Match Report: Blades Blunt Spurs to Keep League Cup Tie in the Balance

The Capital One Cup semi final draw had been kind to Tottenham. They have had poor records against both Liverpool and Chelsea in recent times, so to be paired with League One Sheffield United left fans expected a smooth route to the final. Perpetual giant-killers United, however, certainly didn't make things easy for them here, though, and reduced an ordinarily fluid Spurs side to a disjointed and ineffective outfit.
 
After the tenth anniversary of the death of his father was commemorated by Nottingham Forest fans at White Hart Lane earlier on in the competition, Nigel Clough had the chance to claim yet another Premier League scalp with his Sheffield United side. Hugely impressive in the cups, where they are able to sit back, soak up pressure and look to hit sides on the break, but less so in League 1, United were predictably able to play to their strengths away to a side with Champions League aspirations.

An open start to the game should have favoured the hosts, but despite possession in the opening exchanges being dominated by Spurs, they created very little and had to wait until the 23rd minute for their first chance, that coming from a set-piece courtesy of the head of Eric Dier. He wasted a decent opportunity, and while that temporarily galvanised the home team, United remained solid and rather untroubled at the back for the majority of the half. But for an Emmanuel Adebayor chance which the captain for the night - later inexplicably booed off as he was substituted - put over the bar after being put through on goal by Christian Erisken, there was no chance from open play for the home team.

United flitted enthusiastically in midfield, with Lou Reed looking good on the ball and James McEveley and Chris Basham relatively unflustered at the heart of their defence. They had chances of their own, too. After Ben Davies was caught dawdling in possession, the ball fell to Stefan Scougall who lashed the ball just wide of a sprawling Michel Vorm's left-hand post. Jamal Campbell-Ryce also looked lively on the right flank, and he also fired a shot dangerously across the face of the goal. As expected, Spurs recorded 62% possession. What wasn't to be expected, however, was the extent to which the Blades would blunt their attack.

Clough's 4-man defence screened by what was for the most part a flat 5 in midfield, held out impressively until the game entered its closing stages, when the ultra fit Tottenham have done most of their damage this season.

A Jan Vertonghen ball forward found Roberto Soldado - Adebayor's replacement - in the area, and as he brought the ball down it clipped the outstretched arm of McEveley to hand Tottenham a penalty. Soldado, now no longer even on penalty duties for Spurs, watched as Townsend confidently dispatched to put Tottenham 1-0 up. It was only their second - and turned out to be their final - shot on target of the night; the other the aforementioned chance for eventual man of the match Dier.

It was a bigger night for the League One side than it was their Premier League counterparts and you could tell. The 4,000 travelling supporters were in fine voice throughout the occasion, while on the pitch it was far from immediately obvious which team was supposed to be one of the better sides in the country.

United's gameplan was clear and functional. As can be seen from the heatmap of the players' touches, the highest density of their touches came inside their own six-yard box. They sat back and closed the space down near their own area, reducing the likes of Christian Eriksen to bystanders. The Dane managed only 6 touches in the opening 20 minutes and never got a proper hold on the game.

So Spurs eventually came out of the first leg with a lead, but it is an extremely narrow one, and this tie remains finely balanced ahead of the return game in Sheffield next week. United can certainly take a great deal of positives from this game, and most definitely aren't out of the tie just yet.

Do you think Sheffield United can get anything out of the second leg? Let us know in the comments below