Yes, a good game that developed some nice ebb and flow once the two sides had sparred. I think Southampton, led by the excellent Pelle, should certainly have won that – but Spurs twice scored equalisers at times when they were well under the cosh and the home side will look back at the sloppy defending that led to both. The away side will depart the happier, but Saints will have nothing to be ashamed of here. And if that last-ditch Fonte header had gone in, imagine what pandemonium we’d have seen. Couple of nasty injuries in that second half so our best wishes go to Davies and Schneiderlin.
That’s your lot from me until Man City v Aston Villa at 5.30 – see you there! In the meantime, Niall McVeigh watches the clock so you don’t have to.
Full-time: Southampton 2-2 Spurs
That was pretty entertaining.
90+7 min: Fazio heads Elia’s whipped ball for a corner. Here comes the flag kick, inswung from the left.....and Fonte has a free header, twisting ever so slightly backwards, and sends it over!!
90+7 min: Long nips in ahead of Fazio, who fouls him and concedes a last-gasp free kick out on the left! Great persistence from Long, yellow card for Fazio, decent chance here....
90+5 min: This one is scrambled away. Saints are now pressing hard, as they need to.
90+5 min: Elia gets away down the right, crosses, and another corner won off Fazio....
90+4 min: Elia takes it from the right....and Alderweireld dives in low....but it’s straight at Lloris.
90+3 min: Mane’s theatrics are beyond a joke now but he wins another free kick and from it, Saints win a corner....
90+2 min: Eriksen isn’t tempted to shoot, and Fonte clears his ball in. That Saints pressure isn’t quite materialising though. The ball is still in their half.
90+1 min: Seven minutes of time added, which seems about right. Spurs have won a free kick 30 yards out after Reed clipped Mason...
90 min: Schneiderlin hobbles off, which isn’t good news for Saints, and Harrison Reed comes on.
Ben Davies can now be seen on the bench with his arm in a sling, by the way. Both of these injuries came from players slipping on what seems a very slick pitch.
89 min: Morgan Schneiderlin now seems in quite a lot of pain after twisting nastily on the turf....
88 min: Spurs’ players are getting very frustrated with Mane, who pretends to have been fouled by Fazio and dupes referee Moss, winning a free kick and relieving some moderate pressure.
Bentaleb now leaves us and Roberto Soldado, who was to come on before Chadli equalised, finally takes his place.
87 min: Spurs keeping possession quite nicely now though. A draw would be alright for them.
85 min: The game now seems equipped for Southampton to pile the pressure on during what is, with that long stoppage added, still probably another 12 or so minutes.
83 min: And it nearly comes to a goal, as Schneiderlin puts a superb ball over to the back stick and Fonte thuds in a header that Fazio repels alertly with his own noggin.
Now Chadli goes off, and Dembele comes on.
Updated
82 min: Mane goes over yet again, and this time on the right of the area. This time he does get the free kick, from Bentaleb’s challenge....
81 min: Mane again claims that he has been blocked – by Fazio again but outside the box – but I thought he had little chance of getting to a rather telegraphed Davis pass.
Now Saints bring on Eljero Elia, and bring Davis off. Very attacking lineup out now.
Updated
79 min: Yoshida heads away after Eriksen makes space to cross from the left. Spurs look livelier now, and another very decent Dier cross goes ahead of everyone.
78 min: Kane, found by Lamela, gets his first shot of the day in. It’s from 19 yards out and is blocked.
77 min: Fazio times his tackle on Mane inside the area perfectly, and then waves an imaginary yellow to suggest the Senegalese dived. There is a corner, though, and Lloris catches it.
76 min: Davies is now being stretchered off, to sporting applause. We hope he’s ok. Let’s see how this game gathers itself now after those two quick goals – especially Chadli’s rather-too-easy equaliser.
75 min: Vlad Chiriches will come on, and Davies is being given oxygen here. That’s not nice to see.
73 min: Spurs’ joy is tempered slightly now by a nasty-looking injury to Ben Davies, injured in a rather loose attempt at tackling Mane, which may yet prompt his manager into a switch.
Goal! Southampton 2-2 Spurs! (Chadli 70)
I should just shut up. That was entirely uncharacteristic of Chadli’s performance but was very nice indeed. A straightforward, slide-rule ball between Bertrand and Yoshida finds the Belgian running in at an angle on the right, and he slips home very coolly! So simple, and out of nowhere. Pochettino was about to make two changes – I doubt he will now.
Updated
70 min: To be honest, Spurs have not been impressive here. Well shackled, yes, but also fairly predictable and often trying to pick evidently-sealed locks. Little change of pace either. Andros Townsend may shortly change the latter fact.
68 min: Yes, well deserved for Southampton, who came out for this half completely uncowed and should already have scored through Davis. And just reward for Koeman, too, after he sought to ratchet up the tempo yet further by introducing Long.
Goal! Southampton 2-1 Spurs! (Pelle 65)
Textbook stuff! Mane, now buzzing infield, picks up a stray Davies header and runs along the line before finding Long to the right of the area. Long’s very first touch of the ball is a high, hard, accurate cross that Pelle, arriving 10 yards out, arrives onto with a bang – planting his head upon it and giving Lloris no chance whateover! Super goal and well deserved, too.
Updated
64 min: Kelvin Davis has to punch away a deep Lamela free-kick, and Southampton never quite clear the danger before Chadli, eventually, lashes over from a really stupid angle.
63 min: Fonte essays a ridiculous 40-yarder that troubles nobody apart from his own ego. Long now comes on for Ward-Prowse, who clipped a few fine balls in during the first half. Koeman might just be doing for this now.
61 min: Pelle, by the way, looks back to his best. The ball is sticking every time and his intelligence in creating angles for others has, at times, been a joy. Shane Long will shortly be one of those others – he is coming on soon.
60 min: That apart, Spurs have had little joy in this half yet. Despite the disappointment of conceding late in the first half, Saints have come out fighting. Pelle, now, sets up Bertrand for a shot that is whipped over.
58 min: Now Chadli’s turn to come close from a deflected left-sided cross! This one is a bit closer in, as he twists Clyne’s blood on the edge of the area before dinking one that clips a defender and then drops just wide. From the corner, a Chadli header is cleared from inside the six-yard box.
Updated
57 min: Mane has been a huge threat down the left in this half. Between him and Bertrand – who, as I write, tries a cross that is wickedly deflected and has to be tipped over by Lloris – there’s plenty for Spurs to worry about.
54 min: An even worse miss from Davis! And this was a lovely move. Mane, found by Ward-Prowse on the left, slips the ball into Pelle on the left corner of the six-yard blocks and he flicks the ball beautifully back to Davis. The first touch is good and he’s 10 yards out, only at a very slight angle. But he balloons it off target, when surely he ought to have scored this time. Super stuff otherwise though.
53 min: Southampton are pressing though and Bertrand finds space to cross on the left. The very involved Mane shapes for an overhead kick but it’s cleared before he can thrill us/embarrass himself.
In which “Jeremy” tries to tell me Spurs will win:
“In the most famous game ever to involve a handball goal from an Argentine the Argentinian’s team won 2-1 just saying.”
51 min: Steven Davis should really do better there! Mane finds him 30 yards out, centrally, and suddenly space opens up, and opens up some more, before he has a clear shot on the edge of the area! Should hit the target at least, but drags it woefully wide.
50 min: Ben Davies dribbles into the Saints area but overruns the ball and goes down, a bit, before thinking better of it. There did seem, actually, to be a bit of a touch from a defender just outside the area. Then the lively Mane, down the other end, is shackled by Mason just as he looked to escape.
48 min: Schneiderlin fouls Bentaleb and Spurs have a free-kick midway inside the hosts’ half. It’s taken quickly but they can’t work anything and Saints break through Mane, now operating down the left, who claims to have been blocked off by Fazio and goes down clutching his face. He did seem to run into Fazio’s elbow there but I don’t know if there was heavy contact.
Updated
46 min: Mane, whose high position was a menace in the first half, nicks the ball from Fazio but is offside.
Peeeeeeeeep! 45 minutes to go.
The yellows do the honours.
Spurs, in their yellow, are back out for the second half. Nearly time....
Watford are 1-0 up in that big Championship game at Brighton by the way. They are close now. And Sheffield Wednesday are a goal ahead of Leeds at Hillsborough.
Half-time: Southampton 1-1 Spurs
Well, a half that took time to come to life before doing so through that rather odd goal from Pelle. Southampton looked well in control after that, and might have scored again, but Spurs scored an odd goal of their own through Lamela just before the break and you’d hope we’ll get a full-throttle second period now. Back in a bit.
45+1 min: Dier puts a similar ball in that this time is cleared. From being under the cosh, Spurs’ tails are right up.
That goes came off Lamela’s left arm, by the way, after Kane’s flick – but you’re not going to disallow that. No time to react.
Goal! Southampton 1-1 Spurs! (Lamela 43)
Well, that hadn’t been on the cards. Southampton have defended the edge of their box very well and Spurs have to work the ball out to Dier. Doesn’t seem that threatening but you still can’t give a crosser that much space, and he puts in a good ball from the right that Kane – running across at the near post – gets a small flick on. The ball hits Lamela, onrushing behind, and squeezes between Kelvin Davis and his left post. Hand? Shoulder? Not intentional either way. A scrappy goal and an important one!
Updated
41 min: Lovely move by Southampton, starting with Pelle’s hold-up play, continuing with an outside-of-the-boot switch from the excellent Ward-Prowse to Bertrand, and finishing with a very clever low cross behind everyone else to the onrushing Davis, 18 yards out, who can’t quite get a good enough purchase.
Then Spurs’ first big sight of goal as Mason gets onto a dinked cross from the left and crashes in a volley that is superbly blocked by Fonte!
38 min: Southampton aren’t giving Spurs, who are still having plenty of the ball, a thing in their penalty area. The optimism all commentators seem to have whenever Kane goes near a football is touching though – as is the rush, even if only evident in tone, to assure us that he’s still doing alright.
36 min: Now Chadli does get a shot away, 25 yards out, but would rather he had not. It’s high, wide and very ugly.
35 min: For that goal, though, what horrible defending from Spurs. Mason had things completely in hand and was unlucky to slip, but still. Davies simply didn’t react to the situation appropriately, turning back as if to shield the ball to Lloris rather than clearing, and it could prove seriously costly. Well done to Pelle for chasing a situation that he was definitely second favourite for.
Spurs are rattled now – Davies and Vertonghen have both been booked in the last few minutes.
Updated
32 min: Could have been two! Pelle has a free header ten yards out from a right-sided free kick and should do far better than steer way wide. Ward-Prowse, again, with the fine delivery.
Updated
Goal! Southampton 1-0 Spurs! (Pelle 29)
Oh! Mane breaks well but is dispossessed by Fazio on the edge of the area. Mason recovers the ball and seems to have things under control, but slips at a crucial time and, facing his own goal, prods the ball back towards Davies. It’s short, but Davies can clear – instead he dithers and lets Pelle get too close to him. The Italian, from behind Davies, jabs out a leg and diverts the ball past a helpless and rather surprised Llopris!
Updated
27 min: Southampton, after such a tentative start, are growing into this.
25 min: Eriksen tries to return the ball to Lamela with a backflick, and the latter feels he is blocked off in his attempt to get onto it. But Saints counter and Ward-Prowse has a shot blocked before winning a corner. And they come so close! Ward-Prowse clips in a wonderful, training ground ball in from the right to the expectant Schneiderlin, peeling back towards the penalty spot, who volleys towards goals and see Lloris, diving low to his left, make a superb stop! What a lovely corner that was from Ward-Prowse.
Updated
23 min: It’s competent, orderly, tactical stuff out there. Everyone is where they should be, when they should be. Not expecting a goal fest.
21 min: Davis is starting to have some influence for the Saints and plays a give and go with Pelle before being snuffed out by – again – Vertonghen.
21 min: Mane, playing on the right, gets onto a ball over the top and brings it down. Vertonghen has to give away a flag kick, which Kane clears after the ball bobbles around a bit.
19 min: The midfield looks very congested indeed here. Both teams fielding two deep-sitters. Can the wide men – Mane, Lamela et al – make a difference? Bertrand, in fact, almost can! Davis plays him in towards the byline and nobody gets onto his tempting, slide-rule cross along the six-yard line. It comes out to Clyne, whose own low cross is cleared. Best moment yet.
Updated
17 min: Chadli tries to work some space to shoot on the 18 yard line after nice play by Eriksen and Lamela, but is crowded out. Then Spurs win a corner, which is headed away from Fazio.
Updated
15 min: Bertrand is struggling a bit after that challenge, but not so much that he can’t mop up after Yoshida tackles Kane.
Updated
14 min: Pelle goes in late on Davies and then Dier bundles Bertrand over.
Andrew Ness is correct here, I think:
@NickAmes82 As cup runners up no longer qualify for the Europa League, both sides will be in it unless Villa win the Cup.
— Andrew Ness (@AndrewNessy) April 25, 2015
Updated
11 min: Bertrand, increasingly involved, swings in a delicious ball that Pelle can’t reach, although he’d surely have been flagged offside had her made contact.
10 min: Southampton have not really had a kick yet, although now they get a bit of possession at last and take the chance to get most players’ feet on the ball. The move ends with Bertrand keeping a diagonal Yoshida ball alive before winning a throw-in, which is wasted.
9 min: One of the sets of fans is now singing “Gareth Bale, he’s one of our own”.
8 min: Kane fouls Yoshida as the defender clears. I’m sure he’ll get his hat-trick soon enough though.
Updated
6 min: Spurs passing it around the back. They’ll be pleased to have taken the sting out of things early on, although it’s certainly a lively atmosphere.
5 min: That’s comfortably cleared, and eventually the ball trickles out on the far side for a Southampton throw-in.
4 min: And now some “Pochettino, what a w^^nk^r”. That’s the spirit. And Clyne concedes a corner, on the pitch.
2 min: Tentative so far. Lots of vocal support for Ronald Koeman from the home fans.
And they're off!
We are underway.
And just before we start, Gary Naylor:
@NickAmes82 The problem with the Europa League is that is has the same impact on a season as Phillip Larkin's "Mum and Dad" has on a child.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) April 25, 2015
We now have a minute’s silence in memory of the victims of the Bradford fire.
Updated
Quite a number of stewards as Pochettino makes way out, but not quite the hostile reception I had expected.
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) April 25, 2015
Pochettino comes out of the tunnel and is greeted by what appears to be apathy.
Remiss of me not to mention that Paulinho’s absence is on account of his wife expecting a child – their fourth.
The teams are out! You’ve just time to put the kettle on/crack open a beer/crawl out of bed.
Mauricio Pochettino Martin Knowles also gets in touch:
“As a Tottenham fan since 1967, I can only hope we lose today. The Europa League is a horrible institution. Let Southampton have it. They would enjoy it much more than us.”
David Wall nods to a Southampton initiative (fans wearing orange to acknowledge Ronald Koeman) I haven’t yet mentioned today, before ending with a ZING!
“On the face of it Southampton encouraging their fans to wear orange is a show of support for Ronald Koeman but is it really to help remind those fans which team they’re supposed to be supporting. After all, with their old manager in the opposition dugout they might get confused and start cheering for the wrong side. I hear that forgetting who you’ve followed for a lifetime is easy to do.”
Pochettino starts most of his answers with “No” when interviewed, I have noticed. I know it’s just a tic from someone for whom it’s not the mother tongue. Or perhaps he just thinks the questions are always silly.
By the way, Brighton are currently playing Watford in the Championship. Watford, who are top, could be promoted to the Promised Land today if results go their way. It’s currently goalless after eight minutes.
Let’s talk. Let’s talk about your hopes, dreams and fears for the period between 12.45 and 14.10. Particularly if they involve Southampton v Spurs. Email me on the address above, or of course use that Twitter thing.
In fairness though, Southampton have not beaten Spurs at home since March 2005 – admittedly only three St Mary’s meetings ago. So use whichever statistic gives you the most pleasure.
Stat.
Southampton have won their last three home fixtures and haven’t shipped a goal in any of them.
— Iain Macintosh (@iainmacintosh) April 25, 2015
A few points of importance from those team lineups. Hugo Lloris is back from injury after three games and regains both his place and the Spurs captaincy. Ben Davies and Ryan Mason are in, too, for Danny Rose and Paulinho.
For Southampton, James Ward-Prowse replaces Dusan Tadic while Toby Alderweireld has been passed fit. Nathaniel Clyne will make his 100th appearance for the Saints! Well done Nathaniel Clyne!
Your referee – everyone’s referee – today is Jon Moss.
Spurs team
#THFC team: Lloris (c), Dier, Fazio, Vertonghen, Davies; Bentaleb, Mason; Chadli, Eriksen, Lamela; Kane #COYS pic.twitter.com/IcemJEcl9N
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 25, 2015
#THFC subs: Vorm, Chiriches, Yedlin, Dembele, Stambouli, Townsend, Soldado #COYS
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 25, 2015
Southampton team
#SaintsFC team vs @SpursOfficial: K. Davis, Clyne, Fonte, Yoshida, Bertrand, Alderweireld, Schneiderlin, S. Davis, Ward-Prowse, Mané, Pellè.
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) April 25, 2015
#SaintsFC substitutes vs @SpursOfficial: Gazzaniga (GK), Gardos, Long, Tadić, Elia, Reed, Targett.
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) April 25, 2015
Hello!
Welcome to the sixth-place play-off all-important grapple to stay in Europa League contention between Southampton and Spurs, who have been keeping each other honest-ish as the top seven’s also-rans of late and – joking aside – need good results today in order to keep pushing Liverpool for fifth spot. And who knows, with Manchester City in freefall there might just be a chance of putting some late pressure on the top four as well.
That doesn’t look especially likely given the sides’ recent form. Both have taken seven points from their last five games, although Spurs won at Newcastle – even if nobody was there to see it – last time out while the Saints lost at Stoke. The visitors are a point ahead of the home side, level with Liverpool (who have a game in hand), and in the driving seat to make a play for a return to the competition that Mauricio Pochettino makes little secret of disliking.
Ah, Pochettino. This is it – he’s back! Back where it all began, or at least where he took his first strategic step on the Premier League career ladder. To boo? To jeer? Perhaps neither: surely Pochettino, who did a good job with the Saints in his 16 months at St Mary’s, was just another manager who passed through, did things his way, achieved well and moved on to better things. Not really a great deal to see here. But you wonder whether a bit of needle would help Southampton, who do need to win and would probably value any Europa League spot rather more, in their aims this afternoon. Let’s see, shall we?
Updated
Nick will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Paul Doyle’s match preview:
Mauricio Pochettino does not hide the fact that he would rather be spared the toils of the Europa League next season, yet he will surely want Tottenham to win on his return to St Mary’s. Ronald Koeman, by contrast, is eager for his team to qualify for European competition and victory over Spurs would help secure that and also give the club more points than they achieved under the Argentinian last term.
You can read the rest by clicking here.
