x

Saints V Tottenham Hotspur The Verdict

Two teams who wanted to win the game made for a pulsating game of football in which Saints managed to salvage a draw in the dying minutes.

The answer as to whether Ralph Hasenhuttl was taking the cup seriously came in the team line up, aside from giving Angus Gunn a game in goal the outfield 10 were just about as strong as the Austrian could put out given injuries.

It was a game with action at both ends and once again VAR played a controversial part rightly denying Spurs a goal in the first half when strangely the linesman couldn't spot the Spurs man four yards behind the last Saints player.

It also got it right for Spurs actual goal, Son was neither offside nor did he foul Danso, something that VAR had to check for both offences, but it got it right and that is what mattered.

Sadly this was a goal that again we should have defended better, Spurs broke from deep and carried the ball past a couple of tackles that really should have stopped them, they had our defence in disarray and once again chasing the ball and leaving men unmarked, this time Son who strode through and placed a shot into the far corner.

On the plus point, Saints did not lose heart and came back with confidence and a desire to win.

What was got wrong though was Saints should have had a penalty when Danny Ings wriggled through and replays showed that a Spurs defender clearly moved his hand towards the ball to handle, VAR did not even look at it and should have.

Ings was at the heart of all Saints play, he had a great chance in the first half when a quick free kick saw him chest the ball past Lloris and hook it towards goal only to be denied by a goal line clearance, he also flicked across the goal only inches from the post and had a free header an inch wide when he should really have scored.

He made amends though 3 minutes from time when a great through from Hojbjerg put him through on the left and he laid the ball back for Boufal to sweep home for the equaliser.

Overall a draw was probably fair, but perhaps Saints can consider themselves unlucky as they were the better side in the final half hour and created several good chances, you felt if one had gone in a little earlier than the 87th minute Saints might have gone on to win it.

Ironically we will fancy our chances more away from home than we would at St Mary's, the Spurs goal like the Wolves goals were on the counter attack and that is something we still haven't quite learn't to handle, when sides break quickly at us from deep toooften we are disorganised and fail to pick up players.

Away from home we play deeper and that does not allow sides to catch us on the break so often and suits us as we have players who can break fast ourselves, so the old FA Cup adage is twisted a little bit for us, we have got a draw and now we can get them at their place and finish the job.

We can go there with confidence that these days we are a decent side, we just need to stay a lucky side as we are still not all we should be in certain situations defensively.

What to read next:

Tragedy tweets again : What is wrong with these people !
Talk Sport radio host, Jeff Stelling was duped during this mornings show when he read out a message by a Cardiff City fan celebrating a rare victory on the weekend against Swansea City. The message ended, Terry Coles.
Swansea City : Luke ready for a sharp encounter ?
The Swans take on the Blades tomorrow evening in the gloom of a derby defeat as players report in at Fairwood today. Assistant, Alan Sheehan takes over whilst head coach Luke Williams and club Chairman Andrew Coleman, freshly back from a weekend trip to northern Holland as sporting directors, recruitment / scouting / agent type people in the midst of a transfer window with twelve days to go.
Is Andrew Coleman on the brink with Williams and the new investors ?
When Andrew Coleman, the current Swansea City Chairman sits down to reflect on the month to date he may well have a few heart palpitations. He has been fronting talks for certain players, such as Josh Low, and taking on the full daily running of the club. We know this, because the club are happy for us to share it.
Cardiff City 3 - 0 Swansea City - Player Ratings and Reports
If you saw the match, please give us your player ratings and a mini match report.
Swansea City : Sorry Luke, but this simply isn’t working
The Swans failed to show up in the Welsh derby and made a mockery of the shirt they were wearing. ‘They may as well have spat on the badge’ was one comment as the fans left the ground. They were so angry, so annoyed and many now see little in Luke Williams remaining at the club. It was a pathetic attempt by a weak willed team to play a game of football.
Swansea City : Match day morning : Darling & Cabango train on Friday
Today at 12.30pm is yet another derby game between Swansea City and Cardiff City. The previous encounter ended 1-1 in August at the Swansea.com, that game was thrown away by the Swans and they should have won it easily.
Swansea City v Cardiff City : The records that tell you who is the best !
People will see this game as the fiercest derby in the UK, others will shout Rangers v Celtic or Manchester United v Liverpool even Swindon v Oxford (not sure why) but all of these games are different to Swansea City v Cardiff City. This game is the only ‘bubble trip’ in the country.
Luke Williams : Where could he end up on Sunday ?
There’s not a lot going on transfer wise regards the Swans at least. No signings after seventeen days but we are seemingly determined to get players in. Plus there’s the derby tomorrow as well. To cap that off Luke is going scouting abroad.
Swansea City transfer news : still passing the ball around the back
The Welsh derby between Swansea City and Cardiff City kicks off at 12.30pm on Saturday, the Swans the away side and very much struggling for form on the road. Tonight we will look at where we are as the transfer window reaches half way.,
Joe Low knock back number two will not deter the Swans
A second bid before this weekend’s dismal FA Cup game away at Southampton has been turned down by Wycombe. That bid was for centre back, Joe Low. It was common news a second bid was coming but now it seems a third will be needed.