6 April 2025
Tottenham 3 Southampton 1
Since taking over at Tottenham, Ange Postecoglou has learnt a number of things. Never read the papers, using Deliveroo is better than going out to face the public and most importantly never take anything for granted. Even when the odds are stacked in their favour, they seem to surprise everyone with a baffling result somehow.
They welcomed Southampton to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the visitors knowing that defeat would confirm their departure from the Premier League. Not that it should come as a surprise to anyone, even an alien who has only been on this planet for two weeks could see they are out of their depth. They need to get back to their level for their own mental well-being.
Spurs started on the front foot and Son cut it back from the byline to Johnson. As he looked to pull the trigger it was well blocked by The Saints defender. Moments later Romero saw his superb diving header saved by Ramsdale to deny him. It was great football all around, but you felt it was a matter of time before Tottenham broke the seal here.
The Saints then had the chance to counter, as a deep cross came into the back post, it found Sulemana. His drilled half volley was well struck but it was kept out of the goal by both the post and Vicario. So close to silencing the home faithful. That said, it has happened here so much this campaign they should rename the stadium The Crucible.
Finally, the visitors’ resistance was broken as Spence passed a cross into space in the middle. Johnson showed the hunger to get there first and slammed his shot into the back of the net. It was no more than Postecoglou’s side had deserved. They need to start putting sides away in these phases if they want to get back to being the side they once were in the table.
The hosts almost doubled their lead when Porro swung in a curling cross into the back post. Romero met it with a diving header full of venom. On first glance, Ramsdale made a great save to keep it out. Looking at the replay, it struck him square in the face. That said, he opts for the old Schmeichel star-jump, so is looking to utilise whatever body part he can.
Porro was showing some of his best form once again. Granted Southampton played their part to allow that, attacking so little. When he can fly forward with no concern of having to get back, his deliveries into the box are worth their weight in gold. This time he found Romero who headed back across goal for Bergvall to flick it into the far corner.
Celebrations were short-lived as it was ruled out for offside. What made that an even more bitter pill to swallow was the five minutes it took VAR to get to that conclusion. Surely if it takes that long, it is not a clear and obvious error. To think that all the teams had the chance to vote in favour of scrapping it at the end of last season, yet only Wolves voted for that outcome.
Fans didn’t have to wait long for a piece of karma though. The ball bounced up into the middle of the park and Maddison flicked it forward. Johnson got on the end of it and poked it past Ramsdale to finally double their lead. This was more like what the fans want to see. Not just dominating stats but proving more clinical on visits to the final third of the pitch.
You’ve got to feel for Ivan Juric. Going in at half-time or in the preparation for games, telling this squad that they can still get out of this must be difficult to say with a straight face. And to make matters worse, if they were to lose, they would set a new unwanted record for the earliest a side has ever been confirmed as relegated.
After the break, Solanke stole the ball in the middle. He had time to turn and make a beeline for goal. He did everything right as he opened his body up and struck his effort well into the far corner. Ramsdale once again got down to claw the effort away from goal. He is one player The Saints may have a lot of interest in following their relegation.
The Saints continued to try and play their game. A deep cross into the box found an unmarked Fernandes. He took it on the chest and slotted it through the legs of Vicario. Nobody celebrated it and may have been the hollowest goal the club has ever scored. This has been a painful season, the club and fans can look forward to a brighter campaign next term.
To underpin why they are dropping like a boulder from a great height. Deep into added time a rash sliding challenge brought down Johnson, it was a stonewall penalty. Tel stepped up to take it and narrowly beat Ramsdale into the far corner. The keeper got a hand to it but could not keep the firmly struck effort out of the goal.
As Vinnie Jones stated once, Southampton, it’s been emotional. Rarely have they set the pitch alight, most weeks they have even infuriated neutral fans. Sat there, watching MOTD, shouting at your TV ‘why are THEY trying to play out from the back?’ They were the architects of their own downfall all too often. It has been an experience and the club need to learn from it to grow.
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