Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Manchester United

[funster]

Ah man. This is a game we could, we should have won. Instead, United sneak away from White Hart Lane with a point that never really looked likely for ninety-five minutes.

I went into the game with a strange confidence that we could actually beat United. I'm not sure how many people shared that view, certainly those who aren't Spurs fans, but I thought we could do it. With Hutton making his debut, Woodgate playing his first game in Spurs colours at The Lane, it was going to make for interesting viewing. King was out of the squad - again! Its been over a week-and-a-half since he last played. No doubt the staff know what they're doing, but I'd like to see him and Woodgate have a couple of games together before the Cup Final. Interestingly Chimbonda was switched to left back. Nothing too unusual for us to have a right footed left back! No real surprises in the rest of the side, and United were at pretty much full strength with Scholes and Hargreaves starting in midfield.

Games against United are usually pretty good ones. Its not too often that you complain about poor value for money, but too often in recent years we've not been able to compete with them effectively at home. Yesterday was far from that. While the game itself was, as usual, very good, we did more than compete. We held our own, and then some.

In the first half we were very effective. Profiting down the wings, with Lennon particularly replicating some of his efforts from OT last weekend by giving Evra a torrid times once or twice. In the middle Jenas continued his fantastic form since Ramos took over and with Huddlestone alongside, we saw passing of a far higher quality than when he doesn't play.

United did come at us, of course. A side of that quality, you wouldn't expect any less. Ronaldo, who had been very quiet at OT when so well tracked by O'Hara, was in the game more, but still not able to really hurt us. Defensively we were very sound. Woodgate, superb on Wednesday night, was keeping the defensive four in good shape, and even with Chimbonda on the left we weren't really conceding as much possession on that side as you might have expected.

A lot of what United did early in the game was centred on Scholes. He is clearly still their focal point in midfield. Hargreaves, by contrast, was more the hard working, tackling player in the middle.

They never looked that threatening though. For all their possession and passing, it just didn't look like they were going to break us down. That being the case we took advantage in a fashion we did so often against the Arsehole in the semi-final, from a counter attack.

The ball found its way to Jenas roughly on the half way line to the right side of midfield, and, you're going to get bored of me saying this, he strode forward with pace and aggression as he has done so much in the last few weeks. Not only did he hold challenges off, he actually outpaced the United defence! When he tumbled in the box, the ball broke to Lennon and his cross was turned into the net! One-nil, a goal up, again, against ManUre! From our seats on the other side of the pitch it was difficult to see exactly what had transpired, but it was completely obvious that Van der Saar was rather unhappy! So much so that he charged over to the linesman claiming handball, even throwing himself to the ground and stretching out his arm to make the point! Nothing doing! He just made himself look silly.

United came us more strongly in the immediate aftermath of falling behind, but still didn't look like scoring. If anything we could've gone in another goal to the good, with Lennon again doing well down the right to cross for Berbatov who volleyed high over the bar as he was closed down by Ferdinand.

As half time approached I wondered whether this week we could hold out without conceding. The signs were good. When United did attack and their moves broke down, we didn't just lump the ball forward in the fashion we had in the Cup game at OT. A little bit more confidence and a little bit more composure.

A goal up at the break and genuine hope that we could beat United. Of course, we were all only too well aware that United have a habit of coming to The Lane and storming out at the start of the second half.

Fergie replaced Hargreaves with Carrick and he got a very mixed reception. Half booing, half clapping. His introduction did a lot to help United in the middle of the pitch with improved passing, but still they couldn't really threaten.

It got to such a state that Ronaldo switched wings not once but twice and even had a pop at working his way through the middle! All to no avail.

The very best opportunity of the half, possibly the game, fell to us with a fantastic bit of skill from Berbatov teeing up Keane. The way Berbatov brought the ball down right on the sideline and turned in the same movement, then burst forward with the ball at his feet beating three United defenders before playing in Keane right in front of goal eighteen yards out..... magnificent! We'd complained a little bit in the first half how his first touch wasn't as exquisite as it used to be, but this time..... wow!

It deserved a goal. It deserved to be buried in the back of the United net. Instead, unmarked, unchallenged and under no pressure, Keano meekly sidefooted straight at Van der Saarn from eighteen yards out when he could, he should, have taken it on another stride or two.

Even then it just didn't look like it was going to cost us. Fergie threw on both Nani and Anderson to try injecting some pace in place of Scholes and Giggs, but it wasn't really having any reward. One of the two could easily have been red carded for a shocking tackle on Chimbonda. How the referee deemed it only a yellow..... well, I dunno, maybe it was just because I was sat a long way away and being a Spurs fan, could only see one possible decision!

The ref overall, and his linesmen, had poor games. A lot of booking for some bad challenges and verbals from United, but some equally appalling decisions that weren't given. A clear - to me at least - handball from Evra in the box in the second half not seen possibly one of the worst, but it was just one of many. Seems Fergie thought he had a poor game too, although for different reasons!

With time ticking away and three minutes extra still to play, it still didn't look as though United could get back in the game. Unlike so often in the last three seasons, there were few nerves in evidence at set pieces, and United had plenty of them late in the game with several corners comfortably dealt with. Every time United's attack broke down we came forward, even right at the end. Looking at the goal it maybe was due in part to our willingness to keep going forward. Malbranque received the ball on the left, went forward and tried to play O'Hara in. He should have driven for the corner flag to run the clock down, but as it turned out, O'Hara lost the ball in the United box and they went forward for one more attack.

This was the one they scored from. A superb challenge by Woodgate that meant they won a corner right at the death. Still I wasn't nervous! We'd defended so well, so capably from every set piece, it just didn't seem a threat. Van der Saar himself went forward to the far post, but the corner, for probably the first time in the match, went to the near post, and somehow found its way into the net. The ManUre fans went nuts, Tevez tore off his shirt, we left.

Virtually the last touch of the game, barely deserved, two points dropped. Couldn't believe it.

So disappointing walking away from The Lane having played so well against a team that has regularly beaten us. We didn't just match them yesterday, as we'd done at OT the previous weekend. We had the beating of them, and but for that very last minute, last second goal, the gap to West Ham would be two points closer.

It was a terrific performance. Defensively it was a performance the likes of which we haven't witnessed for years. Maybe decades. Woodgate was brilliant. His presence made Dawson far more assured, and Hutton's debut was everything you could have wished for. Aggressive, willing to tackle, got forward. Great.

In the middle we were also superb with Jenas and Huddlestone partnering each other superbly, and both wingers doing well, Lennon particularly attacking, leaving Evra on his arse once to cheers from the crowd!

Up front, as you would expect from Keane, worked himself into the ground, and some magnificent touches from Berbatov to go with a goal. I just didn't think Keane's miss was going to cost us.

We are clearly a far better side now. Clearly. Fergie, despite his whinging about the ref, has admitted as much in post match interviews. There are grounds for real optimism, and quietly, I'm not ruling out a challenge on the top six/seven, even now, even with the gap.

I get a week off now. Not going to Derby - the first game I'll have missed since Christmas! Feels like a well earned break actually! Disappointing even so not to have a Spurs game to look forward to next weekend. We should hammer them. We really should. Even a performance half as good as yesterday's will see the job done, but there's no room for complacency. Three points should be the minimum target. Then I'll be back into the swing of things.

Prague, here we come!

[RiverWire]

Yeah i share your views on all that mate, i also had a feeling that we could come away with a win before kick off and the boys didnt disapoint. I though Hutton had a cracking game, didnt really know much about him but as my dad pointed out if you pay 9million for someone who plays in scotland he has to have some quality and with him being only 23 the defence is already looking better, cant wait for Bale to come back on the schene.

As for the result it was disapointing considering we kept United very quite compared to most teams that play them, things are on the up lets just hope that bent is good enough for tha third striker role that defoe was playing (and scoring from) Good luck to Defoe too, he was a good lad and even said he loved spurs and didnt want to leave but he has to play football.