Jose Mourinho set up his team against Chelsea in such a way that it would have taken a minor miracle for them to overcome a team packed with youthful energy and genuine pace.
Spurs had a flat back four, with Jan Vertonghen at left-back and Serge Aurier at right-back against the brilliant Willian. Eric Dier partnered Moussa Sissoko in midfield.
There were problems immediately.
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Neither Dier nor Sissoko are good forward passers of the ball and neither have the ability to break a press and pick the lock with a fine through ball. Dele Alli can but he was forced to retreat from his No.10 position and essentially muck in alongside the pair, who were drowning under Chelsea’s pressure.
Vertonghen got nowhere near Mount or Willian throughout the game, making just two tackles, while Aurier was directly at fault for the first goal, needlessly heading a hopeful ball forward out for a corner and then switching off when it was taken, allowing the Brazilian to drift into the box and curl an effort past Paulo Gazzaniga.
Speaking of the goalkeeper, he had a moment that can best be described as the sheer zenith of stupidity. Marcos Alonso chased another ball over the top and the ex-Southampton man decided that, instead of using his hands, he should attempt to kung-fu the ball out of play and ended up kicking Alonso in a move that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a Wrestlemania main event.
Anthony Taylor, the referee, initially tried to give the decision as a Spurs free-kick – answers on a postcard, please – but VAR rightly intervened and Willian dispatched the penalty.
Then we had Son Heung-min taking leave of his senses too, deciding to kick out at Antonio Rudiger after being fouled. He was shown a straight red card.
No clues whatsoever: Which seasons do these iconic Spurs images belong to?
This was a cocktail of atrociousness from Spurs, who set up in a manner that did not allow them to exert any control on the game and then decided to throw it away just because they could.
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A win would have taken them into the top four at Christmas. Instead, they sit six points off the fourth-placed Blues.
It felt at times as though they hadn’t merely been punished with coal in their stocking but had, in fact, put it at the top of their list.
Meanwhile, Spurs fans have reacted to some massive news from the club’s official account.
In the never-ending, constantly refreshing soap opera that is football we can reasonably expect an entire decade to have thrown up all manner of controversies and memorable moments and sure enough these past ten years haven’t disappointed. In fact, when reminiscing through approximately 3800 Premier League matches – not to mention an untold number of off-the-pitch incidents – it’s difficult to know what to leave out.
In recent times we’ve been treated to our very own Cantona-esque rumpus when Luis Suarez got peckish and mistook Branislav Ivanovic for a shoulder of lamb. We’ve cringed at a manager meltdown not nearly as iconic as Kevin Keegan’s ‘love it’ rant but just as hilarious, such as when Nigel Pearson claimed he could impersonate an ostrich.
Elsewhere there has been a cornucopia of sensational giant-killings and extravagant goals and Mario Balotelli.
The five incidents below however have been chosen because they fit a key criteria. There we were just plodding through life when, from out of nowhere, we are transported to a land of unifying, stupefied wonder. Or Twitter. Usually it was Twitter.
A Bridge over troubled water
You just know we’re in for a tremendous decade when it begins with what The Guardian called a ‘sex caper’ that involves two England internationals and recent club team-mates.
In January 2010 Chelsea’s John Terry’s submission for a gagging order was refused in court and suddenly the word was publicly out that he had allegedly enjoyed an affair with Vanessa Perroncel, the long-term girlfriend of Wayne Bridge, a player who regarded his captain at the Bridge to be his ‘best friend’.
Understandably this startling development led to the British media having a field day while a nation recoiled in shock that the previously upstanding and angelic Terry could do such a thing, but if the bare facts were salacious enough football then intervened to spice the situation up further.
Having departed Chelsea a year earlier, Bridge’s Manchester City travelled to the capital soon after the scandal broke leaving everyone on tenterhooks as to whether the two would shake hands prior to the game. Terry for his part gingerly extended out an arm only to be brilliantly rebuffed. A nation – no longer shocked – cheered to the rafters.
Leicester and Aguero shake up the world
It is impossible to split these two truly seismic events because despite their considerable differences both entailed winning the league in exceptional circumstances. Both still catch the breath even now.
The Foxes were famously 5000-1 to win the Premier League at the beginning of 2015/16, the same return for Elvis being found alive or Barack Obama playing cricket for England on leaving the White House.
The season earlier Leicester had pulled off a ‘great escape’ from relegation’s clutches before appointing Claudio Ranieri, the ‘wrong man’ according to many.
What came next still doesn’t make sense. It defies all logic. It scoffs at reason and a lifetime of empirical knowledge. Yup, Gary Lineker presented Match of the Day in just his pants.
As for Manchester City’s late, late miracle, it was a title-deciding goal that wobbled the planet briefly off its axis. We will never see anything like this ever again. We drank it in.
Slippy G
“This does not slip,” Liverpool’s captain, leader and all-round legend Stevie Gerrard urged to a huddle of team-mates following a victory at Norwich that put Liverpool in pole position to win their first ever Premier League crown.
One week later Chelsea came to town with arch party pooper Jose Mourinho in tow and in first half stoppage time the ball is played across to Gerrard sitting deep as the last man. We all know what happened next. The mis-touch. The panicked clamour to re-address balance. We all know because it has subsequently been memed to kingdom come. We all know too what it ultimately meant.
Whose Line Is It Anyway: Roy Keane, Graeme Souness or Adrian Durham?
If a Hollywood script-writer had penned the fate and fortune of Stevie G throughout the spring of 2014 they would have been laughed out of every studio. It was all too apt; too perfectly cruel for even a screen villain to endure, never mind a legend.
Marriner all at sea
We’ve all had bad days at the office but only the very rare few can admit to dropping a clanger so mind-boggling it leads to a social media meltdown and accusations of racism.
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When Marriner mistakenly sent off Kieren Gibbs for the offence of being in the same team as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as Arsenal meekly surrendered to Chelsea, he surpassed Graham Poll’s three bookings dished out to Josip Simunic in 2006 and claimed the unwanted prize for the worst reffing blunder in recent times.
At least we think it was Marriner. It may have been Clattenburg. All officials look the same to us.
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Jose hands out rough treatment
Former Chelsea Football Club doctor Eva Carneiro arrives with her husband Jason De Carteret to attend a hearing for her constructive dismissal case against the club, at London South Employment Tribunal in Croydon, London, Britain March 7, 2016. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth Picture Supplied by Action Images
Jose Mourinho prowled the touchline during the two previous bombshells, no doubt smirking in that smirky manner that passes for a smile. Here though – on the opening day of 2015/16 – he very much took centre stage as Chelsea medic Eva Carneiro raced onto the pitch to treat an injured Eden Hazard.
With the Blues already a man down and protecting a draw against an up-for-it Swansea the sight of an eager club employee keeping a further player out of action for a short spell visibly incensed the Portuguese boss, so much so that he unleashed an unsavoury tirade in Carneiro’s direction on her return to the dug-out.
It was a public rebuking that drew widespread criticism at the time especially as Carnerio was simply doing her job and it only got worse during a consequent tribunal hearing. There it was revealed that Mourinho had called the medic a ‘daughter of a w****’. And they say the age of chivalry is dead.
Plenty of West Ham United supporters aren’t happy with the club’s board after it was revealed that Chelsea have made a rival offer for Benfica midfielder Gedson Fernandes (Sky Sports).
The Hammers had reportedly made a bid for the player before the Blues came in for him, offering an 18-month loan with an obligation to buy. However, according to Sky Sports, they were struggling to come to an agreement with Benfica about some conditions of the deal.
Because West Ham have taken their time in agreeing terms with the Liga NOS outfit it means that it has left the door open for Chelsea to make an approach and therefore the Irons may well end up missing out on him.
After seeing that their London rivals were now in the race to sign Fernandes, several Hammers fans were left fuming that they had dawdled with the deal, allowing other clubs to potentially steal the player from under their noses.
Indeed many took to Twitter to express their anger towards the board for failing to get a deal done quickly. Here is what some had to say…
West Ham fans, how frustrated would you be to miss out on signing Gedson Fernandes? Let us know in the comments below…
The sale of Scott Sinclair to Preston North End marked the end of a romanticised journey into Scottish football for the Bristol Rovers academy graduate.
Leaving with an iconic chant which will be immortalised on the Paradise terraces, a return of 62 goals in 167 games and three SPFL titles, Sinclair will be remembered as a genuine success story.
His failure to build on the form he displayed at Swansea City during the early stages of his Premier League career ultimately forced him north of the border, a decision others have also made in recent years.
Like Sinclair, Oliver Nthcam moved from Manchester City to Celtic, while last summer both Mohamed Elyounoussi and Fraser Forster joined the champions in search of the regular opportunities that eluded them at Southampton.
The former has been absent with injury in recent weeks but the form he showcased during the early stages of the season lends reason to believe he could become another Sinclair-esque success story.
Seven goals and six assists in 13 appearances across all competitions prove Neil Lennon has temporarily secured the services of a talented playmaker.
Discussion of whether he could become a permanent signing has already arisen in light of his electric form, with one fan asking Kieran Devlin, The Athletic’s Celtic correspondent, whether he believes Elyounoussi would be willing to take a wage cut to join the club.
According to Spotrac, the Norway international is currently earning a whopping £60,000 per week, which equates to roughly £3.1m per year. That may well be lower than Peter Lawwell’s reported £3.5m salary last season but there is no doubt the flying winger could be a significant drain on the club’s resources.
In response to the question, Devlin suggested Celtic may have to choose between Forster and Elyounoussi, who represents something of a pipe dream.
“I think Forster’s more likely to drop in wage than Elyounoussi – which I think, as highly as I rate him, might be a bit of a pipe dream. Might come to a point where Celtic have to decide on whether to splurge on Forster or Elyounoussi given the size of outlays they’ll likely command.”
Given Southampton paid £16m to sign him, his Champions League experience and a statistically tangible upsurge in form this season, it’s fair to assume he won’t be available for anything less than a premium price.
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That Devlin has suggested the potential move is an unrealistic ambition isn’t good news for the Hoops faithful, but Sinclair’s career proves that the home of the Scottish champions is a perfect environment for a failed Premier League player to reinvent themselves.
Perhaps that success story will resonate with Elyounoussi should an offer arrive come the end of the season.
Italian journalist Tancredi Palmeri has offered an update on Everton’s reported interest in Inter Milan midfielder Matias Vecino on Twitter.
What’s the latest?
Palmeri didn’t give too much away as he simply said that the Toffees have made contact with the Serie A outfit over a move, nevertheless the fact they have done it may suggest that the Merseyside outfit could be keen on bringing the 28-year-old to Goodison Park sooner rather than later.
The reliable Gianluca Di Marzio reported last week that Everton were keen on the Uruguay international, and it now appears as though they have initiated that initial correspondence, as per Palmeri.
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Di Marzio said at the time that Carlo Ancelotti took a liking to the South American star when he came up against him as Napoli manager.
Will he join this month?
It would certainly be a strange move in many ways.
While the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin and Gylfi Sigurdsson haven’t particularly impressed in the middle of the park with both coming under criticism from supporters on Twitter, the Toffees still have plenty of options there.
Call yourself an Everton expert? How much did each of these January signings cost?
Tom Davies, Fabian Delph and even Mason Holgate can play there with the latter shining in the draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford last month with a higher WhoScored rating than any of his teammates, while Andre Gomes has returned to training after fracturing his ankle against Tottenham in November, and Jean-Philippe Gbamin is also closing in on a return.
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In Ancelotti’s preferred 4-4-2 formation that would leave at least seven players fighting for two positions, and that is overkill to say the least if no-one is leaving before January 31st.
Everton may well want Vecino, but they would be better off waiting until the summer to see where they are at.
In other Everton news, one Toffees transfer target has liked an official Everton club post on Instagram…
As soon as the Championship fixture list was announced last summer, one game jumped right out as a key clash for Leeds United.
Leeds travel to Pride Park to face Derby County in their penultimate game of the season, and a lot could hang in the balance ahead of that match.
Of course, the recent history between the Rams and the Whites has that set up to be a spicy clash after spygate and the playoff semi-finals last season, but another element of intrigue has further fuelled the flames of this rivalry.
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The Athletic reported earlier this week that Leeds aren’t too happy with the EFL about Derby’s signing of Wayne Rooney and the role 32Red had to play in it.
The former Manchester United man’s move was financed by the gambling company who have provided an extra £1.5m of funding for the Rams to spend as they please.
The problem is that Leeds are also sponsored by 32Red, yet they haven’t received the same type of treatment. While that may be seen as a negative, it could also work in the Whites’ favour.
The Yorkshire side don’t have the pleasure of playing against Rooney until late April, and they should have no issues in being motivated for that one.
Alongside the revenge for last season’s playoffs and the spygate issue, Bielsa can gee his players up by asking them to go out there and win the right way, rather than using underhanded financial tactics to land marquee players as Derby have done.
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Leeds may have a history of falling apart late on in seasons, missing out on promotion last term, but it’s impossible to think that the players won’t be giving it their all for this match if Bielsa handles his team talk in the right way.
In other news, Andrea Radrizzani could be about to risk Leeds’ future with one financial gamble.
Christian Eriksen has been a wonderful servant to Tottenham over the years with 69 goals and 89 assists in 305 games for the club, so it is a little sad to see his time in North London end in an unsanctimonious fashion.
The Denmark international has been a shadow of his former self this campaign with six goal contributions in 28 appearances, and his attitude has made him no stranger to criticism from fans.
However, now his time as a Spurs player finally appears to be coming to an end – with the midfielder arriving in Milan ahead of a proposed move to Inter – a number of fans have reacted with sadness.
They have taken the opportunity to send him positive goodwill messages, showing their appreciation for the 27-year-old and what he contributed across a significant period of time, forming part of the teams that made the Champions League final and twice finished second in the Premier League.
It is a shame that Eriksen doesn’t have the silverware to show for his efforts over the years, as he is certainly worthy of it, often producing magnificent assists and goals during his time in North London, such as the countless free-kicks which found the back of the net.
A move to Italy should allow him to reinvigorate a career which has tailed off in recent months, and the opportunity to fight for the Serie A title could be good motivation.
Some supporters believe the move is exactly what he needs, and suggest it won’t take the playmaker long to recapture his previous form, and given he will be playing under a talented manager in Antonio Conte it is likely he will do exactly that.
The big fat Tottenham quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Spurs?
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Meanwhile, Spurs fans have also been reacting to the latest transfer target to be linked with a move to the Tottenham Stadium.
According to a recent report from Bild, Arsenal are among the clubs who are willing to rival Borussia Dortmund for Juventus’ Emre Can, while Tottenham and Manchester United are also expressing an interest.
If the Gunners do manage to scoop him up, there would be one clear winner and loser emerging as a result…
Quickfire Quiz: How much do you know about Arsenal’s history in the January transfer window?
Winner: Matteo Guendouzi
At first glance, Can’s potential arrival at the Emirates could very well spell trouble for the younger crop of players Mikel Arteta is grooming for the future.
And needless to say, Guendouzi is a player who could eventually blossom into a star. But despite being on the fringes at Juventus with just 279 minutes played in the ongoing campaign, Can is an experienced player who could potentially help Guendouzi develop in the near future.
The Germany international has already played for Liverpool and Bayern Munich, and not to mention that he can also boast international pedigree as well, having tallied 25 appearances for his national team.
Without a doubt, having such a presence alongside the young players in training can only help them in the long run.
Loser: Dani Ceballos
Soccer Football – Europa League – Group F – Arsenal v Standard Liege – Emirates Stadium, London, Britain – October 3, 2019 Arsenal’s Dani Ceballos celebrates scoring their fourth goal REUTERS/David Klein
One player who isn’t enjoying his football under Arteta is Dani Ceballos. Real Madrid’s midfielder has reportedly even contacted his parent club in hope of securing a possible early exit because he’s been largely frozen out of the squad as of late.
And granted, injuries have played their part as well but with him warming the bench in the last three out of four games in the Premier League and being completely left out of the squad in the other fixture, it’s pretty safe to say Arteta doesn’t appear to have him in his long term plans.
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The arrival of Can, however, might just put the final nail in his Arsenal coffin.
Ceballos is struggling as it is and a new signing in his position can only make matters worse for the young Spaniard.
Celtic fans have been reacting on Twitter after manager Neil Lennon said he will drop winger Marian Shved from their Europa League squad to Celtic TV, via Celts Are Here.
Hopes would have been high that the 22-year-old would make a big impression at Paradise after he arrived at the Scottish Premiership champions in the summer, having signed in January 2019 before being loaned back to Karpaty.
It hasn’t exactly worked out like that for the Ukraine international though, who has played just 35 minutes of football in all competitions under Lennon this term.
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The Northern Irish boss has explained why he feels the attacker is struggling, despite being in Scotland for more than six months now.
Lennon told Celtic TV, via Celts Are Here: “He’s found it difficult, he’s struggled with the English, in training, he’s not getting at the level as the rest of them are. He’s still a very talented player, but he’s still taking a bit more time to adapt.”
Some suggested that the 48-year-old is in the wrong with his comments about him struggling with the language, while also suggesting that he won’t improve unless he is given some playing time.
One fan suggested that the club now needs to rely on loanee Moi Elyounoussi to step up in Europe.
The Southampton player has missed the last two months through injury, but The Scottish Sun reported last week that the Norway international was due back in training on Friday.
Only real Celtic fans will get 100% on the Ultimate Hoops quiz. Test your knowledge below…
The 25-year-old scored seven goals and provided a further six assists in 13 appearances in all competitions prior to his problem.
One supporter was “gutted” for Shved, while two more went a step further with their comments which suggested this could be the end for the 22-year-old at Celtic Park.
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Given his lack of football under Neil Lennon, you would have to say that as things stand it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him go in the summer.
In other Celtic news, Hoops fans on Twitter were highly critical of one 22-year-old’s performance against Hamilton…
Speaking exclusively to Snack Media, Arsenal Women’s star Vivianne Miedema has revealed the north London side must be focused on achieving Champions League qualification for next season.
Having won the Women’s Super League last year by seven points, the Gunners are in the midst of a battle with Manchester City and Chelsea in a bid to retain their title.
Joe Montemurro’s side are three points behind current leaders City, and lie in third. And with only the top two teams in the division securing a place in European football’s elite competition, Miedema has insisted the Gunners must ensure they are playing Champions League football once again next season.
She said: “Before the season started, we already had said our main goal is qualifying for the the Champions League again. Right now, we’re still in the FA Cup, the Continental Cup, and in the title race.
“But I think our focus should be on qualifying for the Champions League again next year because in the end, that’s what you want. You want to play Champions League, you want to match yourself with the best teams in Europe and from there on, everything else is a bonus.”
Whilst news that the Women’s Super League will receive a third Champions League place for the 2021/2022 campaign will be well received, Arsenal will be well aware that they face an incredibly tough task this year to make it into the competition for next season.
Despite having Miedema continue to find the back of the net at an extraordinary rate – she is averaging a goal every 81 minutes in the league this campaign – the Gunners have seen their title defence stall in recent weeks.
The north Londoners have suffered damaging defeats to both their title rivals, losing 4-1 to Chelsea, and then falling to a 2-1 reverse to City.
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The margin for error now is extremely slim, and Miedema in particular will have to be at the top of her game if the Gunners are to retain their trophy.
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