Premier League 2012-13 Preview: Tottenham Vs West Brom
Tottenham will seek redemption for their loss to Newcastle when they take on West Brom at the Lane on August 25.
It was not a dream start for Andre Vilas-Boas as Spurs’ new manager but he can take consolation from several positives in Tottenham’s first day defeat. It was a close-fought game and the first twenty minutes were particularly frenetic. It was Spurs that got the first scoring opportunity of the game when a combination effort by Sigurdsson and Bale gave Defoe a shot at goal from within the area only to have the ball ricochet off the base of the post.
Bale was at it again beating the Newcastle backline with a run that started from halfway only to peter out with the Welshman running both out of the pitch and breath. The next minute saw Spurs conceding the lead when an opportunistic Ba intercepted a Simpson pass to put the ball past Friedel in goal. The visitors might have hoped to salvage a draw when Defoe gave Spurs the equaliser 14 minutes from the end but they hadn’t reckoned with the character and spirit that underscored Newcastle’s performance, last season. That spirit was again in evidence as Ben Arfa scored off a penalty to give the Magpies full three points.
In their opening league game, Albion thrashed Liverpool, 3-0, at the Hawthorns. The result would have brought immense satisfaction to England coach, Roy Hodgson. West Brom were brilliant, last season, under Hodson, who was himself sacked, midway through the previous season, by Liverpool.
The Reds played with 10 men, through most of the second half, although that does not deflect from the fact that Brendan Rodgers’ wards were outplayed by the home side. Liverpool’s shambolic defence saw West Brom earn a scoring opportunity but only to squander it when Shane Long missed a penalty but the Irishman made amends with a second penalty to get his team ahead. Four minutes past the hour, Odemwingie made it 2-0, again off a penalty. Romelu Lukaku came in as a substitute and made it 3-0 to Albion on 77 minutes to set the Baggies up nicely, for the long season ahead.
Tottenham should be looking forward to turning home advantage to good effect but would do well to guard against complacency especially against a team who will be keen to prove that their demolition of Liverpool was no flash in the pan.
Tottenham’s starting eleven against Newcastle: Freidel, Walker, Gallas, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Livermore, Sandro, Lennon, Bale, Sigurdsson, Defoe.
West Brom’s starting eleven against Liverpool: Foster, Reid, McAuley, Olsson, Ridgewell, Morrison, Yacob, Mulumbu, Odemwingie, Long, Gera.
About the Author (Author Profile)
Jinxatious is the Chief Editor of SportingAttitude.com
An avid writer, on an eclectic range of subjects, he brings to bear editorial experience garnered with a national newspaper in South-East Asia. He also has sportscasting experience, as a cricket commentator, and his passion for sport extends beyond Cricket, to Football, Tennis, and Olympic Sports.
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
