Prem Result: Spurs 1-0 NUFC
Newcastle United's League campaign
came to a premature end this afternoon at White Hart Lane with a Jermaine
Defoe goal enough to clinch all 3 points for Tottenham, ending
all (slim) hopes of qualifying for Europe via the League for Graeme
Souness and his men.
The Scot brought back Nicky Butt in the centre for the suspended Kieron
Dyer while Steve Harper started the match for the injured Shay Given.
Celestine Babayaro, back from injury himself, came in at left-back
with Jean-Alain Boumsong replacing Steven taylor who served his one
match ban.
The home side started the brighter of the two and soon found their
passing range while United were extremely sloppy on the ball and nervous
in defence.
With neither side playing well the half looked like it would end 0-0
but with moments left Harper made a total cock-up from Babayaro's
back-pass, kicking it straight to a Spurs player in the box who flicked
the ball onto Defoe who in turn rolled it into the net. The second
mistake of the game from the Easington born 'keeper who looked decidedly
nervous between the sticks throughout the 45.
Alan Shearer who hadn't been in the match at all failed to appear
for the second half with James Milner coming on for the No.9. He apparently
picked up a knock and was took off for a precaution.
His introduction threatened to shake things up and the former Leeds
man was soon in the thick of it, contriving to miss the easiest chance
to score he'll ever have. Ledley King shepherded the ball back to
Paul Robinson just outside the box but the pair both left the ball
leaving Milner with the simple job of putting it into an empty net.
However he chipped his shot 15-yards wide of the goal and out for
a goal-kick. Oh dear...
Sounes shook things up once more bringing off the woeful Laurent Robert
and shockingly bad Butt for Darren Ambrose and Charles N'Zogbia with
Jermaine Jenas moving into the centre.
With the changes in place United picked up their game without ever
looking fully convincing and after a later flurry around the Spurs
box the game petered out. Overall a very poor game from two poor sides.
Newcastle being the poorest. One meaningful shot at goal all game.
No movement, not commitment, no passage of play, no ball retention.
Absolutely pathetic. Only one or two can hold their heads up high.
With the two Cup games coming up I'd love to say that the lads' minds
were on those two matches but these type of nothing performances on
the road stretch all the way back to last season. Nothing new at the
Lane.
So the League is over for another year then, it will be the season
if we put in a similar performance on the road to Lisbon and Cardiff.
Not good enough!
Teams...
Spurs: Robinson, Kelly, Gardner, King, Reid, Davies (Ziegler
84), Carrick, Edman, Brown (Davis 55), Kanoute, Defoe (Keane 78).
Subs not used: Bunjevcevic, Cerny.
Booked: Brown, Davis.
Goals: Defoe 42.
United: Harper, Carr, Andrew O'Brien, Boumsong, Babayaro, Faye,
Jenas, Butt (Ambrose 62), Robert (N'Zogbia 62), Shearer (Milner 45),
Ameobi. Subs not used: Hughes, Caig.
Booked: Faye, Ameobi.
Att: 35,885
Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent). |
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