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Match Review 19/11/2016 Tottenham 3 West Ham 2

Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 West Ham

Premier League, White Hart Lane, 19th November 2016

Goals: Antonio 24′, Winks 51′, Lanzini 68′ (pen), Kane 89′, Kane 90 +0.45 (pen)

Drama at the Lane as Kane nicks it at the death

A few weeks ago we noted how much Tottenham were missing Harry Kane. Well, he’s well and truly back now, after a pulsating end to a derby match where he finished things emphatically with two goals in as many minutes.

The match kept Spurs’ unbeaten run going – just. With just a minute of normal time to be played, West Ham supporters were enjoying the fruits of their team’s labour with a 2-1 lead. On the balance of play, they could have considered themselves a tad fortunate to win such a match. After some late Pochettino substitutions, Spurs were pressing but no one could have realistically foreseen what was coming.

Harry Winks celebrates his first goal on his first start

But this game was a tale of not one but two Harrys. Young midfielder Harry Winks was handed a first start for Tottenham and it turned into a dream. The 20 year-old was a livewire throughout the game and managed to cap his performance with a well-taken goal to level things up at 1-1 after Michail Antonio gave the Irons the lead on 24 minutes. It was reminiscent of Danny Rose netting against Arsenal on his first team start.

But there was more drama to follow, despite the match not really reaching many spectacular highs. Dimitri Payet gave a typically skilful display and was at his dangerous best all day. His creativity was the spark for West Ham’s main attacking threat. That was, with the Hammers were leading following a well-taken Manuel Lanzini penalty, until Slaven Bilic took the decision to substitute his star man.

Another substitute, Tottenham’s Heung-Min Son, appeared to be having a frustrating day. He frequently gave the ball away while in possession as well as running himself into blind alleys. However, as is often the case with Son, two late moments of quality changed the game. Maybe he just needed to get his eye in. He became the provider of an inch-perfect cross that met the boot of Kane who gleefully side-footed in the 89th minute equaliser. Then, just a minute later, after a searching run in to the box, he was brought down and earned the penalty that Kane also coolly converted.

In the end, it was a win that Tottenham really did badly need to keep pace with the Premier League leaders. After reaching a League high six draws in twelve games (including the previous four in a row), they will hope that the focal point of Harry Kane will help earn them a few more wins to end the year. However, with some tough games coming up including Chelsea away (a game that Spurs have not won for 26 years!) and Manchester United, Tottenham will be hoping for improved performances all-round.

As just mentioned, the next Premier League match for Tottenham is a cross-town trip to Stamford Bridge to face current league leaders Chelsea. Looking at the odds from the likes of this one, it’s easy to see why the bookies think that Chelsea’s incredible home record against Spurs will spell the end to their undefeated run this season. It really is difficult to imagine a rampant Chelsea giving up many, if any, points in that match.

Or will this Spurs side, who looked to have had the measure of the Blues at the Bridge in May this year until Chelsea salvaged a draw, be mentally and physically tough enough to take revenge? Should be a fascinating game.

Referee: Mike Dean

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Match Review 19/11/2016 Ipswich Town 0 – 2 Nottingham Forest

Football is now an international trade: reference the strange-but-true fact that more countries are members of FIFA than of the United Nations. And what used to be true at a global level is now true of the local too. From the unfashionable and now firmly pro-Brexit East Midlands of England, Nottingham Forest won the European Cup twice in 1978-80. They did so with teams consisting almost entirely of British players, inspired by the distinctive English eccentricity of Brian Clough.

Now Forest are owned by a Kuwaiti businessman, who is currently trying to sell the club to an American. The team is managed by a Frenchman and they had prior to this game (according to the BBC sport website) selected first team players from an astonishing and record 19 different nationalities so far this season; conceding 30 goals and amassing only 16 points in the process. Forest fans have been in open revolt for many months and recently the players were, apparently, on the brink of refusing to train.

For anybody seeking simplistic solutions about how best to resist or accommodate globalisation, in football or anything else, this match had a clear message. The Dis-United Nations of Forest strolled it. Despite Ipswich having two thirds of the possession by the end of its 94 minutes, the game was decided after 17 seconds.

A Scot, a Dane and two Englishmen in the Ipswich back four all contributed to gifting Forest possession and a clear shot on goal, quicker than it takes to say Britt Curtis Assombalonga. That is the name of Forest’s Congolese opening scorer and at least in this match, a fine number 9. It was the quickest Championship goal of the season and Ipswich never recovered. Much of their subsequent possession in the first half was spent literally tracking the ball up and down the half way line, like a squad of table footballers who can do nothing to escape the shining rod down their backs.

When that wasn’t happening all that Ipswich managed were a few variably effective corners; yet even those were interspersed by brief but far more dangerous Forest moments, buzzing around Ipswich’s goal. It was 19 minutes before Lawrence mustered an Ipswich shot, wide from a free kick; and 30 minutes before an actual Ipswich threat when McGoldrick’s beautiful mazy run from the right hand wing took him into the Forest box, drawing a fine save from the banana-hued Forest keeper Stojkovic. His bright yellow defiance proved a beacon for the rest of his team, now growing in confidence, and in the 37th minute they nearly scored again from one of their own infrequent but far more threatening corner kicks.

So it was hardly unexpected for anybody in the crowd when on 44 minutes Nottingham Forest doubled their lead; although it obviously did come as a massive surprise to Knudsen and Berra, left back and left half in the Ipswich back four, who appeared to lack the ability to talk to each other in any meaningful way. Together they charitably donated Forest the ball once more, on the edge of the Ipswich box. Cue further pathetic, ineffectual scrambling across the whole blue backline before true Britt’s second of the game, with a deft glancing close range header, from just about waist level.

Ipswich’s Anglo-Irish icon Mick McCarthy needed a second half miracle, and did his best to prompt one by at half time bringing on a Welshman in Williams, and a Mauritian in Bru. McCarthy had started with a fiercely attacking line up and refreshed that with these two quick and skilful players. The cosmetic effects were immediate and a succession of half chances ensued, arising often from incisive and more direct running at the Forest defence by both substitutes.

Corners, crosses and even a few shots followed. Pressure mounted and several six yard box scrambles saw Forest legs, chests, heads, ankles, knees and shoulders pump, lunge or unwittingly deflect the ball to safety. An Ipswich goal apparently threatened: although to be honest, it never felt like one would actually happen. Even the Ipswich penalty appeals, and there were two decent shouts, were shrouded with an air of fatalism. It was hardly a shock to see Kasami thunder a shot against Bart Bialkowski’s right hand post in the 63rd minute; and although it rebounded to safety further out than the original strike Forest always threatened a third.

They didn’t manage it but by the end of the game they had secured 8 attempts on target. Ipswich despite 65% possession, had managed only two. Mick McCarthy must be hoping for a new flurry of trade deals in the January transfer window, or he is in genuine danger of being shipped out himself. For once again on the final whistle it was the international language of booing which rang around the half empty Suffolk grandstands.

It will be fascinating and for Ipswich fans, nerve-wracking, to see whether the club’s owner Marcus Evans, international trader in tickets, events and knowledge, himself largely tax exiled from England, decides whether Mc-exit is now his only hope of making that elusive Premiership fortune…

Match review by Grant Bage

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Match Review 29/10/2016 Tottenham 1 Leicester City 1

Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Leicester City

Premier League, White Hart Lane

Goals: Janssen 44′, Musa 48′

Another penalty for Janssen but Musa cancels out toothless Spurs

Oh how Tottenham are missing Harry Kane right now. There’s little doubt that the Tottenham defence is one of the league’s finest, as Spurs remain unbeaten and have only just conceded their first goal from open play after 10 games.

A rare error from Victor Wanyama was all that the Foxes needed to capitalise on after Vincent Janssen won and scored a penalty to give the home fans hope before the break. It was new recruit Ahmed Musa who managed to score that equalising goal which meant that Tottenham needed to respond again to join Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool at the top of the table. They couldn’t in the end, despite their efforts.

There were several chances at both ends. Dele Alli came closest for the Lilywhites with a thunderous shot that cannoned against the crossbar, as well as having another shot stopped by the busy Leicester Kasper Schmeichel. Christian Eriksen had another poor game by his own standards, and with Erik Lamela missing through illness, the spark for that final goal just did not come.

For Leicester, the Spurs defence kept their main goal threat Jamie Vardy pretty well under control although there was one moment where he broke free with pure pace but just could not control the ball. This was a let off for the home side, as Vardy normally punishes opponents from that situation on a regular basis. Riyad Mahrez was pretty much ineffective for the match due to a smothering performance from the talented Danny Rose.

Now that Spurs have drawn three fairly winnable matches, manager Pochettino will feel that there is a missing piece in the Tottenhamm jigsaw. That’s Harry Kane, or another in-form striker. Perhaps Vincent Janssen needs more time to adjust to the Premier League’s pace, and he worked hard for his goal. He also fired just wide of the Leicester goal in the second half – his finesse just not quite fine-tuned enough. It was a game that Spurs may live to regret not winning, but it is also a statement that this team is not firing yet is still the only undefeated team in the Premier League.

Next up for Tottenham is a trip to Wembley where they face Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. The Foxes are also in action on the same night in the same competition against FC Copenhagen. There are some value odds about for both matches and we’re liking the look of bet365, Sky Bet and Ladbrokes for both matches. More here.

Referee: Robert Madley

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Match Review 29/10/2016 Ipswich Town 2 – 2 Rotherham United

IPSWICH TOWN 2 ROTHERHAM UNITED 2 29 OCTOBER 2016

Only one statistic matters in football: the number of goals scored by each team. From there flow all the other numbers that really count: points, prizes, promotions and premature sackings. Ask Alan Stubbs, who knows that to his cost. Stubbs was Rotherham’s manager for the first 13 league games of this season, in which the Millers managed to amass a mere five points alongside an appalling goal difference of minus 18. By the middle of October Stubbs had been sacked and Kenny Jackett brought in.

A few games back Mick McCarthy’s Ipswich team was enduring similar woes, at the other end of the pitch. A stretch of five leagues matches had yawned without yielding a single goal. For many other games before that spell, this season and last, Ipswich fans had also endured single figure totals for (even the most optimistic) goal efforts; whilst the shots or headers actually on target, could often be counted on the fingers of only one hand.

Statistically therefore this game threatened to be awful. But what do numbers know? Not much apparently because for a neutral spectator (and I know because I went with one) this was a reasonable spectacle, topped by an exceptional goal. Ipswich scored in the third minute, Lawrence taking much preparatory thought before drilling (or was it scuffing?) his free kick from the right bye-line to Rotherham’s near post. Deliberately drilled or carelessly scuffed, Freddie Sears didn’t care; and he deftly flicked the ball in for a rare first half Ipswich goal. Yet three minutes later Rotherham were level. A corner from their right wing was headed away by Webster, nodded back by Taylor and Rotherham’s Danny Ward, having been played onside by Ipswich’s off-balance captain Luke Chambers, gratefully swivelled on the edge of the six yard box to prod home from close range. 1-1 it was after seven minutes and despite sustained spells of neat Ipswich passing, and the occasional Rotherham threat from Halford’s titanic long throws, that would remain the score until just after the second half had started.

Having perhaps pulled a muscle catapulting those long throws, Halford was replaced after 35 minutes. Not that anybody really noticed as his team mate Vaulks simply stepped up to continue the fast bowling. It was his immense looping lob that, having nearly reached the penalty spot, so baffled Ipswich’s centre halves in the 48th minute that they ran into each other a fraction before its arrival. Their momentary confusion allowed Ward to nip in and volley the ball delicately past a helpless goalkeeper, to claim his second close range goal of the afternoon.

Barely suppressed panic bubbled amongst the Ipswich players and barely suppressed rage amongst some of the fans. Both increased incrementally as second half minutes ticked by, punctuated by successful time-wasting Rotherham tactics, and episodes of inept refereeing. Mick McCarthy sent on Williams and Best for Bishop and Ward in the 66th minute, and in the 83rd minute replaced the impressive young full back Kenlock with the thoroughly old fashioned centre forward Luke Varney. By then it was too late, at least for some of the Ipswich crowd. From the 80th minute small, disparate groups from different parts of the North Stand started to sing discontent. By the 90th minute their words were clearly audible in every corner of the ground and to all the players: ‘Mick McCarthy, your football is shit’.

Which is where we come back to statistics of which, it is famously and unfairly repeatedly said ‘there are lies, damned lies and statistics’. The statistics on this match were clear and honest. Ipswich had 66% of the possession, practically double that of Rotherham. They managed 17 shots of which 5 were on target, and had 5 corners. In all cases again these figures were practically double those of their opponents. McCarthy had picked his most attacking side for many months and they had played attractive passing football, creating a slew of first-half half-chances, against opponents who were resolutely organised and had run themselves into the turf. Yet it is only goals that matter and in this case amazingly, not even goals. In the 94th minute and just as the referee was clearing his throat for the final whistle, McGoldrick volleyed a stunning low drive from over 25 yards out. Even the agile and competent Lee Camp could do nothing about it. The scorer celebrated, the singing stopped, the crowd cheered, the goal stood, the kick off was taken, the whistle blew and the booing recommenced: all in the space of a few fractious seconds.

And so it ended Ipswich 2 Rotherham 2: by Championship standards a pretty entertaining game and no losers on the pitch. Just multiple losers and much sadness off it, in both dugouts and every stand. For Rotherham’s fans and player, sadness about the three points that might have been; and for significantly vocal sections of Ipswich’s home crowd, for the lack of goals and ambition that had prevailed, in so many dull and graceless games before this one.

Though to be absolutely fair and journalistically accurate that dearth of goals and ambition had not actually been visible to me, in this particular match; that around 15,000 other people had also watched, and which a few hundred had booed.

Lies, damned lies and statistics eh?

And whilst we are on that theme, Paddy Power are offering 19/10 for Rotherham to beat Preston on 5 November, at home. Based on the Millers’ last two displays, and on Preston’s, those are decent odds. Ipswich meanwhile face more Yorkshire grit and steel when they travel to Sheffield Wednesday. 11-1 against a 1-0 away win is a tempting offer. Mick McCarthy might even put a tenner on himself to do it – were it allowed of course!

Grant Bage

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Match Review 02/10/2016 Tottenham 2-0 Manchester City

Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Manchester City

Premier League, White Hart Lane

Goals: Kolarov 9′ (OG), Alli (37′)

Spurs March All Over City

Tottenham Hotspur are left as the only undefeated team in the Premier League after a pulsating game at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

This was a significant result in several respects. It was Pep Guardiola’s first loss as a manager since Mainz defeated Bayern Munich in March. It was Spurs’ best ever start to a league season, with 17 points from 7 matches. It was also Tottenham’s third consecutive league win over Manchester City after they beat them at home and away last season.

There was no Harry Kane nor Kevin De Bruyne available, both recovering from injuries. And for the visiting side, De Bruyne’s seemed more of a vital absence. There had been a question mark over whether Spurs would be able to cope without Kane against the league leaders who had won their first six matches with ease. The answer came fast – and it was a resounding ‘Yes!’.

The game hit a frenetic pace right from the opening whistle, befitting of two teams who look to attack their opponents with high tempo football. Encouraged by a raucous home support, Spurs were in the ascendancy from early on. Taking the lead from Celtic’s treatment of their opponents on Wednesday night by bossing the game right from the early encounters, they were seemingly getting to every ball before City, it soon became clear that this pressure would help create chances.

Just before the 10 minute mark, the high pressing game employed by Pochettino’s men paid off. Tottenham’s rampaging start had City rattled, and Aleksander Kolarov sliced the ball into his own net from a Danny Rose cross. This was an own goal created by the panic instilled in City. They had not seen anything like this in the Premier League until now, and were looking punch-drunk.

Quality players such as Raheem Sterling and Fernando were made to look ordinary, as Tottenham’s creative types (particularly Son and Alli) ran riot all over the park. City were left reeling after Dele Alli took his chance well to make it 2-0 on 37 minutes. Spurs could have even made it 3-0 but for a lamentable Lamela spot kick after Alli won a clear penalty in the second half.

This was Tottenham’s day, but City will be back. It’s now time for the international break.

Referee: Andre Marriner

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Match Review 01/10/2016 Ipswich Town 0 – 1 Huddersfield Town

The reason we follow football is its unpredictability: the sense, even the expectation that something extraordinary can happen during any game. One of the main reasons people bet on football, on the other hand, is the predictable opposite; a belief that by looking at results and knowing lots about teams, players and patterns we can accurately forecast the future – have a bit of fun – and occasionally make some money.

So instead of spending hard earned cash on tickets, train fares and pre-match chips and beer, why didn’t the 16,000 or so football fans who turned up on Saturday put a tenner on two simple and incredibly predictable bets, given both teams’ recent form?

Going into this match Ipswich hadn’t scored in three games and only managed three goals in the previous six before that. So the fact that even against the Championship surprise-package leaders, Huddersfield, they could manage only a single shot on target during 97 minutes of play…should perhaps have come as no surprise?

Huddersfield were just as predictable, odds-wise. Their seven previous league wins this season had all been with 1-0 or 2-1 score lines. Ipswich’s total lack of goal power and Huddersfield’s sensational start could not have shouted any louder: THIS GAME IS GOING TO FINISH IPSWICH 0 HUDDERSFIELD 1. And SURPRISE…it did! The odds on that result, looking back, were incredibly generous at 8-1 against; but this reporter still didn’t see it coming. Wasn’t it highly unlikely that Ipswich would prove as toothless as they had been against Brighton, Leeds or Villa (for the first 90 minutes?) Surely Mick McCarthy would swap things round and play two strikers, next to each other, from the start? There must be a reasonable chance that a feral seagull, bored of scavenging in the nearby docks, would one day swoop down on the pitch to peck out an opposition goalkeeper’s eyes, resulting in him slamming a goal kick into his own net?

Weirdly, none of these things actually happened. Ipswich’s only shot on target had to wait until the 65th minute. Freddie Sears has fathered more children in 2016 (one) than he has scored goals (nil) but at least he forced Huddersfield’s promising young goalkeeper Danny Ward into a save. His only hand warming of the afternoon. The shot was greeted with rapturous and ironic applause by the long-suffering Ipswich fans, many of whom booed their team off at the end of the game.

Huddersfield, on the other hand, epitomised what a winning team looks like. From Ward in goal through the powerful Schindler at centre half, via Hogg in midfield and progressing onto the agile Wells and Kachunga up front they played swift, simple and highly mobile football. In the 5th minute Hogg should have headed his team in front, instead nodding the ball down into the ground at close range, from where it bounced into the Ipswich goalkeeper’s hands.

Then in the 29th minute Kachunga left that goalkeeper’s right post quivering as a powerful and instinctive shot cannoned back out into play, rather than whistling into the net. But there would no final reprieve and in the 57th minute, following an utterly needless gift of a corner from Ipswich’s captain Luke Chambers, Huddersfield finally took the lead. An excellent and fiercely struck cross from Mooy was powered by Schindler’s flicking header into the top corner of the net, before Ipswich had even recovered from giving the corner away; let alone thought about preparing to defend it.

Brief periods of Ipswich pressure before that fine Huddersfield goal, and in the game’s final ten minutes after it, hinted at a scrambled Ipswich duck-breaker; but it was not to be and in truth, never looked likely to come. Huddersfield, prompted by the dominant and hugely impressive midfield force of Jonathan Hogg, thoroughly deserved a win that guaranteed their retention of the Championship’s top spot.

Manager Wagner has moulded a balanced team with a relentless work-rate, which is all the more impressive given that three of this starting eleven (Ward, Kachunga and Mooy) are actually on loan from other clubs. No wonder 802 of their fans made their way to Suffolk. Good luck to them, for the rest of what may be a very exciting season. Meanwhile and to return to the subject we started on. Luck should have little to do with betting calculations. Ipswich’s next game is a potential early season relegation scrap at Blackburn Rovers, who are third from bottom and after only 11 games have a minus-8 goal difference.

Rovers have (incredibly) failed to keep a clean sheet in ANY of those 11 games. Surely therefore Ipswich might manage at least one goal against them – especially hundreds of miles away from the pressure that they have put themselves under, through a series of inept home displays?

Blackburn on the other hand will be desperate to claw their way out of trouble.
Paddy Power’s offer of 12-1 against Blackburn to be winning at half time, but the result to be a draw by full time, looks pretty attractive to me. I might even bet on it myself…

Match review by Grant Bage

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Match Review 18/09/2016 Tottenham 1 Sunderland 0

Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Sunderland

Premier League, White Hart Lane

Goal: Harry Kane 59′

1-0 at The Lane but could have been so much more

A solitary Harry Kane close-range strike was enough to secure Tottenham Hotspur all three points at White Hart Lane in the late kick off on Sunday.

Spurs dominated the game from start to finish with more than 70% possession, nine shots on target as well as racking up 14 corners. By comparison, Sunderland had just the one shot on target and a single corner. Whereas the result was enough to take Tottenham up to third in the table as one of three unbeaten team after five games played, they missed several opportunities to capitalise and increase their goal difference.

However, despite the dominance there was a clear-cut chance for Sunderland just a minute before half time. It took Kyle Walker to clear the ball off the line after a neat bit of skill from Januzai found ex-Spur Pienaar inside the six-yard box. Pienaar beat Hugo Lloris with a first-time shot but Spurs had Walker to thank for his lat-ditch effort.

Harry Kane scored a poacher’s goal after a cross from Kyle Walker found the head of Dele Alli and fell to Sunderland’s Djilobodji. Instead of clearing the danger, Djilobodji tried to chest the ball down, but messed it right up. The ball ended up with Kane who did what he does best, slamming a side-footed shot into the back of the net.

The goal came in the 59th minute and it seemed like a matter of time before it was going to happen, with Sunderland repelling wave after wave of attacks until they would eventually concede. As expected, there were a few counter attacks where The Black Cats looked moderately dangerous, and 1-0 never seemed to safe for the home side.

Heung-Min Son couldn’t quite cap a fine game with a goal of his own, but he looked very dangerous throughout both halves, creating chance after chance for the home side and being a general menace to Sunderland’s defence. Dele Alli was equally effective in the midfield and Kyle Walker also excelled for the hosts. Vincent Janssen

Lee Cattermole picked up a yellow card, par for the course, and Adnan Januzaj was sent off in the 90th minute after two yellows for Sunderland.

Despite the win, Spurs did not have all good news, with Harry Kane being stretchered off after an awkward fall on his ankle. That was after Moussa Dembele and Eric Dier also sustained injuries that forced them off the pitch.

Referee: Mike Dean

Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1) Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Dier, Vertonghen; Dembele, Wanyama; Sissoko, Alli, Son; Kane.
Substitutes: Vorm, Davies, Trippier, Eriksen, Lamela, Winks, Janssen.

Sunderland (4-1-4-1) Pickford,Denayer, Djilobodji, Kone, Manquillo; Kirchhoff; Januzaj, Ndong, Cattermole, Pienaar; Defoe.

Substitutes: Love, Khazri, Watmore, O’Shea, McNair, Gooch, Mika.

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Match Review 27/08/2016 Ipswich Town 1 Preston North End 0

Ipswich Town 1-0 Preston North End

Portman Road, 27 August 2016

Some games are easily forgotten and others lodge in the memory, for ever. Apart from a stunning goal, overall this game was one of the former: and by the time the second period was half way through I had almost started writing this match report, just to dare something different to happen. Perhaps the game’s tautness was predictable, given the significance of events off the pitch at Portman Road just before kick-off. Daryl Murphy, who for 6 years had grafted his way to becoming an Ipswich legend, had been left out of the line-up: he was off to Newcastle for at least £3 million.

All those pound coins piled up in the centre of the pitch couldn’t quite fill the gap though, and this was a hybrid performance from Ipswich as mentally they struggled to imagine how to play without Murphy. That’s not a counsel of despair for Ipswich supporters, it’s just a reflection of their team being in transition. And once again Grant Ward showed what a part he can play in that journey, with an astonishing goal in the 15th minute. After a free kick on the right wing,

Kévin Bru crossed and the Preston defence forcefully cleared to beyond the edge of their area. Ward took a single touch and then hit the ball just a fraction later with a deft, almost casual volleyed chip. The rest of the 21 players on the pitch, especially Preston’s excellent keeper Lindegaard, were transfixed; staring as though time had stopped, whilst the ball slowly but surely looped into the corner of the net.

Six minutes later Lindegaard did manage a vital touch, deflecting a short-range Sears effort: Sears having been played in by a beautiful long ball over the top from Pitman. Preston’s Robinson, who was persistently their most incisive threat, also shot fiercely from range in the 30th minute, only for Bialkowski’s strong hand to palm the ball over the bar. And that was about it. Despite a decent half played in speedy fashion, there had been no sustained periods of genuine quality, from either side. Preston had started 3-5-2 and it soon became clear that Ipswich, with Pitman up front in Murphy’s place, were playing a flexible 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 to counter that. The outcome from both teams was pretty, sporadic triangles in midfield, plenty of movement and occasional threats from a midfield runner arriving late into an attacking position; yet it had been hard for either side to find space.

Despite the relatively early Ipswich goal Preston seemed content to keep to that shape in the second half, only taking a more attacking stance after Doyle replaced Spurr on 55 minutes. The result was much increased Preston pressure in the last half hour but still no clear chances created. It hadn’t helped their cause to lose Jermain Beckford to injury in the first quarter of an hour. Tough stuff for 297 stalwarts who had made the trip from Lancashire. Judging from their persistent silence, most probably wished they hadn’t.

After the game Preston’s manager Simon Grayson commented “I am hoping to strengthen. I have given a list of names to the owner and I am hoping to tick some people off. It is going to be a crazy three or four days through all the divisions.” A crazy few days perhaps but without reinforcements, this could be a long season for Preston.

Meanwhile Mick McCarthy could not have been happier. In classic style he prioritised the result achieved, over the football played: “We played really well in the first half and then we stood up to a right scrap in the second half – it was a real bloke’s performance.” Epitomised perhaps by the fact that for Ipswich in the second half, it was their left back Knudsen who stood out as the persistent attacker. Having lobbed none of his Howitzer long throws at the Preston trenches in the first half, he bombarded them with six in the second half. One hundred years on Knudsen’s salvoes made that second half resemble a footballing ‘Somme’, though thankfully without the mud, blood and tragedy.

Ipswich’s next game is at Reading, on the evening of Friday 9th September. Given Town’s abysmal track record there, and the fact that several new signings have been promised, Coral’s current odds of 13/2 for Ipswich to win and both teams to score looks attractive. Preston meanwhile are at home to Barnsley on Saturday 10 September. Anything could happen including, one can only hope for their fans, more than the two accurate shots on goal they managed at Ipswich. How about at 0-0 draw at 15/2?

Match review by Grant Bage

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Match Review 27/08/2016 Tottenham 1 Liverpool 1

Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Liverpool

Premier League, White Hart Lane

Goals: Danny Rose 72′; James Milner 42′

A second half strike from Danny Rose got Tottenham a point after James Milner scored a first half penalty at White Hart Lane.

Not long before the Rose equaliser, Liverpool had looked to have won it when Georginio Wijnaldum neatly slipped the ball to Adam Lallana, who pushed the ball across goal for Sadio Mané to tap in. However, much to Jurgen Klopp’s dismay, the offside flag was up; It was a very tight call.

Statistically, the match was fairly balanced, with the visitors having 3 shots on target to Tottenham’s 4, and also shading possession. The home side were much in the debt of goalkeeper Michel Vorm, and it often says a lot when a team’s ‘keeper is their best player. Vorm was superb, despite not being able to stop James Milner’s rocket penalty strike after Érik Lamela fouled Roberto Firmino at the edge of the box just before the half time break.

The Dutch goalkeeper, standing in for the injured Hugo Lloris, pulled off a stunning early save to deny Philippe Coutinho. He also reacted rapidly on two occasions to pull off perfectly-timed slide tackles to take the ball away from Sadio Mane as he raced clear. He played the sweeper-keeper role to perfection today.

Goalscorer Danny Rose said of his goal, “I took a gamble, I didn’t want to go forward too much because the pace of Mane is frightening but I managed to get in at the back post and to be honest I think I shanked the goal but they all count and I’m glad that it went in.”

Tottenham will be happy with this point, as their play lacked flair and fluidity. Liverpool might be scratching their collective head as to how they let this one get away. That’s 5 points for the Lilywhites after 3 games and 4 for Liverpool.

Referee: Bobby Madley

Tottenham: Vorm; Walker (Janssen 27′), Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Wanyama, Dier; Lamela, Alli, Eriksen (Winks 90+3′); Kane (Onomah 83′)

Substitutes: McGee, Davies, Winks, Carter-Vickers, Onomah, Son, Janssen

Liverpool: Mignolet; Clyne, Matip, Lovren, Milner; Henderson, Lallana (Stewart 90+2′), Wijnaldum; Mane (Sturridge 87′), Coutinho (Origi 67′), Firmino

Substitutes: Manninger, Lucas, Moreno, Stewart, Grujic, Origi, Sturridge

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Match Review: 20/08/2016 Ipswich Town 1 Norwich City 1

Ipswich Town 1-1 Norwich City

Portman Road, 20 August 2016

Local derbies are the games that fans look forward to most: blood, thunder and despite the best efforts of bye-laws, streets ringing with songs and awash with alcohol. More often than not though, there is precious little of the actual football that fans have paid to watch. But, for a derby between two faltering East Anglian giants, this contest was unexpectedly urbane. “You’d expect it to be a scrap, wouldn’t you?” said Ipswich boss Mick McCarthy; “But there was a lot of quality in there as well. It wasn’t just a scrap, from both teams.”

The first half also throbbed with action. For Ipswich, Douglas scored from close range within three minutes only for the goal wrongly to be ruled out for offside. Murphy was a constant threat with head, feet, strength and positioning combining to make chances for himself and others. He had a good penalty shout denied in the 11th minute and a strong looping header nestling (in the roof of the net) minutes later. Yet it was Norwich who scored first in the 25th minute with a fine goal; the sort of strike that epitomises everything it takes to succeed in the Championship. Pinto outmuscled and outran Freddie Sears on the right wing, deep in Ipswich’s half. Short passing was precisely maintained as Naismith then Howson worked the ball across the penalty area to Jerome. From the centre of the Ipswich box and in the space created by the speed of the Norwich teamwork, Jerome hit a powerful and accurate shot against the inside of the post and into the goal. It was unstoppable and for Ipswich, after such a promising start, it could have been heart breaking.

The fact that it wasn’t may have had something to do with the discipline that McCarthy instils, the incessant noise from the Ipswich fans or perhaps just the fact that the players lived up to the term ‘professional’ and did not lose their heads. But after a further scrappy 20 minutes of football, in which Norwich had marginally more of the play, Ipswich repaid the Norwich goal with an equally fine and similar effort of the own. Once more from the right it was played short to Murphy, who flicked the ball deftly left to Sears, who continued the theme and flicked left once more to Jonas Knudsen. Ipswich’s left footed Danish left back then stumped the Norwich defence, by threading through a glorious right footed shot from the edge of the area. It cut through or cut out four Norwich players; Portman Road went wild.

The second half saw no further goals but lots more entertainment and some decent quality. Whittaker was swapped for Norwich’s lively Pinto at half time, a decision soon justified by Whittaker’s ground shot bouncing up only to be headed off the Ipswich goal line by Webster. Then on the 75th minute Webster’s dreadful clearance set up Whittaker to slam the ball against Ipswich’s left post, with Bialkowski beaten. Yet Ipswich super sub Teddy Bishop, who came on for Bru in the 70th minute, also had two chances to win the game late on, within 20 seconds of each other. Both were blocked: from short range by a Norwich defender, then the goal keeper.

This was a fair result for two teams that purely on this showing, should be in the Championship’s top ten. Given the money that Norwich have spent that won’t be good enough and it will be Mick McCarthy who will be most pleased, based purely on this game, with his summer signings. Grant Ward, newly arrived from Spurs, won ‘Man of the Match’ from the TV pundits and despite fading in the last 20 minutes, Ward was again outstanding in defence and creative in attack.

On 27 August Norwich are away to Birmingham, who like Ipswich have five points and have made a reasonable start. Ipswich are at home to Preston who, having lost two consecutive league games at home, may be lacking confidence. Paddy Power’s offer of ‘evens’ for Norwich to win in the Midlands is very unattractive – but 23/10 for another away draw against a team in Blue might tempt you. 7/2 for an Ipswich win and both teams to score at home to Preston looks reasonable. Ipswich don’t keep many clean sheets, despite having in Bialkowski one of the finest current goalkeepers in the English Championship. If the rest of their defence can match his efforts, over the season they may yet catch Norwich.

Match reviewed by Grant Bage.