Life after George Graham proved to be a stroll for Spurs as they equalled
their biggest Premiership win of the season.
Graham was sacked as manager yesterday in controversial circumstances.
But the Spurs team he left behind responded to the drama in the best possible
way, treating their fans to a rare goal feast at White Hart Lane as they brushed
aside the struggling Sky Blues with efforts from Steffen Iversen, Les Ferdinand
and Sergei Rebrov.
Spurs fans had moaned continually at their team's recent league form, which
had seen them score just three goals in the last seven matches.
At least they had an FA Cup run to enjoy, as Graham steered the team into the
semi-finals, and a mouthwatering clash with rivals Arsenal.
But that was not enough to save Graham. He was dismissed by the club's new
owners ENIC, after he upset them by revealing to the media he was being given
only "limited funds" to rebuild the team.
Director of football David Pleat was installed as caretaker manager once
again, and as Spurs fans arrived for today's game they spoke of their hopes for
a return to the entertaining style of football on which the club's foundations
have always been based.
The atmosphere was somewhat subdued, but Spurs produced some flowing football
and equalled the score by which they beat Leicester here back in November.
Rebrov, who scored twice in the FA Cup quarter-final win at West Ham last
week, was full of confidence, and Ferdinand was everywhere. But the man who made
the difference in the first half was Steffen Iversen - and that was a sign that
Graham had left his mark on Spurs.
Last weekend, Graham employed Norwegian striker Iversen in the unfamiliar role
of right wing-back. Pleat - who had Stewart Houston on the bench alongside him -
kept the same line-up and Iversen popped up at the right moments to turn the
tide in Tottenham's favour.
Iversen opened the scoring after 28 minutes. Stephen Clemence used his sweet
left foot to swing in a corner from the right, and Iversen darted forward to
glance a header inside the far post.
Spurs struck again five minutes later, and it was a similar story. This time
Clemence curled a free-kick into the box and Iversen sent in a powerful header.
City goalkeeper Chris Kirkland made the save but could not hold the ball, and
Ferdinand pounced to head it over the line.
There was never going to be a way back for a Coventry side whose chances of
survival are growing increasingly bleak, and their run of 26 years in the top
flight may well be coming to an end.
Just to make sure, Rebrov finished off a sweeping move after 58 minutes to
round off a happy day for Spurs.
Ferdinand burst out of defence and squared the ball to Ledley King, who had
joined him on the break. King fed Rebrov on the left edge of the six-yard box
and the £11million striker squeezed his shot past Kirkland at his near post to
complete the demolition job.
There were plenty of goalscoring chances during the early exchanges, but both
goalkeepers were performing well.
In the first 40 seconds Spurs midfielder King saw his header loop on to the
top of Kirkland's crossbar following a cross from Ferdinand.
Coventry responded immediately and when John Hartson headed a free-kick back
across the face of goal, skipper Mustapha Hadji sent a free header wide of Neil
Sullivan's right post.
Craig Bellamy followed that up a minute later with a good run down the left
flank which took him inside Iversen, and his angled shot only just beat the far
post.
Coventry again created an opening after 12 minutes from a corner. Ferdinand
defended it with a header as far as John Eustace and his 20-yard drive was well
held by Sullivan.
Chris Perry made a bad error two minutes later with a pass straight to John
Hatson. He fed Bellamy on the left, who skipped past Perry and drove in a low
shot which Sullivan pushed round the far post.
Clemence was enjoying his role in the centre of midfield and his dangerous
left foot forced Kirkland into two important saves in the space of five
minutes.
After 17 minutes, Ferdinand used his chest to tee-up Clemence on the left from
25 yards, and the goalkeeper did well to tip his fierce drive round a post.
Then Clemence tried his luck from the same distance, but this time in a more
central position, and Kirkland spilled the shot before pouncing on the loose
ball.
But Clemence turned provider as Spurs struck twice to kill off Coventry's
hopes of a result, even before half-time.
The second half started with a change of referee, as Graham Poll had pulled a
hamstring and was replaced by fourth official Paul Taylor.
But with the contest effectively over, both teams were merely going through
the motions.
Clemence struck a free-kick against the wall after 52 minutes, and Hartson had
a tame header saved two minutes later for what proved to be Coventry's only real
effort on target in the second half.
After Rebrov's goal, Spurs could have scored on three more occasions. Steffen
Freund came within inches of scoring his first goal for the club on the hour,
but fired just wide when clean through.
King set up Clemence after 68 minutes but he headed over, and then Rebrov
curled a free-kick over the bar in the closing stages.
The debate about who will replace Graham will now take off at great pace. But
Spurs will be happy for now to just enjoy a return to winning ways in the
Premiership, while Coventry still have a mighty fight for survival on their
hands.
Teams
Southampton: Jones, Lundekvam, Richards, El Khalej (Dodd 86),
Petrescu, Bridge, Oakley, Draper, Tessem, Pahars, Beattie.
Subs Not Used: Moss, Le Tissier, Rosler, Kachloul.
Booked: Bridge, Beattie.
Goals: Tessem 58.
Everton Gerrard, Steve Watson, Gough, Weir, Ball, Xavier,
Gravesen, Gemmill (Unsworth 86), Pembridge (Pistone 79),
Ferguson, Alexandersson (Gascoigne 72).
Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Tal.
Booked: Pistone.
Att: 15,251
Ref: M Halsey (Welwyn Garden City).
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