Match Review: Spurs V Stoke
Not only have Stoke lost 4-0 against Spurs, but Manchester United have just won the EFL cup. Not the best Sunday for Stoke City fans.
Sky Sports Mix hosted the Stoke game today; a rare television appearance for the Potters suggested a big performance could be on the cards. Geoff Cameron made the bench after a long stint out-injured and surely Berahino would step-up sooner or later. Mark Hughes kept his faith in Peter Crouch upfront, Sobhi continued on the left and Charlie Adam remained holding midfielder, just a few days after his wife gave birth. However, his happiness was short lived, thanks to a certain English Striker who goes by the name of Harry Kane.
A 24-Minute hat trick saw Stoke out of the game before the half-time break. Lee Grant did his best but our defenders looked like they had just got in from a night out. Being allowed to shift the ball on to your stronger foot inside the box is a crime in football, if that were the case; Shawcross would be in prison for life, as that’s how the first goal went in.
It wouldn’t have made a difference anyway, because when you stop the strong foot, he scores with the ‘weaker’ left foot. The corner was lofted towards Kane, who was unmarked on the edge of the box (another crime), after the bounce he struck it low and to the left, Lee Grant didn’t stand a chance. All of this completed with a majorly deflected free-kick allowed Kane to help himself to the match ball.
After Kane had finished scoring he decided to let someone else have a go, Deli Alli was his man of choice, a great touch past Bruno Martins-Indi and great pace followed up with an inch perfect pass put the goal on a plate for the fellow English-man. 4-0. Again.
Stoke never really threatened the Spurs goal, in fact the closest we came was a Crouch header that if Arnautovic was three feet ahead then maybe he could of scored and a Glen Whelan two-footed tackle. (We didn’t really get close if you get the point.)
Sometimes after a game like today, as a decent football fan you have to admit that the opposition were a class above and move on. We could have played better, but if we had, would we have won? Probably not. The last three times we have played spurs the score has been 4-0, 4-0 and guess what, 4-0. Bogey team or what.
Fans and players will be moving on mentally already to the next game, get back to the Bet365 stadium and go for that record finish to the season.
It has to be said though; we do have Hull City’s Markus Henriksen to blame for today. Because lets be honest, if he hadn’t scored that late goal to knock us out of the cup, we would of all watched Shawcross lift the EFL Trophy earlier today instead of thinking about how much prison time he deserves.
Jordan Cleaver
@cleaverjordan
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