Published: 9 April, 2012
Premier League
SPURS 1, NORWICH CITY 2
By DAN CARRIER

WE need a hero. We need that player who, when things aren't going to plan, when the opposition is tough, when the breaks aren't falling for us, when the fans are subdued and stray passes niggle, steps up and does something spectacular.

There's enough potential match-winners in the team, but today, when we really needed some thing special to lift us, it wasn't forthcoming.

Perhaps they all had an eye on next Sunday. If so, then what a shame. Norwich approached this with the eagerness of a cup final, and, essentially, it was a must-win game for us, so to see such a flat performance really rankles.

Those who have entertained us so much this term collectively had an off day, and the victory for the visitors was well deserved.

In the opening exchanges, both Jermain Defoe and Louis Saha, chosen ahead of Adebayor and van der Vaart found themselves in promising positions but failed to capitalise, and it set the tone for a strange half, which only intermittently spurted into life.

Spurs didn't seem too happy to mix it with Norwich's hefty team, and as soon as balls were thrown into the box, the Tottenham centre-backs were busy.

On 13, a scuffed clearence and a mix-up in defence saw Grant Holt tuck the opener away. Although the opening salvoes had come from Spurs, the muscular City attack had already made Ledley King and Younes Kaboul look a little uncomfortable.

Spurs looked tired and the fans felt it. The usually raucous atmosphere was subdued, as if the terrace choir was mimicking the jaded passing. When Spurs tried to take it up a notch, Norwich's pace and power unsettled the back four on the break.

A good example of this was Livermore's challenge on Holt on 26 which set in train some pressure that showed how badly Spurs were at coping with the height of the Norwich team, with headers not being attacked in dangerous areas and the second ball not being anticipated cleanly.

Then things broke lucky for Spurs. On 31, Ledley King tussled with Holt and Norwich had a fair call for a penalty. Seconds later, Livermore nicked the ball in a nowhere position in the midfield and sent Defoe free. He calmly tucked away an equaliser, while Paul Lambert was still fuming at the referee, throwing water bottles along the touchline.

Spurs showed flashes of brillaince – a move which culminated in Bale hitting the bar stands out – but they just did not seem to really believe.

After sparring for 20 minutes of the second period, Elliott Bennett steamed forward and Spurs just backed off, backed off and backed off, until the winger tried his luck and nailed it home. It was a wonderful goal, but Spurs showed how anaemic they were by the way they didn't attack him and allowed him the space to unleash a shot he'll remember for ever.

Sadly, a hero did not pop up. Lennon did his best, but it wasn't enough, while Bale and Modric were bullied out of things. When we look back at this season, today will stand out as the first time that when the team looked like it needed a lift from an individual, there was no one able to press the red button and make things happen.

Friedel, 7: Had no chance with the goals, and pulled off some good saves.

Bale, 5: Nothing worked for him.

Kaboul, 5: His best moments were going forward: he found Grant Holt and Ryan Bennett a handful, and had to go off on 40 with a tight hamstring. (Sub: Nelsen).

Lennon, 7: How nice it is to see the little piston-legs pumping down the wing. But starved of service for periods, and also missed a good chance when he opted to cross instead of shooting.

Modric, 6: If he leaves in the summer, he won‘t miss games like this.

Saha, 5: Couldn't get hold of it. Had two bright moments but didn't offer enough presence. Sub: Adebayor

Defoe, 5: So frustrating how when he's not in the side, you think, ah, if Defoe was on the pitch, he'd bury that…then when he gets his chance he doesn't quite do enough.

King, 5: I'm afraid this is one he'll want to forget. Got muscled off it and just didn't look comfortable all afternoon.

Walker, 5: Another one who had an off day. When he did get forward, his crossing was not up to it.

Livermore, 5: Unfair to be too harsh as he is the juniour of the side, but he really didn't get to grips physically and it meant the centre-backs were frequently exposed. (Sub: van der Vaart).

Assou-Ekotto, 6: One run from BAE was just superb: he dashed down the flank and then cut inside, one-two'd with Ade and should have scored. Great stuff.