Tottenham Hotspur’s December form didn’t improve much today against Wolves at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but at least they didn’t lose. Spurs took a 2-1 lead deep into the match and looked likely to pick up their first win since the 5-0 dismantling of Southampton on December 15. But Wolves substitute Jorgen Strand Larsen fired home an equalizer against the run of play and held on for a 2-2 draw that will do little to turn around the vibes amongst the Spurs faithful.
The injury situation hasn’t changed since three days ago, but there was a surprise as Radu Dragusin was deemed fit to start in the back line alongside Archie Gray despite being subbed off with an ankle knock. Elsewhere, Yves Bissouma was preferred to Pape Sarr, while Pedro Porro came back into the side for the suspended Djed Spence. Ange Postecoglou preferred a forward line of Brennan Johnson, Son Heung-Min and Dominic Solanke, playing ahead of Dejan Kulusevski. James Maddison again started the match on the bench.
Wolves went ahead early from a free kick routine when Hwang Hee-Chan fired off the post and past Fraser Forster in the seventh minute, but Rodrigo Bentancur leveled five minutes later with a thumping header from a corner kick. Brennan Johnson put Spurs ahead in extra time of the first half, converting a cutback pass in the box from Dejan Kulusevski and Spurs had a first half penalty by Son Heung-Min that was saved by Wolves keeper Jose Sa. Nevertheless, Spurs looked good value for their lead until Strand Larsen’s late goal for the visitors.
The result was further complicated by yet another injury, this time to Destiny Udogie who appeared to pull his hamstring and was substituted for Sergio Reguilon. The result will keep Spurs in the bottom half of the table with 24 points from 19 matches.
Match Reactions
- We didn’t lose. There’s that, but this once again felt like another match Spurs might have won if a few balls didn’t bounce the wrong way.
- Honestly thought Spurs played pretty well on the whole — they had a couple of good looks in the second half — not including the missed penalty by Son. But you gotta convert those chances and Spurs again did not. Spurs have certainly played a lot worse than this in December, and it just feels again unlucky to only come away with a point here.
- Final xG: TOT 0.99 — 0.51 WOL.
- Wolves’ early goal was just a well worked set piece and a great shot. Johnson was fouled, but it’s not like he was rushing out to defend the shot, and it went in off the post.
- Spurs have been pretty awful from corners this season (when Sonny isn’t scoring Olimpicos) so it was especially nice to see Bentancur head one in from an outswinging kick. Every so often we get one of those, as a treat.
- Wolves played a very physical game and it seemed to throw Spurs off at times, especially in midfield where Bellegarde and others seemed to be specifically targeting Kulusevski. Thought Wolves should’ve had a few more yellow cards than they actually had.
- Spurs again didn’t have any real passing in the team in the first half and it was pretty evident without Maddison how little technical ability is in this squad as currently constructed.
- The Johnson penalty was softish, but one of those that will never be overturned by VAR once given. But, as they say, “ball don’t lie” as Son had his penalty saved.
- Fantastic strike from Johnson, but that goal was all Dejan Kulusevski. Incredible work inside the box to get a half step of space and put in the cutback pass. Deki was really good in this match.
- Another hamstring injury, this time to Destiny Udogie. Man, this sucks. It feels like one of those negative spirals where the more injuries happen the more minutes everyone else has to play, and the more susceptible they are to further injury. I am NOT convinced by the “Ange’s tactics cause injuries” takes I’m seeing right now, it feels more like a consequence of Spurs being thin and hurt, a feedback loop of suck.
- Interesting choice for Ange to sub off Yves Bissouma instead of Rodrigo Bentancur. Bissouma had a poor match, but Lolo was looking gassed right before Sarr came on. Lolo I thought played quite well on balance, though he trailed off late in the second half.
- Strand Larsen’s goal was just absurd, especially from that angle. Hard to be too upset about it, though it’s annoying that it came so against the run of play. Gotta wonder how Forster didn’t do better there since he was covering that near post.
- Yellow card for Bentancur means he’s now suspended for the Newcastle match due to yellow card accumulation. He was also probably lucky not to see red. Great stuff (not great stuff).
- Spurs are just clearly an exhausted, injury ravaged team, and there’s only so much you can do when that happens. Son gave us virtually nothing for the third straight match and it’s hard not to point to how many minutes he’s played in a very short period of time. Brennan Johnson also did nothing until he won the penalty and scored his goal (the Lionel Messi of Nacer Chadlis). Yves Bissouma was a non-factor. These guys all need three weeks off in a Bacta tank but instead we’ll continue to play two matches a week until the end of January.
- I’ll just put this here: sacking Ange does NOTHING to alleviate the issues in this squad. The only way out is through. Stick with it, take the lumps, and improve the squad so we don’t have to go through this again next season.
