BACK TO ARCHIVE INDEX © All written site content is copyright ComeOnBoro.com 2004-2007, unless otherwise stated, and is not to be used without prior permission.	SPURS 2 MIDDLESBROUGH 1, Premier League, Tuesday 5th December 2006 Spurs and Boro - two sides who lost at the weekend against two of the 'Big Four' and two sides with a lot to prove to their fans. Spurs have not performed as well this season as they did last, despite winning five games out of seven at home. The Boro meanwhile had to beat their away day jinx and win their first game on their travels this season. The team and formation remained unchanged from that which faced Manchester United on Saturday. This meant that contrary to rumour both Jonathan Woodgate and Abel Xavier featured in the game recovering from a migraine and an ankle injury respectively. Woodgate formed a central role in a formidable back three that also included Robert Huth and Emmanuel Pogatetz. The unchanged side also meant that Mark Viduka's comeback was postponed once more, with Malcolm Christie getting the nod to partner Yakubu up front in a 5-3-2 formation. Viduka took a place on the bench. James Morrison could consider himself unlucky to have been dropped to the bench after a sterling second half display against Manchester United. Abel Xavier and Andrew Taylor were to form wing-backs hugging a Cattermole, Boateng and Downing midfield. Schwarzer, Xavier, Huth, Woodgate, Pogatetz, Taylor (Arca 46), Cattermole (Viduka 57), Boateng, Downing, Yakubu, Christie (Morrison 46), Jones, Parnaby THE FIRST HALF Spurs started the liveliest of the two and flooded forward from the off. In the second minute their pressure told by a hilariously spooned shot from Young Pyo-Lee that more troubled the corner flag than Mark Schwarzer. The Aussie was never going to be beaten from that distance. It was still a warning however as Lennon's movement was causing us significant problems. The opening minutes were end-to-end stuff but lacked a cutting edge. Indeed the game was one of broken down crosses and shots from long-range, typified by a Didier Zokora thirty-yard effort that went hopelessly wide. Jermaine Defoe had a similarly hopeful shot a minute later. From Boro's side of things there was a lack of decent delivery as every cross failed to beat the first man. On ten Yakubu stole a yard on the edge of the box and managed to spin round and take a shot from around twenty yards. The ball missed left and there were calls for a corner from the travelling army but they were to be in vain as a goal-kick was given. On fourteen Boro conceded a free-kick twenty-five yards after Robert Huth handled. Defoe took the set piece. The ball was always rising at it cleared the crossbar, much to the relief of the Boro defensive wall. On sixteen Zokora burst through the Boro midfield, keeping control of the ball from the halfway line up until the penalty spot. He took a shot from twelve yards that Pogotetz had to doggedly defend to prevent Spurs from scoring a tap-in. On eighteen Tottenham pressure nearly paid dividends as Boro's deep defending almost cost them dear. Defoe took a shot from twelve yards out that was acrobatically saved by Mark Schwarzer. It was a let off as Spurs were becoming closer and closer. How many times have you heard that been said about the opposition this season? Boro's deep defending was the problem. For this reason the midfield couldn't push out and support the attack for fear of leaving acres of space in front of the backline. It was for this reason why everything was so static in the final third of the pitch and why everything of Boro's attack was being broken down. Oh how we wish we have pace. Zokora and Defoe were murdering the Boro, getting behind the backline and pulling defenders out of position. Another minute, another shot from Zakora from around twelve yards out. Then Defoe decided to have an effort from twelve yards too. At this stage it was only a matter of time. A corner later and every red shirt was still hopelessly deep. A diving header on twenty-four demonstrated that Spurs were getting closer and closer. Two corners followed, which Woodgate subsequently cleared. These were worrying times for the Boro. On twenty-seven Yakubu was unlucky when Robinson did his job and caught the ball. Then along came Downing like a juggernaut, bursting through the Spurs' ranks until delivering another poor ball that resulted in nothing. Still, it was an improvement. On thirty Stewart Downing had a shot after the ball bounced around the penalty area as if it was on a schizo pinball machine. Pascal Chimbonda managed to block it. From the resulting Downing-footed corner, Pogatetz connected with the ball with his head but it went wide. Had it been on target, it may have gone in! On thirty-three Lennon drove to the by-line with pace and whipped a dangerous ball in, with the Boro defenders facing towards their own goal. But no Spurs players gambled and Boro got off lightly. It was an excellent ball (the sewing on it in particular was of the highest standard). On thirty-seven Boro were awarded another corner and another Downing delivery was easily headed away. The white shirts started to stream forward from this and a magnificent challenge by Jonathan Woodgate in the penalty area nullified the threat. Zokora took on everyone on thirty-nine and launched a shot that was deflected. The ball finally came to Tom Huddlestone who forced an agile save from Schwarzer who arced like a wolf pouncing on his evening meal. A corner conceded, more pressure was applied and there was no respite for the beleaguered Boro backline. When left-backs start attacking you, you know there are problems. But that was what Young Pyo-Lee was doing, chipping another wonderful ball into the box that narrowly eluded the onrushing strikeforce. On forty-three Cattermole lost out to Huddlestone after diving recklessly into a challenge. The Spurs midfielder darted towards the Boro area and had a shot from twenty-five yards out. It went wide. And that was that - a half in which Boro defended magnificently but it did very little else. Boro's passing was poor and their attack non-existent. It had to improve. THE SECOND HALF Southgate decided to play more positively in the second half, introducing Julio Arca and James Morrison for Andrew Taylor and Malcolm Christie. Morrison was to play just behind Yakubu, giving the Boro a tighter midfield in the hope it could absorb some of the Spurs' pressure before it got to the impressive trio at the back. The positive mood lasted all of two minutes. Chimbonda whipped the ball in from the right and it fell to Dimitar Berbatov who deliciously volleyed the ball beyond a flailing Mark Schwarzer into the top left hand corner of the goal. It was a shot that no keeper would have saved but new-boy Julio Arca was possibly at fault for letting Chimbonda to cross in the first place. Either way, the Boro now had a molehill to climb now. Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Berbatov 47) Middlesbrough 0 And still Spurs came. On fifty a ball a set-play was won ten yards up from the corner flag and the ball was whipped in with venom by the home side. It was cleared by the Boro defence but clearances don't make goals and things needed to improve further up the pitch should Boro have a hope of getting anything from this game. Boro were relying on soft corners and on fifty-two Stewart Downing once more failed to beat the first man. Downing's main problem was that he was being restricted in a narrow midfield. 5-3-2 wasn't working, 4-4-2 needed to be deployed. But would it happen? Boro were hanging on by the skin of their blunt fangs. Defoe's pace outfoxed the Boro defence and he found himself one on one with Schwarzer. Woodgate however intercepted just before Defoe could pull the trigger. He had once more saved Boro's blushes and thus kept us in the game. But it was just a matter of time. A Michael Dawson header later, another one for the scrapbook of easy chances the Boro were gifting Spurs, saw Pascal Chimbonda spoon another shot from about twelve yards out, blazing it wide. The Boro were desperate and Southgate saw fit to introduce Mark Viduka for the first time in weeks. He decided to adopt a 4-4-2 formation with Cattermole the one being replaced. This had paid some dividends against Manchester United on Saturday, the hope was it would do so again. It took until the sixtieth minute for Boro to register their first shot on goal. A powerful free-kick from Robert Huth forced a parried save from Robinson. The ball broke to Downing and in turn to Arca whose shot from the edge of the area was charged down. It was better play from the Boro but akin to all the melodrama of a sympathy shag given to Barry from Accounts compared to Spurs' pounding porno lifestyle. Aaron Lennon was destroying the away side. On sixty-seven his pace took him beyond the Boro defence and he played a one on one with Defoe. He then launched a shot at Schwarzer who desperately saved it with his chest, the ball spinning out of harm's way. Middlesbrough were playing slightly better at this stage, actually retaining possession. But like a Royal Walkabout there was just wave after wave as Spurs once more attacked the Boro backline like a rabid corgi. The game became rather tepid after that, a bit like, erm, a corgi come to think of it. Meanwhile I spent most of the time trying to think of new metaphors and similes to describe the Boro's play. Unfortunately I couldn't think of any so it was back to the action. If there was any. The Boro were playing some good keep-football at this stage, probably because they had no idea what to do with it. The crossing had been particularly poor during the game, most of them not beating the first man. On seventy-seven Downing punted a free-kick into the box that had been won after Tom Huddlestone had fouled Huth. Michael Dawson cleared the in-swinging ball over the bar for a corner. From the corner the ball was first cleared off the line but Spurs failed to learn their lesson. The ball broke to Pogatetz and then Huth who blasted the ball into the back of the net from twelve yards out. The Boro had just snatched an unlikely and, if honesty prevailed, an undeserved goal. Like we gave a toss. Tottenham Hotspur 1 Middlesbrough 1 (Huth, 79) To counter this Martin Jol brought on his big weapon - Robbie Keane. They went 4-4-3 in an attempt to win the game, swapping Steed Malbranque in the process. It was hearts-in-mouth moment on eighty-three when a short back pass from Boateng to Schwarzer but thankfully Schwarzer was alert to it. However, just like against Manchester United there was a bloodier moment to come. Boateng should have put his foot on the ball from a free-kick that had been conceded by Jonathan Woodgate on Robbie Keane. Instead he just let Tom Huddlestone take the free-kick, allowing it to pass it nonchalantly to Robbie Keane. From twenty-five yards out he made no mistake, launching the ball past a disenfranchised Schwarzer. Tottenham Hotspur 2 (Keane, 82) Middlesbrough 1 Tempers were frayed and three minutes later this was demonstrated by a mass brawl after George Boateng made a clumsy and cynical tackle on Aaron Lennon. Boateng was shown a straight red for his indiscipline. Count it as frustration but he should have been more professional and it casts major doubt on his future as captain. Still with a three match suspension it gives the Boro time to try new options. But that was a debate for another day. The impressive Didier Zokora was also sent off in the ensuing melee, meaning both sides were now down to ten men. Entering into stoppage time, Robbie Keane hit the ball across the keeper and towards a threatening Berbatov. Luckily for Boro he could not reach it and the Boro were saved once more. And that was about it. If the Boro keep playing like this it is hard to see where the goals will come from to survive. And the need to survive is looming ever larger as we are sinking closer and closer to the relegation mire. At the moment we are averaging two shots a game. That is clearly not good enough. And as has been shown today our defence can't always save us. We have a poor strikeforce and a dreadful midfield. January cannot come soon enough and we need to buy. If we don't then we will struggle to stay in the League. FULL TIME FAN REACTION "Woeful - we expect rubbish nowadays" Lorem Ipsum "That's what makes it worse - when it doesn't surprise you" Kris G "Monty has left at 9.57pm" Monty SEND THIS TO A FRIEND BACK TO SPURS MATCH PROGRAMME INDEX
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