An illustrated review of Australia's 3-2 win over Syria, and my last column
In a rollicking match, Australia outscored Syria, confirming their progress into the knockout phase of the Asian Cup. 3-2 it ended and, as much…
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West Ham disciple. Night-owl Premier League watcher. From Sydney, living in Melbourne. Sydney FC, Socceroos, Matildas. Is sport, Is good.
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In a rollicking match, Australia outscored Syria, confirming their progress into the knockout phase of the Asian Cup. 3-2 it ended and, as much…
Sydney FC have shrugged off last week's loss to Perth, beating Adelaide 2-1 in a sputtering match at Jubilee Oval in Kogarah. Adelaide, still…
The Socceroos were beaten in their opening game of the 2019 Asian Cup, victims of a resolute and hungry Jordan team, as well as…
Against a rabble of a defence, rotating in and out a great number of players, Australia's 5-0 friendly win over Oman did little more…
Keisuke Honda and Raul Baena were both late scratches from this game, so Kevin Muscat fielded the same team he did last round in…
Western Sydney sported their rather elegant black strip in this game, probably not the best choice for a 35-degree Adelaide evening, but just as…
Graham Arnold's 2019 Asian Cup squad was released earlier today, and the overwhelming sense it gave was one of brisk, unified hope. Arnold hopes…
The license fees, attendance metrics, fan-catchment potential, financial bulk, five-year projections, and all the other yawn-inducing details of the two new expansion teams have…
James Troisi is a player to whom labels do not quite adhere. It makes him a little hard to digest. A lot of what…
Western Melbourne are set to join the A-League next season, playing initially in Kardinia Park in Geelong, then eventually - in theory - in…
Is it possible that when Marcus Aurelius said "The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it," he was somehow verbalising…
In Friday's incendiary clash between Adelaide and Brisbane, beneath the crimson flashes of fury and the sickening slips into violence, there was an interesting…
Thousands of cumulative hours are dedicated to the national conversation about the standard of footballer Australia is producing and how it compares to the…
A litany of chances, all of them good and all of them missed, made for a torturous night for Western Sydney. Newcastle, below the…
There has been a creeping feeling that Aaron Mooy's value to the Socceroos is less than it would seem. Yes, Mooy is playing in…
Resentment and hope, pessimism and cynicism, sky-is-falling metaphors manifested in reality and the words of Kevin Rudd quoted unironically – the FFA annual general…
Graham Arnold was asked in the pre-match press conference about how his philosophy will translate to the pitch - a fairly pedestrian question that…
Having pumped water up against the Chilean dam last week, and found it equal to the pressure, Australia entered this match not knowing exactly…
We filed into a small auditorium, tucked away in a corner of a brand new, largely empty public library, in a brand new, largely…
In front of a healthy crowd in Penrith, on a fine day on a fine pitch, the Matildas were the victims of a classic…
70′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 2
Eric Dier tries his luck pushing forward, and wins a corner. Lamela stand over it, but his delivery is cleared strongly. Spurs pass it around a bit, and fling another cross in. Another corner.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
68′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 2
Spurs try a counter attack, but it peters out when Soldado is flagged offside.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
67′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 2
SUBSTITUTION FOR WEST HAM
NOBLE OFF
COLE ON
Carlton Cole replaces Mark “On Thin Ice” Noble.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
65′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 2
CHANCE
How Lloris makes this save I’ll never know. A reaction save from a Valencia toe poke, hit from about 2 metres out. The subsequent corner is overhit, but another corner is the call.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
65′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 2
Spurs need to get on with it now, with 25 minutes remaining and two goals down. Eric Dier leaves an arm in on Sakho’s head after an aerial duel, and is called for the foul. Very chippy atmosphere now.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
63′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 2
Ooh, controversy here. Noble fouls a Spurs player with a heavy challenge, and he’s on a yellow card. But referee Moss lets him go with a warning. Spurs are livid.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
62′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
GOAL 2-0 WEST HAM
Sakho resumes his scoring ways, after excellent work down the right. A lovely long ball is weighted to perfection and Sakho whips a first time cross in. It clears everyone in the box, and Noble collects it on the left, crosses accurately, and Sakho smashes the ball in first time from a crazy angle.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
61′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
Walker belts in a cross/shot into the box from the right. I’ve just bee told that Roberto Soldado has exactly one Premier League goal this season, five in all competitions.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
59′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
SUBSTITUTION FOR SPURS
TOWNSEND OFF
SOLDADO ON
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
58′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
CHANCE
Sakho is played through by Noble, and is onside. He delays his shot, eventually fires an attempt at the near corner, but Lloris saves well. The corner is wasted.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
58′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
Soldado is kitting up.Whether or not that means goals is anyone’s guess.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
58′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
Jenkinson saunters up the right hand side, and is allowed to get into a nice crossing position. He wins a throw, which comes to nout, but the space that West Ham are being allowed is worrying for Spurs.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
56′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
Nacer Chadli and Roberto Soldado are warming up on the sidelines. Meanwhile, West Ham work it down the right, then back into the middle. Noble is allowed a lot of time and space, but he wastes his pass.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
56′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
Neat work between Lamela and that man Eriksen lead to a Mason attempt from distance. The shot is struck nicely, but is straight at Adrian.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
54′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
Noble volleys a perfect pass over the top for Valencia to run onto, knee looking dandy. His shot is blocked, and then Noble’s follow up is hacked away. Both teams looking lively coming out of half time.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
53′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
Replays suggest he planted his leg in a awkward fashion after the ball was belted into it. He hobbles off the pitch, but looks as if he’ll come back on.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
52′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
Valencia is down on the turf, holding his knee and not moving. Worrying for West Ham, this.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
50′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
Aaron Cresswell fouls Walker, and receives a booking for his troubles. Replays show a shirt was heftily pulled.
BOOKING (WEST HAM): AARON CRESSWELL
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
49′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
West Ham try to retake control of the match, and Kouyate springs onto a long ball over the top from Downing. He passes it back and West Ham control it. If nothing changes in the central midfield for Spurs, then the feeling is that West Ham will have their way with them.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
47′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
The corner is flung in, headed out and then Mason smashes a volley miles over. Can Tottenham make an impact early here? Cresswell flings in a cross on the counter, and Lloris reels it in.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
46′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 1
And we’re back, and Eriksen is on the pitch! He immediately works his magic up the left, and Spurs win a corner.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
For anyone interested (and if you’re reading this, you must be bloody interested), here is the opening goal.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
Kouyate’s goal takes West Ham’s headed goal tally to a remarkable 15 so far this season, far more than any other Premier League team. You might say that they’re…
Hammerheads?
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
West Ham have scored more goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half (11) than in any other period of their matches. Spurs will need to make sure they come out firing from the break.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog
71′
SPURS – 0
WEST HAM – 2
The second corner drops dangerously at the far post, but it too is cleared. Tottenham starting to pick up the pace here, urgency and tempo is rising with every passing moment. Bentaleb shoots a dribbler wide of goal.
Tottenham Hotspur vs West Ham United: 2015 Premier League live scores, blog