Sunday’s sole Premier League match was one Mauricio Pellegrino could really have done with winning. Coming into the welcome of Tottenham on a 10-match winless run, the summer appointment knew three points was vital, not only to correct the worrying run of form, but to pull out of the relegation zone. Stoke’s win over Huddersfield saw the Potters leapfrog Saints out of the bottom three and with Pellegrino under pressure, victory over one of the Premier League’s best teams would’ve silenced the critics, at least temporarily.
To make matters worse, Marco Silva’s sudden availability following his sacking as Watford manager on Sunday morning should have provided the necessary impetus for Pellegrino to lead his side to victory. It was a win that never came and only adds further weight to the notion that Pellegrino should be relieved of his duties with Saints mired on an 11-match winless run to leave them in the bottom three.
It could have been so different, too, had youngster Michael Obafemi made a solid connection following his introduction. Teed up perfectly, all the 17-year-old had to do was side foot from close range to put the ball past Michel Vorm, deputising for the injured Hugo Lloris, to secure a crucial three points late on. His miss, though, effectively summed up Saints’ reign under Pellegrino. It was the hosts, however, who took the initiative as Ryan Bertrand bombarded down the left and having not been picked up in time by Serge Aurier or Moussa Sissoko, the left-back’s low cross was turned into his own by the outstretched leg of Davinson Sanchez.
Saints enjoyed plenty of success down their left in the opening exchanges, yet were pegged back quickly by the away side as Harry Kane headed a Ben Davies corner past Alex McCarthy moments after Eric Dier rattled the post. In a gritty affair that swung one way then the other, it felt as though the team that scored a second would go on to win, yet that second goal never came to pass despite the best efforts of both sides.
To go with Obafemi’s chance, Jake Stephens turned a first half header inches wide of Vorm’s post, while Erik Lamela and Harry Kane both had opportunities in the second half to win at St. Mary’s. The stalemate, though, highlighted contrasting issues for either side, firstly that Saints, despite the draw, did not score the goal that put them ahead. With top scorer Charlie Austin sidelined, the south coast side lack a consistent focal point to their attack and a physical threat on their frontline. For Spurs, there’s a need to sign a player to ease the offensive burden on Christian Eriksen.
The Dane was sidelined through illness and it showed as Spurs lacked the necessary guile and offensive flair to put Saints to the sword and, as a result, Mauricio Pochettino’s side were without the spark to hurt the hosts. The decision to cover his absence, however, with Moussa Sissoko and not Lamela was a head scratcher to say the least. For all of Lamela’s faults, he has the trickery to open up defences and the creative side to his game means he is the best like for like replacement for Eriksen as and when the latter is sidelined.
Sissoko is an effective attacking outlet against teams that come out to dominate Spurs. Arguably his best performances of the season have come against Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, two teams that enjoyed their fair share of possession. Against Saints, Spurs enjoyed 56.3% of the ball and with Heung-min Son off form, the player to unlock the defence was clearly lacking as the north London outfit faltered in and around the Saints 18-yard box and missed the chance to apply pressure to Liverpool in the top-4.
With Arsenal and Chelsea both winning and Liverpool expected to secure maximum points against Swansea on Monday night, today feels very much like two points dropped for Spurs, though similar can be said for Saints, who remain a point behind Stoke in the relegation zone.
