Premier League - Spurs end pre-season on high

Eurosport - Mon, 10 Aug 07:35:00 2009

Tottenham's final pre-season game yielded a comfortable 3-0 win over Greek champions Olympiacos at White Hart Lane.

FOOTBALL 2009 Pre-season friendly Tottenham Peter Crouch - 0

After labouring through the first half in which Peter Crouch (pictured) was the focus of Spurs' attack, a plethora of changes at the interval gave the home side a more creative approach which saw them score three goals in the space of 12 minutes.

Roman Pavlyuchenko, Vedran Corluka and Jermain Defoe all made their marks with strikes that staked claims for the league opener against Liverpool.

All eyes were on Crouch and Sebastien Bassong at kick-off as the duo made their debuts for Spurs, and both had their fair share of play in the first half.

A bright start from the hosts afforded striker Crouch an early opportunity from a free-kick which he headed over, and shortly after he nodded a David Bentley corner wide as it became clear Spurs were working on a new method of attack.

Bassong made his presence felt with a couple of strong challenges that may have elicited a caution in a competitive fixture, and Spurs' defence were served warning of Olympiacos' threat going forward when Dudu fired a shot just wide from 30 yards when given space to come in off the left wing.

Jamie O'Hara was influential also, and he provided moments of excitement, one being a cut-back from the by-line which should have been met by an onrushing team-mate.

Former Aston Villa defender Olof Mellberg marshalled the visiting back four but struggled to contain his one-time Aston Villa team-mate Crouch, an example being the forward's swivel and volley that flew just wide of Adonis Nikopolidis's left post.

The best chance of the opening period fell to the Greek champions on the stroke of half-time however, when ex-Newcastle and Leeds full-back Didier Domi beat Bentley down Spurs' right side and cut the ball back. Diogo's rising finish from eight yards sailed over, but signalled the away side's threat on the attack.

No less than seven changes were made by Harry Redknapp as he sought to give as many players as possible a run-out, and two of those substitutions made instant impacts.

Aaron Lennon and Defoe linked immediately from the off, with the latter of the two forcing a save from substitute Olympiacos keeper Urko Pardo with a low shot. Lennon had a volley saved shortly after having instigated a move that saw Pascal Chimbonda's cross badly dealt with by the away defence.

As in the first half though Olympiacos did look a threat going forward, and that was displayed when Leonardo forced half-time introduction Carlo Cudicini into a smart save from a powerful header.

The added drive brought after half time paid off for Spurs though when they scored twice in the space of three minutes.

First, Lennon was picked out by Luka Modric and cut the ball back for Pavlyuchenko to finish clinically with a powerful slam into the roof of the net.

Bentley was then replaced by Kevin-Prince Boateng, whose saved shot led to the corner from which Corluka made it two. Pavlyuchenko turned provider as he played the ball back across the face of goal for the Croatian defender to turn in from close range, for his first goal for the club.

The home side had slipped into gear by now and after another smartly saved shot from Pavlyuchenko, Pardo could do nothing about Spurs' third.

Moments after having what looked a stonewall penalty turned down by referee Steve Bennett, Defoe made it 3-0 with a powerful run in off the left and a drilled low finish into the bottom-left corner to secure a comfortable win.

Joe Caron-Dawe / Eurosport

Comment 15 - 34 of 34

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  1. Koppite 1973 we hav another good deal for you lot, buy­ bentley for 20m and then sell him back afew months­ later for 12m!! FACT

    From Wayne, on Mon 10 Aug 9:09AM
  2. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Dearie Me, another season starts with the prospect of­ you lot being the Gooners' @#$% again eh? How do­ you cope? How does it feel to be the worst team in­ north london, let alone the premiership?

    From Koppite 1973, on Mon 10 Aug 7:32AM
  3. Sub prime scousers liverpool_lad_52 still living in the­ past!!

    From Wayne, on Mon 10 Aug 7:29AM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Crouch is and always was PANTS

    From mirandola, on Mon 10 Aug 6:10AM
  5. wow i didnt know crouch was at tottenham XD

    From zoidy666, on Mon 10 Aug 1:52AM
  6. a top form defoe could give big problems to liverpool­ next week.

    From iancampbell11, on Mon 10 Aug 12:20AM
  7. yes it was a friendly,but tee scousers wont be dipping­ our pockets next week,sign on,sign on,sign on.
    come on­ tottenham lets have it,get behind the lads and watch us­ go.yid yid yid yid.......

    From Melvyn, on Sun 9 Aug 11:43PM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    After reading all the comments i am fascinated to see­ Spurs are now going to win everything! Get real...you­ are a million miles away, You escaped RELAGATION last­ season..the Arse are much better. WAYNE as for a joke­ club..where are your European Cups? Merseycrime? Get in­ you little pink car you bender. YNWA

    From liverpool_lad_52, on Sun 9 Aug 11:15PM
  9. SPURS 4-0 LIVERPOOL
    defoe 10
    modric 25
    carragher 66,75

    From skelleher49, on Sun 9 Aug 10:44PM
  10. Who gives a flying F what anyone else says. Spurs are­ going to have a much better season than the last. Of­ course a win next weekend will be great for­ confidence.

    COYS!

    From lee, on Sun 9 Aug 10:14PM
  11. g.g.d.everson, because you need to have a bsis for­ claiming SPURS deserves better. Surely friendlies are­ not a good way to judge how competitive a team is.­ Spurs are promising, nothing more.

    From Half A Brain, on Sun 9 Aug 10:03PM
  12. after 2 poor season people think we will stay­ mid-table! WHY?
    Aston Villa had about 5 @#$% season in­ a row and no one said jack @#$%!
    i say Pavlyuchenko and­ Defoe plus modric to fire us past Livershit!

    From g.g.d.everson, on Sun 9 Aug 8:58PM
  13. Hopefully this emphatic win will boost confidence for­ Spurs next weekend. I hope it will be a 2-1 win for­ Spurs but Liverpool look good. This game will be a­ litmus test for the season.

    From amidgley66, on Sun 9 Aug 8:41PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    BAN FOOTBALL, SO BORING

    From MDxchris, on Sun 9 Aug 8:32PM
  15. Spurs to beat the bin dippers 3-1

    From TERRY K, on Sun 9 Aug 8:20PM
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    yes good result.......but like most of u spurs fans­ know (apart from a few wit the blinkers on) it all­ starts next sunday ..when yes u will lose!!!.....why do­ peeps call liverpool fans bin dippers??....we have­ wheelie bins now an cant reach inside them??....ur­ gonna lose on sunday and ur not gonna be in europe­ next season or any season for that matter!!...

    From JoHn D, on Sun 9 Aug 8:05PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    dunna get too carried away Spurs fans, Olympiarso were­ truly terrible.

    From chris, on Sun 9 Aug 7:50PM
  18. i was there today and we looked really good. we really­ crushed 'em! C.O.Y.S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From jacobhowell24, on Sun 9 Aug 7:50PM
  19. i was there today and we looked really good. we really­ crushed 'em! C.O.Y.S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From jacobhowell24, on Sun 9 Aug 7:49PM
  20. Liverfool deserve a nice spanking at the Lane, like­ last season!
    C.O.Y.S.!!!!

    From Sanchit G, on Sun 9 Aug 7:10PM
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