TOTTENHAM DEALT A BLOW IN TITLE CHASE

By

And it was. A 1-0 win, same as last year; that dealt a savage blow to Tottenham's title ambitions, same as last year. The change was the location. All year, West Ham fans have complained that their new home isn't like Upton Park.

Well, this time it was. A night game, a boisterous atmosphere, and a result that proved West Ham can still be inspired in these unfamiliar surrounds. They were the better team over 90 minutes.

In fact, they could have won by more, had Jonathan Calleri and Ashley Fletcher taken late chances.
Tottenham's travellers admitted as much by scurrying into the night. The pursuit has proved too much for them, again. All eyes were on leaders Chelsea but, in reality, it is the chasing team that cannot afford even one misstep.

To be fair, the warning sign was there at Selhurst Park two weeks ago. Tottenham were ordinary that night but were saved by a great goal from Christian Eriksen.
That wasn't going to happen again. They couldn't be rescued by a second 30 yard screamer. Dip once more, and the cost would be huge. They did. It was.

The bottom line being that this time next week, Chelsea could be champions. This defeat leaves them four points clear with a game in hand. Beat Middlesbrough on Monday and the lead becomes seven.

Win at West Brom next Friday and it stretches to 10 – and Tottenham will have only three games to play. At that point, the title race is run. Tottenham would be, at best, second. Pipped again.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MESSI AT IT AGAIN, AS BARCA LEAVES IT LATE

By
Image
The Catalan side left it late to secure the points over the La Liga strugglers, though the pressure remains on the manager from the fans A late Lionel Messi penalty snatched a 2-1 victory over Leganes at Camp Nou on Sunday evening, though Luis Enrique was the focus of booing from the Barcelona crowd for much of the game. Messi opened the scoring early in the tie in what looked like it would be a rout for the Catalan side, though Unai Lopez levelled the game for Leganes after 71 minutes. It looked as though the visitors would earn a share of the points as frustration grew amongst the home side, though a powerful penalty from Messi minutes from time saved the club's blushes
Read more

Video Assistant Referee(VAR) to be used in Spain

By
Image
According to Marca, The Spanish FA have been given the green light to begin using VAR - Video Assistant Referee - and the technology could make its debut in the second leg of Atletico Madrid and Elche's Copa del Rey tie at the end of November. VAR is already in use in some European leagues, but there has been a mixed reaction to it, particularly in Germany   and Italy. As such, any initial use of it in Spain will be for testing and it will not be rolled out across the country straight away. This, though, is a start and a big step, one which seemed unlikely to come to fruition until Angel Maria Villar had to step aside as Spanish FA president. click here for more
Read more

Tammy Abraham ready to prove his Worth for England national team

By
Image
Tammy Abraham keen to prove his international credentials with England Tammy Abraham wants the opportunity to prove himself at international level after being handed his first senior England call-up for the friendlies against Germany and Brazil. Abraham was drafted into the squad alongside Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Joe Gomez, with the trio all fledgling Premier League players who have been fast-tracked into the England set-up for the fixtures at Wembley. Abraham has scored five times in 14 appearances while on loan at Swansea from Chelsea this season and now hopes he can show enough to Gareth Southgate in training to hand him his England bow against either Germany on Friday or Brazil next Tuesday. The 20-year-old striker said on Sky Sports: “It would be a massive achievement for me and a big confidence boost as well, it would show that I’m going in the right direction. If I do get my opportunity I’d like to grab it as much as I can. “I feel like I’m ready but it won’t be e...
Read more

Facebook may bid to show premier league matches live

By
Image
FACEBOOK will not rule itself out of the running for the bidding to stream Premier League matches. Traditional broadcasters are facing a battle to maintain their grip. Manchester united supremeo  told investors Facebook and Amazon were interested in securing deals for 2016-19 and will enter the bidding for 2019-22. BSkyB and BT paid a combined £8.4billion in the last round - giving Prem clubs a huge advantage over their European rivals. And after Amazon outbid Sky for the rights UK tennis last month, the threat to broadcasters was underlined. Facebook’s global head of sports partnerships Dan Read said: “The Premier League is a very important". BT Sport and Sky currently share out the matches “We work with them to help them reach their audience. It would be premature to speculate on how we might approach that. But they are a very important partner. That speaks for itself. "We continue to have an ongoing relationship with the Premier League. “I’m n...
Read more

Valencia 2-1 Real Madrid: La Liga leaders fall to shock defeat as West Ham flop Simone Zaza ruins Cristiano Ronaldo's 700th club appearance

By
Image
Real Madrid  were put to the sword by Simone Zaza as Valencia ruined Cristiano Ronaldo’s 700th club football appearance winning 2-1 at Mestalla. Ronaldo scored with a towering header but the night belonged to the Italian international whose sensational first half strike will have West Ham supporters scratching their heads as to which Zaza it was they signed on loan last summer. This was the chance for Real Madrid to go four points clear of Barcelona in the first of two games in hand but it was Zaza voom after just five minutes when the West Ham flop, who failed to score in 11 games in England, got his second goal in two games for his new club.  And what a goal it was. Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves launched his team first real attack down the right and Munir El Haddadi crossed for Zaza who made light of having his back to goal and Raphael Varane for close company by spinning 180 degrees and firing into Keylor Navas’ top right-hand corner in one movement. Four ...
Read more

Who do think will win EFL Cup this Sunday, Jose Mourinho or Claude Puel

By
Image
On paper, the sides are a mismatch both in terms of history and current line ups, but somehow destiny has contrived to place Manchester United and Southampton in the EFL Cup final on Sunday. And much as the teams they helm, their managers have had drastically different careers, with success finding Jose Mourinho on great many occasions than his opposite number, Claude Puel. Having said that, no match was ever won on paper and whether United romp home or Southampton script a seismic upset, the battle will be won in the minds of the two tacticians on the touchline.   So how do the two managers compare? Let’s find out.     Jose Mourinho    After the great Ronaldo-Messi debate, perhaps the biggest, most burning question in world football is: Is Jose Mourinho as great as he claims?    To be fair to him, after a disastrous second season in his second spell at Chelsea, the Portuguese tactician has mellowed down a bit.    Serial wi...
Read more

Barcelona have taken a big step in signing Griezmann according to reports

By
Image
Barcelona have reportedly taken a significant step toward acquiring the signature of Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann after it emerged they've reached a "principle of agreement" with their target. French newspaper Le10Sport (h/t Calciomercato.com) reported Griezmann has given the green light to a move to the Camp Nou and could be well on the path to joining the Blaugrana next summer. The same article explained how Griezmann pulled the plug on a switch to Manchester United last summer due to Atletico's transfer ban, and he then extended his contract to raise his release clause to €200 million (£178 million). One would therefore assume that's the figure Los Rojiblancos will hold out for in order to sell Griezmann, despite the fact he's struggled to regain top form this season, as recently illustrated by Sky Sports Statto: United fans will undoubtedly be saddened to hear rumours of any pre-agreement with Barca, which could well mean their purs...
Read more

Tammy Abraham happy with English national team call up

By
Image
Tammy Abraham is delighted following his maiden call-up to the English senior national team for the international friendlies against Brazil and Germany. The 20-year-old who is on loan at Swansea from English Premier League champions Chelsea had been torn between representing England or Nigeria, even though he has represented the former at the youth levels. But his latest invitation by the Three Lions manager ,Gareth Southgate may have put an end to speculations over his international future. “Words can’t describe the feeling, but truly blessed and honoured to be called up to @ English seniors. Thanks for all the messages,” Abraham wrote on his Twitter minutes after the squad list was announced. Southgate also handed another Chelsea loanee Ruben Loftus-Cheek his first invitation, along with Liverpool’s Joe Gomez. Abraham has had a hand in five of Swansea’s seven league goals this season (4 goals, 1 assist), the highest ratio in the Premier League. He has represented Englan...
Read more

Ranieri Sack: Italian media tags Leicester City and English "Ungrateful"

By
Image
AS Roma coach Luciano Spalletti blasted Claudio Ranieri’s sacking as a “scandal” as the Italian press lambasted Premier League champions Leicester and the “ungrateful English”. Ranieri’s dismissal comes just nine months after guiding the unfashionable English club to a first Premier League title but follows a series of disastrous results which have seen the team slide towards the relegation zone. “It’s inexplicable, there is no recognition,” Spalletti told a press conference after hearing of his compatriot’s dismissal on Thursday night. Spalletti later defended his compatriot on Roma TV. “He was the one who created this chemistry in the team and the locker room that made it possible to win the championship,” he said. “And when you win an English championship against City, United and Chelsea, if you have a little dignity, you even accept to be relegated without touching anything. “It should be such a...
Read more