標題: [新聞] Berba benched as Spurs lose [打印本頁] 作者: nikotina 時間: 2008-8-17 12:49 AM 標題: Berba benched as Spurs lose
Middlesbrough got their season off to the perfect start with a deserved 2-1 victory over Tottenham, but the headlines will inevitably surround Dimitar Berbatov after he was left on the bench at The Riverside.
David Wheater struck the all-important winner, reacting quickest at the far post after Afonso Alves had flicked Stewart Downing’s near post cross against the underside of the bar.
Mido then came on to wrap things up late on, leaving Juande Ramos slouched on the advertising hoardings despite the consolation of Wheater’s injury-time own goal.
Wheater’s crucial opener arrived moments after Berbatov had entered the fray as a second half substitute, raising massive question marks over whether this will prove to be his last game before he dons Manchester red.
Boro will care little. Spurs’s new-look side kept possession well at times but Gareth Southgate’s men carried plenty of threat on the break, and only a controversial refereeing decision stopped Wheater walking away with a double.
If you had to put money on it, this - to all intents and purposes - was the beginning of the post-Berbatov era for Spurs, who left their brooding Bulgarian on the bench to field Darren Bent as a lone frontman.
Buzzing and beavering away behind Bent was the quartet of Luka Modric, David Bentley, Giovani Dos Santos and Aaron Lennon, and it was they who fashioned the game’s first real opening.
Dos Santos was the man to jink inside from the right flank and when he found Bentley the former Blackburn man showed quick feet to fire just wide.
Boro look a dangerous outfit themselves this season though, and they really should have taken the lead on 18 minutes, only for Tuncay Sanli and Alves to make a mess of a golden chance.
Tuncay was the man to break the offside trap but, when faced with Heurelho Gomes, he passed to Alves – giving Benoit Assou-Ekotto the chance to deflect the resulting shot over the bar.
Ramos had started the game without arguably his first choice full backs as Alan Hutton sat out injured, while Gareth Bale was deemed not fit enough to start.
Hutton’s deputy Didier Zokora, who has enjoyed a fine pre-season, nearly hammered home his claims for a regular role when he whipped in a wicked cross from the touchline but Dos Santos was inches away from meeting it in the middle.
The pivotal moment of the half was still to come though as Middlesbrough earned a corner, and David Wheater powered home a trademark header. 1-0. Or so we thought.
Referee Martin Atkinson was the only man in the ground who thought Wheater had pulled Michael Dawson’s shirt, a decision that looked all the more ridiculous when Wheater pointed out that half of his collar was missing. Goal chalked off.
The decision shouldn’t have mattered moments later as Jeremie Aliadiere, patrolling the right flank, cut the ball back for Alves, but the Brazilian could only smash his effort over Gomes’ bar.
Moments into the second half Tuncay and Alves nearly picked the lock of Spurs’ defence again, Alves meandering and squaring up Dawson, but the timing of his release to Tuncay was marginally too late.
The greater possession seemed to be with Tottenham but the threat was definitely coming from the hosts, and they had some full-hearted penalty appeals on the hour against Bentley, although ref Atkinson got the call spot on this time.
Ramos had seen enough. It was time for the unmistakable figure of Berbatov to enter the pitch followed by Bale, with Dos Santos surprisingly withdrawn along with Lennon.
Cue the best chance of the match for Spurs, and there were no prizes for guessing who created it.
Berbatov played the perfect one-two to slip Jermaine Jenas in behind the Boro defence, but the Tottenham midfielder was foiled brilliantly by the feet of Brad Jones.
Moments later came the reason why Berbatov may well leave in the next few days.
For all his creativity and artistry, he cannot control what happens at the other end, and Spurs’ weakness at the set-piece proved their undoing once again as Wheater pounced to right the wrongs of the first half.
Four minutes from time it was 2-0 as Mido diverted Didier Digard’s wayward shot into the far corner, before Wheater glanced home a late consolation for Spurs.
Ramos will be left in no doubt that he needs to sort out where his goals will come from this season. And It seems unlikely it will be Berbatov. STAR MAN: David Wheater (9*) You just couldn't keep him out of the game. One goal disallowed, one own goal, but crucially he scored the goal that set Boro on their way to victory.
