Stoke City 2 Tottenham 1

Tottenham's unbeaten run came to an end at Stoke in a game where Spurs struggled defensively to cope with the home side's tactics but in the end were denied the opportunity of a comeback by a poor performance from the referee.

Stoke City 2 Tottenham 1

Scorers:  Etherington (2)                Adebayor (pen)

Team: Friedel; Walker, Kaboul, Gallas, Assou-Ekotto (Bassong); Lennon (Defoe), Parker, Modric, Bale; Van der Vaart (Giovani dos Santos), Adebayor.  Subs (unused): Gomes, Corluka, Sandro, Pienaar

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Tottenham's unbeaten run was ended by two goals from former player, Matthew Etherington, and the team's inability to cope with the home side's high ball tactics from throw ins and set-pieces.  The fact that Stoke were assisted by a poor refereeing performance from Chris Foy sounds like sour grapes but his leniency to their style of play and his blind spot for offences in their penalty area gave them a considerable advantage in the second half when Spurs were in command.

The only change in the team saw the return of Rafael Van der Vaart in place of Jermain Defoe.  Ledley King was still absent through injury.

Stoke started very quickly with a high pressure game giving Spurs no time on the ball and constantly harrying them.  As against Fulham, Brad Friedel had to make a sharp save in the opening minute to prevent Spurs going behind as Assou-Ekotto's headed clearance from a throw in fell to Etherington.  Unfortunately, Spurs didn't learn from this and were under constant pressure with defenders failing to clear the ball properly as they were having to simply kick it away as Stoke gave them no time to play it out as they usually like to do.  Often the ball was going out for throw-ins and Spurs weakness was immediately highlighted as the pressure built up on them.

In the past Spurs have had additional taller players in the team, Vedran Corluka and Peter Crouch, which eased the pressure but on this occasion they were struggling as a team and were now finding it extremely difficult to cope with former player, Crouch.  They stood off him and let him play the ball as he wished and Spurs paid the penalty after thirteen minutes.  Crouch had seemed to handle the ball as he controlled it but looked to have been shepherded away from danger by William Gallas.  From close to the line, at the near post, however, he managed to squeeze the ball between Friedel's legs, and it reached Etherington who scored.

Stoke continued to dominate and the Spurs defenders were under constant pressure and continually gave the ball away.  When they did get the ball to their midfield players, they found themselves surrounded by a the hard working Stoke players and lost the ball or gave it away with poor passing.  Spurs only forward progress was a couple of long range efforts which were saved comfortably.  It was on the half hour that Spurs started to exert some pressure and Aaron Lennon who switched to the right got a chance to take on Jonathan Woodgate who brought him down.  Woodgate was booked.  This heartened Spurs and they had much more possession and control but were unable to create any clear cut chances as Stoke were quite content to have all eleven men back behind the ball.  Another Spurs attack was stopped when Woodgate floored Scott Parker but the referee just allowed play to carry on as Spurs were in possession and took no further action against the Stoke defender.

Just as it seemed Spurs had enough control to get to the interval with no further mishaps, Stoke broke and from another throw in, Walters headed on and Etherington was following up to score his second, two minutes from half-time.

Harry Redknapp brought on Sebastien Bassong for Assou-Ekotto and replaced Lennon with Defoe.  Lennon was unfortunate to be taken off, Van der Vaart would have been more deserving of being replaced.  Stoke started as in the first half but Spurs were somewhat more composed and gradually started to gain possession and started to put the Stoke defence under pressure.  Bale was causing problems with running from deep and as Spurs built up a momentum, there was some encouragement for them.  On the hour after a period of sustained pressure, Luka Modric took the ball into the area and was brought down.  A penalty - Emmanuel Adebayor scored, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Spurs were now in the ascendancy but good goalkeeping by Thomas Sorensen who saved from Parker and poor refereeing by Mr Foy and his assistant, kept Stoke in the game.  Spurs should have had another penalty within four minutes of the first when Kaboul was pulled down as he went for the ball at the resulting corner.  After this mayhem, Kaboul was booked for protesting.  Another hectic spell of Spurs pressure saw Defoe claim a penalty, Kaboul have a shot cleared off the line by Shawcross' arm and then an Adebayor goal in the follow up disallowed for off-side, which he wasn't. 

Sorensen saved from Van der Vaart and Modric and then in a rare break, Kaboul fouled Walters and was sent off for receiving a second yellow card with ten minutes remaining.  This took the impetus from Spurs and it was only at this point that the referee warned Stoke about taking so long over throw-ins and set-pieces.  Rather late as they had been doing it all afternoon to disrupt the flow of the game.  Even the five minutes of added time didn't make up for it.  In the closing minutes Stoke could have increased their lead when Shawcross was left unmarked at two identical corners - Friedel saved the first while the second went over after hitting the bar.

The refereeing situation is best summed up in a report from SB Nation:

'Knowing that Chris Foy wouldn't dare give Spurs another penalty so quickly, Stoke began fouling in the penalty box, breaking up attacks by simply barging players off the ball or kicking them quite hard. Foy and his crew were completely unable to cope, and lost control of the match entirely. There was one ten second spell where Tottenham were denied two penalties, a Stoke red card (Ryan Shawcross elbowed the ball off the line) and had a completely legitimate Adebayor goal disallowed for offside. It was, as they say in the business, a complete farce.'

Spurs run was bound to come to an end and this match with Stoke was where it was most likely to happen.  No one player was at fault, rather it was the team.  They were clearly unprepared to cope with Stoke's high intensity play and their use of the high ball.  They failed to cope with Peter Crouch, something I would have expected Spurs to have been able to do having played with him for two seasons.  The former Tottenham players were obviously well motivated for the game but it was disappointing that this was the match Etherington managed to score his first goals of the season and that Stoke scored their first goals of the season from throw-ins.

Spurs have coped with Stoke's tactics in the past two seasons but were clearly unable to do so today.  The team will now have to regroup and show that they can overcome this setback and start another run through Christmas and into the New Year.

They Played for Spurs and Stoke

Stoke City currently have four former Tottenham players in their squad with three of them moving directly from Spurs to the Brittania Stadium.  Previously, it was less common for direct transfers to occur, more often the players appeared at both clubs at some period in their careers.

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As with QPR and Fulham, the Stoke squad contains a number of former Spurs players.  In the preview for the game against Stoke, I mentioned the importance of those players to Stoke's current team.

Matthew Etherington joined Spurs in a joint deal with Simon Davies from Peterborough United on New Year's Day, 2000.  He was valued at £500,000 but failed to establish himself during his three years at the club.  He made 51 League appearances for Spurs (28 as a substitute) - scoring once in the League against Everton and twice in the Cup.  He joined West Ham United in August, 2003 as part of the deal which brought Fredi Kanoute to Spurs.  In January, 2009 he joined Stoke and has helped the club become established in the Premier League, reach last season FA Cup Final and compete in the Europa League.  One of the reasons for Stoke's disappointing performance at Wembley against Manchester City was that Etherington had rushed back from injury and was not fully fit.

Jonathan Woodgate has had his career blighted by injury at Leeds United, Newcastle United, Real Madrid, Middlesbrough and Spurs.  He joined Spurs from Middlesbrough in January, 2008 for £7.5 million and became an instant hero when he scored the winning goal against Chelsea at Wembley in the Carling Cup Final.  That was the highlight of his time with Spurs as he was often out injured and only made 49 League appearances.  He played only 15 minutes of football in his final eighteen months at the club.  Much time was spent undergoing operations and treatment in an effort to resolve his injury problems.  Since joining Stoke he has appeared in nine Premier League matches but has sat out the midweek Cup and European games.

Peter Crouch

Peter Crouch started his career with the Surs youth team but moved on to QPR and then appeared for a number of clubs including Portsmouth (twice), Aston Villa, Southampton and Liverpool before following Harry Redknapp from Fratton Park to rejoin Tottenham in July, 2009.  He made 73 League appearances for Spurs but only scored twelve goals although it was his goal against Manchester City in May, 2010 that guaranteed Spurs their first season of Champions League football.  Ironically, it was his own goal a year later in the same fixture that took City in to the Champions League.  It was in Europe that he was most effective when foreign defenders failed to cope with his height and as with England he scored more frequently, scoring 22 international goals from 42 appearances.  His early sending off against Real Madrid brought Spurs Champions League campaign to a disappointing end at the quarter final stage.  He joined Stoke at the end of August for a fee of £10 million.

Wilson Palacios has struggled with injury since joining Stoke last August.  Spurs received about £6 million for the player who had joined them from Wigan in January, 2009 for £12 million.  He made 65 League appearances and scored once against Hull City.  In his final season he appeared less frequently in the team as Sandro became more accustomed to English football and competition for places in central midfield became more intense.

Garth Crooks is the last player to move in the opposite direction, coming to Tottenham in the summer of 1981 to join up with Steve Archibald in a striking partnership which would take the team to two FA Cup successes.  He became the forgotten man of the 1981 Cup win as Ricky Villa's goals in the semi-final and final overshadowed his contribution to the success.  He signed for £650,000 and moved on to West Brom on a free transfer in August, 1985, having had a period on loan with Manchester United.  He scored 48 goals in 125 League appearances for Spurs and 27 Cup and European goals in 57 appearances.

Ian Moores joined Spurs from Stoke in 1976 as they battled against relegation.  They failed to avoid the drop but Moores helped the club gain promotion the following year.  He scored a hat-trick in the 9 - 0 demolition of Bristol Rovers but the following season, after two years with Tottenham he joined Leyton Orient.  Following his retirement he went into coaching but sadly died after illness at the age of 43.

Other players who have played for both clubs but not consecutively, are:
Jimmy Robertson scored in the 1967 FA Cup Final win over Chelsea but joined Arsenal eighteen months later and then had five years at Stoke after a time with Ipswich Town.

Ray Evans came through the youth system at Spurs but in the early 1970s struggled to establish himself in the team ahead of Joe Kinnear.  He made 133 League appearances at full back but in January, 1975 signed for Millwall.  He joined Stoke in 1979 after two years at Fulham.

Tony Parks, the current goalkeeping coach with Spurs and hero of the 1984 UEFA Cup Final win made two appearances for Stoke in 1992.  He came through Spurs youth system but in eight years with the club he made only 37 appearances.  His big moment came in 1984 when Ray Clemence was injured and he had the opportunity for an extended run in the team which took them to the UEFA Cup Final penalty shoot-out success.

Gary Brooke who was substitute for the 1981 and 1982 FA Cup Finals had a loan period at Stoke later in his career after leaving White Hart Lane.  Brooke came through the youth system and was a hard tackling midfielder with a powerful shot.  A serious car accident threatened his career and restricted his appearances for Spurs.

Paul Stewart and Paul Allen who played in the 1991 FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest both played for Stoke after leaving Tottenham.

Gerard McMahon, a young midfield player who made a few first team appearances following his transfer from Glenavon in Northern Ireland for £100,000 joined Stoke for £450,000 in 1996 after two years at White Hart Lane.

Hans Segers who came to Spurs late in his career as goalkeeping cover and then coach, had time with Stoke in earlier days.

Two older players who played for both clubs - Joe Brough, a half back, who made two appearances for Spurs in their first season in the Football League in 1908.  He joined from Stoke City having had a season with them and moved on to Port Vale in 1909.

Charlie Wilson was a centre forward who played for Spurs from 1919 to 1922.  He then had six years with Stoke after signing for them in 1925.  He scored 27 League goals in 55 appearances for Spurs before joining Huddersfield Town.  In his time with Stoke he scored 110 goals in over 150 League appearances.

Spurs Record at Stoke City

Tottenham face a difficult task in their visit to Stoke City as they seek to extend their impressive Premier League record, undefeated since the end of  August.  Both clubs have experienced Europa League football this season and while Spurs are on the verge of going out at the Group stages, Stoke have qualified for the knock-out stages.

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Stoke are eighth in the Premier League with 18 points although there is a gap of five points to Liverpool in seventh.  Stoke are undefeated in their Europa League group games but have suffered the problems of maintaining their form in League matches following European travels, especially with defeats at Sunderland (0 - 4) and Bolton (0 - 5).  However, both clubs have had a free week so there can be no excuses and Stoke have an impressive home record with wins over Liverpool, Fulham and Blackburn.  They also drew with Chelsea and Manchester United at the Brittania Stadium but their two home defeats have been at the hands of QPR and Newcastle United.  Last weekend they enjoyed a single goal success at Everton with defender Robert Huth scoring early in the game.  Spurs know the difficult task they face having already played Spoke in a goalless match in the Carling Cup with Stoke winning the penalty shoot-out.  Spurs must again be prepared for an aerial bombardment, something they have coped with quite comfortably in the past two seasons, recording wins on both occasions.  In those matches, Peter Crouch was  a useful aide in thwarting Stoke attacks at throw ins, corners and free-kicks but on this occasion he will be another target for the Stoke missiles.

Stoke have a number of players who have provided their goals this season, Kenwyne Jones and Jonathan Walters are joint top scorers with six each.  Jones has only one League goal but four in Europe and a Carling Cup goal.  Walters who thought he had scored late in last season's game has four goals in the League and two in Europe.  Crouch has contributed five with three in the League and two in Europe.

Stoke's team has the potential to contain four former Spurs players.  Peter Crouch, Wilson Palacios and Jonathan Woodgate joined during the summer while Matthew Etherington joined from West Ham in 2009 after spending six years with the club following his transfer from Tottenham.  Palacios has had little opportunity to impress since his transfer due to injury which he has recently recovered from but Woodgate and Crouch have been regulars in the side.  Woodgate has overcome the problems which so restricted his playing time at White Hart Lane and is part of a powerful, experienced defence in front of goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen who was injured last weekend but is expected to recover.  Etherington who scored in last season's game at Tottenham, has been an important player for Stoke, helping them to become established in the Premier League and reaching last season's FA Cup Final.

This will be a very difficult match for Spurs who will need to be prepared to match Stoke's hard work ethic and stand up to their powerful play.  However, Spurs have the players in Gareth Bale, Rafael Van der Vaart and Aaron Lennon to create problems for the Stoke defenders but it will require the same intensity of performance which saw them through difficult times at both Fulham and West Brom.

Tottenham's Premier League Record at Stoke
The clubs have met on three occasions at Stoke in the Premier League.  Spurs have won the last two with Stoke gaining the upper hand in the first match in October, 2008.

Oct. 2008  PL  Lost 1 - 2  Bent
This was the first meeting with Stoke in top flight football since season 1985-85 and the match summed up Gareth Bale's early days at Spurs and the abysmal start Spurs had to the 2008 - 09 season but it was also a turning point as Juande Ramos had departed and Harry Redknapp arrived before the next weekend's game.  Spurs were a goal down and a man down after eighteen minutes.  Gareth Bale was sent off after making a mistake and then conceding a penalty in trying to rectify the error.  Surprisingly, Darren Bent equalised within seven minutes but Stoke scored a second shortly after the interval.  Vedran Corluka was stretchered off after sustaining an injury and his replacement, Michael Dawson was sent off in the final minute. As if Spurs hadn't had enough, eleven minutes of added time was played as Spurs finished the day with '2 points from 8 games'.

Mar. 2010  PL  Won 2 - 1  Gudjohnsen, Kranjcar
After a scoreless first period, Spurs went ahead in the opening minute of the second half.  Eidur Gudjohnsen who had replaced Roman Pavlyuchenko scored his first goal for the club.  An Etherington penalty brought the game level but Nico Kranjcar restored Spurs' advantage with a great strike following a Gudjohnsen dummy which created the space for him.  Spurs remained in fourth place as they battled for a Champions League spot.

Aug. 2010  PL  won 2 - 1  Bale (2)
Bale set aside the ghost of his previous indiscretions at the Brittania Stadium and proved the match winner.  All three goals came within eleven minutes of each other during the first half.  Bale scored from close range after Crouch had headed on Lennon's cross after nineteen minutes but Stoke equalised six minutes later following a corner.  He restored Spurs' lead with a wonderful left foot volley after half an hour to give Spurs their first win of the season.

League Record at Stoke (inc. PL)

 P  36  W  11  D  9  L  16  For  40  Ag  49

Memorable Matches
The previous meeting in the 1st Division in March, 1985 had seen the game settled in Spurs' favour with a goal by former Stoke player, Garth Crooks.  

The previous season, a Mark Falco penalty had earned Spurs the three points.


In October, 1980, Spurs won  3 - 2 with Chris Hughton, Steve Archibald and Peter Taylor (pen) scoring.


All of the results since their first away meeting in the 2nd Division in April, 1920 have been quite close.  On that occasion Spurs won 3 - 1 on their way to promotion as Champions after one season in the lower Division following Arsenal's unscrupulous dealings to gain a place in the top flight ahead of Tottenham when the Division was increased in size after the 1st World War.   Spurs legend, Jimmy Seed and that old man again, Jimmy Cantrell (2) providing the goals.  

In those days clubs met on successive weekends and the previous Saturday, Spurs had won 2 - 0 at White Hart Lane through goals from two other Spurs legends for their earliest days, Jimmy Dimmock and Arthur Grimsdell.


The largest win that Spurs have enjoyed at Stoke came early in September, 1951.  Spurs had won the 1st Division title the previous year for the first time and won 6 - 1 after a shaky start to the new season.  At the beginning of the month they had lost 2 - 7 at Newcastle but recovered to dominate Soke with goals from Alf Ramsey (p), Sonny Walters, Les Bennett, Les Medley (2) and Sid McClellan.  At the end of the season Spurs finished as runners-up, behind Manchester United, while Stoke avoided relegation by one place.


Although their first League meeting wasn't until season 1919-20, Tottenham and Stoke have been linked since Spurs entry into the Football League.  Spurs played in the Southern League and although they had turned professional in 1895 and won the F.A.Cup as a non-League club in 1901, the club had not applied for a position in the Football League.  However, at the end of 1907-08 season they resigned from the Southern League and applied for a place in the Football League but were not voted into the League, a major problem for the club.  However, in mid-June, 1908 Stoke City resigned their place in the Second Division for financial reasons, creating an opening which Spurs were able to fill, being elected to the Football League at the end of the month.  Stoke, however, further added to the confusion when they tried to change their decision on resigning.

A tough match can be expected as Stoke are inclined to raise their game when faced with top opposition, always making it difficult for them.  The latest team news is that Bale and Jermain Defoe are doubtful with injuries, Ledley King may not have recovered from the problem which kept him out of last week's match and Sandro is still doubtful.  On the bright side, Rafael Van der Vaart has recovered from the hamstring injury which has troubled him for the past couple of weeks.  It's at this time of the year as injuries start to take their toll that the depth of the squad will be tested so hopefully any of the players who come into the team will be fully committed now that an opportunity has arisen for them so enabling Spurs to continue with their ascent of the Premier League table.
 

Tottenham The Glory-Glory Game

Glory, Glory is synonymous with Tottenham and Tottenham The Glory-Glory Game is a new book to be published in early March, 2012 by the newly formed Spurs Writers Club.  This is a book about Spurs, written by Spurs supporters for Spurs supporters.  Pure nostalgia, reminiscing about that moment when Tottenham became an integral part of your life.

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Tottenham The Glory-Glory Game

It's a question that everyone gets asked.  Why do you support Spurs? 

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For some there's the long tradition of the family supporting Spurs and there was simply no choice.  For others, there are less obvious reasons but everyone can remember that moment when they caught the Tottenham bug or in my case Tottenham caught me.  It may be a particular match, a wonder goal, a super save or an incident from a game watched as a child and it is this idea that the Spurs Writers' Club taps into in their first book.  That moment, we've all experienced, when it registers, 'I'm Spurs'.

The Spurs' Writers Club is the brainchild of esteemed writer and former Chief Football writer with the Daily Express, Norman Giller, who is contributing to the book and editing it.  Norman,  has had 91 previous books published, including 20 with Tottenham legend, Jimmy Greaves.

The Spurs Writers' Club sees forty five Spurs writers and bloggers from around the world coming together to contribute to Tottenham The Glory-Glory Game, the first in a planned series of books about Tottenham Hotspur.  With the current success that the club is enjoying, we are extremely optimistic of a 'Glory-Glory' moment from this season as the subject of out next offering to the Spurs supporting public.  The group of writers is wide ranging in age, able to reminisce from the 'Push and Run' era of the 1950s, through the 'Double' years to the 1990s.  Experienced writers have joined forces with student journalists and every level in between to produce a book that is alight with the 'Spirit of Spurs'.

Here is an ideal opportunity to become part of this exciting new project as an Associate Member.  

Anybody who agrees to buy the book before the publication date of 17th February, 2012 will become an Associate Member, and will have their name printed in the book.  They will be entitled to get the NEXT book at a huge discount, will have their name on our website, and will be invited to contribute to future books.

The pre-publication price is £10.00 (plus £2.95 p&p), a reduction of £5.00

To buy a copy of Tottenham The Glory-Glory Game now, go to the SWC website:

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Scott Parker on his time at Spurs

Scott Parker was a signing which not only caused disagreement between the manager and Chairman but one which did not find total approval among supporters.  However, since his arrival at the end of August Spurs have gone on an undefeated Premier League run which has lifted the club to third place and Parker is rightly receiving credit for his part in that transformation.

Scott Parker - leading by example

Harry Redknapp was adamant that he wanted to sign Scott Parker last summer but the season started with Parker turning out for West Ham in the Championship.  It was only as the transfer period drew to  close that the two clubs came to an arrangement and Spurs signed last season's Footballer of the Year for a fee of £5 million.  Many fans were not overly enthusiastic about the signing as Parker, now aged thirty one, had had previous opportunities to sign for the club but had always ended up elsewhere.  Many, like the Chairman, thought he was too old and that his best days were past him.  Parker, has however, proved all the doubters wrong with midfield performances that had Harry Redknapp recalling the 1960s when that Spurs legend, Dave Mackay reigned supreme at White Hart Lane.

Many new players arriving at Tottenham take a long time to settle but Parker managed to settle from day one as was shown in his debut against Wolves and has gone on to develop a very effective partnership with Luka Modric which has brought a control and strength to Tottenham's midfield.

Speaking after Saturday's win over Bolton, Parker acknowledged that he has settled quickly into his new club.

Parker who captained the side in the absence of the injured Ledley King said, "I needed to hit the floor running when I came here in the summer.  I needed to make a good impression and feel I have done that."

Since his arrival Spurs have enjoyed an unbeaten sequence in the Premier League, winning a record sixth consecutive Premier League game and equalling their best run, undefeated in eleven matches.  Parker, like Emmanuel Adebayor, have yet to experience defeat since arriving at White Hart Lane and Spurs are now third, only two points behind Manchester United with a match in hand.

Parker continued, "I don't think I've played in a team that plays better football than this one.  There are some very good players, not just in the team but in the squad.  There is a lot of pace and we have got a consistency to our game.  When you are up there you need to grind out results even when you are not playing well.  We have done that, especially last week at West Brom and before that at Fulham where we didn't play well but got three points."

"On our day we can beat anyone.  Confidence is the key."

Parker is a combative midfielder who enjoys a battle and reminds many older observers of a cross between Mackay and Alan Mullery.  He is a presence in the centre of the field, covering for other players, winning the ball and passing it on to Modric but also prepared to get forward himself.  He harries players, putting them under pressure and forcing mistakes as happened with Gary Cahill on Saturday.  He also inspires those around him to follow his example and work harder as has been witnessed by Adebayor's willingness to come back and fight for the ball, especially helping out in the away matches where Spurs have found themselves under pressure.

Scott Parker has proved a very important part of Harry Redknapp's plan for this Tottenham team and while he may not always lead the team out on to the field, his performances have been as of a captain.

Spurs 3 Bolton 0 - Spurs Up to Second

Tottenham with their sixth successive Premier League win move up to second place in the Premier League following a three goal victory over Bolton Wanderers at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham Hotspur 3 Bolton Wanderers 0

Scorers: Bale, Lennon, Defoe

Team: Friedel; Walker, Gallas, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon (Van der Vaart), Parker (Livermore), Modric, Bale; Defoe, Adebayor.  Subs (unused): Cudicini, Bassong, Pienaar, Pavlyuchenko, Corluka

Tottenham Go Second (at least for a short time)

Tottenham had a convincing win over Bolton to record their sixth consecutive Premier League win, a record for the club.  The score could have been so much more as Spurs had 25 goal attempts with sixteen on target as Bolton had to play for over 70 minutes with ten men following the harsh sending off of Gary Cahill for a foul on Scott Parker who captained the Spurs side in  the absence of Ledley King. 

Harry Redknapp made two  changes from last week's team with Luka Modric returning in place of Sandro and  William Gallas starting his first Premier League game of the season as King had taken a knock in training.  Rafael Van der Vaart and Roman Pavlyuchenko returned to the substitutes bench following injury.

Spurs started brightly with quick passing and movement in an open game with Bolton looking to attack when the opportunity presented itself.  In the opening five minutes Bolton had a chance from a free kick but Cahill headed over.  Then on six minutes Spurs went ahead from a Modric corner with Gareth Bale flicking the ball in after meeting it at the near post.  Bale ran to the crowd and held up his red boot as a tribute to his Wales manager, Gary Speed who died last weekend.

Spurs 1 Bolton 0

From this point on, the match was a lengthy catalogue of  chances spurned by Tottenham with the occasional foray by Bolton. 

9 min: from a Bale cross, Jermain Defoe flicked it wide.

18 min: the crucial point which made Bolton's task even more difficult when Gary Cahill was sent off for a foul on Parker who had pinched the ball from him, just inside the Bolton half.  It was a harsh decision considering Parker was so far from the goal.

22 min: a Modric pass to Parker who shot over.

23 min: a cross from Aaron Lennon but Defoe had his shot saved by Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal.

While Tottenham had all the possession and chances, it was so nearly level after twenty five minutes when Kyle Walker dived in on Chris Eagles on the right.  Eagles continued across the field and his shot was blocked by Younes Kaboul but it looped high in the air over Friedel who got back to tip it over for a corner.

28 min: Emmanuelk Adebayor had a shot saved.

32 min: Bolton gave the ball away to Bale who shot over from a good position.

33 min: Jaaskelainen saved from Bale, the ball fell to Lennon who passed to Defoe and his shot was saved as well.

36 min: Spurs broke and a lovely ball from Bale to Adebayor but he shot wide.

38 min: Defoe just failed to reach a dangerous cross from Modric.

39 min: Lennon broke quickly and crossed but Adebayor's shot was saved.  Tottenham had had 7 shots on target to this point

40 min: Eagles had a shot saved by Friedel

42 min: Lennon chased a through ball but the goalkeeper collected it just ahead of him. Friedel saved a Bolton free kick and then Parker shot over.

44 min: Mark Davies shot straight at Friedel.

45 min (+1): Bale broke on the left but his cross was missed by both Adebayor and Defoe.

In the second half the match proceeded in a similar vein with Spurs creating dangerous situations every couple of minutes.

47 min: Walker attacked on the right at pace.  He gave the ball to Lennon who crossed to Modric but his shot was blocked by Defoe.

49 min: Spurs again broke at pace following a Bolton corner.  Walker passed to Adebayor who moved it on to Defoe who found Lennon.  The winger came in from the left to score on his 200th start for Spurs.

Spurs 2 Bolton 0

55 min: A lovely ball from Modric found Benoit Assou-Ekotto moving into the box at pace.  He was brought down for a clear penalty but not awarded.

56 min: Corner by Modric to Bale to Walker who shot over.

60 min: A corner after Walker charged forward which Modric took.  Bale again met it at the near post and flicked it on for Defoe to score Spurs' third.

Spurs 3 Bolton 0

62 min: Modric again caused problems for Bolton and Parker shot over.

63 min: Adebayor just failed to intercept a poor back pass.

64 min: The goalkeeper tipped over a Modric shot.

65 min: Bale just missed the ball at the near post from another corner.

66 min: A pass from Modric to Parker who had his shot saved low to Jaaskelainen's right.

68 min: Long range shot from Bale was saved.

69 min: Bolton broke and Kaboul cleared for a corner.

71 min: Assou-Ekotto passed from the left to Modric who turned and shot wide with the goalkeeper beaten.

Van der Vaart came on to replace Lennon.

74 min: Kaboul headed over a Bolton free-kick to concede a corner.

76 min: Van der Vaart had space and found Defoe who took an extra touch and from wide on left he hit the post.

78 min: Van der Vaart gave the ball away and Bolton had a shot blocked.

81 min: From a corner and Bolton got a header which Modric cleared at the back post.  It was too easy for Spurs and some of their passing got casual giving the ball away.

84 min: Jake Livermore replaced Parker.

85 min: Stat for previous five minutes - Tottenham 100% possession.

Spurs were content to keep the ball while the crowd wanted another goal but it wasn't until injury time that another chance came when Adebayor passed to Defoe and his shot was saved with the follow up cleared off the line.  There was a final charge by Bale but the ball got caught between his feet and came to nothing.

Never have I seen a team create so many chances, at will, with the defending team at a complete loss as to what to do about it.  If Spurs had been move clinical in their finishing they could have matched their win over Wigan two seasons ago.  Spurs now move into second place ahead of Manchester United until at least 7.25pm, unless Aston Villa can produce a good result.

Not unexpectedly United won by a single goal so Spurs return to third, two points behind them but three points ahead of Chelsea and with that all important game in hand against Everton.  So, it's off to Stoke next Sunday to try and improve on our VERY impressive Premier League record:

W W W W D W W W W W W

Friedel, Parker and Adebayor Boost Spurs

Brad Friedel

On Saturday Spurs will look to set aside the disappointment of the second team’s Europa League defeat to PAOK Salonika and focus on the main objective for the season, the Premier League.  By five o’clock, Tottenham with a win over Bolton at White Hart Lane would be sitting in the giddy heights of second as Manchester United have a late kick-off against Aston Villa.  It would probably only be a short sojourn there but who in their right mind at the end of August could have seen Spurs with such an opportunity by the beginning of December, especially after the disastrous start they had to the season.

The August transfer deadline at the end of the month is often criticised as a distraction with three matches of the season already gone and on many occasions players signed in those late, late deals take considerable time to settle into their new team.

Tottenham’s summer transfer activities, however, provided a boost to the team that has seen them recover from the most difficult of starts and commentators and supporters are now asking the inevitable question, ‘Can Spurs actually win the Premier League?’  That such a question is doing the rounds is down to the impact of the three players, including two who joined in last minute deals, who signed last summer.

Brad Friedel
Brad Friedel at forty years of age continues to defy his age and uses all that experience to bring a calming presence and authority to the goalkeeping role which in turn brings order to the defence.  He got off to the worst possible starts, particularly for a goalkeeper, by conceding eight goals in his opening two games but he knew not to dwell on such setbacks and kept a clean sheet in the next two games.  His true value was seen in the hard earned victory over Fulham where Spurs spent the entire half defending but he produced outstanding saves when required and remained unflappable throughout, having the time to smile at some of the things that were going on around him.  He was equally unbothered last weekend when West Brom’s Gareth McAuley tried to nudge him over the line as he caught a high ball under the crossbar.  He’d had to deal with that sort of activity before and wasn’t phased by it.  It’s not often that signing a forty year old is seen as strengthening a team but in this case it has and if he keeps going to the end of his two year contract with the club he will overtake Jimmy Cantrell as the oldest player to appear in League football for Spurs.

Scott Parker
Scott Parker has brought a work ethic to central midfield that has been absent for some time.  He goes about his work, up and down the pitch, winning the ball, carrying it forward when necessary or simply passing it on to someone else.  This has been very effective and even in his debut it was evident that he was going to be an important part of the team, giving Luka Modric the freedom to express himself creatively, knowing that there was cover behind him.  Parker has been likened to Dave Mackay, quite an accolade to receive from your manager but he is probably more a combination of Mackay and Alan Mullery as he bustles around in midfield like a throwback to the1960s.  The ‘bargain of the season’ is a label that he has already been given and certainly he has justified Harry Redknapp’s determination to sign him even when the Chairman seemed reluctant.

Emmanuel Adebayor
Emmanuel Adebayor’s arrival on loan from Manchester City has provided the team with a focal point in attack and it has been used very effectively as Spurs undefeated run takes them up the Premier League table and into serious contention for a Champions League place.  Last Monday week, Adebayor’s two goals took Spurs up to third and the two against West Brom ensured that they retained that position.  If Adebayor had been clinical in his finishing in those two games, his goal tally could easily have reached double figures.  He had nine shots on target last Saturday against Albion, more than any other player in a Premier League match in the past five and a half seasons.  His contribution to the win at The Hawthorns didn’t just centre on those goals scoring opportunities as he worked very hard for the team, tracking back to win the ball on many occasions.  He was also the provider for Jermain Defoe’s goal with a deft back heel to release him into the Albion half and strike for goal. 

Unlike Friedel, Adebayor got off to the best possible start with a debut goal and then scoring twice in the home win over Liverpool which would ensure that he won over the Tottenham support. He then went six games without scoring but he contributed to the team’s success with ‘assists’ in a number of the matches.  He has played with a smile and certainly seems to be enjoying his time at Tottenham.  It was a bold move by the manager to take on a player of obvious talent but who in the past has had his temperamental side which would have made some managers wary, but Redknapp’s has previous for that sort of enterprising transfer.

Luka Modric
One further ‘non-transfer’ piece of business during the summer has also played it’s part in Spurs rejuvenation and it is Daniel Levy who must receive the plaudits for that.  His obstinate refusal to sell Luka Modric to Chelsea even in the face of constant media stories and doubts by his manager, has shown that Spurs are no longer a selling club and was an encouraging message for the likes of Gareth Bale and Rafael Van der Vaart who have been able to display their full range of skills knowing that they have the strongest possible team around them.  While Modric may not have performed at his best so far, his very presence at the club has been an encouragement to everyone.

It’s exciting times at White Hart Lane with every player wanting to be part of the successful team that even when someone is out injured, they appear to be recovering more quickly in order to reclaim their place in what has been the best start to a season in fifty years. 

They Played for Spurs and Bolton

Summer transfer speculation suggested that Gary Cahill was heading to White Hart Lane but Bolton and Tottenham were unable to reach agreement on the final day for transfers in August.  Other deals have been completed between the two clubs but the most recent was almost twenty years ago.

Don McAllister with Ardiles

In the preview of the of the game between Spurs and Bolton, I retold how Gudni Bergsson denied Spurs the opportunity to move into second place in the League in season December, 1995 by scoring an equalising goal as Bolton recovered from a two goal deficit to earn their first away point of the season.  Bergsson joined Bolton from Spurs in March, 1995, helping them to promotion and in eight seasons he made over 300 League and Cup appearances.  Bergsson joined Spurs on trial as an amateur in November, 1988.  He was a law student and signed professional the following February, costing Spurs £100,000 to his former club, Valur.  An Icelandic international he had his best spell at Spurs under Terry Venables although he missed out on the 1991 FA Cup Final.  He made 72 League appearances for Spurs, scoring twice.  He played at full back or in central defence but found it difficult to gain a regular place in the team, often stepping in when others were injured.  He was released by Spurs and considered returning to his law studies but Bolton stepped in and agreed a deal with Spurs for £65,000.

Central defender, Chris Fairclough had two seasons with Spurs after joining from Nottingham Forest in 1987.  He then went to Leeds United and after six years at Elland Road he moved to Bolton.


Ian Moores joined Tottenham from Stoke in August, 1976 as Spurs embarked on a season which was to end in relegation.  He was a tall, gangling striker - a smaller Peter Crouch of his day.  He cost £75,000 and scored in his first two games but then as the team struggled he proved not to be the answer to Spurs' lack of goals.  The highlight of his Spurs' career was his hat-trick against Bristol Rovers when Spurs won 9 - 0 in the 2nd Division game.  Even then he didn't grab the headlines as his strike partner, debutant Colin Lee, scored four.  In October, 1978 he joined Orient for £55,000 having scored 8 goals in 32 League and Cup appearances.  He joined Bolton in 1982 and spent just one season there.  Sadly, Ian Moores passed away in 1998 at the age of 43 following illness.

Neil McNab signed for Spurs in February, 1974 for £40,000 from Morton, having already appeared in the Scottish League at the age of fifteen.  He was 16 years of age when he signed and made his debut the following March when he came on as a substitute against Chelsea.  A hard working, skilful midfielder he established himself in the team in 1977-78 when he was an ever present as Spurs won promotion from the 2nd Division after only one season in the lower league.  The arrival of Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa at the start of the next season saw him lose his place in the team, his last appearance for Spurs being the seven goal defeat at Anfield.  The following November he moved to Bolton for £250,000 but after two seasons moved to Brighton.  He joined Manchester City in 1983 where he played the best football of his career. 

Don McAllister had six seasons with his home club, Bolton, where he made over 150 League appearances.  He joined Spurs in February, 1975 and helped them in a battle against relegation.  Signed by Terry Neill for £80,000 he was a hard tackling, uncompromising central defender.  A versatile player, he covered in central defence and at full back as Spurs won promotion and re-established themselves in the top flight.  For two seasons after promotion he played regularly but a serious injury cost him his place and he joined Charlton in August,1981.  He made over 200 League and Cup appearances during his time at White Hart Lane.

Five other players also appeared for both Spurs and Bolton but they are of an older generation.

Frank Drabble played two games in goal for Spurs in season 1909-10, their first ever season in the 1st Division.  His debut at Preston was abandoned with the score at 0 - 0 after fifty minutes due to rain.  He then played in the next game at home to Notts County but Spurs lost 1 - 3 and Drabble lost his place in the team.  With the signing of two additional goalkeepers, Drabble slipped to fourth choice and at the end of the season joined Nottingham Forest.  He joined Bolton in 1919 and had two season with them.


Gordon Jones was a half-back who had three seasons with Bolton from 1909.  He joined Spurs in 1912 and had one year at the club, making eight League appearances.

Bill Hinton had four years with Bolton but only made 36 appearances for them.  He joined Spurs in June, 1924 and made his debut in goal against his former club at the start of following season, keeping a clean sheet as Spurs won 3 - 0.  He was an ever present for Spurs that year but only made another eighteen League and Cup appearances due to illness and was given a free transfer in 1927.

George Goldsmith was a full back with Spurs but only played one league game in September, 1934 after joining from Hull City the previous summer.  At the end of that season he joined Bolton where he spent two years.

George Hunt spent seven years at White Hart Lane.  He joined in 1930 after a season at Chesterfield.  He was a goal scoring centre-forward and has a record of 151 goals for Tottenham in 205 senior appearances.  After a difficult start with Spurs when he found it hard to replace goalscorer supreme, Ted Harper, given time by his manager, Hunt proved his worth.  He helped the team to promotion in 1933 and won three England caps.  After seven seasons with Spurs he moved to Arsenal but only stayed there for six months before moving to Bolton.  He stayed at Bolton for ten years and joined Sheffield Wednesday in 1946.  He became a coach at  Bolton on his retirement from playing and remained with the club for almost twenty years.

Tottenham v Bolton Wanderers Preview

Spurs will look to set aside the disappointment of the second team's defeat in the Europa League and continue their climb up the Premier League table.  In the past Bolton have proved awkward opponents for Spurs but the 'new' Spurs will want to ensure there isn't any disappointment at White Hart Lane for their fans come the final whistle.

This will be Tottenham's first Saturday home League match of the season and we're in December and have played twelve games.

Bolton started the season with an impressive four goal defeat of QPR at Loftus Road with Tottenham target, Gary Cahill, scoring their first goal.  Since then, however, they have struggled and have only three wins and ten defeats from their thirteen matches.  

After their opening day success they lost their next six League games to Manchester City (h), Liverpool (a), Manchester United (h), Norwich City (h) Arsenal (a) and Chelsea (h).  Their second win of the season came at Wigan (3 - 1) before they lost at home to Sunderland in mid-October.  An away defeat to Swansea (1 - 3) was followed by their first, and only, home win of the season a 5 - 0 defeat of Stoke City at the beginning of November.  They then lost at West Brom and Everton inflicted a 2 - 0 home defeat on them last weekend.  With only three wins and nine points Bolton are currently in 18th place in the Premier League.

Ivan Klasnic is their leading goalscorer with 6 League goals, Chris Eagles has 5 goals (4 in the League and 1 in the Cup) and Kevin Davies has scored twice.  Klasnic and Eagles both scored twice in the rout of Stoke.  Kevin Davies has scored six goals in his last six league games against Tottenham.

Bolton have a very experienced team with many players who have served them well in the Premier League.  David Wheater will not be available as he is suspended having been set off last weekend.

Premier League Home Record v Bolton
The clubs have met twelve times in  the Premier League at White Hart Lane.  Spurs have won 8 and drawn 2 of the games.
2010 - 11
Last season Spurs won 2 - 1 having got off to a whirlwind start when they were awarded a penalty after six minute which Rafael Van der Vaart scored.  A minute later and Spurs had another penalty.  Van der Vaart again scored but it had to be retaken for encroachment but he put the retake wide.  Late in the half it appeared that Spurs had another penalty but the linesman was flagging for offside.  Bolton equalised in the second half and would have earned a point but for a thunderbolt strike from substitute Nico Kranjcar in added time.
2009 - 10
The previous season a Tom Huddlestione strike was enough to give Spurs all three points.  This match at the beginning of May was part of the run of results which was to take Spurs into the Champions League.
2008 - 09
26th October, 2008.  Harry Redknapp had replaced Juande Ramos as manager but Clive Allen was in charge of the team which achieved their first win of the season.  Roman Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent scoring the goals to give Spurs 5 points from 9 games.  Redknapp was there beside Allen even though he had only been appointed a few hours earlier.
2007 - 08
Bolton went ahead in the first minute of the second half but Steed Malbranque scored six minutes later.
2006 - 07
Spurs enjoyed a 4 - 1 success with goals from Robbie Keane (2), Jermaine Jenas, Aaron Lennon
2005 - 06
An Aaron Lennon goal gave Spurs victory in the last home game of the season.  It came after an hour and fans celebrated as it ensured that Spurs were going on their first European tour for some considerable time with their qualification for the UEFA Cup.
2004 - 05
23rd October, 2004.  This match was played on the day that the sad passing of Spurs legend, Bill Nicholson, was announced.  It is the last occasion that Bolton recorded a win at White Hart Lane.  On a wet, grey October afternoon the ground was a sombre place and the team played in a similar manner.  They conceded an early goal, Keane equalised before half-time but Spurs conceded a second midway through the second half.

Harry Redknapp will restore his first choice players to the team and expect them to produce the required result.  If fit, Van der Vaart would probably start ahead of Defoe with Luka Modric restored to midfield in an otherwise unchanged team.  A win would take Spurs to second in the table ahead of Manchester United whose game doesn't start until 5.30pm.  It may only be a short stay but it is continued progress and would be Tottenham making a statement of their intent for the season. 

One must be wary, however, of assuming too much as in December, 1995 Spurs were looking to go second in the table with a win over bottom placed Bolton but the visitors put an end to that idea.  Bolton were newly promoted to the Premier League and had lost nine away games in succession.  They had no away points and Spurs had secured a two goal lead with second half strikes from Chris Amstrong and Teddy Sheringham.  However, a distraction was created when former player Nayim was shown on the big screen.  The crowd chanted 'Nayim from the halfway line' in recognition of his goal in the European Cup Winners' Cup Final over Arsenal.  Spurs lost concentration and conceded two goals in three minutes with the equalising goal scored by former Spurs player, Gudni Bergsson.  This gave Bolton their first away point of the season and denied Spurs second place.  

Note to Spurs TV - no crowd shots on Saturday. 

Senior Players Let Harry Down

Last night's defeat to PAOK Salonika in the Europa League has almost certainly brought to an end Tottenham's European campaign for another year.  Harry Redknapp fielded his most experienced side so far in the group stages so what went wrong that they couldn't overcome a team reduced to ten men from late in the first half?

Throughout the Europa League Harry Redknapp has successfully rotated his squad to ensure that the first team players were well rested for the next weekend's Premier League fixture.  The teams comprised of a mixture of squad players and youngsters and for the most part they have acquitted themselves well.  The younger players have shown considerable ability and have worked hard throughout the campaign.  Most importantly from the manager's perspective, the first team has maintained their form in the League matches and Spurs have climbed to third place.

Having lost in Russia Spurs slipped from the top of the group to third and so needed a result against PAOK at White Hart Lane to maintain their interest in the competition.  A win or a draw would suffice but a defeat would make things very precarious for the final match in Dublin.  Harry Redknapp duly sent out an experienced team with numerous internationals and only three younger players - Jake Livermore, Harry Kane and Danny Rose.  He even added additional strength to the side with the inclusion of first team regulars, Luka Modric, Aaron Lennon and Jermain Defoe.  As backup he named Gareth Bale and Kyle Walker among the substitutes - to be called upon in case of an emergency if the game wasn't going as planned.  The rest of the team consisted of another four internationals - Heureulho Gomes, Vedran Corluka, Sebastien Bassong and Steven Pienaar.

Observers were surprised at the strength of the side selected for the game as it was much stronger than any other sent out in the Europa League so far with the exception of the first match in Scotland against Hearts.  So what went wrong that the first sign of the need to call on the backup was as early as the fifteenth minute when Bale and Walker were sent out to do a 'warm up'?

Excuses can be made that some of the players were returning from injury and were not match sharp but as experienced players they should have been able to produce a better performance than was seen last night.  Spurs were two goals down within thirteen minutes and both goals were the result of theor own casual, sloppy play.  Whereas in the previous matches the younger players had worked hard and kept good possession of the ball through careful passing and movement, last night Tottenham's passing was going astray from the opening minutes which gifted PAOK the ball.  The visitors were well organised and were set up to be patient and wait their opportunity to step in and take the ball away from a Spurs player and they were presented with many opportunities to do that.

After five minutes William Gallas ventured into the PAOK half and was caught in possession, PAOK broke quickly before Spurs could recover and a simple cross was delicately headed past a flat-footed Gomes.  The PAOK forward was totally unmarked in the centre of the penalty between two defenders.  A bad start, self-inflicted, but there was plenty of time to recover.  Tottenham, however, continued in their ponderous ways and when PAOK put a ball behind Vedran Corluka after thirteen minutes, he was so slow that there was no way he was going to prevent a cross going into the area and so Spurs were two down.

Misplaced passes, even simple ones, over hit or misdirected, continued as the order of the day from Spurs while PAOK waited and took every opportunity to pick up a loose ball or catch someone in possession.  It was half an hour before Spurs gathered some momentum and that was inspired by the crowd's encouragement.  In this period they were helped back into the game by the referee who awarded them a harsh penalty and sent off the defender.  Modric scored and surely that would ignite the recovery especially against ten men.  PAOK got through to the interval comfortably and then in the second half set out their stall to defend.

For the whole of the second half Tottenham huffed and puffed but couldn't blow the PAOK defensive wall down.  Spurs had all the possession and it was wave after wave of attack but no end product in either chances or goals.  Bale and Walker eventually were brought on but it was too late - the momentum was with the visitors and while they defended heroically, they weren't really in very much danger of conceding a goal.  They stopped Spurs in front of the penalty area and if Tottenham did manage to break through that barrier there was usually so many men around them that it came to nothing.

Vedran Corluka expressed the view during the week that as he wasn't playing regular football he would have to consider leaving in January to protect his international place with the Euros coming up in the summer.  From last night's performance it was clear why Kyle Walker has replaced him in the team.  He has never been the quickest of foot but last night he was slow and ponderous in every aspect of his game and his passing was poor.  The purpose of including the squad players in these games is to enable them to show the manager that they deserve an opportunity in the Premier League team.  Last night Redknapp had it confirmed that he had made the right choice in selecting Walker.

William Gallas was at fault for the first goal and his partnership in central defence with Sebastien Bassong was non-existent.  They looked as if they'd never met before, never mind played together.  Bassong has been low on confidence for the past eighteen months and again last night his defending was lacking.  The weakness of last night's pairing in central defence once again proves the point that Tottenham's best central defensive partnership is Ledley King and one other, Dawson, Kaboul, Gallas or Bassong, such is the importance of King to Spurs.

Steven Pienaar who is also recovering from injury was also well short of the required standard - his passing was poor and he was regularly caught in possession with no idea of what he was going to do with the ball.  He has had a difficult time with injuries since joining Spurs last January and has played very few matches.  He worked so hard and effectively for Everton but it will be some time before he is pushing for inclusion in the first team going on last night's performance.

In some ways the sending off made it more difficult for Spurs as PAOK decided at half-time to defend and hold what they had.  They did this very successfully but Spurs had enough experience in the team and should have been able to turn the game around.  Spurs lost because of casual play and poor defending in the first half which gave the visitors the encouragement they needed to get a positive result and the mistakes, as in Russia, came from experienced players.  A team can only perform in  all competitions if the squad players do their part.  Harry Redknapp has never been overly enthusiastic about the Europa League or Cup competitions but on this occasion he was let down very badly by the more experienced squad players.

Tottenham 1 PAOK Salonika 2

Spurs' future in the Europa League is no longer in their hands.  Defeat at home to PAOK sees the Greek side qualified for the knock-out stages while Spurs must have a convincing win over Shamrock Rovers and rely on PAOK defeating Rubin Kazin.

Tottenham Hotspur 1 PAOK Salonika 2

Scorers: Modric (p)            Salpingidis, Athanasiadis

Team: Gomes; Corluka, Gallas, Bassong, Rose (Bale); Lennon, Livermore, Modric, Pienaar (Walker); Kane (Falque), Defoe.  Subs (unused): Cudicini, Fredericks, Townsend, Carroll.

Luka Modric - penalty

Tottenham fielded their strongest team yet for a Europa League group game with Aaron Lennon, Luka Modric and Jermain Defoe starting.  Danny Rose and Harry Kane were the only younger players selected with experienced squad players and those recovering from injury making the starting line-up - William Gallas, Sebastien Bassong, Vedran Corluka, Stephen Pienaar and Heurelho Gomes.

From the outset Spurs had the majority of possession but PAOK denied them time and were quick to step in and pick up a loose or misdirected pass.  Spurs were casual in their approach and paid for it after five minutes.  Gallas meandered into the visitors half and was caught in possession which gave PAOK the opportunity to break quickly on the left, from where a nice cross into the penalty area found Salpingidis unmarked and he carefully headed the ball past Gomes.

Tottenham didn't learn from their mistake and found it difficult to make progress into the visitors penalty area as they defended with patience and considerable ability.  On thirteen minutes they broke up a ponderous Spurs attack and with a lovely pass to the left found Corluka lacking in pace and a low cross was hit home by Athanasiadis.  The Tottenham defence was again caught flat footed with Gallas and Bassong looking as if they'd never played together.

PAOK contuinued with their patient defensive work and swift counter attacks which nearly brought further reward while Spurs had a lot of possession without ever threatening on goal.  Much of their passing was slow and frequently fell down through inaccuracy.  On the half hour Spurs gained some momentum, urged on by the crowd.  Harry Kane shot wide and Defoe had a shot saved by the goalkeeper.  Then from the corner Corluka's shot was blocked and fell to Kane whose shot was blocked on the line.  The referee awarded a penalty for handball and sent off the defender.  Modric sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to score and brought Spurs back into the match.

PAOK survived to the interval without much bother and then in the second half set out to defend and deny Spurs which they did heroically.  The whole of the second period saw Spurs attack and the visitors defend with nine men back.  Gareth Bale and Kyle Walker were introduced to add pace but no matter how hard they tried they couldn't break down the stubborn PAOK defence.  The nearest they came to a goal was when Defoe scored but amid confusion, it was disallowed for a foul on the defender who had been lying on the goal line for almost a minute.  In the lead up, Iago Falque had a shot blocked but Defoe had fouled the defender in trying to reach the loose ball.  However, play continued and when the ball came to Defoe he put it in the net.  No-one was sure what decision the referee had given but he had actually made the correct decision even if he'd come to it by an uncertain route.

For all their possession against ten men, Spurs couldn't create any real scoring chances and PAOK worked tirelessly to deny them.  During five minutes of added time the best Spurs could offer was a Bale free-kick which was saved easily by the goalkeeper and then PAOK celebrated as if they'd qualified for the knock-out stages, which, of course, they had.  For Spurs, they must rely on a PAOK home win against Rubin Kazan who are three points ahead of them.  Spurs will then need to win by five goals against Shamrock Rovers to have a better goal difference that the Russians.

The greatest disappointment about this defeat was that the most experienced team that Harry Redknapp has fielded in the group stage has given the poorest performance.  In the other matches, the younger players battled in difficult circumstances and showed a great determination throughout.  The experienced squad players were very ponderous and showed a lack of match sharpness - the passing was poor, there was little urgency to the game and they paid dearly for their early mistakes.  It looks as if Spurs will now be able to concentrate on the Premier League as their continued presence in the Europa League is looking distinctly unlikely.

Only a good result over Bolton Wanderers on Saturday will take away the disappointment of this match.

Tottenham v PAOK Salonika (Europa League)

Spurs return to Europa League action on Wednesday evening at White Hart Lane, against PAOK Salonika who top Group A and are unbeaten in their four matches.  Spurs must avoid defeat or their European campaign will surely come to a premature end and they really need to defeat their visitors from Greece if they have desires on qualifying to the knockout stages as Group winners.

The opening match of the Group stages of the Europa League matched these two teams and Spurs who send out a young team returned to London well satisfied with a scoreless draw.  The younger players, including Tom Carroll, Harry Kane and Andros Townsend, all excelled in a difficult atmosphere and were very controlled and disciplined in their play for much of the game.  PAOK missed a first half penalty and it was only as the second half neared its conclusion that the home team endeavoured to increase the tempo so as to take the three points.  At this point Spurs were grateful for the experience of Carlo Cudicini in goal.  In the final minutes he made a number of crucial saves to deny the home team and earn Spurs a well deserved point.  Spurs, with so many youngsters coped well but PAOK certainly had the ability to win the match and will be dangerous opponents on Wednesday evening.

Following the home draw with Spurs, PAOK travelled to Russia and earned a very creditable draw against Rubin Kazan.  They took a first half lead but the home team responded with two second half goals but PAOK snatched an equalizer nine minute to earn a point.  They have now completed their double header against Shamrock Rovers, taking all six points from two comfortable wins, 2 - 1 at home and 3 - 1 in Dublin.

Tottenham will again use this match to give younger players experience and Jake Livermore, following Saturday's success against West Bromwich Albion, spoke of the benefit of this tournament to himself and the other young players.  Roman Pavlyuchenko looks unlikely to be fit while Giovani Dos Santos is also struggling to overcome injury.

With losing in the last fixture in Russia, Spurs now find themselves in third place in their group, a point behind the leaders, PAOK, and behind the Russians on goal difference.  Rubin Kazan are surely guaranteed another three points with a home win over Shamrock Rovers and so regardless of the result in London, will maintain their advantage over Spurs.  Tottenham are on such a good run at present that it would be disappointing to lose momentum by slipping up in this competition and so may need to have some back-up, with senior players on the bench, in case the game doesn't go as planned.  PAOK have experienced players and they will see this game an opportunity to win in England and secure a place in the next stage of the competition.

To have the chance to finish top of the group Spurs need a win over PAOK - any other result would leave them in the hands of the other two teams and the result of their final match.  They could still qualify if they get a draw but would probably finish second as they would be dependent on the other result while a defeat would leave them in danger of elimination as they would require a big win over Shamrock Rovers and probably require a home win for PAOK in their final match.

Some supporters will be of the opinion that this match and competition are of no importance when compared with the statement Spurs are making in the Premier League at the moment but I want to see the club progress in this tournament as well - it's all about winning and Spurs have enjoyed success in Europe previously and benefited from it.