It was close!
It was
close!
Wolves
1 v Spurs 2
Another
enjoyable afternoon had by all, if you can call it that in the pouring rain and
cold. No, I mean the result. We beat a tough team to break down. A team that
wanted to fight all the way and for large parts of the game, we were on the
back foot. A game that could have gone either way, but fortunately for us, it
went our way. This is our only second away win since January.
After
the game, Mourinho had said his side had won an "incredible three
points" against a Wolves team he believes can challenge for the Champions
League places.
But
before all that, it was an eventful start. I left home at 8 am, got to the
ground at 10 am and found a perfect parking spot (only one left) next to the
ground (free parking). Before all that I had bought a few Sunday papers to read
about the election. About half-eleven, I saw somebody walking down some steps
and to the ground. I thought the person was familiar but dismissed it. Then the
person got closer and it was my friend Martin. I jumped out of the car,
startled him, shook hands, and we made our way to Asda to get a cup of tea.
While
there I noticed my phone wasn’t with me. Panic set in! Martin said, don’t
panic, we’ll go back to my car and check (‘it’ll be there’, he said). Couldn’t
find it and panic set in. “Stolen,” I shouted. He then wrung my number: “I can
hear something,” he said. The phone had fallen down the back of the car. When I
first saw him, I had lost concentration and was too much in a hurry to walk off
with him. Lesson learnt, don’t be an arsehole, think before engaging. Panic over,
we went for that tea. There we sat next to a Wolves supporter and had an
interesting chat. After that, we went into the stadium and met Rick and
Beverley.
Finally
getting to my seat and met more friends. Chatted. As the game started who
should sit next to me but another friend (Richard with his wife and daughter).
Richard sites a couple of blocks along at the new stadium.
After
all the talking, players coming out, the ceremony and standing and applauding
the whistle finally went. But let us jump to the end and work backwards.
Jan
Vertonghen scored a dramatic late winner as we ended Wolves' 11-match unbeaten
Premier League run to narrow the gap on the top four with victory at Molineux.
When that goal went in, we were relieved, excited and whoever was nearby we
hugged. We were ecstatic. The way the game was going, we thought that they
could equalise. I did say the next goal that went in, from whichever side,
would be the winner.
Vertonghen
headed in from a corner in injury time, after Wolves' unyielding approach had
been rewarded as Adama Traore struck in a deserved equaliser from the edge of
the box midway through the second half.
On his
own side's progress, Mourinho commented: "We went about a year without
winning a Premier League game away, and we've managed two in a short amount of
time.” He then went on and said, “Now we are not looking to the bottom of the
table, we're looking higher up." All thanks to him.
Saying
all that, there are concerns about our midfield. Part of the problem, in my
view, was the pairing of Eric Dier and Mohamed Sissoko together. They are just
not good enough on the ball. They do not have enough astuteness or finesse, and
if you swarm them, like Wolves did, there is a good chance that they will give
the ball away more often than not. And
of course, when that happens, you are unable to dictate the tempo of the game,
and you are going to concede.
Following
a breathless opening period for us, Lucas Moura's run and an excellent finish
into the roof of the net had put us ahead after eight minutes. We then had to
withstand intense pressure as Wolves chased an equaliser, but it was they who
went closest before half-time as Eric Dier hit the post from Dele Alli's pass.
Paulo
Gazzaniga produced an excellent save from Romain Saiss' header in the closing
stages as we appeared to be hanging on, before Vertonghen's decisive goal.
But
whatever way you look at it we won, and there will be games like this where
guile and luck will play an important part. And “luck” is the operative word.
This result sees us climb above Wolves to fifth, three points behind
fourth-placed Chelsea, who we meet next Sunday at 4.30. Beat them, and we will
go fourth. What a contrast to Pochettino’s regime (or at least at the end of
it). Then we were staring down the end of a barrel and a possible relegation
battle to oblivion. With Mourinho, we see the light at the end of the tunnel
and the glitter of silverware.
COYS!
By
Glenn Renshaw
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