Tottenham Hotspur won match against Nottingham Forest with result of 0:2 after yet another superb performance of Swedish/North Macedonian player Dejan Kuluševski and despite shocking in-game management by coach Ange Postecoglou. There must be something special in that mask Dejo is wearing after West Ham. Starting line up was right. It was same eleven who won Newcastle on so convincing way. Dejan Kuluševski was on his best position which is in the middle on number 10, while Son, Richarlison and Johnson were front three.
Swede need 3 minutes to make first 100% chance for Son, but Korean didn't score a goal despite he was one on one with goalkeeper. It was so beautiful pass in space for Deki for him. Son would score from that every other day in 9 from 10 situations. Engine behind Deki Bissouma and Sarr didn't work good this time. Senegal player sold two balls in dangerous area on the pitch but engine behind Romero and superb Ben Davies with superb Vicario prevented home side from scoring goals. Every attack was on left on Son who always had double guardians who mercilessly kicked and fouled him a lot of times and didn't get deserved cards. There was situation while Son was on the ground and they kicked him 5-6 times ending with knee into head.
Superdeki then setup another chance when he entered inside box from right got pushed, almost lost balance but with last bit of strength sent ball toward Johnson who kicked it toward goal, but attempt didn't end up inside the net. Soon after Johnson get injured after head clash and was forced to go out of pitch. Until then I felt like Tottenham is in control despite some errors. Then Ange steeped up big time and push me over the line with his substitute. He put in Oliver Skipp on position 10 and forced Dejan Kulusevski out of his preferred position number 10 forcing him on right wing. What is Skipp offering as number 10 ? Slow, unable to protect and hold ball, nothing in press, able only to make straight line short distance pass and kick on goal. That can also do Eric Dier too. He should put someone else for RW instead and leave Deki on 10 on example Gil, or move Porro up and send in Emerson on RB or move Rithcarlison right and put Veliz in, or if he wanted Deki there put Donley in. Skipp is not number 10 and offers absolutely nothing on that position.
In that moment our play collapsed, Nottingham looked more and more dangerous, we received yellow cards and I thought it was game over that it's only matter of time when they will score goal and win us. However superdeki didn't think like that. Near the end of first half he got ball on the right sent great supercross toward Richarlison who showed again he is air danger for defenders. Brazilian did great header and put ball into net for 0:1. He really likes to play against Nottingham.
Second half continued in same way, Skipp lost ball in attack on pathetic way making me swearing publicly on Twitter and soon after Nottingham scored a goal but offside rule saved us because scorer was very much in offside despite Michael Oliver tried hard to prove he is not and need 4 minutes for right decision which was so obvious even with naked eye. Then superdeki took things into his hands again. He got ball, entered inside the box, had opponent in front, but fired up a bomb through ears of Nottingham goalkeeper. Ball bomb sent with right foot ended above his head inside the net for 0:2.
However we wouldn't be Spurs if we don't make drama. I can't write what kind of chances and shots Vicario saved during this game. I will mention just three. Marvelous save of header, saving shot tap in from 1m by Wood, deflecting shot off the post into corner. He went out and boxed numerous of crosses nullified advantage in the air host side had after Wood came in. Bissouma who played bad game lost one ball in dangerous area and tried to recover it by starting with open sole in the air under the knee and fouled Forest player. Referee gave him yellow, but it was hot shot for anti Tottenham daemon Michael Oliver who called him on monitor and after review referee gave red to Mali international. It was right decision and Mali international should ask himself what is he doing on the pitch ? He is now out for 4 games because it is his second red in the season and then he will go to African Cup and will be out until February! Shocking!
Oliver Skipp connected with ball right first time in 78th minute when he recovered ball and sent it forward in space in good way, but we didn't finished that with big chance and goal. He had one more good moment soon after. There was also ugly scissors tackle against Porro who received couple of really bad kicks, but it was only yellow card for home lumberjack who was shocked it is foul. I think it is right decision, but also think rules need to change and convert it into red in the future because this can cause bad long term injury of opponent like kicking around and under knee.
After all it was victory, but very costly one. We probably lost Johnson and surely Bissouma which probably means we're going to see Sarr and Skipp or Sarr and Hojbjerg combination in the middle behind number 10 which I sincerely hope will be Dejan Kulusevski. If Ange make it Skipp, Hojbjerg, Sarr with Deki on the right we have very little chance to win in form Everton next week. Who knows maybe injured Lo Celso would miraculously become fit after seeing he can play in first eleven next game ?
Nice three points, but we payed very big price for that. Dejan Kulusevski or "superdeki" has now 4 recent games ended with mark of 9. In all of them he started them on position number 10 showing he is the closest thing to Madders we can have on that position. At the end he made move which cause my nose to start bleeding. He took the ball moved around opponent who tried to do desperate tackle but Swede jumped over home savage player together with ball in world class Predrag Mijatovic style. It's a pity we were man down and that didn't end up with chance and goal.
There was one more Ange move I don't understand. He put Veliz in the game literally 5 seconds before full time whistle in like 98th minute. That is how much he believes in young players like Donley and him. Some players are sitting on the bench just to fill it I guess and we're just ruining their careers by not giving them any chance to play and at the end they will forget how to play football and become rusty. I don't care if Donley is 18 years old, if he is good like some fans are saying there is no reason to put Skipp who offers nothing on number 10 instead of him if wish is to put Deki on right wing because you don't trust Gil or Porro can play there.
Deki must be #10 ffs he got mark 9 every time he played there! For the end I have message for him "Dejo genije pa ti si Bog!" (Dejan genious you are football God). He gave short statement after the game saying his girlfriend is pregnant, they expect baby in April around his birthday, that she will kill him for celebrating goal with ball under the shirt, that he's loving playing for this team. Well played Dejo.
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