Main Page

Quick Links
   Fixtures
   Reports
   Players
   Transfers
   Rumours
   Table
   Stats
   Reserves
   Academy

The Rest
   Archives
   Club info
   Fanzines
   Last Season
   SJP
   Unlikely Lads
   A-Z Index

Season 2023-24
Spurs (a) Premier League

 

 
Date:
Sunday 10th December 2023, 4.30pm 
Live on Sky Sports

Venue:
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Conditions: Inundated

Programme:
£4
 

Spurs

Newcastle

 

4 - 1

 

 

Teams

Goals

26 mins The ball was played out to Son down the left and he took on and beat Kieran Trippier before finding Destiny Udogie unmarked by the near post who had the simplest of finishes at the north end of the ground. 0-1

38 mins Rinse and repeat. The ball was played out to Son on the left who took on Trippier who this time tried to pinch the ball off his toes unsuccessfully. Son cut it back from the byline to Richarlison who had an easy finish into the far corner from inside the six yard box. 0-2

Half time: Cockerels 2 Magpies 0

60 mins Pedro Porro hit an angled ball into the box and Richarlison was able to let it bounce before tucking it under Martin Dubravka. The keeper’s position or attempt to save didn’t look great. 0-3

85 mins Porro slotted the ball through for Son to run at goal and Dubravka committed himself to the tackle and missed the ball but took the player. Son got up and hit an accurate penalty to Dubravka’s right and out of his reach just inside the post. 0-4

90+1 mins Sean Longstaff intercepted a loose pass and when it fell to Matt Ritchie he found Callum Wilson on the right hand side of the Spurs area. the striker unselfishly fed Joelinton who calmly side-footed it into the net from just inside the box. 

A fairly brief VAR check assessed whether Wilson had come back from an offside position but cleared it quickly. 1-4

Full time:
Cockerels 4 Magpies 1

We Said

 

Eddie Howe said:


"I thought Tottenham played very well. We had our moments in the game, especially at the beginning of the second half when we were excellent until they scored.

"We weren't at our best physically today and you could see that. The lads were giving everything but with not enough resources to give more.

"I can't say it's all down to fatigue... we've got another game on Wednesday.

"This is what we wanted this season. The Champions League is a very special tournament but with it comes more games. 

"We hoped to be able to have the squad to cope with that but with the injuries we've had, I think we've had it worse than any other team that I can remember.

"These same group of players have gone through five games and it is difficult. But we do have some light at the end of the tunnel with Callum
(Wilson) and Sean (Longstaff) coming back. Massive players for us and they both did well when they came on.

"We have to take the pain and come out fighting again."

On Kieran Trippier:

"I think Tino Livramento has been excellent at left back and Kieran's got his obvious qualities at right back. That would be the reason. Lewis (Hall) when he comes on, has to perform well.

"When he's part of your biggest attacking threat every week, he's a very difficult one to leave out.

"Even today, Kieran had his moments where he produced some really good crosses, especially in the second half. He's just an outstanding technician and we will certainly miss him against Fulham.

"It's a huge blow for us. I said after the Everton game that Kieran sets the standard for us in terms of getting a level, consistent performance. We're going to miss his quality.

"You want to make changes that benefit the team, not ones that don't benefit the team, so I've got to try and make those decisions and get them right."

On the travel issues that affected fans:

"I really feel for the supporters who have travelled far to watch us in difficult travelling conditions. We tried to give everything we had; it wasn't enough.

"It has been two tough trips for them now but hopefully they can see the players are giving everything."


They Said

 

Ange Postecoglou:

"I can't fault the lads. They put in a massive effort today. We were brighter in the front third, I thought Sonny (Son Heung-min) was excellent and that sort of thing feeds off to the other guys.

"You rely on your leaders to take initiative; we could have had more goals but our attacking play was as good as it has been for a while.

"We are getting players back; you can see Newcastle are running on fumes. We've gone through that, and hopefully we are coming out the other side.

"Both boxes, we were a lot better; having (Cristian) Romero back helped with that. We have had to battle away and come January we'll get players back.

"The Premier League is unrelenting; the other teams aren't going to feel sorry for you.

"It's fair to say all our starts have been good in recent weeks, I just felt today we had a little more belief, and Sonny was a big difference there, I thought he set the tone really early for us and the other lads fed off that, that’s what you want from your leaders. Pape’s energy, Richy’s energy, just making those two changes helped us enormously. 

"I’m pleased for the lads, they got their rewards today for a really strong performance. In general, our performance was probably at the level it has been, but we were more effective in the front third and, defensively, I thought we were outstanding."

Stats


Newcastle lost three successive PL away games for the first time since March 2022, when they were beaten at Chelsea, Everton and then Spurs. A five game winless PL run on the road is our poorest away return since a nine game barren sequence from the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Joelinton now has seventeen PL goals, taking him level with current colleague Alexander Isak and SJP old boy Yohan Cabaye. In all competitions for Newcastle he's scored 24 times, one more that fellow countryman Mirandinha managed.

His strike was our first in the PL away from SJP in 315 minutes, United's longest barren run since they endured 458 scoreless minutes under Steve Bruce in December 2020 / January 2021.

We maintained our record of scoring in every game here, increasing the count to five visits.

Newcastle conceded more than three goals in a PL match for the first time since a 0-5 reverse at Manchester City in May 2022. Then as today, Martin Dubravka was between the posts.

Trippier's yellow card means that he sits out the PL visit of Fulham after reaching five bookings. Lascelles and Joelinton both join Sean Longstaff on four cautions.  The trio have three PL games left in order to avoid the booking that will trigger their own suspensions before counters are reset.

After a PL debut for our blue third kit in the 8-0 win at Sheffield United, the second outing was rather less productive.

Five defeats from their first eight PL away games is Newcastle's second-worst total in the history of the competition, although they have now reached that figure seven times. Their poorest start to a PL season remains 1999/00 when they kicked off with six losses by two draws.

The Magpies lost their unbeaten PL record in the capital at the eighth attempt:

Apr 2022 Spurs (a) lost 1-5
Oct 2022 Fulham (a) won 4-1
Oct 2022 Spurs (a) won 2-1
Jan 2023 Arsenal (a) drew 0-0
Jan 2023 Crystal Palace (a) drew 0-0
Apr 2023 West Ham (a) won 5-1
Apr 2023 Brentford (a) won
May 2023 Chelsea (a) drew 1-1
Oct 2023 West Ham (a) drew 2-2
Dec 2023 Spurs (a) lost 1-4

Magpies @ Cockerels - PL era:

2023/24 Lost 1-4 Joelinton
2022/23 Won 2-1 Wilson, Almiron
2021/22 Lost 1-5 Schar
2020/21 Drew 1-1 Wilson (pen)
2019/20 Won 1-0 Joelinton
2018/19 Lost 0-1
2017/18 Lost 0-1
2015/16 Won 2-1 Mitrovic, Perez
2014/15 Lost 0-4 (LC)
2014/15 Won 2-1 Ameobi, Perez
2013/14 Won 1-0 Remy
2012/13 Lost 1-2 Gouffran
2011/12 Lost 0-5
2010/11 Lost 0-2
2008/09 Lost 0-1
2007/08 Won 4-1 Butt, Geremi, Owen, Martins
2006/07 Won 3-2 Huntington, Martins, Butt
2005/06 Lost 0-2
2004/05 Lost 0-1
2003/04 Lost 0-1
2002/03 Won 1-0 Jenas
2001/02 Won 3-1 Acuna, Shearer, Bellamy
2000/01 Lost 2-4 Solano, Dyer
1999/00 Drew 1-1 Speed (FAC)
1999/00 Lost 1-3 Solano
1998/99 Lost 0-2
1997/98 Lost 0-2
1996/97 Won 2-1 Ferdinand 2
1995/96 Drew 1-1 Ginola
1995/96 Won 2-0 Sellars, Ferdinand (FR)
1994/95 Lost 2-4 Fox 2
1993/94 Won 2-1 Beardsley 2

 

Waffle

 

 

A difficult week for United came to a miserable end on Sunday; Eddie Howe's side somewhat fortunate to get away with only leaking four goals as a buoyant Spurs side ran them ragged.

Enduring selection issues of their own, the hosts had led in each of their previous five outings but only had a point to show for their efforts ahead of this clash.

This time though the Cockerels took the lead and kept it, providing an exhibition of fine flowing football as the scoreline steadily increased with
the help of some slack defending.

Not for the first time against us, Heung-Min Son was central to the home side's attacking threat; creating the first two goals and netting a fourth after his run into the area was illegally halted.

Although Callum Wilson and Sean Longstaff were on the bench after injury, the same outfield group of players that had capitulated at Everton on Thursday started for a fourth successive game.

And it was a similar story to that at Goodison; United unable to net the crucial first goal despite a glaring opportunity to do so after nine minutes.  
 
Alexander Isak looked a certain scorer when Anthony Gordon crossed from the left, but a slight touch off Ben Davies meant that the striker's contact was minimal and the ball slid wide of the gaping goal.

Bruno Guimaraes had already shaved the bar with a slice from the edge of the box while Richarlison and Son went close at the other end before Spurs went ahead in the 26th minute.

Son got the better of his old team mate Kieran Trippier on the left side of the area, pulling the ball back for the unattended Destiny Udogie to score from close range.

Miggy Almiron should have equalised eight minutes later when Joelinton played him in but as at Everton, Miggy's shot was woefully underhit and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario saved comfortably.

Four minutes later the lead was doubled and Son was the creator again on the left; finding Richarlison who couldn't miss from inside the six yard box.

The roof threatened to fall in at that point and Brennan Johnson went close with a shot from the right before Dejan Kulusevski should have beaten Dubravka but the 'keeper saved.

Two behind at the break, the blue-clad visitors made no personnel changes but had more intent, purpose and importantly possession kicking towards their fans.

A series of corners and a fleeting passage of pressure however failed to reduce the arrears and our eight game unbeaten league record in the capital was finally halted by going 0-3 down on the hour.

Richarlison got on the end of Pedro Porro's cross before touching the ball past the poorly-placed Dubravka, who may or may not be playing a shoulder issue. Jamaal Lascelles also wasn't at his best - perhaps a legacy of the dead leg that forced him off on Thursday. 

Like Isak, Almiron and Tripper it's not just those players sidelined who are struggling - form and fitness issues abound at present among those playing week after week as the effort expended in playing our brand of pressing football becomes harder to recover from. This was game 17 for Spurs, game 23 for Newcastle and it showed.

Johnson hit the post and Son was also narrowly off-target as the hosts looked to avenge their 1-6 thrashing at St. James' Park in April. Had Harry Kane still been here, they may well have done.

Wilson and Longstaff appeared and both sides had chances to score; Joelinton almost converting a cross but booked for a forearm smash as his frustrations looked like getting the better of him.

That sparked a furious spell where Cristian Romero should have walked for a disgraceful challenge on Wilson that VAR somehow failed to upgrade the onfield yellow. Although it's doubtful that going down to ten men would have altered the outcome, a second red in a month for the Argentinean defender and the consequent extended ban would have consequences for Tottenham's future games. 

In the aftermath Bruno came close to seeing red himself with a headbutt and Trippier dived in to receive his fifth yellow card of the season to miss the visit of Fulham.

Dubravka then made a rash challenge on Son that was punished from the spot by the South Korean forward to make it 0-4 with five minutes of normal time remaining. Wilson set up Joelinton for a late consolation and then should have scored himself with a header but directed it straight at Vicario. 

A first PL away goal in over five hours provided scant consolation though for those travellers who overcame catastrophic rail problems - and hadn't deserted their posts by that point in proceedings.

With little time for anything other than a change of kit,
we move on to the next challenge on Wednesday; the little matter of deciding our immediate European fate. 

Quite what the best outcome of that tie is for the club at this moment in time is a matter of debate
, with claims that progress in Europe would result in additional resources for recruitment in January to be taken with a pinch of salt. 

Without even considering the local FA Cup spat, the shape of our season may be altered considerably by the middle of next week - and some of the decision-making could be taken out of our hands. 


Biffa


Page last updated 20 December, 2023