Opinion: Conor Coady prevented a massacre

I just need you to have this simple thing register in what must be a befuddled brain after all we’ve been put through by Spurs this season. Gary Neville awarded the MOTM award to Conor Coady. That’s right—in a game where Spurs scored twice, hit the post three other times and were peppering the Wolves goal most of the game, particularly in the second half, this supposed expert thinks the best player on the pitch was the opposition centre back. Somebody ought to storm the Sky studios in protest of this defamation of the sport.

Ok—to get serious for a moment, do we care about Europa League? Instead of the new, third-tier competition called the Conference? I guess I don’t want David Moyes and all those Hammer fans to have the satisfaction of finishing ahead of us, but I really don’t care all that much.

We should be good enough to beat Villa. If Leicester need that win next Sunday, I’m not sure we can deny them—not after the wonder of their victory yesterday. So seventh place might still be where we fall this unfortunate season, and so what? We deserve it. In terms of the game, there were many bright spots. The real MOTM discussion has to come down to either Dele or Hojbjerg. And because it is those two—playing in a very effective midfield with Gio LoCelso it may be that the biggest takeaway from this game is precisely what is Tanguy Ndombele’s role going forward? When he finally did enter the game, he quickly won two free kicks in a bit of a Grealish impersonation but does his skill set work in combination with Dele or Gio, presuming that Hojgberg is the constant. And what of Oliver Skipp next season? Will Dele stay? From today’s game, we all hope he will. We saw nutmeg dribbles, nutmeg passes—he could have scored, but for Coad…. I mean the post; he could have had an assist to Kane but for Coad…. I mean the post. Hojgberg got both—with a fine pass to Kane (one of several for the Dane today) and an opportunistic finish after Bale was denied to put the game out of sight. It was the best performance by him in many, many months.

Kane was Kane; scored a goal, could have had another, made several typically exquisite passes from playing deep. Bale was also active and had several touches where one had to marvel at his footballing skill.

Son was quieter but largely because most of the action was up the middle or down the right, but he was better than in recent games as well. Japhet Tanganga was quite solid—maybe he’s a truer CB—and maybe we will buy a first-team RB this summer. But I want him to play. Toby and Dier were taxed because we were laid open for a counter many times and a more capable side would have scored at least once, but I thought both played all right. Reguilon’s effort to control the ball along the sideline which led to the second goal was the best single act any Spurs player committed all game. It was… Coady-esque.

Anyway, now we simply have to wait. Wait on the managerial choice (please, no Martinez, Benitez or Sarri. Graham Potter would be fine by me). Wait on the transfer decisions—selling and buying. Wait on whether Kane can get his trophy in a different shirt this summer—and maybe that will entice him to stay, for at least one more season. We are appropriately positioned—better than a dozen sides in this league, not as good as five—roughly equal to the other two,