Our pre-season campaign was rounded off by a 2-1 win over an impressive Athletic Club Bilbao side, who gave us an ideal test before our opening Premier League game against Everton next week. There was an extremely impressive and vocal crowd at the Lane for our only home game of the pre-season.
We started the game in Redknapp’s favoured formation of 4-4-1-1 with Krancjar playing in the Van Der Vaart role (who was out injured), behind Roman Pavlyuchenko alone up front.
We lined up as follows:
Spurs: Gomes (Friedel, 46); Corluka (Walker, 46), Dawson, Bassong (Kaboul, 46), Assou-Ekotto; Huddlestone (Bale, 46), Lennon (Livermore, 80), Jenas (Defoe, 46), Pienaar (Modric, 24); Kranjcar; Pavlyuchenko (Crouch, 46)
The visitors set up in a typical Spanish 4-2-3-1 system and looked classy and cultured from the off, carving out an opening in the first minute with a ball over the top, that Ander Herrera latched onto, with our defence seemingly still in the dressing room, and he forced Heurelho Gomes into an early low save.
A further sign of the visitors dominance came in the 11th minute when Bilbao talisman, and reported Tottenham target, Fernando Llorente was only inches away from connecting with Igor Gabilondo’s corner in front of goal.
We should have taken the lead on 15 minutes though with our only real chance of the half, when Vedran Corluka played in Lennon and he pulled the ball back for Kranjcar 10 yards out who should have hit the target but didn’t even force Iraizoz into a save.
Up to this point we were looking sluggish, scrappy in possession and lacklustre to say the least.
We were eventually punished on 25 minutes when a Herrera corner took a flick off the head of Pavlyuchenko and was neatly volleyed home into the bottom corner by centre-half San Jose, after he lost his marker well. Bilbao were deservedly in the lead.
Steven Pienaar had already limped off with a stomach injury just before the goal and was replaced by Luka Modric who got a rousing reception from the fans when he entered the fray.
There were no other real opportunities in the half as Bilbao took a grip on the game and totally took control of it without ever really showing the necessary drive to score more goals.
Spurs really struggled to get into their stride or any rhythm in the first half and looked totally out of sorts, maybe because of the starting personnel not playing much together. Aaron Lennon was the only decent performer of the half giving the visitors’ left back a bit of a ‘mare with his trickery and pace.
The second half saw a different Spurs side emerge from the tunnel buoyed by the 5 substitutions Harry made at the break, which must have come after him having a word “in the lads’ shells like” after a poor display in the opening 45 minutes. It certainly gave the team a well needed injection of life, pace and direction.
We reverted to 4-4-2 with Crouch and Defoe up front, and a very attack-minded midfield four of Lennon, Kranjcar, Modric and Gareth Bale. There was also a first Spurs appearance at the Lane for Brad Friedel in goal.
It paid dividends almost instantly when we found ourselves back on level terms just five minutes after the break. Bale, impressive throughout this pre-season, broke down the left after being released by a sublime ball from Modric and crossed for Crouch. It was slightly behind him but he adjusted himself well to sweep home left-footed as he was falling. The keeper got a hand to it but couldn’t stop the ball nestling in the back of the net.
Three minutes later, the comeback was complete. The visitors failed to clear their lines at a corner, the ball was worked back out to Lennon by Kaboul and he crossed low for Defoe to slam into the roof of the net from 6 yards out. Defoe is starting to look sharp again after really working hard during the close season.
Bilbao did come close to getting back on level terms just after the hour mark when Llorente found some space in the box and connected at the near post from Herrera’s corner which hit the bar and then Jon Aurtenexte’s follow-up shot deflected inches wide with Friedel just having to watch it go past his left hand post.
We should have put the game beyond doubt however, with 20 minutes remaining, when Lennon danced through the defence and was adjudged to be upended by David Lopez in the box, even though no contact was actually made. Kranjcar stepped up to take the penalty but hit it straight at Iraizoz.
Spurs were now in control of the game and were creating opportunities. Kranjcar and Bale came close to adding to the score in the minutes that followed – the latter volleying wide from the edge of the box after Crouch’s knock-down from a Assou-Ekottu cross and the Croatian showing great close control to beat a couple of men in the box before being foiled again by the goalkeeper.
Llorente put a header over on the stretch at the other end in response but the second half performance alone made us deserving winners.
The result and second half display were both perfect for us to take some confidence into next weeks game. I thought Kaboul and Walker both showed enough to be starters next week and great to see Crouch and Defoe both scoring and showing glimpses of their old partnership.
Overall we have had a solid pre-season and have a settled squad. It’s a shame we still have no first team acquisitions going into the start of the campaign but with Modric still at the club, I believe we have a great season ahead to look forward and I, for one, can’t wait for it to start next week.
COYS
Rob Handworker
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Good Report, but i was surprised to see no mention of BAE. I thought he was brilliant.
BAE is so consistent these days that an outstanding performance is the least expected! absolute ledge!
COYS
Good report Rob,i thought Kranjcar and Modric combined really well in the second half and may be in line to start together against Everton,Bale looks sharp and eager to get going also as above BAE was immense awesome LB who can only be matched by Cole”that hurt”and Baines in ability and defensive savvy.I’m not “six meter Peter’s”biggest fan but him and JD linked well and in my opinion we play much better football when we revert to a 4-4-2 system,which begs the question who do we play when VdV is back??Roll on next week when the real buisness starts and lets hope we get off to a “triffic”start,keep up the good work mate and FCOYS.
Thanks for the Match report. I’d just like to make mention of Benny Assou-Ekkotu’s fab performance , particularly in the 1st 1/2 when he & Lennon were the only ones firing.
It’s very common for Benny to be left out of comment, I don’t really understand why. IMHO he’s not adequately applauded for what he does.
Also … Any reason why Bale & Lennon swapped out sides in the 2nd? I don’t get that, unless it was just experimentation
Cheers for the report. Like the above, shame no mention of BAE! From what I saw, he was his usual solid LB.
Only managed to catch about a 3rd of the match as the ‘pause’ messed up on my Sky box so missed both goals
Didn’t mind so much though as the ITV commentary was shit as usual.
Mate, Lennon wasn’t only good player in first half. BAE did some decent stuff and held the defence together. Dawson was solid, particularly as he had to cover for the shocking Bassong and Thudz was good in midfield if not dominant.
Jenas, Basson and Pav particularly were poor. Walker did OK in second half, but I still have question marks on his defending. Livermore is not good enough for Spurs.
The biggest change was moving to 4-4-2, that is the formation we need to play if we are to challenge for Top 4. We looked fluid, players were natural and the build up was first class.
Redknapp one last thing, stop putting Lennon on left and Bale on right, it doesn’t work!!!
Dontcha wish your left back was BAE,Dontcha,Dontcha
Thanks guys for all the comments. The only reason I didn’t mention the immense BAE was because he does it week in, week out but you are right, he doesn’t get the praise he really deserves now.
@lao He swapped Bale and Lennon around last season as well but I don’t get it as both fairly one footed
@robtheyid I think Walker is ready for the first team as defending is strong and great going forward
@robtheyid Didn’t Bale from the right provide 2 goals in SA recently? It can work if Bale and Lennon get their heads round it. Every top club uses inverted wingers to good effect, not sure why our 2 seem so allergic to the other side of the pitch. Not saying we have to do it all the time but surely it should be an effective weapon that we utilise at the right time?
To everyone else if 442 is the answer were does that leave VDV? Just asking.
Oh and BAE wasn’t just good, he was immense. Again. Absolutely brilliant left back. Daws & Bassong struggled 1st half because Llorente and Ander were excellent in pulling them out of position and holding the ball up. Kaboul alongside Daws in the 2nd half was a much more effective partnership.