Jermain Defoe replaced Peter Crouch as expected, Jermaine Jenas came in for Wilson Palacios and injuries to Benoit Assou-Ekotto (knee) and Heurelho Gomes (shoulder) meant Harry Redkapp had to make a couple more changes. Steven Pienaar made his debut on the left-wing and Gareth Bale was moved to left-back. Ten minutes in Bale went off with a back injury and Sebastien Bassong took his place. Its been giving him gyp for the last few weeks and he’s going to see a specialist.
I spent most of the first half watching a stop-start stream with the resolution of a Sega Master System game, but thanks to the Spurs4Life forum I finally got a good one going.
In the 28th minute Cudicini watched a cross drift over his head and Leon Best smacked it against the bar. In first half stoppage time Rafael van der Vaart flicked Pienaar’s ball to Defoe. Despite having a moment to take a touch Defoe hit it straight at Steve Harper from 12 yards out.
Around the hour-mark Danny Guthrie floated a long ball into the box, Fabricio Coloccini stepped past Alan Hutton catching the ball on his chest, let it bounce and fired past Cudicini. It was a fabulous goal from the defender, but it was alarming how easily a player not renowned for ball skills took Hutton of the game reaffirming how weak a link he is. Cudicini’s wrists, both of which he fractured a year ago, weren’t strong enough either. He flapped at a cross later in the game. Why he was offered a new contract is beyond me. Surely Stipe Pletikosa has more to offer.
Aaron Lennon moved over to the left wing and forced a good save from Harper at his near post after. Lennon’s new position would prove fruitful later on. Newcastle should have double their lead in the 69th minute, Joey Barton’s long through-ball evading Michael Dawson and finding Peter Løvenkrands whose shot was pitiful. Cudicini made a diving save from Shola Ameobi that probably looked better than it was and Luka Modrić rattled the bar with a shot from 20 yards.
In the 91st minute Crouch flicked the ball on to Defoe, he gave it to Lennon who cut inside Mike Williamson and Danny Simpson and buried his shot in the bottom corner. It was a cracking goal. At the San Siro when Bale pulled the score back to a hopeless 4-1 he grabbed the ball straight out the net and ran back to the halfway line with it, but Lennon and co were in the corner celebrating when they ought to have been looking for a winner. It didn’t come.
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