Andre Villas-Boas: 'It was a good response to the heavy defeat we had against City'

Published: 1 December, 2013
Premier League

by DAN CARRIER at the White Hart Lane
SPURS 2, MAN UNITED 2

TOTTENHAM Hotspur went some way today (Sunday) to forgetting the 6-0 mauling by Manchester City last weekend with an exciting performance in a 2-2 home draw against champions Manchester United.

Boss Andre Villas-Boas praised his players afterwards and said he felt his side were unlucky not to win.

He said: “We deserved more. We had great chances.”

At 2-1, he said a penalty decision that got United even at was dubious.

He said: “We were certainly unlucky to concede goals the way we did and I felt the penalty decision was very difficult to accept. On other days it could easily have been a different call.”

Above all, the manager said he was thrilled to see his players bounce back after a performance that had led bookies to make him the favourite to be the next manager to be sacked.

He said: “It was a good response to the heavy defeat we had against City. To be perfect, we would have won the game, but this does keep us in touch with the group at the top.”

Spurs started bullishly, with Paulinho leading the charge at the front of the midfield and never allowing United's back four time to settle. It was his determination to run at United that led to the opener: he won a free-kick on the edge of the box on 17 minutes and Kyle Walker's low drive flew under the wall with enough power to give United keeper David De Gea had no chance.

Spurs had a real buzz about them, and just seconds later had two good penalty calls turned down: Roberto Soldado was shoved over as he went for a Walker cross, and then a Paulinho effort seemed to strike Chris Smalling's hand. Another chance came and went as Paulinho embarked on a lung-buster, fed Soldado and saw the Spaniard hit his effort inches wide.

As Spurs seemed likely to add to their lead, a momentary lapse of concentration allowed United back into it. Walker fumbled a clearance from a Phil Jones cross, laying the ball on a plate for Wayne Rooney to hammer home from six yards. It was against the run of play and the only blemish on a very strong first half.

The second period saw a similar pattern emerge: Spurs played with determination in defence and purpose going forward.

On 54, Sandro picked it up midway through the United half, drew defenders and then, after shimmying one way and the other, found the space to wallop a superb shot home from 25 yards.

The excitement then switched to the other end: on 56 Danny Wellbank went tumbling under a challenge from Hugo Lloris and Rooney equalised from the spot.

Tottenham's charges did not let their heads drop, and they looked more likely to hit a winner. Substitute Jermain Defoe fired a shot into a mass of bodies, and was also cynically pulled back as he raced into the box by Nemanja Vidic late on.

But despite the third not coming, AVB will take heart from a performance that may well have got the season back on track – and given him a stay of execution.

SPURS COMMENT by Dan Carrier

IT isn't rocket science: for around 150 years, Association Football managers have known that the left wing is best served by having a left footed player there, and the same theory applies to the right flank, too.

This theory has been ingnored by AVB in recent months. He clearly felt it was time to re invent the wheel and improve on this commandment.

His narrow, inverted flankman plan may be trendy and fashionable but like those all-the-rage tartan trousers punks wore, just because people in Chelsea were doing it, doesn't meant it is practical or right.

Today saw Aaron Lennon return to the starting line up on the right, and left footed Nacer Chadli play on the left. The width this gave the team was immediately apparent. Suddenly Spurs looked both balanced and incisive. It was a tactical change that was needed – and one that has given AVB breathing space as his expensively assembled squad get to know one another.

SPURS: Lloris, Walker, Vertonghen, Chiriches, Lennon (Townsend, 64), Paulinho, Soldado (Defoe, 71), Dembele, Dawson, Chadli, (Sigurdsson, 84) Sandro.