ANATOMY OF A MURDER
We lost three matches. We deserved to win one.
When last I posted, we’d just lost away to Newcastle, the first of four successive defeats we’ve suffered during a brutal run-in. Given our form, the losses weren’t surprising. But we were robbed in one of them, which wasn’t surprising given recent history.
April 28, North London Derby
I was surprised Ange started both Højbjerg and Bentancur in place of Bissouma and Sarr. We know Højbjerg, who’s admittedly done decently of late, has a penchant for the occasional howler, and his own goal 15 minutes was the kind of mistake that seemed utterly predictable.
We were denied an equalizer five minutes later when Maddison’s free kick found Romero on the far post. As our vice captain jumped, Tomas Partey shoved him with both arms and without a hint of trying to play the ball, a clear foul that would also have been flagged as face guarding in the NFL. Romero managed a header that found the post, and Partey, who’s no stranger to getting away without punishment, escaped the penalty he deserved.
We looked to have scored two minutes later when Romero’s long-distance effort was blocked and fell to Mickey van de Ven behind Arsenal’s line. The defender drilled it past Raya, but VAR would deem him offside and disallow the goal. I can see why it was disallowed, but we’ve seen goals like that allowed, and one wonders where VAR was when Romero was fouled.
Nevertheless, at that point, Spurs were in the ascendancy, and an equalizer looked to be in the cards. And then, unsurprisingly, referee Michael Oliver botched another one.
As Kulusevski darted into the box in the 27’, Trossard clipped his foot and sent him stumbling. Because he’s not Bukayo Saka, Deki tried to play on but was unfooted by the clip. And again, Oliver did nothing. Arguably, a second foul occurred a split-second later as Maddison pounced onto the loose ball in the box and Rice swung his foot at him, sending him to the ground. Again, Oliver remained mute. With two of our boys on the pitch, Arsenal was allowed to launch a counter that culminated in a goal for Saka.
By the rules of the game and VAR, Spurs should have been awarded a penalty and Saka’s goal should’ve been erased. This was a scenario we all saw coming when VAR was introduced. It had yet to happen in the Premier League, and Oliver seemed intent on not letting it happen on his watch, rules be damned.
Even NBC color commentator and ex-Arsenal defender Lee Dixon, who spends every week remiding viewers he hates Tottenham, admitted it was a clear penalty. During halftime, Robbie Earle said VAR was not “able” to get Oliver to go watch a replay on the sidelines. If he meant that literally—that Oliver had been urged to watch a review and refused to do so—then Oliver should be suspended.
The crew at Sky Sports, who have been bashing Spurs since the Pochettino years, noted that 63% of viewers felt the foul on Deki was a penalty.
At that point, if we’re being honest, Spurs should’ve had two penalty kicks and Arsenal just one goal. Instead, it was 0-2.
And then it was 0-3 when Arsenal scored another header, this one off an Arsenal head and aided by Ben White obstructing Vicario, just as he did on the own-goal. Let’s be honest: White has been fouling keepers all season or worse and getting away with it.
Think I’m just saying this because I’m part of the COYS community? Well, we’re not the only one’s who’ve noticed. To anyone being honest, it should be reasonable to ask why White can routinely body block keepers without any intent to play the ball while the Arsenal keeper is afforded disproportionate protection.
Despite holding a three-goal lead at halftime, however, Arsenal found themselves barely holding on to win by a goal. Let us have a word about Cristian Romero. He was brilliant not just defensively but in how he took over the match in the final third during the second half. My pick for our USMOTM, he deked Raya into a mistake in the 64th minute and then booted it past the keeper to make it 1-3.
And then, just like that, it was 2-3 after Rice very clearly, obviously, in the full light of day fouled Ben Davies in the box. Yet, again, Michael Oliver did nothing except wave his arms dismissively for play to continue. This time, VAR interceded, the obvious infraction was called, and Sonny converted from the spot with a perfect take in the 87th. Game on.
Alas, the Oliver-abetted 3-goal deficit would prove too much to overcome. The Arsenal players celebrated at the final whistle as if they’d won Champions League, and I’ll be honest: I felt a little sorry for them. They were outplayed and escaped with a win only through a serious of officiating blunders.
And, yes, outplayed they were. The stats are pretty clear on this. We were the progressive team and largely bossed the match. After the match, Arteta himself admitted Tottenham had prevented his team from playing the match they’d wanted to play.
So at this point, it become fair to ask: Why has the league been handling Arsenal with kid gloves while they continue to disproportionately deny Tottenham penalty kicks despite Spurs being among the leaders all season long in final-third touches. With just two PKs awarded to us this year, it’s been almost as bad as the 2012-13 season, when Bale was the best player in the league yet we weren’t awarded a single penalty all season long.
It becomes fair to ask: Why the hypocrisy? Why are Arteta (who apparently has a free pass to stand and whine wherever he wants along the sideline) and his side treated like the darlings of the league—remember when they were allowed to reschedule the NLD because they had one player with COVID, the same season we were not allowed to reschedule a UEFA match dispite having many players who tested positive?—when Spurs are held to a higher standard than anyone else.
Personally, I think it’s yet more evidence of the rigid social stratification of the Premier League, something that may be deeply rooted in British society. The “name” teams get passes. Spurs, who’ve been overachieving against their wage sheet for more than a decade, are the interlopers, the house breakers, the noisy neighbors, the team that dares punch above its weight. The establishment spent eight years telling us Kane was both (1) not good enough for a “top” team and (2) destined to leave Spurs for a “top” team. They spent years salivating over when Pochettino would leave us. They’ll surely do the same with Ange.
Yet we’re told Arsenal, who collect sponsorship money from not one but two sportswashing regimes, are doing things “the right way.” One of those sponsors is also the lead sponsor of the FA, and if you don’t think that has the slightest bit of influence over matters on the pitch, I congratulate you for making it this far in life while being so naïve.
Regardless, we came out of the NLD—one in which we were fouled thrice in the box and only one incident called, and in which Arsenal committed obsctruction on two of their goals and should’ve had the other one wiped out by VAR—with our Champions League chances on life support.
May 2, away to Chelsea
Actually, I don’t have much to say about this one. We were poor, flat, lifeless. Against an “undermanned” Chelsea squad—and we should use that word loosely, as they’ve spent plenty over the years to afford sufficient cover—our midfield of Bissouma, Sarr, and a centrally-located Deki was especially poor, and our front three continued to struggle. Fair play to the Financial Fair Play mess that Chelsea are; they deserved the three points.
I’ll also throw this out there: I don’t care for the Pochettino bashing among our ranks. He may have been the best manager we’d had since Billy Nic. He made a lot of us believe again. He took us to heights we hadn’t seen in a generation or more. We overachieved massively under him, and Levy’s message to him was—that’s nice, now keep overachieving. Poch wasn’t backed until it was too late, then we fired him for his failure to keep working miracles.
I get the distaste of seeing him on the Chelsea sidelines, but we must remember he didn’t grow up a Spurs fan—or even on the same side of the Atlantic. Those who expect him, a top-level, professional manager, to harbor the same anti-Chelsea sentiment that lifelong supporters have had are being unrealistic, in my opinion.
The USMOTM from that match? No one.
May 5, away to Liverpool
Well, we’ve been hearing about the reverse fixture at our stadium ever since. Supporters of Victim FC have been so fervently bemoaning the incorrectly disallowed Luis Diaz goal for that they conveniently overlooked how Gakpo’s goal in the same half was initiated by a free kick incorrectly awarded to Liverpool. (Go back and watch it; Destiny Udogie won the challenge and was fouled, yet he was whistled for a foul.) I never felt a second’s worth of guilt from that match. 2-1 was the fair result.
And 4-2 was a fair result for Liverpool this time around. Unlike the Arsenal match, Liverpool earned that huge lead. Lacking both Udogie and Ben Davies, both out for the season now, Ange started Royal at left back, and the results were, predictably, disastrous.
At least we showed some fight and drew two back in the second half. I think these final stages of the season have showed Sonny cannot be counted on to be a first-choice number 9 going forward. I love the guy and hope we sign him to an extension, but he doesn’t have the skill set to be a consistent striker in Ange’s setup. Richarlison’s second-half introduction turned the match around a bit, and for his G and A, he gets USMOTM honors for us at Anfield.
But again, can we talk about what it takes for players wearing Tottenham shirts to win penalties? I mean, how about when one is kicked in the head, as poor Brennan Johnson was in the box, a dangerous play if there ever was won?
Oh, that’s right: It’s okay for Liverpool players to do that to us.
Speaking of Skippy, he did quite well when brought on to take Royal’s spot as emergency left back. Truthfully, his cameo here was a bit of a revelation. While I’d not want to count on him as cover for Udogie on the left, perhaps he can deputize for Porro next season? As crazy as it might sound, Ange’s requirements of inverted fullbacks who tuck in as hybrid-10s in possession, may draw a Venn diagram with Skipp’s skill set.
***
Finally, what the hell were you thinking, Tomas Tuchel? You have the best and most complete center forward in the world—one known for hold-up play and defensive clearances—and you pull him off the pitch at 85’ while defending a one-goal lead in the Bernabéu? If anything, the two-goal collapse your team then suffered may have let you off easy. What if Real had scored just one goal and then you had to play ET and go to penalty shootouts without your legendary number 9?
The only question is who choked more: Tuchel or Michael Oliver.
That’s all I’ve got.
Next up: We host Burnley on Saturday. I look forward to yet another low block.