Pre-game:
Time for Part One of our attempt at revenge to the teams that knocked us out of the cups last season. Fiorentina in the Europa League will be along within a few weeks, but today it’s Leicester in the FA Cup; a team that dumped us out in the last-minute of the tie in 2015. Both teams have improved quite considerably since then, which might be an understatement; who’d have expected either to be mentioned as possible title winners this time last year? With that in mind, and especially with mid-week league games to come, there will almost certainly be strong rotation on both sides.
In fact, there is even more than I thought there’d be. Michel Vorm is in; someone who has bad memories of this meeting last January. Kevin Wimmer gets a chance, with Nacer Chadli starting for the first time since he came back from injury. Josh Onomah is given the chance to build on some promising cameos over the last few weeks, while Son starts up top, in a position where he has been used sparingly and didn’t show much against Everton last week when he came on. There are as many question marks as there are on the Leicester line-up, in truth, but this is the chance for many of them to impress and stake a claim to be involved in the future.
Post-game:
With three minutes to go all I was thinking is that it’s getting really annoying to lose to the same team three times in 10 years in the FA Cup, but we escaped with a draw and will do it all again in 10 days time. The first half was what you would hope for generally, as we controlled possession and opened the scoring early on, but once again we conceded during the first spell of attacking by the opposition, much like the Everton game. However, there was no reason to believe that the pattern of the game would change much, until Leicester went to 4-4-2 and took over the game for a spell, while taking the lead. Now it was deja vu from 2006 and 2015 for us all until we forced the penalty, and in reality I couldn’t see a goal coming because we couldn’t get the ball into dangerous areas before that due to Leicester’s well-drilled shape. Of course there’s a chance that neither team wanted a replay, and adding another game to the list, but after the situation we were in, we have to be happy that we still have a chance of advancing.
Michel Vorm:
Reacted well when Rose backpassed to him despite Ulloa being in attendance, and he got rid of the ball quickly. Took charge of a goal kick that was bouncing into his area before Ulloa could reach it. No chance with the equalising goal which was down to poor marking and the lack of a man watching the far post. Got away with a poor clearance after he’d left his area, with the resulting shot being deflected up and into his arms. Tipped over a looping header that might have been sneaking in, and he took no chances. Saved Okazaki’s initial shot when it was hit straight at him, but could do nothing with the rebound.
Kieran Trippier:
Might have had a challenge with the speedy Gray but we were well in charge of the game in the first half. Met a clearance from a Spurs corner and tried a first-time shot that flew over. Great cross just after the second Leicester goal but there needed to be more attackers anticipating it. Was one-on-one with Gray defensively and let him cut inside before shooting narrowly wide. Made a brilliant first touch on the run when a long pass was made to him, before his cross was touched away.
Toby Alderweireld:
Unlucky with a few of his trademark diagonal passes that were cut out. Not his finest moment for the equalising Leicester goal, as he got blocked by a number of players and let Wasilewski meet the corner. Good block of Gray’s shot from outside the area. Got shook off-balance by Okazaki when the striker ran straight at him in the build-up to the goal and we were in trouble from then on. On the plus side he made a vital challenge on Okazaki when we were chasing an equaliser and wide open at the back. Took attacking matters on by himself at one point and drove down the right-wing before standing up a great cross. Had a dipping shot too that went over, while he found Alli with a long ball into the area to set up a chance.
Kevin Wimmer:
Lovely measured ball down the line to a running Rose who flew a cross across goal. Was the originator of our opening goal as he made another aerial pass and opened Leicester up. Avoided a booking when he went straight through Ulloa, and from behind. Didn’t have the reaction to deal with the rebound from Okazaki’s shot, and the striker was able to finish.
Danny Rose:
Good strength to hold off an attacker near the corner flag and play the ball back to Vorm, but he didn’t see Ulloa near the keeper and Vorm had to deal with it quickly. Nice run down the left to meet Wimmer’s pass and he skimmed a ball across the area that no one reached. Spotted a potential Leicester counter-attack and snuffed it out. Would have been away himself into the area before he was chopped down by Wasilewski. Set up Chadli in the area but the winger was crowded out before he could shoot. Forced the penalty when he took on Dyer and the winger flicked the ball away with his arm.
Tom Carroll:
Struggled to get into the game early with a few passes going astray. Great ball through to Rose to set up a cross. Was behind Okazaki as the striker ran into the area but could do nothing to stop the run. Unlucky with a diagonal to Chadli that the defender only just intercepted.
Eric Dier:
Not very successful with his longer passes early in the game, with one low one being intercepted, and the other floating out of play. Made a lovely step over to get past an opponent in a situation where if he lost the ball, we would have been in trouble. Tried a long-range shot after Eriksen’s effort was blocked, and the keeper fumbled it before gathering at the second attempt. Stayed with the pacy Gray on the left-wing and won the ball before passing back to Vorm. Decent headed attempt when he met Eriksen’s near post corner.
Christian Eriksen:
Scored our opening goal when the rebound from Chadli’s shot fell to him, and rather than snatching at it, he took a touch and guided it into the far corner. Took on the free kick outside the area after Rose was fouled, and he got it on target but fairly central, leading the keeper to punch away. Met Son’s low cross and shot it on the run, but straight at the keeper. Found himself scanning the final third, looking for an opening, but Leicester were covering everything.
Nacer Chadli:
Made the run for Onomah to play the ball through to him, and his powerful shot was parried out for Eriksen to finish with the rebound. Set Son away on goal and almost led to a shot. Had a run in from the left and with nothing else on, he fired in a low shot that was saved. Had a great run soon after where he danced around the challenges and made room for a left footed shot that was blocked. Met Son’s cross/shot but it hit off him rather than being directed, and went over the bar. Made another nice run to cut inside but couldn’t get the power on his shot.
Josh Onomah:
Had an early charging run down the left with three defenders bouncing off him, and he retained possession before passing infield. Spotted Chadli infield and played the ball to him and set up the move for the goal. Won some challenges where he was surely the underdog for them, but still came out with the ball. Nice dribble into the area from the left-wing before he stumbled. Tricked the full back well on the right-wing when he cut inside, and it looked like his jersey was pulled to help him to the ground on the edge of the area, but nothing was given.
Heung-Min Son:
Nice flick that set Eriksen away on a run. Good closing down of the keeper and made him kick out of play. Excellent touch to Chadli that set up an attack, and he got back on the ball and almost through on goal but for a desperate sliding tackle. Skinned the full back and picked out Eriksen with a cross that led to a shot on target. Couldn’t control his shot after a corner but it almost led to a cross for Chadli. Showed quick feet in the area while trying to find room for a shot, and did well to get an attempt away. Took on a defender in the area and had his shot deflected wide.
SUBS:
Nabil Bentaleb (Dier):
Was mostly noticed winning the ball a few times while we piled forward, but he had one of our best shots of the second half when he curled one from the right that the keeper pushed away.
Harry Kane (Carroll):
With the main man on the field, an attacking charge was expected we still struggled to make chances; however we won the penalty and Kane was the one you’d want taking it.
Dele Alli (Chadli):
Came on soon after Kane but we were still bogged down and not creating enough. Did well to head Alderweireld’s long pass backwards and towards goal, but it bounced past the post.
A Tottenham Man 