Tottenham Hotspur V Reading match review

FA Premier League

1st April 2007

White Hart Lane

Tottenham Hotspur (1) 1 Keane (pen) 41 Reading (0) 0

Attendance: 36,067.

 

It’s getting to the stage of the season colloquially known as ‘the business end’. Where performances and style take a back seat to three points and scrapping the win.

 

I think most of the supporters that turned up at White Hart Lane on this sunny Sunday afternoon would have settled for an entertain less win and the points in the bag. Thankfully Spurs provided both but not without a shade of fortune. Martin Jol selected the same team that started against Chelsea, and is beginning to be recognised (by supporters as well as coaching staff) as Tottenham’s best eleven. Only the much awaited return of Ledley King will change the team between now and the end of the season (barring injuries of course), whilst Reading gave a full debut to a young man called Greg Halford and started with Spurs supporter Dave Kitson up front.

 

As the game kicked off it was clear that Spurs were in no mood to muck about. Inside the opening five minutes Steed Malbranque had clipped the outside of the right Reading post and Robbie Keane was denied a certain goal by an excellent save from Reading’s American goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann. Hahnemann was called into action minutes later when he rushed off his goal line to prevent Dimitar Berbatov from scoring from a tight angle.

 

The action was coming thick and fast but the next attempt on goal came from Reading. A cross from the right hand side found Lita who had lost his marker Michael Dawson. Lita, only some six yards out, contrived to put his free header against Paul Robinson’s left hand post and the ball rebounded out and was cleared to safety. Minutes later Robinson was called upon again to keep out Reading’s only attempt on target of the match when he saved well from Kitson. Malbranque, who was having one of his best games in a Spurs shirt, tested the Reading keeper again when he shot from the edge of the box only for Hahnemann to turn the ball away.

 

Spurs continued to make all the running and some well timed tackles kept Spurs from taking the lead. That all changed five minutes from the break when a throw in found Robbie Keane inside the penalty box. Keane’s attempt to control the ball meant the ball spun up into the air and as he and Greg Halford jostled for it Halford’s hand appeared to scoop the ball away from the Spurs striker. Referee Alan Wiley was perfectly placed not five yards away and awarded the penalty to Tottenham. Despite some attempts at mind games from Stephen Hunt Keane duly dispatched his shot high inside Hahnemann’s right hand post to give Spurs the lead at half time.

 

The second half got underway with the impressive Hahnemann being replaced by Reading’s substitute goalkeeper Adam Federici after Hahnemann had apparently had a recurrence of a previous injury. Federici was making his league debut and Spurs supporters sensed that more goals could be on the cards.

 

Spurs continued with their all out attack into the second half. Lennon, now playing on the left in direct opposition to the debutant Halford, started to run the show. His mazy run from inside his own half ended with Lennon pulling his shot wide of the post. Up the other end Reading were huffing and puffing but were not troubling Robinson in any way. Berbatov and Malbranque both had further opportunities to extend Tottenham’s lead but both shots were off target.

 

Jemaine Defoe came on to replace the goal scorer Keane up front but it was Reading who had the next best chance. From a corner Leroy Lita managed to lose his marker and once again had a free header. His near post effort was fired wide though when he should have at least hit the target. As the minutes ticked by Reading became more and more desperate. As the clock reached the eighty minute mark Reading went to two at the back and defended from the half way line. Greg Halford was employed to throw 40 yard throw ins into the Spurs box which, densely packed as it was with Reading forwards, was beginning to cause some consternation amongst the supporters. But Reading were leaving themselves desperately short at the back inviting the counter attack.

 

Tottenham’s final attack on the visitor’s goal came from a breakaway Reading move. Young-Pyo Lee picked the ball up in his own half and ran fully sixty yards before laying the ball out to the right for Jemaine Defoe. All Defoe had to do was hit the target for a certain goal but the diminutive striker lashed his shot high over the bar.

 

Seconds later and the final whistle sounded. Spurs had secured all three points and had moved up to sixth place in the league (albeit possibly temporarily. Everton travel to Villa Park on the Monday night. A win would see them reclaim 6th spot.)

 

Several Spurs players excelled in the match. Steed Malbranque was excellent. His constant attacking gave Reading real problems. Aaron Lennon tormented the Reading defence all afternoon, whilst Didier Zokora’s bursting runs and strong tackling ensured that Spurs won most of the midfield battles.

 

Special mention must go to Young-Pyo Lee for Spurs. His tenacious tackling in the left back berth and forward runs down the left wing were a joy to watch. Spurs now travel to Spain to face the might of Sevilla in the fist leg of their quarter final encounter in the UEFA Cup. I feel that if Tottenham are to be successful in Spain then they will have to be sharper in front of the oppositions goal and more assured in front of their own. Still, a clean sheet in the league for the first time since the 28th of October (Watford away) and the three points. Got to be happy with that.

 

Tottenham Hotspur: Robinson, Chimbonda, Lee, Dawson, Rocha, Zokora, Jenas, Lennon, Malbranque (Huddlestone 80), Keane (Defoe 75), Berbatov. Subs not used: Cerny, Stalteri, Taarabt.

 

Reading: Hahnemann (Federici 46), Halford, Duberry, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Little (Oster 75), Harper, Sidwell, Hunt (Doyle 65), Lita, Kitson. Subs not used: Bikey, Gunnarsson.

 

 

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