Spurs have a remarkable ability to find new ways of inflicting pain on their fanbase and they did it again on Saturday, petering out from a strong start into humiliating defeat. On the upside, they did get two goals. They were both late consolations, but beggars can’t be choosers.
Aston Villa were ruthless after capitalising in first-half added time to take the lead while Spurs were temporarily down to 10 men. In the second half, they were robust in defence and clinical on the counter, with supreme strikes from Nicolas Jackson and Emi Buendía. With Johan Manzambi the other goalscorer, these were pleasing signs for Unai Emery’s turbo-charged refit of his team.
Zion Suzuki was probably the man of the match and certainly the star of the opening half-hour after he made a series of saves to deny Spurs the goal they so clearly desired. The highlight perhaps was a double save from Sávio in the 11th minute, but he also denied Archie Gray with his heel quite spectacularly. All these saves added up to frustration in the ground and they began to affect the tone of the match.
Spurs’ supporters were getting a sense that it might be (another) one of those days and Villa’s players began to relax a little knowing they had a barrier behind them. With direct passes to Jackson regularly troubling the Spurs defence, a chance would surely fall their way. That moment arrived in added time and with one half of Spurs’ central defensive pairing – captain Micky van de Ven – receiving treatment on the touchline.
He had a cut on his cheek and was being mopped up as Buendía dinked yet another pass over the defensive line. It was partially dealt with, but Andy Robertson overplayed, sliding the ball blind to John McGinn. The Villa captain whipped the ball back into the box, Boubacar Kamara had his shot deflected and Manzambi was on hand to scoop a shot into the net from six yards out.
Roberto De Zerbi brought on Mohammed Kudus for the wishy-washy Mateus Fernandes at half-time and the mercurial Ghanaian lifted the roof off the stadium within 15 minutes of his arrival as he poked home from six yards out after an Robertson cross, only for VAR to pull it back for an offside on the Scotsman. It felt in the moment that was game over, so fragile was Spurs’ confidence. But there was time for Villa to turn the screw, with Jackson next to strike with a piece of predatory magic.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
