ANGE POSTECOGLOU always wins a trophy in his second season at a club and maybe history is about to repeat itself.
But he will need someone other than Fraser Forster in goal.
Tottenham were absolutely cruising to the semi-finals tonight. They properly had the cigars out.
Their fans, dreaming of a first trophy since 2008, were dancing in the aisles, singing about their heroes and laughing at how bloody hopeless United were proving to be.
Dominic Solanke had scored twice, sandwiching a goal at the start of the second half by Dejan Kulusevski.
But this is Tottenham Hotspur. The team which specialises in tormenting their fans each and every season.
Forster proved exactly why managers have to stop telling goalkeepers to play out from the back. Particularly those keepers who cannot kick the ball properly
We see it each and every week, from the Premier League to League Two. Managers need their heads testing for being so stupid, so reckless.
Unbelievably, at 3-0, Forster dragged United back into the game by passing the ball to Bruno Fernandes who squared to sub Josh Zirkzee.
And then the former England keeper seemed to click into slow-motion as he delivered a clearance and Amad Diallo slid in and the ball somehow ended up in the top corner.
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United’s fans sensed the ultimate comeback but even Forster avoided a hat-trick of cock-ups.
United keeper Altay Bayindir proved to be just as bad and failed to keep out a corner from Heung Min-Son to seal the tie although there was still time for Jonny Evans to make it 4-3 in the 94th minute.
Tottenham’s no 1 keeper Guglielmo Vicario is currently injured and could be back in February. Postecoglou must hope so.
It has been over five-and-a-half years since Spurs moved into their new stadium and there have not been many better nights in terms of the atmosphere generated by their supporters until Forster pressed the self-destruct button – which also acted as the mute switch.
Despite defeat, and United were awful for an hour, this spirited end to the game gives something for Amorim to work on in terms of belief.
The problem is that United, most of the time, do not have goalkeepers like Forster giving them gifts.
It is truly remarkable when you consider that United have spent all this money over the years to be one of the lowest scorers in English football’s top-flight.
Only Crystal Palace, Everton, Ipswich and Southampton have managed less than United’s embarrassing tally of 21.
Although United boss Amorim claims he wants Marcus Rashford to stay, it does seem some fans have run out of patience with the striker. One banner in the away end read: “Excuses ta ra Marcus.”
Once again, like Sunday, there was no place in the matchday squad for Rashford although Alejandro Garnacho – who was also missing at the Etihad – was on the bench in north London.
But even had they both featured, it is questionable how much difference they would have made.
Yet United’s issues have not only been up front and there have also been at the back.
Last night, Bayindir was was terrible but so too was Lisandro Martinez.
Turkish keeper Bayindir was making only his fourth appearance for United and had not been called into action before parrying Pedro Porro’s shot which led to the opening goal.
In a move which started from a James Maddison free-kick, Porro’s shot from 25 yards did fly through some bodies and there was also some movement from the ball.
https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/1869863156282974421Yet Bayindir should still have done better. He could only push the ball towards the right boot of Solanke who did require a bit of help from the post to score.
Former Spurs favourite Christian Eriksen, who received a warm reception from the home fans in the South Stand when taking his first corner, had a shot blocked by Yves Bissouma but Fraser Forster would have saved it anyway.
United lost Victor Lindelof with an injury just before half-time and Amorim sent out his team a few minutes early
They had to wait a little bit more as Tottenham’s players gathered for a huddle and 47 seconds into the second half, Spurs got the second.
Maddison attempted to drive the ball across the face of the goal to Solanke but Martinez stuck out his leg and Kulusevski was never missing from eight yards.
As United teetered on the brink of total collapse, Solanke raced onto a ball over the top from Spence and then breezed past Martinez and then fired his shot through the legs of Evans for 3-0.
United pulled one back when keeper Forster passed the ball to Fernandes who squared for Zirkzee.
And unbelievably, Forster did it again when he took far too long to deal with a backpass from Archie Gray. Sub Diallo delivered the block and the ball rebounded into the goal.
Just when Tottenham were doing their best to toss it all away, Bayindir completely missed the corner from the home team’s South Korean skipper for 4-2.
And the madness finally ended 90 seconds after a header from defender Evans. It was certainly bonkers, but with Spurs, it is always the same.
