After a massive 9-1 win over Wigan last weekend, Spurs drew Aston Villa 1-1 on Saturday. Villa opened the scoring early through Agbonlahor in the 9th minute. Kranjčar, who was working the midfield, got a couple of shots off, as did Palacios and Huddlstone from midfield. Spurs were looking to set up strikers Crouch and Defoe, but couldn’t connect and at half time the score still stood 1-0 to Villa.
In the 72nd minute, Spurs thought they had equalized, but due to a rebound handball by Defoe the goal was disallowed. Spurs wasted no time, however, and soon after in the 76th minute, found the net. Michael Dawson took a shot from 16 yards out, scoring only his 6th goal in a Spurs shirt. It almost ended in Spurs’ favour as Defoe took a last shot before the final whistle, but Friedel was there to deny him. So each side gained 1 point over the weekend, and Spurs now place third in the table with 26 points and +14 on goal difference.
After the match, Redknapp commented, “I was pleased with how we played and I thought we were fantastic in the second half. The way we passed the ball and dominated a side like Villa says a lot for us. It’s a good point and we’d have taken that before we came here, but it was another fine performance, that’s the main thing. We’re in a good position at the moment and there is no reason why we can’t stay up there because we’ve good players, a good team and good squad.”
Next up on the schedule is a Carling Cup match, ironically, with Manchester United at Old Trafford. Then it’s off to Goodison Park on Sunday, following Everton’s disappointing 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.
Jill Guthrie
