SPOTLIGHT ON ...

NEWCASTLE UNITED (Away)
Premier League
Saturday 13th December 2003

Unfortunately, after this week's correspondence with the representatives looking after the fixture list from the Premier League, I have not had an opportunity to do a preview for this match.  I might be able to do them in the future, but need to clarify a few points with the other party before doing so.

For more information on the opponents and their history, including full result history of matches between the two teams, click here.

VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE

Unfortunately, MEHSTG has not had time to get an opposing view.

Tottenham : -  Kasey Keller; Stephen Carr, Dean Richards, Anthony Gardner, Mauricio Taricco; Ledley King, Darren Anderton, Gus Poyet (Mbulelo Mabizela 53), Paul Konchesky (Stephane Dalmat 79); Robbie Keane, Fredi Kanoute (Helger Postiga 61)
Unused subs: -  Rob Burch, Gary Doherty

Tottenham -  None

Tottenham -  Gardner (foul) 54, Carr (foul) 64

While the final outcome was of no surprise to any right-thinking Spurs fan, the nature of it was.  To lose so abysmally is not in the Tottenham tradition at all and while it turned into a shooting gallery for Newcastle, it became a damage limitation exercise for Spurs.

The away record of Tottenham Hotspur does not make pretty reading.  I saw somewhere that we have won just 7 out of 41 (now) matches away from White Hart Lane ... some of them not very far from White Hart Lane, but our trips to the North-East seem to bring the worst out of the side.  Starting with Poyet and Anderton does not make you feel any more secure in securing a result.

Within the first ten minutes, we had been grateful to Keller for getting behind a Jenas pile-driver and for Robert shooting just wide from a dead ball situation.  The first real chance we had came after about half an hour, when Konchesky ran up the left wing and put some pace on his cross, but it was too much for Fredi, who failed to make any sort of contact on it, when a slight touch might have got us in front.  As with most things at the moment, it proved costly for Tottenham, as a poorly cleared ball by Richards flew up and out, but fell to Laurent Robert.  We all know he won't pass, so when he hit the ball on the volley nobody was surprised.  What was surprising was that it left everyone standing as it sped into the net past an astonished Keller from 20 yards out. 

While things had been going along without any hint of what was to come until this point, after that it all went pear shaped for Tottenham.  It was just like the old days, when, from our corner, the Magpies broke away and nearly scored.  It was only Keller's sharpness that stopped Ameobi adding to the home side's tally.  Just before the break, Tottenham did manage an effort on target, with Dazza heading Taz's cross gently at Given.  No real threat and little more after the break, even though the Toon lost their central defender Woodgate at the break.

A warning shot was fired across our bows in the second minute of the new half, when Robert fizzed a free-kick wide, off a Tottenham player and Shearer had fired a fierce drive the wrong side of the upright.  Then with 54 minutes on the clock, Robert did it again.  A shot out of the blue left us feeling just that colour.  We hadn't been awful, but suddenly found ourselves 0-2 down.  It could have been three shortly after when the same Frenchman's free-kick missed by a foot, although this was a temporary respite until he flighted a corner into the box and when it dropped eight yards out, Shearer was the first to react and knock home his 100th goal at St. James' Park.

 It appeared that we were back at the arse end of last season, letting goal sin for fun, despite what Pleat had told the AGM a few days before.  And things got worse on 65 minutes, when the same combination made the fourth goal.  Another corner and nobody marked Shearer, who was left with the freedom of St. James' Park to notch the fourth goal of the match.

Now it was just a question of how many and Shearer and Dyer were close to getting Newcastle a nap hand.  It was going to be a long 15 minutes and the long journey home would not be a fun one.  How titus Bramble didn't add to the total when his header missed from close range, I don't know.

But it wasn't all bad news, as Ledley King got a shot on target as Given had to stick out a foot to prevent King's volley going in.

No actually, I lied.  It was all bad  news !!

MEHSTG TOP MAN : - KASEY KELLER

Keith Mendament

Middlesbrough