With Villa fans in party mode, the football almost seemed secondary to the fancy dress fun – and it was a good job too since the Villans’ first-half showing was right down there with their most lifeless performances in an unexciting season.
The hosts started the game positively and had the first chance after nine minutes when Adebayor passed the ball in to Kane at the near post before Guzan blocked the youngster’s shot.
Having failed to score in the first fifteen minutes of a game all season, Spurs piled the pressure on their struggling visitors and committed men forward. After fourteen minutes, Sigurdsson fed Paulinho and the Brazilian’s first shot was saved before he attacked the rebound to beat Guzan.
When Naughton picked the ball up on the right and played it in to Paulinho in the box a minute later, the midfielder should have scored his second but his shot was askew.
With the Villans chasing their tails, Spurs continued to threaten, finding space and creating chances.
The home side eventually added a second after thirty-five minutes: Eriksen’s cross fell to Rose, who drove the ball to the near post where Baker was on hand to head the ball into his own net. Fans looked on in horror as it wound its way past Guzan.
While Spurs fans celebrated, dubious defending allowed Kane to slip through and only a superb sliding tackle from Delph stopped him from scoring.
Two minutes later, Sandro’s shot from distance struck Agbonlahor’s raised arm in the area and referee Jonathon Moss instantly pointed to the spot. Up stepped Adebayor to convert the penalty with a right-footed shot into the top left corner of the net.
Dawson could have made it four before half-time but his header from the centre of the box was saved by Guzan.
In injury time, Westwood’s shot from outside the box went wide.
El Ahmadi replaced Bowery after the break and the Villans certainly worked harder than they had done in the first half, ultimately to no avail.
Following the visitors’ best move of the entire game, Delph had a rare opportunity to claw a goal back after fifty-seven minutes, springing on Agbonlahor’s headed pass before firing his half-volley just wide of the post.
There was a short delay to the game after sixty-five minutes when Guzan collided with Kane but the Villa goalkeeper, arguably the only Villa player to emerge from the game with any credit, despite the result, was back on his feet within minutes.
The Villa fans found Jesus in the upper tier and begged him to save the club, changing “Jesus, sort it out! Jesus, Jesus, sort it out!” Meanwhile the match drifted and the chances had all but dried up.
With ten minutes left on the clock, Delph’s left-footed effort from outside the box was saved comfortably by Lloris.
Robinson then replaced Bacuna with seven minutes remaining, which was about seventy minutes too late.
In truth, it was a relief when Moss blew his whistle to mark the end of another poor game and a pitiable season.
Even in the jungle lions give way to charging rhinos and rather than lacking guts yesterdays game was more about self preservation as the spurs tanks trampled their way through Villa’s light weight midfield . But despite such treatment it took guts for Westie to pick himself up after getting trampled on & insist to the ref that he did not need to be sent off for treatment .But it’s useless to complain about the Spurs tactics or the lack of protection by refs as several clubs have tried & failed to do so this season , And Villa’s light weight team is something I’ve certainly commented on over the last few seasons & all we can hope for is that we get a few goliaths in the summer
Glad Randy L. kept his statement until today because it might have killed the Spurs party completely. We had a right laugh. Stewards thought we were nuts but said they love to see the Villa turn up & bring a bit of atmosphere.
Randy talked about ‘limping’ & he’s not wrong. We’re by far the tamest, lamest lions the world has ever seen!! Suspect he’s got a buyer lined up & deal’s close to completion otherwise his statement would seriously put potential buyers off completely (if the football hasn’t). Hope so anyway. So so bad again yesterday that it will take one hell of an investment to keep us up next season let alone challenge for Europe or the PL title.