Just Passed High Noon Drama As Spurs Crash At Burnley!
Harry Kane Returns With A Goal But Burnley Take Points
By Marc Gingell
23 February 2019
| 12:30 | Turf Moor | Burnley | 2 | Tottenham | 1 |
| REF: M Dean | Chris Wood 57′ | Harry Kane 65′ | |||
| Att. 21,338 | Ashley Barnes 83′ | ||||
Four Strikers In Spotlight
Spurs
For Spurs, Harry Kane returned for the first time in 4 Premier League games after last appearing in the 1-0 defeat at home to Manchester United. In his absence Spurs won all 4 games with South Korean Son Heung-min playing a leading role in three. In his last six away games, he’d had a hand in 11 goals.
Burnley
Burnley’s Ashley Barnes, now being talked about as a potential Austrian international, had Austrian boss Franco Foda watching him at Turf Moor today. Barnes and fellow striker Chris Wood have both scored three each in Burnley’s last three Premier League games.
Burnley Unbeaten in Seven
Fit-again Tom Heaton returned in goal for Burnley seven games ago and he’s a big reason for their upturn in form. He produced some fine saves against Brighton last time out a must be in line for an England recall. England boss Gareth Southgate, watching this one from the stands, must be thinking about Heaton. Last season Harry Kane scored three hat-tricks with the first one completed at Burnley when Spurs won 3-0.
Barnes Close to Breakthrough
On 34 minutes Barnes came close to making the breakthrough. In what look like an impossible position the ball sat up kindly for him and he managed to whip in a shot that just went over the bar. Five minutes after half-time Kane took aim for Heaton’s top right corner from outside the box but Heaton saved well.
Pattaya One. Tom Heaton save from Harry Kane.
Burney Corner
On 56 minutes Burnley were awarded a corner when Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen clashed with Burnley’s Jeff Hendrick inside Spurs box on their left. Both players went down and the ball ricocheted between them before going out of play. Dwight McNeil, aged 19 and another reason for Burnley’s return to form, sent over a perfect corner where Wood timed his jump to perfection and headed in off the underside of the bar.
Spurs Throw In
Harry Kane equalised after 65 minutes when he latched on to a quick throw from Danny Rose down Spurs left. With Burnley defense, for once sleeping, Kane arrowed in on Heaton’s goal where he toe-poked home with his right boot.
Barnes From Close Range
Barnes became the third ‘Striker in the Spotlight’ to find the net when he tapped in from close range on Spurs left in the 83rd minute after good work by Johann Gudmundsson. Spurs were unable to find an equaliser.
Son Heung-min
Son had shined all previous games since his return from the ASEAN Cup and most before. But not against Burnley which is a worry. With Kane’s return, Spurs should have been a more dominant force but defenders Ben Mee and James Tarkowski dealt well with most things that came their way.
After Match Rant
Going back to the 56th minute tussle, between Vertonghen and Hendrick, which resulted in a corner and Burnley’s first goal. Spurs bench were incensed about this and headed straight to referee Mike Dean for an on-field confrontation.
Jesús Pérez, Mauricio Pochettino right-hand man, seemed in a right mood to go for it and challenge Dean to pistols at just gone high noon. Pochettino, aware that they were in the middle of a football pitch with cameras aimed in their faces, stepped in front of Pérez to save him as any good manager would do. But then his emotions were triggered and he went face to face with Dean.
Football Emotions
Football can be emotional and incidents like this are interesting to watch and read about. It makes the game what it is. Sure, players and coaches are fined but they can afford so what’s the big deal? This is where a question will come in about VAR. Will football become unemotional and robotic will all decisions taken upstairs?
Most top-flight football is now played on a pitch that is more like a snooker table when compared to how conditions used to be. Those days when tackles were still allowed and bad decisions, over a season, were supposed to even themselves out. That might not be true but emotions, such as those at Burnley, make the game more watchable and that’s been the case for a very long time.
Player Ratings
Burnley: Heaton (8), Bardsley (6), Tarkowski (7), Mee (8), Taylor (6), Hendrick (6), Westwood (7), Cork (6), McNeil (6), Barnes (8), Wood (7)
Subs: Brady (6), Gudmundsson (7)
Tottenham: Lloris (6), Vertonghen (6), Alderweireld (5), Foyth (4), Aurier (5), Sissoko (5), Winks (5), Rose (6), Eriksen (6), Son (5), Kane (7)
Subs: Llorente (5), Lamela (N/A), Moura (N/A)
Man of the match: Ashley Barnes
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