Published: 10 November, 2013
by DAN CARRIER at WHITE HART LANE

Premier League
SPURS 0, NEWCASTLE UNITED 1

ANDRE Villas-Boas is facing a tough two-week international break after watching his Spurs side fire blanks again in a disappointing 1-0 home defeat against Newcastle today (Sunday).

An early Loic Remy effort was enough to bag the spoils for the Magpies – and AVB rued a sluggish start from his charges.

Speaking after the game, he said: "We have to look at ourselves and recognise our first half was poor."

He added that he felt his team were worthy of at least a point after laying siege to Newcastle's goal in the second period – but found themselves faced with Tim Krul, the Newcastle goalkeeper, having the game of his life.

AVB added: "We reacted strongly and I felt the result was ultimately unfair, bearing in mind what we created.

"Tim Krul was the key to the day. Had one of our chances gone in, I felt we would go on and win it. We have to give credit to our opponents: it was a bright start from them, but I felt overall we were extremely unlucky."

On 12, Spurs failed to clear their lines and a slide-rule ball forward saw Remy round the advancing Brad Friedel – in for Hugo Lloris after the keeper was knocked out last week – and slot home.

It was just about Newcastle's only real chance, yet it won the game. United looked muscular and busy, allowing the Spurs midfield very little time on the ball and they defended with dogged determination.

When Spurs did get chances, they found a goalkeeper on form. On 27, a glancing Roberto Soldado header brought an outstanding one-handed save by Tim Krul.

Other moments included Paulinho forcing Krul into a spectacular leap on 42, but otherwise Spurs looked devoid of the oomph needed to create a break.

A double substitution at half-time saw Younes Kaboul and Sandro come on to offer more strength, and it nearly paid off immediately with Eriksen having a goalbound effort blocked by Krul's feet, and then a moment later Sandro going close from distance.

When Spurs did carve out chances, a mixture of a lack of conviction when it mattered most, paired with a great performance by Krul, meant the equaliser wasn't coming.

Late on, an Eriksen free-kick was palmed out and nearly scrambled home, a Jan Vertonghen header struck the bar and Paulinho had the goal at his mercy but drove the ball against the keeper's legs.

Spurs: Friedel, Walker, Dawson, Chiriches (HT Kaboul), Vertonghen, Demebele (HT Sandro), Paulinho, Sigurdsson (67, Defoe), Eriksen, Townsend, Soldado.
Attendance: 36,042

SPURS COMMENT by Dan Carrier

ANDRE Villas-Boas has his heart set on a particular system and he doggedly sticks to it.

He wants his wingers to cut inside, his centre-forward to act as a fulcrum, and the frontman in the midfield to play a drifting, linking role.

But we are now a quarter of the way through the season and the side have found it desperately hard to score. The team's biggest league win has been 2-0 against Norwich – a side that have conceded four times twice and seven once already this term.

Today, Newcastle keeper Tim Krul made 14 saves – a figure the Opta statistics computer says is the most by one goalie in the Premier League since 2006.

But regardless of whether the opponents' number one has a blinder, it's plain to see that AVB needs to be brave enough to mix things up when the other side have come with a plan to nullify our 4-3-3. Shouldn't wingers play on the touchlines, their feet naturally lean towards, and isn't it time for Erik Lamela to be trusted with a full 90 minutes to add some spark?

With no plan B in the shape of Gareth Bale's left foot this year, AVB desperately needs to find a new secret weapon. Abandoning a formation that so far has brought little joy is worth a try.