The goalkeeper had required treatment after bravely thwarting him at close-range and also
The goalkeeper had required treatment after bravely thwarting him at close-range, and also had to push out a drive by the impish Defoe, who material-ised goal-side of Richards.Just when we were wondering how this vibrant team could be in such a predicament, they showed us: a classic mix-up between Tomas Repka and goalkeeper David James leading to a corner from which Teddy Sheringham headed over. Before half-time another corner gave Sheringham the perfect opportunity to equalise but from barely a yard out he managed to head the ball square instead of into an unguarded net.So West Ham went off to an ovation. Within two minutes of the resumption they were receiving a louder one for a second goal. Keller, alas, was once again at fault in failing to deal with a shanked clearance by the unimpressive Ledley King from Michael Carrick’s cross.
As the goalkeeper merely nudged the loose ball forward under pressure from Ferdinand, Carrick thumped it back past him.Spurs had changed personnel and tactics at half-time, bringing on Ben Thatcher for Goran Bunjevcevic, who had been anonymous in midfield, and swapping to 3-5-2. There was no improvement and so one of the strikers, Gary Doherty, was removed, Simon Davies and Matthew Etherington pushing further forward to support Sheringham.To no avail; the buoyant home side continued to make the chances and their supporters continued to gloat as Spurs faded and died.West Ham United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 0 L Ferdinand 31, Carrick 47Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 35,049. Talk about an evening in with Gary Lineker. You would have done well last week to avoid that rubbery, tanned visage, topped with hair greying at the temples – “like Gareth Gates’ father”, according to Jonathan Ross
Talk about an evening in with Gary Lineker. He is the central character in that slightly dubious Walkers Crisps advert, its humour based upon celebrities farting, which is to promote Comic Relief. And there was even a brief sight of him in Hitting The Bar, ITV’s pious tale of footballers afflicted by alcohol.Not appearing as a subject, you understand Good heavens, no. Lineker merely appeared in that hugely evocative clip from the 1990 World Cup semi-final in Turin in which Gazza is on the point of blubbing, and Lineker shoots that knowing look at Bobby Robson on the touchline.
It epitomises the two men’s characters: Gascoigne’s emotions constantly on the cusp of eruption; Lineker, so manifestly in control, he has time to look out for others.”What was going through my mind? ‘Oh, shit, he’s lost it’, probably,” Lineker recalls with that winsome smile. “I was just trying to get over to Bobby that we might have a problem It was just to say, ‘Keep an eye on him’. Gazza’s bottom lip was going, he knew he’d miss the final, if we made it.” The pair still speak occasionally by phone and Lineker has great affection for his former Tottenham and England team-mate, now clinging on to his career in a China outpost. “Life for him, well, it’s not been ideal, with his injuries and other problems.