ball split their back line
- Tottenham fans had their hearts in their mouths as Rashford looped the ball up only to see it drop over the bar
- A huge sigh of relief was breathed as the rain began to pour
- That could not dampen the spirits though as the final whistle blew and small scale pitch invasion ensued
- So the era of White Hart Lane has ended and now eyes shift to Wembley for next season
- Tottenham are going to struggle to match the heights of this season next time around and you would imagine that a top four finish will be qualified as a real success
- The interim period is going to be key as to how well the start life in the new ground
- The key will surely be making sure they keep hold of the majority of this young squad
- A squad that is undoubtedly hungry for trophies and should they manage to win one then there will be no reason for them to search for pastures new
- As for United if players are trying to break into the first eleven for the Europa League Final next Wednesday then it was perhaps not the best audition
- Only Martial came out of this with any real credit, if anything it showed just how much the rebuilding job will have to continue in the Summer
- The likes of Phil Jones and Michael Carrick looked like they were given enough rope to hang themselves yesterday afternoon and a transfer window of upheaval looks a certainity at Old Trafford
- They will make do with 6th place this season but if they do win the Europa League then you still have to consider the season somewhat of a success
- And if that is the case which success is viewed as better, Tottenham’s league placing or United’s silverware
- I’ll leave that up to you to argue
Like this:
Like Loading...
Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
