Graham Pearcey

Date: 26 August 2023

This is proving to be a slow start to the season: just one point to show from the first three matches.

The team lined up in a surprising 4-1-4-1 setup, with Philip playing further forward than last time around. Our two full backs were playing in very wide positions, but Semenyo and Kluivert were further infield. As at Liverpool last week, we started on the front foot and dominated the game for the first couple of minutes. Any optimism soon faded, though, and it’s probably fair to say that our only other ‘purple patch’ came just after Spurs’ first goal.

That goal came from Maddison midway through the first half. Sarr passed to Maddison who streaked away from all our defenders and scored a beautiful goal from an unmarked position. Sarr and Richarlison had further opportunities to score before half time, but in the fifth minute of added time Philip passed to Kluivert who passed back to Philp whose shot, just wide of the target, proved to be the last kick of the half. 0-1.

Semenyo had a good shot (from distance) early in the second period, but the next goal was scored by Kulusevski from close range. Spurs dominated the rest of the game and could have won 5- or 6-0 if all their shots had gone in, while we didn’t have much to offer even after making all five permissible substitutions as Iraola is apt to do; and Solanke in particular had a poor game.

At the end of eight added minutes Ben Davies did what Philip had done at the equivalent point in the first half: missed with a shot that had looked more likely to go in. So we were lucky to get away with only a 0-2 defeat.

Aside from the match result, this wasn’t a bad day out for me, with both car journeys going quite smoothly. And I was particularly fortunate to be in row D this week, as the supporters in front of me got absolutely drenched during the second half!

The team lined up as follows at the start of the game:

Neto;
Aarons, Zabarnyi, Kelly, Kerkez;
Rothwell;
Semenyo, Christie, Philip, Kluivert;
Solanke

By the end the line-up was:

Neto;
Aarons, Zabarnyi, Kelly, Kerkez;
Cook;
Brooks, Traore, Solanke, Anthony;
Moore

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