Bournemouth 0-0 Tottenham: VAR dominates frustrating stalemate for Spurs

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Joe Krishnan9 July 2020

Tottenham were once again left to rue a controversial VAR decision after a dismal goalless draw against Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

Jose Mourinho's men began the day in 10th position knowing that a win against relegation-threatened opponents would lift them back into contention for a European qualification spot.

With one eye on the north London derby against Arsenal on Sunday, Mourinho chose to rest Heung-min Son and brought in Jan Vertonghen for Eric Dier, who was handed a four-game ban by the Football Association on Wednesday.

Bournemouth, who had the worst form of any team in the Premier League and four points from safety, played with confidence from the off and did not give any indication that they were a team in crisis with 10 defeats in their last 13 games.

That was until Tottenham won a corner with just five minutes gone. Steven Bergwijn whipped in the corner and Harry Kane fell to the ground, appealing furiously for a penalty. VAR checked the incident and it seemed obvious that a spot-kick would be awarded. But to Spurs and Mourinho's fury, referee Paul Tierney pointed for a goal kick.

PA

One might have expected a team that felt wronged to respond with a goal borne purely out of frustration. But the incident appeared to give Bournemouth a lift, if anything, and the hosts dominated for large periods of the first half.

Only Erik Lamela went close to testing Aaron Ramsdale, who did not have a single save to make. But up the other end, Hugo Lloris had to be on hand to deny Junior Stanislas' low effort just before the break.

Mourinho had seen enough of what could only be described as an abject display from his side and made a double change at the interval, sending on Tanguy Ndombele and Heung-min Son for Steven Bergwijn and Giovani Lo Celso.

The game was disrupted when Adam Smith - who had already been heavily winded after blocking Harry Kane's free-kick - suffered a serious-looking head injury shortly after the break after colliding with Ben Davies. The full-back required extensive treatment from medical staff on the pitch and was given oxygen following the clash before he was stretchered off.

AFP via Getty Images

Neither side managed to conjure up a clear-cut opportunity with Spurs in particular struggling to find Kane. But in the final minute of normal time, the hosts thought they had made the breakthrough only for VAR to come back and haunt them. Callum Wilson looked to have scored a stunning overhead kick but it touched the arm of Joshua King on the way through and VAR disallowed the 90th-minute effort.

Spurs had 12 minutes of added time to find a winner, owing to Smith's injury, but Bournemouth nearly stole all three points when Harry Wilson broke through on goal, but Lloris made an important stop to deny the Welshman.

REUTERS

That was the best (legal) chance either side had in the entire game and Spurs could count themselves fortunate to leave the South Coast with a point, even considering the controversial VAR decision.

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9 July 2020

Coming up: confirmed team news

The players have arrived at the Vitality Stadium ahead of tonight's 6pm kick-off and that means the confirmed team news will be with us very shortly.

Don't go anywhere!

9 July 2020

Mourinho hints at Vertonghen role

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has hailed Jan Vertonghen for agreeing to stay on until the end of the season and help the club, hinting he would have no qualms in selecting the Belgian.

Photo: Getty/Tottenham Hotspur FC“Every player is different. You have examples of players in this situation who decided to not be available to help the club for an extra month," he said.

“Jan’s decision to accept [an extension] is phenomenal. If he is going to be here next season is something that I don’t know, he doesn’t know and it’s something we’ll have to see.

“But to say, independent of everything, ‘I’m available for the extra month for the team’, shows the dimension of his character. He’s a guy I love to work with because of his character.”

9 July 2020

Selection dilemmas

Giovani Lo Celso has really taken a hold of his role at Tottenham since Christian Eriksen left in January.

The Argentinian has gradually become Spurs' most creative hub in the centre of the park, whether it's from a deep-lying position or behind Harry Kane as the No10.

The 24-year-old was deployed in that role for the Everton game and bossed the game, as he did against West Ham in the 2-0 win. Alli is out with a hamstring problem, but putting Lo Celso in that role would mean dropping Alli in future - a risky move considering how important he has been.

Then there's the centre-back problem, with Dier banned for the next four games. Is Vertonghen, at 33, the same defender now than he was when he formed a solid partnership with Toby Alderweireld? Or is it time to give Davinson Sanchez a recall after a poor display against Sheffield United?

Your move, Jose.

9 July 2020

Winning at all costs

Times are tough at Tottenham and none more so for Jose Mourinho.

Photo: ReutersFor all the Portuguese's mind games and occasional public criticism of his players that divides opinion, the Spurs boss was powerless to avoid losing Dele Alli and now Eric Dier to bans for their off-the-field actions.

Already coping with a squad lacking depth and underachieving, at least when looking at the league table, Mourinho has reverted to his tried and tested method of getting results. It may not be pretty, but the 57-year-old recognises the importance of qualifying for Europe for the club terms of income.

That was evident in the 1-0 win over Everton, which felt like a slog at times even if the Toffees failed to make anything stick going forward (pun intended). Tonight should be a more open contest and that should favour Spurs, who have so a real knack for scoring slick goals on the counter.

9 July 2020

On the brink

It's a testament to Eddie Howe's managerial reign at Bournemouth that his side have only now been dragged onto the wrong side of a relegation battle for the first time since their promotion.

But the Cherries will know that is no consolation if they do suffer the ignominy of heading back down to the Championship. Some poor recruitment in the transfer market has cost them dearly and now, they are set to pay the price.

Bournemouth have been in terrible form, picking up just one win in 2020 and losing 10 of their 13 matches. That's worse than Norwich, who are rock bottom with just 21 points.

Now a difficult home tie against Tottenham has been thrust upon them and with West Ham and Watford both four points ahead, there doesn't appear to be much hope of Howe's men catching them with five games to go.

9 July 2020

Mourinho has no concerns over picking Vertonghen

Jose Mourinho says he has no doubts about selecting Jan Vertonghen to deputise for Eric Dier, as the Belgian prepares for his Tottenham swansong.

Vertonghen could start for the first time since the restart at Bournemouth tonight after Dier was given a four-match ban by the FA.

An independent commission found the England international had acted in a “clearly threatening” way when he entered the stands to confront a supporter who was verbally abusing him after Tottenham’s FA Cup defeat by Norwich in March.

Getty

Mourinho initially held his tongue when asked about the ruling before railing against football’s “clueless” lawmakers, who “don’t have feelings” or “belong to the tribe”.

Dier has played every minute of Spurs’s last eight matches at centre-half, a run stretching back to March 1, and Mourinho will also be without injured defenders Japhet Tanganga and Juan Foyth for the run-in.

Vertonghen’s contract expired on June 30 and he is expected to leave the club at the end of the season, with talks over a new deal having ended.

Mourinho had doubts about playing Christian Eriksen when his contract was running down but, asked if he was similarly concerned about Vertonghen, he said: “Every player is different. You have examples of players in this situation who decided to not be available to help the club for an extra month.

“Jan’s decision to accept [an extension] is phenomenal. If he is going to be here next season is something that I don’t know, he doesn’t know and it’s something we’ll have to see."

9 July 2020

Prediction: Bournemouth 0-2 Tottenham

Eddie Howe's side have been in dismal form since the restart, losing all four games and rarely looking like getting something from any of them.

All is not well under Mourinho at Spurs either, but they should still have more than enough.

9 July 2020

TV and live stream information

TV channel: Bournemouth vs Tottenham will be shown live on Sky Sports' Premier League and Main Event channels and is available via Now TV with a day pass for £9.99, or a three-month pass on offer for £25.

Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via SkyGo and the SkyGo app, with a mobile month pass available for £5.99.Prediction

9 July 2020

How we expect Tottenham to line up tonight

Mourinho will surely rotate his side for the trip to the south coast, which comes just three days before Sunday's crucial north London derby. 

Eric Dier's four-match ban has forced the Portuguese's hand at centre-half and Davinson Sanchez will surely return after being dropped for the 1-0 win over Everton, while Jan Vertonghen could start ahead of Ben Davies if Mourinho wants to freshen up at full-back. 

Oliver Skipp and Gedson Fernandes have been training at right-back so one or other could give Serge Aurier a rest. 

If Tanguy Ndombele is going to start another game this season, this would seem the obvious one and the Frenchman could replace his "big brother" Moussa Sissoko, whose energy will be needed on Sunday. In the front three, Mourinho has relied on Lucas Moura and Heung-min Son since the restart both he could afford to rest both against the Cherries' leaky defence, with Erik Lamela and Steven Bergwijn pushing for a start. 

Dele Alli is nursing a hamstring problem and misses out, while young defenders Japhet Tanganga and Juan Foyth remain sidelined.

Tottenham predicted XI: Lloris; Aurier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Vertonghen; Winks, Lo Celso, Ndombele; Lamela, Kane, Bergwijn.

9 July 2020

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