| Match report
In a game Spurs came from
behind in to draw level and could have gone on to win, they had to
settle for a point, which, they doggedly managed despite playing 40
minutes with ten men, after the referee dismissed Davinson Sanchez.
Watford were the more physical side, but, despite conceding double
the amount of free-kicks for fouls that Tottenham had and having
kicked Harry Kane from pillar to post, they finished with eleven
men, but still only one point.
Mauricio Pochettino changed
the formation to start the match to a 4-1-4-1 line-up, probably to
provide a bit of protection by Eric Dier in front of a flat back
four. Attacking on the flanks with Davies and Trippier, their
play going forward was utilised soon on, with Dier setting Trips
away and the ball in was a good one, with Harry Kane just put off by
Prodl, with the ball missed and Harry hitting the post himself,
leaving him needing a little time for recovery. Spurs were
probing to find a way through, but were undone by a simple goal from
a set-piece when Kabasele rose highest to head down past Lloris from
a corner and once more Tottenham would have to come back from
behind. They hadn't made a slow start, but a simple defensive
situation meant they had to come back from behind again.
Dembele, Son and Eriksen
almost hit back straight away, but the ball was bundled away and
when Watford won a free-kick in the Spurs defensive third, this time
Davies won the ball to defend it better, with Atkinson giving
offside against Watford despite it coming off a Tottenham player.
The home side were looking to hit Spurs on the break very quickly,
with Richarlison and Zeegelaar keen to run at the white shirts,
while Atkinson failed to punish fouls on Dier and Alli before Davies
blocked an overhead kick by Richarlison after a long throw in had
been flicked on at the near post. Spurs played a long diagonal
ball that ended with Kane hitting a cross that went over Kabasele's
head, but Dele just failed to get on the end of it and that was the
start of a little spell of attacking by Spurs that was eased by the
referee giving a cheap free-kick against Dier.
Spurs were hesitant in
defence, with Jan leaving a bouncing ball in the box just a few
yards out and Lloris had to come for it, with Richarlison claiming a
penalty as Davies prevented him reaching the ball, but sweeping
forward to the other end of the pitch, Eriksen found himself on the
right wing and his low, measured cross provided Heung-Min Son the
easy task of netting the ball from close range. While Watford
raged they might have had a second, Tottenham moved the ball quickly
as they did regularly last season and intelligent play brought the
equaliser with some simple football.
There was a claim for a
Spurs penalty when a ball into the box appeared to hit a hand, but
you wouldn't expect Atkinson to help Spurs out, so they had to keep
trying to find a way past the Watford two banks of four who got back
behind the ball as soon as they lost possession. Once again,
the close attention on Watford players on the ball saw Spurs make
strides going forward, with Trippier having two goes at crossing to
a Spurs team-mate, but the first was blocked and the second was
taken by Gomes. The pressure was building and Cleverley
unsubtly brought down Dele as he got away from him and was shown a
yellow card. They did get away with Kiko involved in providing
a shooting chance for Doucoure, whose 25 yarder flashed by the post,
but Mousa Dembele's presence saw him turning players left and right
to build moves, which Watford had to defend stoically. Davies
went close with a shot from the edge of the box after a free-kick
had been recycled, then he had to be alert to clear a cross from
Zeegelaar, with player poised behind him.
There was one last chance
before half-time for Spurs, with Prodl fouling Dele, but, once more,
Spurs failed to make much from a dead ball situation, with Harry
hitting it way over the goal. The half-time break gave an
opportunity to assess what had gone on in that half, with
Eriksen playing more like we are used to than in previous matches,
Dele was more involved and the defence were a little more solid but
that was only after letting in a goal that should have been defended
better,
The start of the second half
was pretty frantic, with quick passes, fouls and a booking for
Kabasele, who had a few nibbles before finally getting cautioned.
A red card was flashed soon after when the fourth official saw
Richarlison flattened by an elbow from Davinson on the halfway line.
The ball had been played forward quickly from a Spurs free-kick
which was cleared, but it didn't look intentionally to take the
Watford forward out, but an arm across him that he made the
most of. Losing a man made it hard for Spurs to get anything
out of, especially when Kabasele brought down Kane and already on a
yellow, Atkinson did not punish him further. It didn't stop
Tottenham pushing forward and Eriksen almost got in on the edge of
the six yard box, but Gomes got there first.
Once more Kabasele brought
down Kane, in what was becoming boringly consistent, which Atkinson
wasn't. Son then went down under a late challenge from
Zeegelaar, but not even a free-kick was awarded. It allowed
Watford to go on and put a cross that flashed across goal.
They pressed forward and now a corner, but a foul in the box
(actually given) relieved the pressure for Tottenham. The
Hornets piled men forward for another corner and Doucoure struck a
drive from 25 yards and curled it onto the inside of the post and
the ball came out, with Hugo stuck motionless. It prompted the
manager to replace Kabasele, who looked likely to get sent off.
Not that it would have been likely, as Atkinson failed to even speak
to Prodl after he left Kane in a heap, with Pochettino going mad on
the line. Pereyra tried to win up Dele before a free-kick was
played out to Trippier, who skied his cross. Sissoko had
replaced Eriksen, as Spurs tried to stiffen up the spine of the
team.
Tottenham were working the
ball forward well, with Trips getting away on the right, from where
he floated a ball in, which brought Gomes out to it. No Spurs
player went for it, but Mariappa collided with the keeper laying him
out and bringing the physios rushing on. It was a fortunate
break in play, as Spurs were developing a good tempo and the home
side broke that. The game was still getting feisty, with
Vertonghen grabbing Carrillo as he looked to get away from him and
the Belgian went into the book. The free-kick produced a break
for Tottenham who were nearly through, but Mariappa got a touch to
take the ball out for a throw.
It was another break that
saw Sissoko win a corner, but they were denied a player to aim for
when Zeegelaar hauled down Dele off the ball and Atkinson went back
and booked the Watford man. It didn't help Spurs, as the
yellow shirts forced a corner, which Richarlison almost got on the
end of in the second phase, but Poch brought on Lamela for Son in an
attacking change rather than bringing on another defensively minded
player. There were two rows of four as Spurs set up with Kane
as the outlet up top, but Watford had a cross over everyone by
Carrillo and then Capoue tried a shot from outside the box that was
straight into Lloris' midriff.
Both teams were turning the
ball over as they looked tired, so, when a corner came in from
Cleverley with five minutes left, it was important that Lloris was
focused to come and take the ball in the air. Play was very
untidy and when Davies stood on the ball, it looked like Carrillo
might have a chance to create something, but Hugo grabbed the ball
and then Trippier was fouled badly by Zeegelaar, which should have
been another yellow, but was only a free-kick. A huge shout
for a penalty came for a foul on Kane (nothing unusual there this
afternoon), but it was hacked clear and Lloris came for it.
Tottenham then raced up the other end, Watford broke and won a
corner, which Kieran cleared for a throw. Another one
was conceded by Lamela, but the long throw into the area was
defended well. The ball was being played wide by Watford, but
the crosses were not finding their targets, although they claimed a
penalty against Dier for handball when Richarlison put the ball
across. And one more throw was taken before the
end of the game came.
Pochettino marched on the
pitch at the end of the pitch to confront the referee about his
shameful performance and both teams and mangers were forming a queue
to ask him what he was doing out there today. Under the
circumstances, a draw wasn't a bad result, but there was only one
winner and that was Martin Atkinson, who will not be punished for
what was a performance full of errors and poor decision making.
His lack of consistency was alarming and if this is the best that
the Professional Game Match Officials Limited can produce for top
flight matches, then they may well be not fit for purpose.
Just who do referees answer to ? Nobody it seems.
As for the Tottenham
performance, it was improved on the last three matches. After
conceding a gimme, they crafted a good equaliser and looked on top
until Sanchez's dismissal. Then it was backs to the wall
defending with a changed formation, but they still looked to win the
match and had a few chances to do so. There will be massive
changes for Wednesday's game against APOEL, with the defence needed
for next Saturday's visit by Stoke and then Brighton a few days
later. Lamela's continued return is a plus and if we can
tighten up to stop us going a goal behind, it could be a decent
December, after a poor November.
Patrick
Hanrahanrahan |
