Match Report AC Milan & the Spammers & Preview of Chelski game

Match Report AC Milan & the Spammers & Preview of Chelski game

What an exciting few days in Milan… not so much regarding the game, but more on our trip before and after.

Mel picked me up at 5 am on Tuesday… the plane took off at 9.30 am from Luton (it had been held up because of fog)… arrived at about 12 at Italy's airport. The taxi cost us 104 Euros to Milan (one way). Booked in at the hotel and then to our room. After refreshing up in our rooms, we found somewhere to eat…

Taxi to the stadium (a bit cheaper this time). Walked around the ground until we found our entrance (I bought a pendant, as I collect them for European away games). We were in the designated AC Milan supporters area (section 8)… not where the main bulk of the Spurs fans were… up in the Gods.

While waiting to go in, we talked to the Times sports journalist covering the match.

Once through, with minimum checks… disabled do get an advantage… On the subject of the disabled (I have a walking stick), I did find that the airports, the stadium and other authorities bent over backwards to assist where they could.

We climbed to steps to the floor where our seats were… which were good, just above where Conte stood. Mel was a couple of rows in front of me… however, a seat was vacant next to me, so Mel eventually moved.

I predicted we would draw 1-1… alas, the final score was 1-0 to them. However, I didn't think we played that bad. Not good enough to win… but we held the score down to one goal. It will be a different game at our ground. But we need to buck our ideas up. And if we do buck our ideas up, then I expect… hope… that we can win that encounter.

The game…

We will have to produce a Champions League comeback after Brahim Diaz gave AC Milan the winning goal,  a narrow goal, nevertheless…  in the first leg of our last-16 tie at the San Siro.

Diaz nodded in early on after Forster saved a Theo Hernandez shot and got a hand on the scorer's initial follow-up attempt.

To be fair, we looked quite comfortable for long periods of the game as the pairing of Pape Sarr and Oliver Skipp deputised competently for the suspended Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and the injured Rodrigo Bentancur in midfield. Sadly – though – they were infrequently able to build any attacking impetus with the front three of Kane, Son, and, Kulusevski, who were shackled by a disciplined home defence.

Thoughts…

I thought we threatened from set-pieces, but neither Kane nor Eric Dier could direct headers on goal from two excellent Son deliveries.

Now we must try to turn the tie-round without Dier, who will be suspended after he collected a second-half booking.

I am sure that AC Milan are regretting to put the tie beyond us. They competed well but barely put a glove on us in the final third.

A place in the quarter-finals very much hangs in the balance. However, Conte will still have to figure out how to compensate for the loss of Bentancur, who has become a key player since arriving from Juventus just over 12 months ago.

As for Romero: he was outjumped and floundering by Hernandez in the build-up to the home side's goal and was later booked for an ill-timed challenge on Rafael Leao.

After the game, we walked to the train station as the local Metro was closed… then when the trains did come, they were full. So another taxi ride back to the centre and then to the hotel.

The next day we left the hotel at 10 am; had a reasonably good night's sleep. A walk around Milan… a few Pit-stops for drinks and something to eat… then we left for the airport at about 4.30. The plane left at 9.55 pm (8.55 our time).

Arrived home at about 12 midnight.

Spurs 2 Spammers 0

This was a better result than the Milan game.

It seems we play Russian roulette with our games… it is very hard to predict because each game can throw up different surprises.

Before the game…

Before this match, there was a celebration of Harry Kane's achievements as he was handed a silver Boot trophy, with members of the Greaves family making the presentation.

Harry Kane is only the third player to reach 200 Premier League goals

In our previous home game, where we won 1-0 by beating City, Kane scored his 267th Spurs goal to take him above Jimmy Greaves' total and become the club's all-time record goalscorer.

Also, before kick-off, our fans in the South Stand spelt out the word 'Harry' with an impressive Tifo before the game, with Kane's children, wearing Spurs shirts that said 'Daddy 267' on the back, as they joined their dad on the pitch.

The game…

However, he could not find his 268th Tottenham goal, shooting wastefully wide with only Fabianski to beat midway through the second half from his only chance. But he did manage to record an assist with his pass through to Son, who had come on as a substitute.

Thoughts…

Our  wing-backs linked up for the game's first goal, with Ben Davies releasing Emerson Royal to score his second goal for the club.

The Bubble blowers had an immediate chance to equalise, but Jarrod Bowen's powerful effort was well saved by home goalkeeper Fraser Forster. Son scored four minutes after coming on when he raced onto Harry Kane's through ball and slotted a finish past Lukasz Fabianski.

We did think we deserved a 12th-minute penalty when Thilo Kehrer, standing close behind Richarlison and falling over, put his hand down and handled the ball. But on-field official Michael Oliver did not give that decision, with those in the VAR room not telling him to review the decision.

Ultimately, we ran out well-deserved winners against the Bubble-blowers as a controversial video assistant referee call did not come back to prove costly.

Chelski were beaten at home by struggling Southampton by one goal to nil.

Our victory puts us above Newcastle, who lost to Liverpool the day before, and in fourth. We are ten points behind second-placed City… easy-peasy… a possible League Trophy for us… only joking… we'll be lucky for a top-four place in the Russian roulette way we play.

The Spammers would have moved above both Bournemouth and Everton with a draw but remain in the bottom three after their first defeat in five matches in all competitions.

Cristian Stellini is undefeated as assistant manager when he has had to take over from Conte… either this club or other clubs where he has worked with the Italian.

Towards the end of the match, our home fans taunted the away supporters with chants of "West Ham are going down".

We are still in this season's Champions League but lost 1-0 away to AC Milan in Tuesday's last-16 first-leg tie, however, this result puts us in one of the four automatic qualifying spots for next season's tournament.

Next up…

Chelsea at the Lane… or if you prefer… the Tottenham stadium.

Chelsea, who are 10^th in the league… 31 points… Eleven points behind us… yes, eleven points behind us. Oh, we laugh… Old Graham Harry Potter doesn't seem to be able to work his magic as he did with Brighton… must have run out of wands. Saying that, though… I do worry about this match, as we've been inconsistent this season… and Chelski are our bogey team.

As for predicting this match…

God! I just hope we beat them and continue where we left off against our other London arrivals, the Spammers. So… I'll keep my mouth shut and fingers crossed.

My possible starting lineup:

Forster; Romero, Dier, Davies; Emerson, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Skipp, Perisic; Kulusevski, Son; Kane

Team News

We cannot call upon Hugo Lloris as he has been ruled out with a knee injury. Forster will again be in goal.

Bentancur and Yves Bissouma are still injured. So is Ryan Sessegnon with a thigh Injury.

Thoughts…

Yankee-Chelski aren't doing well with Graham-Harry Potter in charge, and there have been calls for his sacking (from Chelski fans)… however, I imagine he will be in charge this Sunday. Nevertheless, our adversaries (Arse, Chelski and the Bubble-blowing Spammers) usually raise their game against us. We drew against Potter's wanderers at Stamford Bridge and were humiliated by Charlie's Chocolate factory arse-lickers both home and away… hopefully, we can turn Harry Potter's gormless wanderers over.

I am not predicting… however, if I had a gun to my head, I would go for a 1-1 win. If undefeated Cristian Stellini is in charge… then I'll go for a stronger 2-1 win…

COYS!

Glenn