Tottenham Hotspur cannot say they were not warned. It felt as though there was a chaotic element to James Morrison's late equaliser for West Bromwich Albion but the visitors had heavily trailed what was a body blow to André Villas-Boas on his home debut as the Spurs manager.
Villas-Boas's team had led through Benoît Assou-Ekotto's deflected shot from 25 yards. The left-back does not score many but when he does they tend to stick in the memory. This one looked as though it would stand the test of time because of its value. Villas-Boas had said on the eve of the game that victory was a necessity after last Saturday's defeat at Newcastle.
But West Brom are not inclined to roll over and the concession merely fortified them. They had started to look threatening after the 63rd-minute introduction of Romelu Lukaku, the on-loan Chelsea striker, whose raging bull style tormented the Tottenham backline. And once Assou-Ekotto's drive flashed past Ben Foster, West Brom stepped up the intensity.
Twice Morrison looked the favourite to get away a decisive shot only to take an extra touch and the moment eluded him, while Assou-Ekotto nodded Gareth McAuley's header up and against his own crossbar and away, and William Gallas smuggled Lukaku's effort off the line. But when West Brom worked the ball back into the area, with the drama at its height, Morrison kept his cool to sweep a low shot into the corner.
The bedlam in the away end contrasted sharply with the slumped shoulders in the home seats. After the 3-0 home win over Liverpool on the opening weekend, this was further evidence of West Brom's spirit and quality.
"A lot of people would have looked at our start and said West Brom may struggle but these guys know what is required to get results," said Steve Clarke, West Brom's new manager. "They should give the players confidence.
"I never think it will not be our day, I always believe that something will happen and I said [after Gallas had cleared Lukaku's header] that we shouldn't worry because we'd get another chance."
Villas-Boas sounded more hoarse than usual and the form of Lukaku may have felt ironic to him. The former Chelsea manager oversaw Lukaku's £18m arrival at Stamford Bridge last August only for him to flop, with no goals in 12 appearances. The second half was frenetic and Villas-Boas allowed the emotion to overtake him at one point, when he thought about a substitution, having already made three. "I thought I was still in pre‑season," he said, with a smile.
He said that Tottenham deserved better than a draw and his frustration was located in his team's failure to fashion reward from a first half that they controlled. With Kyle Walker and Assou-Ekotto pressed so high up the field that they felt like auxiliary wingers, there was attacking menace about the hosts. Their build-up work was easy on the eye and they carved out a clutch of presentable chances.
Aaron Lennon and Rafael van der Vaart ought to have done better from smartly cut-back crosses while Jan Vertonghen, the debutant, having strode up from the back, slashed wastefully over the crossbar.
West Brom offered nothing in the final third in the first half but their discipline and commitment was impressive. Claudio Yacob distinguished himself with his work in front of the back four and the foundations were in place for the second-half push. Clarke moved Youssuf Mulumbu further forward in midfield while Lukaku made a difference. Brad Friedel saved well from him and, at point-blank range, from Marc‑Antoine Fortuné.
Tottenham had second-half opportunities. Assou-Ekotto had a free-kick tipped over by Foster; Jermain Defoe flickered and Gareth Bale stung Foster's palms. Villas-Boas remarked that Tottenham had one more point than at the same stage of last season and there were plenty of matches to come.
Morrison's goal, though, cut him to the core.
Read more... http://www.chelseamashup.com/2012/08/30/tottenham-hotspur-1-1-west-bromwich-albion-premier-league-report/
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