Spurs hand Liverpool opening weekend defeat
Redknapp is hoping to guide Spurs back into Europe
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By Adam Leveridge. |  |
Sunday, 16, Aug 2009 06:33
By Matt Fortune.
A woefully out of sorts Liverpool lost early ground in the title race after being well beaten by Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
Benoit Assou-Ekotto illuminated a drab first half in north London with an early contender for goal of the season and despite a Steven Gerrard penalty, debutant Sebastien Bassong headed home to secure a moral boosting 2-1 win for the hosts.
Summer signing Bassong began his Spurs career alongside fit again Ledley King at centre-back. Further up field Peter Crouch, another to have joined Harry Redknapp's troops in the close-season, had to be content with a spot on the bench.
For Liverpool Glen Johnson also made his league bow. With new signing Alberto Aquilani still nursing an ankle injury, Lucas Leiva was handed an opportunity of filling Xabi Alonso's considerable boots. Gerrard, who to the delight of the travelling fans, had passed a late fitness test partnered him in midfield.
Jamie Carragher and Martin Skrtel also got the late go-ahead to play but in hindsight perhaps neither really wanted it. On 15 minutes they collided in a leap for the same ball and subsequently left the field, albeit temporarily, with blood injuries.
It was, barring a skewed shot from Aaron Lennon, the only incident of note in the opening half an hour. Even then, Gerrard's rangy effort was a long way short of the captain's explosive best. But a spark was just around the corner.
Wilson Palacios' cross eluded all but Luka Modric at the far post and the Croat's smart reverse flick back into the danger zone should have been buried by Robbie Keane. However a combination of a lack of conviction and the reflexes of Pepe Reina prevented the Irishman from getting a goal against the club he endured a brief sojourn with last season.
He had another opportunity shortly after but was again undone by Reina who stood his ground when lesser goalkeepers may well have gone to ground. Things didn't improve for the captain when he horribly miscued from just inside the box moments later.
And with Defoe largely anonymous, Spurs were going to need inspiration from elsewhere if they were to make their pressure count. When it came, the inspiration was borderline divine.
In one of the final acts of the first half the impressive Palacios surged forward with purpose and tumbled under the attention of several red shirts. From about 25-yards Tom Huddlestone's initial free-kick hit the wall but when it rebounded to Assou-Ekotto he shuffled his feet and unleashed a ripsnorter of a drive across Reina and into the top corner. In an opening weekend of good goals, it was probably the pick of the bunch.
Liverpool were in desperate need of improvement and Gerrard fired a warning shot wide moments after the break. It should have been a sign of things to come but in truth it was a rare moment of worry for the Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.
But for all their dominance, Spurs were one rush of blood to the head away from losing their lead. As occurred so often last season that carelessness came from Gomes.
Johnson, an £17 million acquisition from Portsmouth, offered his two cents in the final third with a soft-shoe shuffle between two defenders that drew a foul from Spurs' Brazilian keeper. Gerrard doesn't miss penalties.
Liverpool made a habit of overturning deficits last season and Spurs themselves had shown questionable character having sneaked an advantage. But the new season has brought about a role reversal.
Defoe tried to show a clean pair of heels to Carragher but the Liverpool defender was as cynical as he had been damaging to Skrtel in the opening exchanges and hauled the Tottenham man down some way outside the area. Carragher was caught again when Bassong beat him to the subsequent free-kick and buried a header high beyond the reach of Reina.
The siege on Spurs' goal never came. Torres had the odd sighter and Andriy Voronin wasted a good chance when clean through. Had either found the net it would have been unjust.