Match Report (Newcastle) & Preview (Arsenic): challenges ahead
Match Report (Newcastle) & Preview (Arsenic): challenges ahead
The weekend of the Newcastle game was one of many contrasts. We travelled down on Friday; I got food poisoning in the evening and had to return to my hotel (thanks to Mel, that is taking me back to the hotel, not the food poisoning!). The next day, I hoped it would be different (the game, that is)…. I had a hearty meal (my poisoning only lasted 6 hours) and then went to the stadium with Janet (who we met the previous evening) and Mel. And that game was a bundle of laughs.
The game…
Newcastle’s Alexander Isak’s form at St James’ Park continued as Newcastle beat us to boost their hopes of European football next season.
Isak scored two clinical finishes in each half as he netted on home turf for the sixth consecutive match.
After two goals went in, the Spurs crowd started to thin… just like the previous season when they put six past us. Of course, we thought it would be different this time around… and to be fair, it was… by two goals!
Newcastle’s emphatic victory lifted them to sixth in the table – above Manchester United, who drew 2-2 with Bournemouth on goal difference that weekend. We dropped to fifth, below Aston Villa on goal difference.
As for us…
We had failed to find the net in only one of our past 43 league matches before this encounter. There was a lot of promise in patches of our attacking play in the opening third of the game.
Two fine chances did come the way of Werner in the first half when the match was still a contest. He lifted a volley high over the crossbar from a Brennan Johnson cross when he might have been better placed to head the ball. He also scuffed a shot inside the penalty area when well-placed.
Failure to capitalise on our chances and some slipshod defending resulted in our humbling defeat. It was also a set back for our Champions League hopes.
After the game, Mel and I had a long journey back home.
After that, there was a two-week break because our next opponent (City) played in the FA Cup Semi-Final, where they beat Pochettino’s Chelsea. In the other semi-final – on the Sunday – Coventry were cheated out of a victory over United.
That weekend (we lost to the Magpies) – would you Adam and Eve it – saw Aston Villa going on to beat Arsenic and Old Lace. Putting them further above us. Then, the weekend we were supposed to face City, Villa got another victory, dismantling Bournemouth 3-1.
Villa are now six points above us, however, we have two games over them… and one of those games is against top-of-the-table Arsenic and Old Lace (easy!!!!). The weekend we face the Gooners Villa take on lacklustre Chelsea.
They (Chelsea) recently were hammered by the Gooners 5-0, putting them (Arsenic) back on top of the Premier League table. Hopefully, we can provide a service for City by beating them.
Match Preview Spurs v the Gooners
We will have had 15 days off since a 4-0 humbling at Newcastle, in which Aston Villa has taken firm control of the fourth spot, having played three times during the gap.
The Gooners, meanwhile, looked to be almost out of the title race after losing at home to Aston Villa. Still, back-to-back wins over Wolves and their thrashing of Chelsea mean the pressure is back on Manchester City to produce the goods in their two games in hand. Now, they have one game in hand as they beat Brighton 4-0 on Thursday.
Another win for the Gooners would surely end our hopes of qualifying for the Champions League next season. A win for us could similarly end the Gooner’s season aims. So both clubs have a lot riding on this game.
Date, kick-off time and venue
The game is scheduled for a 2pm BST kick-off on Sunday, April 28, 2024.
The match will take place at our Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Where to watch the game.
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be live on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HDR, with coverage beginning at 1pm.
Our team news…
We are without left-back Destiny Udogie and are sweating over the fitness of right-back Pedro Porro. Both Ben Davies and Emerson Royal are ready in reserve should they be required, while January signing Radu Dragusin could also be drafted in.
Up front, Richarlison is expected to be fit after around three weeks out of action, and his involvement would push Son to the wing, where he would likely be joined by Brennan Johnson, our most in-form forward.
Spurs will solely miss Udogie, and a possible Porro absence is equally damaging against an Arsenal side brimming with confidence and gunning for the title.
In the reverse fixture, we drew 2-2 at the Emirates, but this is a completely different test in the season run-in. We will need the likes of James Maddison to rediscover his form to have a chance of taking points off the league leaders.
Prediction…
I am going for a 2-1 win with my fingers crossed.
Head-to-head history and results
We have won: 67
Draw: 55
Arsenic have won: 86
Well, that’s it, folks… hopefully a better result than we had against Newcastle. After Arsenic, we got Pochettino’s Chelsea (Thursday night), followed by Liverpool on Sunday. These matches are followed by Burnley (H), City (H) and finally Sheffield United (A). All good fun… then once the summer hits us, we can get rid of more deadwood and build a team that Ange will be happy with (with plenty of cover on the benches).
Up the Spurs!
Glenn