We
must win all remaining matches.
Before
the match, Mauricio Pochettino described the game as a "must win” game.
They are all “must win” games, if we want any chance of ending the season with
something relevant. We’ve been fortunate
this season. We had a ten point gap between us and fourth place. Then we
started losing, but what was more of a miracle – even though the gap dwindled –
was that Chelsea, Arsenal and United then started bizarrely dropping points. As
if they didn’t want us to be replaced by one of them. We should have tumbled
down to sixth position by now, but because of all their hiccups and defeats,
we’ve embedded ourselves into third. Heavens above, I am not moaning, just
amazed at the bizarre situation.
It was Eriksen who unlocked Brighton's
well-organised defence given he had created our best chances (oddly enough, a
section of the Spurs supporters are very critical of him). His early cross was
headed over by Jan Vertonghen then minutes later Alli narrowly failed to get a
touch on another Eriksen delivery. Our Brazilian forward Moura was also played
in by Eriksen, and although his shot evaded Seagulls keeper Mat Ryan, it was
cleared off the line by Dunk - whose centre-back partner Duffy denied Alli in
similar fashion soon after.
We
continued to create chances in the second half with Eriksen and Son Heung-min
both shooting over before Danny Rose forced a fine one-handed save from Ryan.
Alderweireld's shot on the turn from the edge of the penalty area hit the
inside of the post and bounced out, and we were so desperate for a goal that we
turned to striker Vincent Janssen for his first Spurs appearance since August
2017. To be fair on him, he did try his damnedest, bless him. But I understand
the logic of using him. Son will be out of the Ajax game, and that only leaves
Llorente (Kane still out). We need another backup, and that back up will have
to be Janssen. He has the stage, so it would be great if he showed his manager
and us why he should be a regular in the squad. Anyway, back to the match:
there looked to be minimal danger when Alli slid a pass to Eriksen 40 yards
out, but his fine strike from outside the area defeated Ryan to earn his side
three points. Four minutes added on, that came and went, and we had got our
three points. Relief all around.
We’ve
won all four of our home games in all competitions since we moved into our
spanking brand new stadium. We scored eight goals and conceding none. In that
match we attempted 21 shots from outside the box, the most by a team in a
Premier League game since Liverpool also registered 21 against Chelsea in April
2014.
Our
haul of 29 shots overall in the game was our most in a Premier League fixture
since we gathered 31 against West Ham in January 2018.
Just
a matter of interest, we haven’t lost a Premier League home game on a Tuesday
since August 2007 (1-3 vs Everton), winning eight and drawing one since then.
And since his Premier League debut in September 2013, Eriksen has scored 21
goals from outside the box in the competition, more than any other player. All
good, but as we go forward none of that will help us, other than solid
teamwork, concentration and three points in the bag.
Putting
the Champions league to one side, we’ve got three games left in the League to
secure our top four spot. None of them will be easy, all will be going full out
to get a result over us. Our last remaining games are; West Ham (h),
Bournemouth (a) and the final game against Everton at home, none of them can
get relegated or will be able to get into the enchanted circle (top sixth in
the league). It is only we who are aiming for something more.
So,
West Ham next, followed by Ajax in the Championship league, followed by
Bournemouth, followed by a trip to Amsterdam. And if we get through that, we
then have something rosie to take with us into next season.
Don
Scully
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