Key events
Half-time emails:
Andy Flintoff: “Give Vicario some credit – he’d gone down to make a save from the flick on. It’s not then his problem that it bounces straight to the Villa player to poke in.”
Kari Tulinius: “This is a test of my hypothesis that Ange’s Spurs need adversity to perform to their potential. They certainly could do with a jolt of adrenaline. Mind you, they’ve been so blunt that any improvement could also just be interpreted as a reversion to the mean.”
Yash Gupta: “Even as a Spurs fan, it was clear Emery did well in difficult circumstances. Ozil was given stupid massive contract before him. He almost coached Arsenal to top four and Europa League trophy but Arsenal choked. Then Emery wanted Zaha in transfer window and Arsenal gave him Nicolas Pepe. Ramsey was allowed to leave as well instead of giving him a new contract. As for set-piece issues at Spurs, imo it is down to poor coaching and set-piece coach needs to be replaced for making Spurs players look like frozen dessert in both attacking and defending situations.”
Phil Grey: “Only half-time, but Villa have currently leapfrogged Arsenal. No prizes for spotting what the top 4 all have in common. And if Chelsea get at least a point at Old Trafford, it’ll be the top 5.”
Joe Pearson: “Prediction: Madison comes on and provides a bit of magic to get Spurs level. Then Emery sends on his not-so-secret weapon, Duran, to bang in the winner. Place your bets now!”
Half-time: Tottenham 0-1 Aston Villa
Spurs have been given something of a lesson in control and not being in possession for the sake of it. Villa sat deep, waved off the tepid Tottenham attack, then once Onana had almost scored, took advantage of Spurs’ jigsaw tendencies.
45 min: Unai Emery, despite his team’s control, isn’t happy. Ange just does Ange. Only one minute added on.
43 min: Bentancur fancies a dig. He fires over, and nobody else seems to think he had much of chance with that. That reflects how bereft of ideas Spurs have been.
42 min: Brennan Johnson on the burst, but Villa go on a dangerous counter, with Watkins given a clear sight on goal. Perhaps Romero puts him off but he’s gottae score there. What would Duran do?
41 min: Joe Pearson gets in touch: “I wonder if the Spurs fans were booing their defense, or because they thought Vicario was fouled. Or maybe they are just still in the Halloween mood and channeling their inner ghosts.”
Let’s have it right, Vicario just fell over.
40 min: Bentancur throws in a very ropey tackle on Onana, and isn’t booked. Onana has been doing a lot of good, strong work.
39 min: David Bertram gets in touch: “Bias villa fan here. Love your work on the pod. Rogers cost 8m. What a signing.”
No doubt. On the pod tomorrow, and will nick that.
38 min: “Keeper,” calls Martinez. Too easy, mate. Almost cruel on Ange.
37 min: Another Spurs corner, conceded after Cash comes to the rescue.
36 min: Tottenham get a corner. Villa clear with ease. That’s the way to do it.
34 min: Is it odd to wonder how someone from the country of rugby – both codes – and Aussie Rules is so bad at arranging set pieces? These events are often procedural, with margins to be squeezed. Vicario looked a solid keeper at the start of last season, now he’s entering Dracula and crosses territory. Sam Allardyce will be turning in his gravy boat.
33 min: That was a cheap goal to concede. Spurs do give them away, mind. Chaotic, and Rogers seized on a loose ball that should have been cleared.
Goal! Tottenham 0-1 Aston Villa (Rogers, 32)
Spurs concede from a corner shocker. Porro flicks on Digne’s’ kick and Rogers pokes home. Boos from the home fans…
29 min: Onana hits the post, climbing so high to head down, and Vicario can only smuggle behind. Villa suddenly stepping it up.
27 min: A series of fouls going in. Spurs look liklier, if nothing like likely.
25 min: Villa free-kick now. Tielemans’ hit is straight at Vicario. Spurs can attack, with Johnson the target, but offside.
24 min: Udogie asked to go on the overlap but succeeds only in knocking over Onana. Spurs dominating but it’s sterile domination.
22 min: Another Bentancur long-ranger. Better but still wide.
21 min: Chris Walker: “Am a bit confused, is this genius Unai Emery the same Unai Emery that was sacked at Arsenal a few years ago for basically being useless?”
To be fair to Emery, he inherited a mess.
20 min: Udogie wins a corner from Onana’s tackle. Headed away, Sarr shoots, and Johnson tries to redirect it. Had he beaten Martinez, the offside flag would surely have been waved.
18 min: Bentancur shoots. Dreadful.
17 min: Short corner taken, a waste of time, though Spurs almost set up an attack by snaffling possession.
16 min: Villa go on the attack, with Rogers, McGinn and Tielemans. Udogie breaks up the move, and Kulusevski sends Johnson away, the ball slightly overhit. A corner will have to do.
15 min: McGinn fouled by Bentancur; that briefly wakes the crowd from their slumber.
14 min: We’re veering dangerously into the territory of intriguing tactical battle here. This has been largely awful.
13 min: Porro is fouled, and Tottenham have a free-kick in a dangerous position. Who will hit it? Son sends it in, Solanke heads over.
10 min: Villa patient once more, trying to tempt out that Tottenham defence. And not really succeeding in doing so.
8 min: Lots of zip, not much quality. Son seems to be pinned to the left flank. Bentancur attempt to find Son but the skipper misreads the ball.
7 min: Porro fancies a dig as the ball bounces to him. His shot sets off into the stand. Worth a try? Probably not.
6 min: Kulusevski is robbed by a combo of Cash and McGinn but Spurs stay on the offensive.
4 min: Close! Tielemans ball across goal, Watkins can’t get there, and mostly thanks to Dragusin’s heavy breathing. Next, Udogie nails Cash with a high foul.
3 min: Villa go on the attack, and McGinn sets up Rogers, whose shot is poor and miles over.
2 min: Villa are always willing to be patient. Sarr is chased down and robbed but the ball is back with Spurs before Son is tackled by Matty Cash.
Away we go at the Tottenham Stadium
1 min: It’s Tottenham who high press first, and Emi Martinez is forced into an error. Tottenham already flooding midfield.
Manly hug and banterous laughter between Ange and Unai, two football men and true.
The teams are in the tunnel, the PA system is revving up and the players hit the field.
A short word on the dropped word from James Maddison from Ange: “It’s just what we need today. But there’s no doubt that Madders will be coming on today.”
Unai Emery spoke to Sky: ““My first message I am sending everyone is ‘I want to break our levels always higher’. I am dreaming and I want to work to try and get my dreams.
“My dream is to get the best possible at the club I am at and the targets that we have. To play in Europe, to play in the Champions League – my dream is to be a winner as a coach in the Champions League. Hopefully with Aston Villa.
“The Premier League is very difficult to win because at the moment there are three teams who are being consistent – Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal. But, here Leicester won and when Leicester won the Premier League it was very difficult and maybe impossible. This is the reason in football it is not impossible. You can dream and you can work hard to try and get it.”
Tottenham full-back Destiny Udogie spoke to Sky: “When you get a win it always changes the mood in the dressing room and adds confidence so we are happy for that win [against Man City] and focused on today’s game.
“Van de Ven is a huge loss for us but we are all together as a team. Villa are a great team, honestly. We’re ready to give our best and hopefully, we are going to win.”
Villa skipper John McGinn spoke to Sky: ““We’ve got a good recent record in London. It feels nice to be back here but in the last couple of wins here we’ve had to work for it. They’ve probably deserved to win on a couple of those occasions so we need to be ready today.
“To get the three points we need to work, to run. Tottenham make you run a lot so we’re ready to do that. Spurs aren’t an easy team to play against, for most of the league, they’ve had their ups and downs this season but they bring a big threat.
“From our point of view we are quite happy Van de Ven is missing. We need to be at our best, they’re a team that will be competing up the top of the table come the end of the season.”
Spurs will be full of cheer after their midweek defeat of Manchester City in the Carabao Cup
Ange makes four changes from the team that lost at Crystal Palace last week, with Son coming back in and James Maddison dropped to the bench. Micky van de Ven misses out with his hamstring problem as Radu Dragusin comes in. Pape Sarr is in ahead of Yves Bissouma and partners Rodrigo Bentancur. Mikey Moore is on the bench and let’s hope to see him off the bench. Last week at Selhurst was no fun for the youngster.
Unai Emery opts for the orthodoxy of Jhon Duran on the bench, and Ollie Watkins starting.
The starting teams
Tottenham: Vicario, Dragusin, Udogie, Romero, Kulusevski, Johnson, Porro, Sarr, Bentancur, Solanke, Son. Subs: Forster, Davies, Gray, Bissouma, Bergvall, Maddison, Moore, Werner, Richarlison
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, McGinn, Tielemans, Digne, Torres, Onana, Rogers, Ramsey, Watkins. Subs: Olsen, Maatsen, Carlos, Mings, Kamara, Philogene, Buendia, Bailey, Duran
Injury list and form guide:
Tottenham
Doubtful Romero (muscle), Son (muscle), Spence (groin), Werner (groin)
Injured Odobert (hamstring, unknown), Van de Ven (hamstring, 23 Nov)
Suspended None
Form LWWLWL
Leading scorer Johnson, Son 3
Aston Villa
Preamble
Should be a good one, this. With Tottenham beating Manchester City in midweek and Aston Villa on such a good run in general, it’s two clubs with optimism flowing through them. Though optimism can be readily punctured at Spurs. And Aston Villa, have won three of their five Premier League matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, including each of the last two, say the stattos. Can Unai Emery outfox Ange-ball? It’s highly possible, you know. Villa can go third in the table if they win, while Spurs can climb to seventh.
Kick-off at 2pm, join me.
