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Aaron Lennon went off with an ankle injury shortly before Spurs went down to a disappointing home defeat to Stoke City |
Whelan nicks it
Potters stoke up pressure on Spurs' injury hit squad before North London Showdown
PREMIER LEAGUE
Tottenham Hotspur 0 Stoke City 1
THE strength of Harry Redknapp's squad is set to be tested to its limits this week after Aaron Lennon limped off with 12 minutes remaining of this desperately disappointing home defeat.
With Luka Modric seemingly two weeks away before getting match fitness back, and Jermain Defoe sitting out a three match ban, Spurs go to Arsenal on Saturday with arguably three of the squads most influential attacking players unavailable.
Redknapp will have to turn to bit-parters such as David Bentley and Roman Pavlyuchenko, who could be shipped out in January if the right prices are offered, in this crucial north London derby.
Redknapp rued Tottenham's tough luck against the Potters on the day the sold out stadium rose before the match to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the death of former manager and club president Bill Nicholson. Fans were treated to an emotional film of highlights from Bill Nick's life – and it set a tone of anticipation for what, on paper, looked like a nailed on home win. Within the first quarter of an hour, Redknapp had it shuffle the pack after Jonathan Woodgate – starting his first game this term – was forced off after tying himself in knots to clear a cross. Spurs started brightly and dominated the first half. Lennon showed his sides intent as he lead half the Stoke defence a merry dance on 22 minutes, crossing from his favoured right hand position in a mazy run that took him from across the face of the Stoke 18-yard line: his stinging shot was well saved by the Potters keeper Steve Simonsen - the first of a hatful of good blocks by Stoke's second choice goalie.
And with Spurs bubbling, it seemed a first half goal was inevitable: Peter Crouch had a tremendous headed effort cleared brilliantly off the line by James Beattie, while moments later, Crouch supplied a clever back heel to Niko Krancjar, but the Croatian drove his shot from distance against the upright.
The second half progressed much the same as the first: on 48 minutes, Lennon combined brilliantly with Tom HUddlestone to play in Robbie Keane, but his shot on the turn lacked real power, and Crouch was too slow to react to the parried rebound.
Harry shuffled his pack as Stoke held grimly on: Roman Pavyluchenko came on for just the second time this term on 75 minutes for Robbie Keane and although the Russian looked desperate to impress, he was all too often crowded out. His contribution was limited to a couple of long range efforts. And he had been on the pitch for just two minutes when the game turned: Lennon, scuttling backwards to help full back Benoit Assou-Ekotto clear the lines, was tackled by Potters' sub and winning goalscorer Glenn Whelan, and in the ensuing tumble landed awkwardly. With all three subs on the pitch, Spurs had to play out the final 12 minutes with just 10 men – and the gap on the right left by Lennon's enforced absence gave Whelan the space he needed to grab an unlikely winner. Chasing the game, Spurs has a good penalty call dismissed after Kranjcar was tripped in the box – but its hardly top four form if you have to rely on the referee to give penalties to get you out of jail against a team that, with all respect, are not in the same bracket as Spurs.
After the game, Redknapp rued the bad luck and praised Stoke mfor making things tricky for his team – who would have got top briefly if they'd won. He said: “We had so many chances: we had efforts cleared off the line, we hit the post. It just wouldn't go in, and their goalkeeper had a great day as well.
"In the last 15 minutes you're sitting there with 10 men thinking 'perhaps we'll take a point today' because it becomes very difficult and we just got caught with what must have been their only shot at goal.”
DAN CARRIER |
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