Tottenham players celebrates with Defoe

Jermaine Defoe bags in 5 goals as Tottenham Hotspur went on a 9 goal fest over Wigan in the Barclays Premier League match yesterday. A total of 10 goals were scored and 9 of them in the second half. A preview of the things to come in upcoming Spurs matches?

Looking at the total number of goals scored, you would think that some of it were scored in the first half. That is simply not the case. Spurs started off strong. Peter Crouch played a pivotal role in the first few Tottenham attempts at goal. His goal, however, came only after missing the target in two earlier attempts. In the eighth minute, Aaron Lennon sent in an early low cross into the box to find Crouch stooping low to guide the ball into the net.

The revitalized Spurs side, wearing their White Tottenham Home Kit, continued to pressure the Wigan defense. Wigan’s goal tender Chris Kirkland had his work cut out for him. Leftback Erik Edman and Center back Titus Bramble were clearly having problems containing the Spurs frontmen and Aaron Lennon. Wigan had Kirkland and the woodwork to thank for keeping them very much alive in the first half as the scoreline stood at 1 – 0 at the interval.

The second half proved to be an incredible 45 minutes for Spurs. Nobody would have expected what was to transpire in that 45 minutes of football. Tottenham delivered a performance that will be remembered in the history of the Premier League.

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Tottenham's Defoe Celebrates Goal vs Wigan

5 minutes into the half, Wigan found themselves 2 goals down. Defoe’s first for the night came from Lennon’s cross from the right. In an almost similar fashion to the first goal, Lennon worked his way on the right past Edman and sent in a superb cross into the box.  Defoe rushed in towards the ball and whizzed past his marker to meet the ball with a half volley straight into the top of the net. Kirkland could do nothing as he watched the ball sail over him into goal.

Two minutes later, Defoe capitalized on a mistake by Wigan’s Emmerson Boyce. Boyce slipped as he tried to intercept a Wilson Palacios pass from midfield. As he slipped, the on rushing Defoe was left clear on the ball with only Kirkland in front at the goal. The in-form striker was not about to waste this chance and he cleanly slotted the ball pass a hapless Kirkland from a tight angle for his second. Barely 7 minutes into the half Spurs were 3 goals ahead.

Defoe would go on to score three more goals to complete his tally of five for the night. Just one short of becoming the first player to score a double hatrick in a single match. His five goals in the game also puts him in the record books as the third player to achieve such a feat in the Premier League. He is, however, the first player to score five in just one half of a match. Yes, I know. It’s remarkable.

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Tottenham's Aaron Lennon vs Wigan 2009

Aaron Lennon proved that Spurs are indeed a different team when he is around. After being the provider for three of the four Tottenham goals, he scored one himself. Crouch held the ball superbly at the top of the box with Wigan defenders all around him. Finding no where to go, he slid the ball to the right where Lennon was all alone with no markers. On the run, Lennon let out a low shot to the far right of the Wigan goal for his first goal and Spurs’ fifth.

Two more goals each from David Bentley and Niko Kranjcar completed Tottenham’s  route of Wigan.

The win showcases the influence Aaron Lennon has on Tottenham. With Lennon and Kranjcar performing at the right and left, Tottenham’s attack is more potent and dangerous. Both of them like to take on defenders and are good at it too. Defenders will have their wor cut out to cover the two. As a result, the two strikers wil have a little bit more space for themselves.

It’s been a while since I last saw Tottenham play as they did against Wigan. If they can produce the same briliance in the remaining of the season, I believe a top three if not top two finish is possible. Consistency will be the key. If they can be consistent, then we’ll get to see them perhaps challenging for the title, instead of just top four placement.

Come On You Spurs!

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