Tottenham Get Easy Opener Against a Fragile Newcastle Team

As the new Premier League season kicked off, the big change for me is that live games now represent associated exercise and so I engaged two 45 minute sessions in the gym, while watching the game.  This way win, lose or draw, I gain a physical benefit.  During the actual game, Spurs finally got the breakthrough in a drab game after 1 hour but it was interesting that they scored the first goal of this season on 61 minutes.  The last time they won the title was in 1961.

The chief benefit in watching today's game was just how poor and mundane it was.  Newcastle revealed themselves to promoted newbies, even though the history of Newcastle United should not have this club struggling like newcomers.  It is a reflection of an owner who the fans know does not share their passion for football, and whose passion is what it means as a commodity.

Tottenham today never had to play their best football.  Maybe the the goals showed a little spark of interest but both goals were aided and abetted by lax defending.  Unlike Manchester United that later in the day issued a massive statement in their purposeful 4-0 dismantling of a good West Ham side, Spurs in comparison were gifted a red card, with Newcastle reduced to 10 players. 

Ironically the best Newcastle efforts happened right after John Jo Shelvey was given a Red Card and sent off for treading on Deli Alli's ankle - it was a stamping that Alli cajoled by getting under Shelvey's skin and right under the nose of the manager, he retaliated and referee Andrew Mariner had no choice but to show him the red card.

Spurs players continued to play the game in motions without any desire to dismantle Newcastle, in the clinical fashion that Manchester United did today.  A 2-0 Spurs win was a good score but with the way Newcastle played, they should have pressed on and built up the score.  What seemed to effect the game was the stifling hot temperatures. Players helped themselves to water even though the heat mark was much lower to force a "water break". 

Newcastle play fellow promoted club Huddersfield Town next week and Spurs have their first of 20+ home games being played at Wembley in a match that would normally be considered very tough, but their opponents next Sunday will be a Chelsea team that started the league season with a whimper losing 3-2 to Burnley and ended with two key players suspended due to red cards.

Harry Kane is still having trouble scoring in the month of August, where two or three times when he had the opportunity to score, he fluffed his lines.  At this point the Spurs Manager should have called his under-study.  Maybe he will break if voodoo spell at Wembley next week, which would also mean that he would

A win is always a great start, but today's game was not one that good people should have paid to watch, until that is the mad little moment

Media Reports

Jonjo Shelvey - the Newcastle Captain sent off for a silly, silly reaction vs a More Mature Dele Alli

Dele Alli says Tottenham knew they needed to be cool and not lose their heads to beat Newcastle

Academy Player Kyle-Walker Peters Learning to fill the shoes of recently sold Kyle Walker

Moussa Sissoko had chance to save Tottenham career but faded again - agree we need to sell him soon

Moussa Dembele - the Unsung Hero of Tottenham - if only he would be confident in scoring - what a player !

Christian Erikson Continues to be a Midfield General for Spurs

Newcastle 0 Tottenham 2 - In Pictures