Tottenham 3 Swansea City 1

Spurs moved level on points with Arsenal following their win over Swansea.  In an entertaining game, Swansea drew level in the second half but Spurs regained control with two headed goals from Emmanuel Adebayor.

Tottenham Hotspur 3  Swansea City 1

                       Scorers: Van der Vaart, Adebayor (2)               Sigurdsson

Team: Friedel; Walker, Kaboul, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto (Rose); Van der Vaart (Livermore), Parker, Sandro (Lennon), Modric, Bale; Adebayor  Subs: (unused) Cudicini, Saha, Defoe, Nelsen 

Spurs were comfortable winners over a Swansea side who have been impressive in recent away matches, winning four times in the League since January.  Both sides looked to play passing football but Spurs worked hard and often the visitors gave the ball away in dangerous positions, putting themselves under additional pressure.  Gareth Bale was a constant problem to Swansea and especially in the second half after they had equalised.  It was from a period of sustained pressure led by Bale that Spurs went ahead and added a third.

Harry Redknapp sent out the same team which had been so impressive in their draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last weekend.  Brad Friedel returned, as did Younes Kaboul and William Gallas in central defence while Sandro replaced Jake Livermore who had played in midweek against Bolton in the FA Cup.  Aaron Lennon returned to the bench after a period out through injury.   

Swansea started brightly with good possession but Spurs worked hard to close them down and restricted them in any serious attacking threat.  Gradually, Spurs started to make greater use of their possession with their passing being more accurate.  Luka Modric linked well with Emmanuel Adebayor who set up Rafael Van der Vaart but his shot was deflected wide.  Swansea responded well with the former Spurs player, Wayne Routledge, shooting wide.  Gareth Bale was beginning to cause problems on the left and his cross to the near post was touched wide by Adebayor.

 On nineteen minutes,  Modric sent Bale free on the left and his cross to Adebayor was cut out by a defender but it fell to Van der Vaart to shoot from the edge of the penalty area giving Vorm no chance.  Spurs continued to be the more dangerous in attack and from a corner Kaboul's header was well saved by the goalkeeper.  Again Swansea responded with a header over from a corner, showing that they could pose a threat if Spurs lowered their standards.

In the final quarter of an hour to the interval, Spurs had a number of attempts on goal without troubling the goalkeeper - twice Bale shot over after good link up play and then in the last minute Modric shot past the post.

Early in the second half, Sigurdssen warned Spurs with a great shot that forced Friedel into a wonderful save at full stretch.  Then after fifty four minutes he did score, his sixth goal in Swansea's last five away matches.  Swansea deserved their goal for their hard work and passing and for a time they took a measure of control but then Spurs regained their momentum with Bale creating problems for the visitors' defence.  Following patient work and passing by Spurs, Bale put in a cross to the near post but Van der Vaart's header was saved by Vorm.  Then Bale had a shot saved from twenty yards and following a good forward run by Kaboul, Adebayor's weak shot was saved.

Spurs were gradually building up the pressure as Bale, on the left, took the opportunity to run at the defence and put in a number of dangerous crosses.  From one, as Adebayor waited, a defender cleared for a corner which Bale headed towards goal but it was cleared for another corner.  Again, Van der Vaart took the corner, and this time he found Adebayor who rose above the defence to head home and Spurs were ahead after seventy three minutes.  It was the first goal Spurs had scored from 134 corners in the League - an amazing statistic.

Spurs continued to be the more threatening and could have added further goals but it wasn't until four minutes from time that following a run and shot by Bale, that was saved, the ball went out to Aaron Lennon and his cross was headed home by Adebayor.  In added time Kaboul put in two blocking tackles to deny Swansea but Spurs had secured their first win in six Premier League games.

Spurs maintained their undefeated home record against Swansea, having won the last fourteen matches between the clubs at White Hart Lane.  More importantly, for the current team, they are level on points with Arsenal and five points clear of both Chelsea and Newcastle United.  Sunderland await at the Stadium of Light next weekend.
 

Spurs Home Record Against Swansea

Tottenham meet Swansea in the League at White Hart Lane for the first time since season 1982-83.  It will be the first Premier League meeting and only the third game played in the top flight of English football.  They have met on thirteen previous occasions in the League with eleven of the matches being in the old 2nd Division.

Swansea have never won in the League at White Hart Lane - Spurs have won their last ten home matches against Swansea and will be hoping to maintain that record as they endeavour to hunt down Arsenal and a third place finish to the season.  Swansea were difficult opponents on New Year's Eve at the Liberty Stadium and will again be looking to upset Spurs in their first season in the Premier League which sees them in tenth position with 39 points.

Added interest to the game is the media speculation that the Swansea manager, Brendan Rodgers, may be a candidate for the position at White Hart Lane, should Harry Redknapp accept an offer to manage England.  My view on such an appointment is that while Rodgers has had an excellent season with Swansea, I'd prefer to see how he copes next season when opponents have a better understanding of how his team will play.

Home League Record against Swansea 

P  13  W  11  D  2  L  0  For  42  Ag  10  

Last Home League Match against Swansea 

Feb. 1983  1st Div.  Won  1 - 0  Crooks

Swansea were relegated after only two seasons in the 1st Division while Spurs were to finish fourth behind Liverpool, Watford and Manchester United.  Having lost in Swansea earlier in the season Spurs were grateful to the Garth Crooks goal which gave them the three points, heading in from a cross by Terry Gibson.

Previous League Matches at White Hart Lane

May, 1982  1st Div.  Won 2 - 1  Brooke (2) (1 pen)

In their first season in the 1st Division Swansea, after winning promotion in three successive seasons, had a very credible year, finishing in 6th position.  Spurs were fourth behind Liverpool, Ipswich and Manchester United with Arsenal fifth.  Spurs had lost at Swansea in late September but two Garry Brooke goals won them the points at White Hart Lane.  

Dec. 1949  2nd Div.  Won 3 - 1  Bennett, Duquemin (2)

Spurs won promotion as Arthur Rowe's 'Push and Run' side with Bill Nicholson, Ron Burgess, Eddie Baily and Alf Ramsey started out on their way to two successive championships.  Spurs fans were hard to please even in those days as they felt the team had an 'off-day'.  Spurs hit the woodwork twice and had two near misses before Len Duquemin headed them into the lead after fifteen minutes.  Swansea drew level after an hour but two rather fortunate goals, resulting from goalkeeping errors, scored by Les Bennett and Duquemin gave them the win.

Jan. 1947  2nd Div. Won 3 - 1  Bennett, Dix, Whitchurch

Swansea were relegated at the end of the season.  Charlie Whitchurch was a winger who made eight League appearances for Spurs, scoring twice and his goal against Swansea was the second of these.  He played in the next match which was to be his last for Spurs, being released at the end of the season.

Three Memorable Wins

Nov. 1931  2nd Div.  Won 6 - 2  Davies (2), Hunt, O'Callaghan, W.Evans (2)

Spurs and Swansea first met in season 1928-29 and on two of their first three visits to White Hart Lane, Swansea earned a point.  That changed, however, in 1931-32, when they suffered a heavy defeat to a Spurs side which scored 87 League goals that year.  It was a memorable day for Willie Evans who made his debut at outside-left (left wing), scoring twice.  George Hunt, 'Taffy' O'Callaghan and Willie Davis (2) scored the other goals.  It could have been worse for Swansea, Port Vale were the next visitors and they lost 9 - 3.

Dec. 1932  2nd Div.  Won 7 - 0  O'Callaghan, Hunt (2), Greenfield (2), W. Evans (2) (1 pen)

Swansea's next visit was even worse as Spurs headed towards promotion, finishing second behind Stoke City. George Greenfield who scored twice was a young player but having become established in the team, he broke his leg in the next match against Fulham and never fully recovered.  Willie Davies scored 28 goals in the League, eleven from the penalty spot.

Nov. 1935  2nd Div.  Won 7 - 2  Fulwood (pen), Morrison (2), G.W.Hall (3), W.Evans

Swansea were not finding White Hart lane a welcoming ground with their third successive heavy defeat.  Although the personnel had changed from the earlier matches, Spurs remained dominant and were 3 - 1 ahead at the interval.  Willie Davies who had scored twice for Spurs in 1931 was now with Swansea and played on their right wing.  This wasn't Spurs biggest home win of the season as they defeated Southampton 8 - 0 the following March.

Spurs will be looking for a win tomorrow to draw level on points with Arsenal but a win similar to the 1930s results would be very acceptable and enable them to reclaim third on goal difference.  Here's hoping.