Match Report: Shamrock Rovers 0-4 Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur went to the Tallaght stadium needing a Lyon type turnaround to make it through to the knock-out rounds. From his team selection, including only choosing four subs, it appeared that Harry Redknapp wasn’t really counting on the results going Spurs way.

As the game got started it was clear that Shamrock would try hard and run around a lot. It also appeared that the Spurs players seemed to believe that they were just plain better than Rovers and would win without trying too hard. Fact is they are better than the Rovers boys but no one ever won a football match just by turning up. Except Scotland in Estonia in the 90′s, even that was eventually declared null and void and they drew the replay!! Spurs rarely looked in danger, unless they created it for themselves, but also rarely looked too threatening either. Giovanni made one jinking run into the box and pulled the ball back for Defoe who’s shot was blocked. Sandro also made a couple of dashing runs but again there was no end product.

Spurs really came alive when Redknapp made some tactical switches. He moved Giovanni out to the right, with Pienaar going central and Townsend moving to his natural left wing. Pienaar it was who got the breakthrough, having a hopeful effort from the edge of the box deflected past the keeper and into the corner of the net. There was a conspicuous lack of celebration though and it had to be questioned whether the players seemed bothered. A few minutes later and Andros Townsend who had already had a couple of tricky bursts down the left combined with Defoe before curling the ball over the keeper into the top corner. It was a beautiful effort, on his wrong foot, and Townsend rightly looked delighted. Spurs looked a lot livelier after that and it was Townsend again who provided the key. Flying down the left flank and whipping the ball across for Defoe who had got across his marker, the England striker swivelled on the ball and had his shot deflected past Shamrock’s keeper for a third that with PAOK leading Rubin left Spurs hopes considerably higher than ever heading into the second half.

The second half though soon showed the harsh reality of football. Five minutes into the half news filtered through that Rubin had equalised with their 10 men at PAOK, so whatever Spurs did would be irrelevant if it stayed like that. Rovers looked a little more determined in the early parts of the half and at times stretched Spurs. Harry Redknapp’s men meanwhile huffed and puffed but rarely looked like causing any more bother to the scoreboard. Sandro hit the post as a pass meant for Defoe went astray, hitting the keeper and going for a corner. Jake Livermore was lucky not to see red, seeming to haul his man down when clean through but got away with it. Spurs continued to have efforts but there were lots of determined Shamrock blockers at every turn it appeared. Bafflingly with fifteen minutes left and Spurs still needing goals and a PAOK winner, Defoe was taken off and replaced by young Harry Kane. The youngsters potential shouldn’t be underplayed but surely Spurs should still have been going hell for leather for the five goals in the hope of a PAOK assist? Falque came on for Assou-Ekotto with minutes left and within seconds had three shots, one hitting the post. As time wore on it was Shamrock in fact who looked more likely to score, Cudicini pulling off a sharp save and a couple of other efforts going wayward. Then with it seeming dead in the water, Harry Kane showed why he’d come on, turning in Townsend’s nod back for his first Spurs goal. Townsend proving to be the pick of Spurs performers tonight. Still Greek assistance was needed. It wasn’t forthcoming, nor was Spurs fifth.

Spurs Europa League campaign is over for this year, I’m sure Harry Redknapp will be delighted to get this tournament over and done with. It really is a shame that he and many Spurs fans treat the competition with such disdain. The game is about glory, it says so at The Lane, and glory comes from winning trophies. This trophy was very winnable for Spurs and winning is a habit that we should be getting into. The whole Thursday/Sunday argument holds no water either, how is it any different from Wedneday/Saturday or Saturday/Tuesday in the Champions League? Thats right, it’s not.

Anyway, it’s now back to Premier League business on Sunday, with the first of two massive home games, revitalised Sunderland visiting before London rivals Chelsea rock up on Thursday. I guess it’s okay to play Premier League games on a Thursday right?

COYS

Stuart Watts ( @THFC1882dotcom on Twitter )