Someone must have told the Spurs players it was an 8pm kick off in the San Siro. Appalling for 90 minutes, during which time they surrendered their three goal, first leg lead to Inter Milan and were lucky to still be in Europe, they finally acquainted themselves with Italy and saved themselves in extra-time.
Emmanual Adebayor, who for most of the evening gave the impression his
description of a shift is a seven minute day, prodded home the crucial away
goal to cancel out a valiant Inter fightback.
It was an unlikely tie-winner in an irregular match.
In the relief of Tottenham
Hotspurs’ Europa League progression, what preceded the delayed
celebrations in a 4-1 defeat on the night can’t be ignored.
If this was a glimpse into what Spurs are capable of without Gareth Bale,
they’ll need to chain the Welshman to the gates of White Hart Lane this
summer.
The evidence was graphic without their suspended star man, as their
comprehensive goal cushion was tamely tossed away in such a limp manner.
Inspired by Antonio Cassano, Inter were three up after 75 minutes and would
not have been flattered had they won it before extra time.
Cassano’s equaliser, a timid free-kick deflected past Brad Friedel, was technically an assist by William Gallas.
In truth, their entire Inter performance owed plenty to Spurs assists, the French defender adding fresh meaning to the term liability with a series of errors.
Spurs were unrecognisable from the side which has looked so fluent and organised in recent months, but is now specialising in flirting with defeat when in positions of victory.
First Anfield and now the San Siro. They will develop an unwanted reputation as hospitable house guests.
Who would have known a three goal lead in Europe was so dangerous?
After Arsenal’s gallant attempt to overturn the deficit in the Champions League, it was as if Spurs were desperate to allow Inter to show their neighbours how it’s done.
What made it worse was the Inter fans didn’t believe their team was capable of resurrecting the tie, a miserable 20,000 attendance ensuring empty seats decorating this proud venue, but those who stayed away must have reconsidered when Cassano started the comeback on 20 minutes, before Rodrigo Palacio added a second early in the second half.
It could have deteriorated much sooner. Gallas, for some reason playing a defensive line ten yards behind the rest of his back four, was fortunate to avoid a penalty and inevitable red card for shoving Cassano with seventeen minutes gone.
Croatian referee Ivan Bebek generously ignored the appeals, but it was symptomatic of the anxiety in the Tottenham ranks, Friedel also having to save from Cassano and Fredy Guarin to keep the lead intact before the break.
Palacio, who’d crossed for Cassano’s first, also hit the bar with a clever chip.
Villas-Boas had insisted there would be no complacency despite the weighty advantage, but the message did not filter through to all his players.
Pairing Adebayor with Jermain Defoe looked risky before kick-off, and not only because they lacked the necessary work rate.
Spurs needed more numbers in midfield and their class act, Mousa Dembele, was wasted on the right wing.
It seemed inconceivable Villas-Boas would not alter his formation at half-time, but he resisted and paid the price when Inter struck a second on 52 minutes.
Palacio, having as much impact on this leg as Bale a week ago, was sent clear by Esteban Cambiasso to compound the increasing unease.
Spurs were in a mess, Villas-Boas finally acting to replace Defoe with Lewis Holtby and move Dembele inwards.
Serenity was momentarily restored with the change, but Cassano’s second, more likely an own goal by Gallas after a timid free-kick was deflected past Friedel, sent the tie into extra time.
Finally Spurs started to create. Aaron Lennon was stopped by Javier Zanetti’s challenge. From the corner, Samir Handonovic pushed a Jan Vertonghen header wide.
Gallas also missed a sitter from a corner, but Dembele’s brilliance created the away goal on 96 minutes.
Handonovic pushed into the grateful path of Adebayor – who appeared to be the subject of an increased volume of racist chanting as the game progressed.
Inter still weren’t done.
Cassano crossed for substitute Alvaro Alvarez on 110 minutes to ensure only an away goal separated the teams.
They needed one more but couldn’t complete the comeback. Belatedly and erratically, Spurs took the quarter-final place they thought they’d won a week ago.
Teams in the quarter-final draw:
Basle (Switzerland)
Benfica (Portugal)
Chelsea (England)
Fanerbahce (Turkey)
Lazio (Italy)
Newcastle (England)
Rubin Kazan (Russia)
Tottenham (England)
Draw takes place today at 11.40am
Cassano’s equaliser, a timid free-kick deflected past Brad Friedel, was technically an assist by William Gallas.
In truth, their entire Inter performance owed plenty to Spurs assists, the French defender adding fresh meaning to the term liability with a series of errors.
Spurs were unrecognisable from the side which has looked so fluent and organised in recent months, but is now specialising in flirting with defeat when in positions of victory.
First Anfield and now the San Siro. They will develop an unwanted reputation as hospitable house guests.
Who would have known a three goal lead in Europe was so dangerous?
After Arsenal’s gallant attempt to overturn the deficit in the Champions League, it was as if Spurs were desperate to allow Inter to show their neighbours how it’s done.
What made it worse was the Inter fans didn’t believe their team was capable of resurrecting the tie, a miserable 20,000 attendance ensuring empty seats decorating this proud venue, but those who stayed away must have reconsidered when Cassano started the comeback on 20 minutes, before Rodrigo Palacio added a second early in the second half.
It could have deteriorated much sooner. Gallas, for some reason playing a defensive line ten yards behind the rest of his back four, was fortunate to avoid a penalty and inevitable red card for shoving Cassano with seventeen minutes gone.
Croatian referee Ivan Bebek generously ignored the appeals, but it was symptomatic of the anxiety in the Tottenham ranks, Friedel also having to save from Cassano and Fredy Guarin to keep the lead intact before the break.
Palacio, who’d crossed for Cassano’s first, also hit the bar with a clever chip.
Villas-Boas had insisted there would be no complacency despite the weighty advantage, but the message did not filter through to all his players.
Pairing Adebayor with Jermain Defoe looked risky before kick-off, and not only because they lacked the necessary work rate.
Spurs needed more numbers in midfield and their class act, Mousa Dembele, was wasted on the right wing.
It seemed inconceivable Villas-Boas would not alter his formation at half-time, but he resisted and paid the price when Inter struck a second on 52 minutes.
Palacio, having as much impact on this leg as Bale a week ago, was sent clear by Esteban Cambiasso to compound the increasing unease.
Spurs were in a mess, Villas-Boas finally acting to replace Defoe with Lewis Holtby and move Dembele inwards.
Serenity was momentarily restored with the change, but Cassano’s second, more likely an own goal by Gallas after a timid free-kick was deflected past Friedel, sent the tie into extra time.
Finally Spurs started to create. Aaron Lennon was stopped by Javier Zanetti’s challenge. From the corner, Samir Handonovic pushed a Jan Vertonghen header wide.
Gallas also missed a sitter from a corner, but Dembele’s brilliance created the away goal on 96 minutes.
Handonovic pushed into the grateful path of Adebayor – who appeared to be the subject of an increased volume of racist chanting as the game progressed.
Inter still weren’t done.
Cassano crossed for substitute Alvaro Alvarez on 110 minutes to ensure only an away goal separated the teams.
They needed one more but couldn’t complete the comeback. Belatedly and erratically, Spurs took the quarter-final place they thought they’d won a week ago.
Teams in the quarter-final draw:
Basle (Switzerland)
Benfica (Portugal)
Chelsea (England)
Fanerbahce (Turkey)
Lazio (Italy)
Newcastle (England)
Rubin Kazan (Russia)
Tottenham (England)
Draw takes place today at 11.40am
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