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The TWTV team reflect on the Blues’ disappointing 4-1 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

Jim Cooper is joined by TWTD’s Phil Ham and Kallum Brisset to look back on a ninth Premier League loss at Portman Road this season.

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nevergoblue added 01:35 - Feb 23

I think we tend to focus on our attackers 'lack of cutting edge', and then say the opposition attackers are more clinical. However, I think this ignores the fact that we were very poor defensively. Its almost like they are blaming the forwards but letting off the defence. Johnson was completely unmarked for his second goal.

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The TWTV team reflect on the Blues’ disappointing 4-1 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

Jim Cooper is joined by TWTD’s Phil Ham and Kallum Brisset to look back on a ninth Premier League loss at Portman Road this season.

If you enjoy the show, please like, subscribe and recommend to your fellow fans.

If you’re interested in taking part in a future show or want to provide feedback, send a PM to TWTV_Admin.

TWTV is now on Instagram at TWTV_Media.

Photo: TWTV

Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.

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Ipswich Town stand-in skipper Dara O’Shea felt the 4-1 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur showed how punishing the Premier League can be, feeling the Blues should have been ahead by the break.

Despite their flurry of early chances, Town found themselves 2-0 down before the half-hour mark as Son Heung-min was given the freedom of Portman Road to set up Brennan Johnson twice inside eight minutes to give Kieran McKenna’s side an uphill task.

Omari Hutchinson finished a flowing move nine minutes before the break to give the home fans hope of a positive result.

But after substitute Luke Woolfenden had an equaliser ruled out for offside, Spurs came up with another two goals in a lethal seven-minute spell from the 77th minute, via Djed Spence and Dejan Kulusevski to inflict a painful scoreline on the relegation-threatened Suffolk side.

“I’m really disappointed that we're not coming in from that first half winning the game,” said O’Shea on where he felt the game was lost.

“I think how we started the game was excellent. The only thing we just didn't do right was put the ball in the back of the net.

“And that's kind of been the story of the last two home games, which has been unfortunate because we're getting in the positions, we're getting the chances. It's just not happening.

“Maybe it's just that bit of luck at times to go our way, and probably the other end of it, we're getting punished. We're not giving up a lot of chances too, so it's disappointing.

“Obviously we did well to get ourselves back in at 2-1 going into half-time. It gives us a real chance going into the second half.

“We’re obviously chasing the game, so it leaves us open a bit more towards the second half.”

Both the first two goals were ones that the Republic of Ireland international and his fellow defenders will cringe at watching back with Johnson twice picked out by Son after the South Korean was afforded too much time and space on the ball, the second seeing the Welsh international in acres of space to sweep the ball home.

“Yes, we know what needs to be better. We know what will stop those goals,” he said. “Obviously, we've just got to learn from them.

“That's the biggest thing this season, this league just punishes you. You don't get anything cheap in this league.

“It’s definitely something that we can stop, and we're well able to do. It's maybe just being a little bit clearer what happens in those scenarios, but we'll learn from that today and move on.”

Woolfenden, who replaced Ben Godfrey at half-time with the Atalanta loanee having been caught out a number of times by Spurs skipper Son, thought he had converted Town’s second-half pressure into a telling equaliser on the hour mark, only for his far-post header from Hutchinson’s cross to be ruled out of offside.

And former Burnley player O’Shea felt the ecstasy to agony moment encapsulated their season so far.

“It's kind of been the story of our season so far, really,” he said. “There's lots of what-ifs and buts. You're just looking for something to go in and fall our way and go our way.

“Yes, it’s disappointing, really, because that game, I don't think the scoreline reflects that game at all. Definitely, personally, and us as a group, we don't feel that.

“So, that's probably a positive in the sense, but still, we don't want to be coming in after the game 4-1 down [and saying that].”

Relegation rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers picking up a 1-0 victory away at high-flying AFC Bournemouth - who had Illya Zabarnyi sent off 31 minutes in - made the afternoon doubling punishing, leaving the 18th-placed Blues five points (effectively six on goal difference) from safety with 12 games to play.

Asked what their manager said to them, given the situation off the back of their heavy home defeat, O’Shea replied: “Just believe in ourselves. Don't go looking anywhere else and don't go looking outside.

“There's going to be lots of comments about us today, and the result will say different things to lots of people who haven't seen the game. Don't really get into that. Believe what's in the group, what's in the club.

“There's massive belief as a club and as a group, and I hope the town believes in us too. Just shut that outside noise off as best as possible and just keep the character we've shown this season.

“We've gone to some tough places and we've played against some of the best teams and caused them real problems. Take belief in that and push on.”

Put to him that there did not look a lack of confidence in the side, despite going a seventh game without defeat and being the only Premier League side without a win in 2025, he said: “No, I don't think so. I think the big thing is everyone has written us off from the start of the season, which is nice probably in a way, but there's not that pressure as such.

“Obviously, we put pressure on ourselves. The main thing is we don't have to prove it to anyone. We've got to prove it to ourselves that we are good enough.

“All of us as players have worked our whole careers to get to this position in the Premier League, so it's up to us now to grab that with both hands and stay here.

“We've got all the things around us to make us a great team. Just keep going. With the belief and character we've shown, I think we've got a lot in the group that's going to help us out in a tough moment.”

He added: “There's been so many moments where we've been playing great football and we're coming in and we're really causing them problems.

“Even coming up against opponents and they're coming off and saying, ‘you boys have got a real chance’.

“We've just got to keep going. It's not an easy league. You don't get anything cheap in this league. Just keep pushing and believe.”

The Blues head up to Manchester United for a Wednesday night meeting with Reuben Amorim’s side who are also struggling for form, having gone three league games without a win, after coming back from 2-0 down at Everton to draw 2-2 in the lunchtime kick-off.

On whether it is a good time to face them, O’Shea said: “I think it's great that we got the game so quickly that we can go into it, put this game behind us, but also learn from what we've done and go in there with fresh minds and a real hunger to go and get something up there.

“Obviously, it's an amazing stadium with such history, so it's a big moment for us to go there and improve ourselves too.”

Photo: Russell Claydon

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flykickingbybgunn added 21:26 - Feb 22

Keep going yes.

But also relax, let it flow, spray it around and the results will come.

Suffolkboy added 21:37 - Feb 22

Epitomises the spirit and.belief we all should maintain !

COYB

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Town boss Kieran McKenna insisted he still believes the Blues can pick up the points required to secure Premier League survival, despite today’s 4-1 defeat to his former club Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves’ 1-0 victory at AFC Bournemouth leaving them five points plus goal difference from safety with only 12 games left to play.

McKenna’s side performed well in the first half with striker Liam Delap having had a number of early chances before Brennan Johnson, son of former Blues frontman David, gave the visitors a two-goal lead.

Omari Hutchinson’s third goal of the season nine minutes before the break gave Town hope, but Spurs netted twice in the second half through Djed Spence and Dejan Kulusevski to seal a third Premier League win on the bounce and consign Town, who are without a win in their last seven, to their ninth defeat at Portman Road this season.

“We’re, of course, really frustrated by the result,” McKenna said. “I think there were lots of good things in the performance, no doubt that we started really, really well, should have been ahead. I think we were the better team in the first half.

“A couple of home games in a row that we should go in with a lead on the balance of play and on the chances, and we go in with a deficit. So we’re frustrated by that.

“There’s no doubt that their execution whenever they got their big moments around our penalty box was better than our execution whenever we got our big moments around their penalty box. That was the difference between the two teams.

“I think there were so many good things about the performance, there’s so much growth on the pitch, there’s a lot of growth still to come, but it’s a stage of the season where we’d like to have points on the board and it’s a game where we certainly could have had some and it could have been different, but it’s gone against us and we don’t get anything for that.”

He added: “Of course, it’s frustrating, it’s a frustrating game, but it is what it is. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves, we have to work to improve. I think we have improved in many aspects, I know we’ve had a difficult loss, so it doesn’t feel like that, but I know that we have. I believe very, very strongly in how we are working day-to-day. But it’s also it’s clear that margins have gone against us too often.

“Certainly I don’t think we’ve had anything resembling luck in many different aspects this year, but also our execution compared to the opposition execution hasn’t been at the level quite often and small margins have gone against us in games and in moments in games that have taken matches away from us.

“It’s frustrating. It’s not a stage of the season where we want to talk about growth or performances or pride in the performance because we want the points on the board. But at the same time we can’t lose patience with the good things that are going on.

“I know that they are there and there’s evidence of it on the pitch and I see evidence of it day-to-day. So we’ve got to keep working to improve and see where it takes us.”

The first two Tottenham goals came from skipper Son Heung-min breaking into the left of the area. Did McKenna feel that his side might have opted to foul the South Korean before he crossed the 18-yard line?

“No, they weren’t situations for me where there should be fouls,” he said. “They were two situations that we should do better in, no doubt about that, both in defending the individual actions and then the covering of those actions.

“Again, you talk about margins going our way, our right-back [Axel Tuanzebe] was missing today for two yellows for committing one foul in the first half of a game [at Aston Villa] that meant we played 50 plus extra-time last week with 10 men and then we have to make another change to our backline today, which in our position, of course, makes it more difficult.

“That was a challenge coming into the game and we didn’t defend those situations well enough in the first half.”

Despite the result, McKenna and his team were given a warm reception by their fans at the whistle and the Blues boss was asked how he is taking the situation with Town having won only once at home this season.

“I’m fine, the support is really appreciated,” he continued. “We don’t take it for granted, not every club gets it, but I also know that the club knows and the support knows the journey that the team’s been on. Can get bored of saying it, but that’s the reality.

“We know playing Tottenham at home is a big step. Five years ago, we were in the middle of League One and they were in the Champions League final. It’s been a really quick rise to this point, which makes it a challenge.

“But I also think the supporters are clever enough here and honest enough and balanced enough to see a lot of good things on the pitch today. There’s a lot of things to take pride in in terms of how we’re going about it, in terms of many of the performances at individual level, some of the young players on the pitch, the growth that we’re seeing and as a team that we’re doing so many good things.

“There are a lot of different ways that we can lose to Tottenham Hotspur as Ipswich, a lot of different systems, styles of play, everything that would still have the same outcome, but I think the supporters are taking pride in some of the things they’re seeing. Of course, they’re frustrated, like we’re frustrated.

“We can’t work any harder, so we’ve just got to keep working as hard as we can and work as smart as we can to get better, and the support that we have behind us is fantastic and it’s always appreciated and we’ve got to keep earning that support as well.”

In the build-up to Tottenham’s fourth goal Jacob Greaves clashed heads with former Blues loanee Dane Scarlett on halfway and was on the ground as the visitors broke forward. McKenna was asked whether he felt the game ought to have been stopped by referee Tim Robinson.

“I think it’s usually stopped for a head injury,” he reflected. “I think when a player gets a whack on the head right in front of the fourth official, it’s usually stopped. But it’s not on the list of my biggest concerns today, to be honest.”

Town’s defeat was compounded by Wolves, the team directly above them in 17th winning 1-0 away against a Cherries team, which was reduced to 10 men in the 31st minute when centre-half Illya Zabarnyi was red-carded.

That leaves the 18th-placed Blues five points behind the Molineux club but effectively six due to goal difference with 12 matches remaining.

McKenna was asked whether he still believed his team can dig themselves out of the relegation zone.

“No doubt and we will while it’s possible,” he said. “It is what it is. They’ve picked up a good result today against 10 men with an early red card with a VAR. These are really, really small margins in football and they haven’t gone our way this year.

“Of course, everyone probably thinks that but I don’t think anyone could say that we’ve had any sort of fortune or margins go our way too often.

“It is what it is, we know we’ve got a big challenge to stay in the division. We know we’re going to have to pick up points at a greater rate in our last 12 games. I believe that we can pick our points up at a greater rate, for sure.

“I feel that there’s improvement in the team, we’re still in a period, and I know it’s frustrating to say it again, but it’s just the reality of the situation and how it’s been, that we’ve still got a couple of players making home debuts today [keeper Alex Palmer and Jaden Philogene, who was making his first home start], and that’s been almost the case right through the season. We’ve not been able to settle on relationships and partnerships on the pitch too often.

“But we’ve got to hope for better margins and luck on some of those things in the run-in and keep doing the good work and push for improvement and turning margins our way.

“I believe that we can pick up a good amount of points in the last 12 games. Of course, when you’re in this position now, it’s not in our hands, so if other teams win all their games, we can’t control that.

“We can only do what we do and that starts with Wednesday night [at another of his old clubs Manchester United]. A big challenge, we’ve got to pick ourselves up after today, go there and that’s a game to really try and take on.”

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victorysquad added 19:03 - Feb 22

Another packed away end on Wednesday night, you know you are can rely on us, we trust the players, lets go for 3 pts up there, we know how to win away.

Northstandveteran added 19:04 - Feb 22

We'll let you off if you win the F.A cup Kieran.

ITFCSG added 19:05 - Feb 22

Starting to sound like a broken recorder

Bluewhiteboy added 19:08 - Feb 22

Come on kieran don't let yourself down. We've had some luck go for us and some against. We're not Liverpool of the south always the victims. Fancied us today, play like the first half v manu and we will get a result

Leejames99 added 19:15 - Feb 22

Well he could of kept those relationships going if he hadn't tinkered so much, the fine margin was Davus back in for Townsend which rocked the whole boat, no doubt about that. I'm afraid Wolves have got the momentum to home games that are winnable and then away to Southampton who might do us a favour but we need points and goals.

Leejames99 added 19:16 - Feb 22

Well he could of kept those relationships going if he hadn't tinkered so much, the fine margin was Davus back in for Townsend which rocked the whole boat, no doubt about that. I'm afraid Wolves have got the momentum to home games that are winnable and then away to Southampton who might do us a favour but we need points and goals.

Suffolkboy added 19:16 - Feb 22

Never ever give up : always believe ,always do your best even if sometimes it proves not enough!

ITFC will go on whatever ,and most will still love the Club and all it stands for !

Hope springs eternal ,but we shall follow to the end !

COYB

cartman1972 added 19:19 - Feb 22

We aren't improving that's a fact . We are lightweight where it matters and Godfrey was atrocious today ...stop chopping and changing . We only sustain momentum for small pockets of matches then we concede soft goals . We've spent a fortune on frankly decent championship players . I love this club but we'll write off this season.

itfc2024 added 19:48 - Feb 22

i want a pint of what mckenna is drinking cos if he thinks we are staying in this division then he's deluded cos we have no chance simple as

for 1 the players ain't up to this level which is shame worked so hard getting to the premier league to buy players at championship level and expect to stay up when the likes of wolves Everton ect are buying players from overseas who are way better than what we have and for less money

point 2 a settled team would help why do he have to make so many changes every game no other team make that many players he talks about making partnership but how when he keep changing the team

we just have to look at it we ain't good enough at this level and buying players who haven't improved the squad is just a waste of money but hey ho least we have a better team for the championship to beat norwich

grinch added 19:57 - Feb 22

Poor today against a bang average spurs team...MK coming up short in this league 3 teams in bottom 3 will be relegated we are nog good enough and MK putting out teams that are lacking ckarkd and philogengene in samd team is poor and greaves doesnt warrant start ahead of burgess boss is lacking at moment

bluebullet29l added 19:59 - Feb 22

Deluded

NthQldITFC added 20:07 - Feb 22

McKenna, as ever spot on with his pragmatic assessment. There were some really good things today (a few bad agreed) and no luck going our way at all. We're making fantastic progress in the context of a three year period of growth. Note to self: Don't read the comments.

billlm added 20:12 - Feb 22

December1963 added 20:19 - Feb 22

What do some of you expect him to say “I’m throwing in the towel” with 36 points still to play for?

Whatever happens between now and the end of the season it’s been a hell of a ride since he became manager. I’ll still be in my season ticket seat next season will you?

BobbyPetta11 added 20:20 - Feb 22

Honestly guys, we’re not that bad. Unfortunately it’s the premier that is to good.

We will be back within 2 seasons.

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Town are five points plus goal difference from Premier League safety following a 4-1 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves’ 1-0 win away at 10-man AFC Bournemouth. The Blues started brightly, Liam Delap hitting the post with a header, but Brennan Johnson netted on 18 and 26 before Omari Hutchinson pulled one back nine minutes before the break. However, Spurs added a third through Djed Spence with their first chance of the second half on 77 and Dejan Kulusevski grabbed a fourth with six minutes remaining.

Boss Kieran McKenna made four changes from the side which started last week’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa with Ben Godfrey, Leif Davis, Jaden Philogene and Jack Clarke returning to the team.

Godfrey took over from the suspended Axel Tuanzebe on the right of the defence with Davis returning at left-back having missed the game at Villa Park with a minor injury.

Philogene was handed his full home debut on the right with Omari Hutchinson in the middle and Jack Clarke on the left behind out-and-out striker Liam Delap.

Julio Enciso missed out having suffered a knee injury last week, while Conor Townsend and Ben Johnson dropped to the bench having started against the Villans.

Skipper Sam Morsy is fit again after the abdominal problem which kept him out at Villa Park but was also among the subs, as was Sammie Szmodics. Dara O’Shea captained in the Egypt international’s absence.

For Tottenham, Johnson, the son of former Blues striker David, returned to the XI for James Maddison, who was on the bench.

Destiny Udogie came in at left-back with Pedro Porro a sub. At centre-half, Archie Gray took over from Ben Davies, who was absent from the squad. Ex-Blues loanee Dane Scarlett was on the bench.

Town almost scored within seconds of the start. Jens Cajuste played through Liam Delap, who burst round the outside of Gray before hitting a shot which Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario saved to his left. The loose ball ran to Philogene, whose goal-bound shot struck Omari Hutchinson on the line. Town looked to get another opportunity but the linesman’s flag had been raised as Hutchinson had been offside.

Delap threatened again in the third minute, drifting past Gray on the left of the box as if the former Leeds youngster wasn’t there before stabbing across the face and wide.

Play moved to the other end, Udogie running beyond O’Shea on the Spurs left but Palmer was off his line quickly to claim at the Italian international’s feet.

Delap went even closer to scoring in the seventh minute, flicking a near post header from Phillips’s free-kick out on the right beyond Vicario but off the post. The loose ball didn’t immediately fall kindly but was nodded back to the edge of the area from where Philogene sent an overhead kick deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

Tottenham began to see most of the ball and went close to going in front in the 13th minute. Skipper Son Heung-Min got round the outside of Godfrey on the left and cut back to Lucas Bergvall, whose low shot was blocked by O’Shea. The ball ricocheted towards Johnson at the right post but Jacob Greaves somehow managed to take away from the former Forest man. Dejan Kulusevski nodded back in but O’Shea was fouled by Mathys Tel.

Moments later, Johnson got his name in referee Tim Robinson’s book for a foul on Davis as the Town full-back sought to break out of defence on the left.

However, in the 18th minute it was Johnson who would net the game’s opening goal. Gray’s long ball sent Son in behind on the left. The South Korean international worked some space to leave Godfrey standing and get to the byline before flashing a low ball across for Johnson, who got in front of Davis and slammed into the net.

The goal was harsh on the Blues, who had had the been the better side and had had most of the early chances, but with the visitors able to take their second serious opportunity, having found a weakness down Town’s right, a reminder of the clinical finishing at Premier League level.

The Blues looked to hit back, Clarke looping a header to Vicario in the 20th minute from a Hutchinson cross, then a minute later Delap hitting a shot from distance which deflected behind.

Following the flag-kick, Philogene shot not too far over, then on 24 Delap scuffed a low effort through to Vicario.

But two minutes later, Johnson doubled his side’s lead. Son was again played in behind Godfrey on the Town right, the visitors’ skipper cutting back to Johnson, who had been left completely unmarked 10 yards out on the far side of the box, from where he slotted home with ease.

On 26, Son was found on the left again but this time hit a low shot which deflected but with Palmer able to save. Four minutes later, Clarke was yellow-carded for standing on Djed Spence’s foot after the ball had gone.

It was a dispirited Portman Road as the half-hour mark passed with the Blues having played well before all but gifting Spurs their two goals.

However, the mood was significantly lifted in the 36th minute when Town pulled a goal back.

Phillips won the ball five yards outside the Tottenham box and threaded in Clarke on the left of the area. The winger, a one-time Spurs player, cut back to Hutchinson, who smashed a shot across Vicario and into the net, the former Chelsea man’s third goal of the season.

Three minutes later, the same two players combined again, Clarke finding Hutchinson on the edge of the area but this time his shot was too weak to test Vicario. Soon after, Godfrey was booked for a foul on Son.

Town’s impetus, both on and off the pitch, had been restored by the goal but in the 42nd minute Rodrigo Bentancur, Tottenham’s scorer in the Blues’ win in North London in November, brought the ball forward into the area unchallenged before his shot was saved by Palmer, Greaves subsequently nodding behind.

As the game moved into three minutes of injury time, Son was again found in space on the Spurs left but this time his shot was blocked by Godfrey.

That was the last action of an entertaining, end-to-end half. The Blues had started like a house on fire with Delap having three opportunities before Tottenham had settled into the match.

But as so often this season, the Blues were made to pay for not taking their chances with the visitors going into a two-goal lead having found easy pickings down Town’s right flank with Tuanzebe badly missed and Godfrey evidently not back to the top of his game after his half-season of inaction in Italy with Atalanta and Davis twice losing Johnson.

However, despite being two goals behind, the Blues stayed in the game and Phillips, Clarke and Hutchinson made the most of the opportunity to pull a goal back when it came.

Town made a change at half-time, a predictable one, Luke Woolfenden taking over from Godfrey with O’Shea moving out to the right and the Ipswich-born defender taking up his usual central role.

The second half hadn’t settled into a pattern before Cajuste required treatment, Bentancur inadvertently falling on the grounded Swedish international and twisting his ankle. The on-loan Napoli man continued briefly before taking to the turf again and was replaced by Jack Taylor.

Neither side showed any serious threat until the 56th minute when Clarke and Delap won possession on the left with Vicario out of his goal but the winger’s low cross was cut out.

Moments later, Gray fouled his former Leeds teammate Davis out on the left but the free-kick came to nothing. However, within a minute Philogene was felled just outside the box by Udogie.

Hutchinson’s free-kick slammed into the wall, as did Phillips’s follow-up, but the ball reached the forward again on the right and his deep cross found Woolfenden at the far post, where he nodded into the ground and past Vicario. The centre-half thought he’d scored his first Premier League goal until the linesman raised his flag, VAR confirming that the defender had been offside.

Spurs had the next chance, Davis sliding in to block in front of Johnson as the forward looked to shoot as a low cross reached him from the left.

Following the corner, Kevin Danso was shoulder barged to the ground somewhat firmly by O’Shea, the on-loan Lens man claiming a penalty but with referee Robinson and VAR not interested.

Spurs subsequently made their first changes, goalscorer Johnson and Udogie making way for ex-Norwich forward Maddison and Porro, then on 68 Nathan Broadhead took over from Clarke for Town.

The Blues were beginning to put the visitors under pressure with Philogene and Hutchinson both having an impact down the right, Broadhead almost having an opportunity for a clear shot at goal from a ball in from the right before being closed down.

Spurs made a double change on 75, ex-Blues loanee Scarlett and Wilson Odobert coming on for Son and Tel, ahead of a Town free-kick from which O’Shea and Danso clashed heads.

Referee Robinson annoyed the home support by starting with a drop ball with play having stopped as it had gone out for a Blues throw, then for a dubious foul by Philogene on Maddison.

The ex-Canary, whose every touch had been booed by Town fans, created the visitors’ third goal in the 77th minute. The England international skipped his way into the area surrounded by defenders before laying off to Spence, whose shot deflected off Woolfenden’s calf and into the roof of the net.

Phillips, who had continued his recent positive progress, received treatment in the aftermath of the goal and was eventually replaced by Morsy, who was handed his armband by O’Shea, while George Hirst took over from Delap.

In the 84th minute, the visitors scored their fourth. With Greaves down in the Spurs half following a clash of heads with Scarlett, Kulusevski brought the ball forward down the right, cut inside Woolfenden before hitting a shot which curled into the net off the inside of the far post. Greaves claimed play should have been stopped due to his head injury, but in vain.

Three minutes later, O’Shea headed into the side-netting from a tight angle from a deep corner from the right.

VAR had a look at a Kulusevski challenge on Broadhead in the area during eight minutes of injury time, but the Blues were once again unsuccessful.

Referee Robinson was booed off by the Town support at the whistle, mainly for his performance in the Leicester match earlier in the season, although the Blues had been on the end of one or two questionable decisions from the West Sussex-based official.

An afternoon which had begun with so much promise finished as another of frustration and disappointment and a ninth home defeat of the season, compounded by Wolves’ surprise win at Bournemouth, which leaves the Blues five points away from safety with the Old Gold having a goal difference superior by 12.

Once again, Town were unable to score during their spells on top, both in the first half and at 2-1 in the second, with the opposition taking their opportunities more clinically when they came with Son exploiting the Blues’ weakness down their right side time and again in the first half, creating two goals and two further chances.

Town had spells on top and there was little between the teams for long periods, the Blues showing their usual spirit with Phillips, Clarke and Hutchinson combining well for the goal, but the difference was in both final thirds and once Spurs had scored their third there was no way back into the match.

McKenna’s men, whose path to Premier League survival looks ever more difficult, are next in action away at Manchester United on Wednesday, the Red Devils having drawn 2-2 at Everton earlier today.

Town: Palmer, Godfrey (Woolfenden 46), O’Shea (c), Greaves, Davis, Phillips (Morsy 79), Cajuste (Taylor 52), Philogene, Hutchinson, Clarke (Broadhead 68), Delap (Hirst 79). Unused: Muric, Johnson, Townsend, Szmodics.

Spurs: Vicario, Spence, Danso, Gray, Udogie (Porro 64), Bentancur, Bergvall, Johnson (Maddison 64), Kulusevski, Son (c) (Scarlett 75), Tel (Odobert 75). Unused: Kinsky, Reguilon, Sarr, Bissouma, Moore.

Photo: Reuters

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Eeyore added 17:11 - Feb 22

Score flattered Spurs. We needed an early goal but didn't get the luck we needed with the early chances. But was like playing with 10 men with Philogene so lacking in confidence. I can only guess that Mckenna didn't want to risk Szmodics. I suppose Philogene will improve, because he couldn't possibly do any worse.

Goalkeeper was good again and most players put in a really good shift. Wolves will be a must win. But looking forward to being at Old Trafford on Wednesday because - well you never know.

blueboy1981 added 17:14 - Feb 22

Another Opportunity for points missed today !

Who’s got the best excuse lined up for this one ? - they must surely be wearing thin now !

TimmyH added 17:15 - Feb 22

That game sort of says a lot about our season full stop, well certainly at home. Caught on the transition too easily, not taking chances and injuries. Have to also say that the starting line up didn't look right with Philogene and Clarke (both struggled so far) and a better defensive player in Townsend benched. 4 goals for Tottenham and it's not as if they created copious chances.

No point looking at what Wolves do if we can't do the business ourselves and lets be honest we've been poor at home and 2025 drawing a blank!

ITFCSG added 17:15 - Feb 22

Spurs didn't even need to get out of second gear today to put 4 past us at PR even though many people were laughing at them for being rubbish. Then what does that make us? Lots of aimless running but Vicario might as well has a picnic in goal during the second half. KMcK and Ashton may have more cock and bull stories to tell, but any realist can see that we are down barring a miracle.

grow_our_own added 17:18 - Feb 22

Love McK, but keeper and right-back this season have been among his very few mistakes since arriving. Dodgy sending-off last week cost us today. If Harry Clarke was still here, I think he'd be second choice.

EricGatesShinpad added 17:19 - Feb 22

Godfrey was found out again, accepting that Song is class and has been for a long time. I can see why Godfrey was let go by the Eyeties as he can't defend. OShea was better there but the damage was done.

Overall not a bad performance and 4 goals flattered Spurs but they never really looked in trouble. Clarke and Philogene have lots of potential in the f inal third but in the other two tthirds they don't seem to help either full back.

Other than that, the effort is there, we are still fighting and we are in better shape than Leicester and Southampton.... Uppa Town!

EricGatesShinpad added 17:19 - Feb 22

Godfrey was found out again, accepting that Song is class and has been for a long time. I can see why Godfrey was let go by the Eyeties as he can't defend. OShea was better there but the damage was done.

Overall not a bad performance and 4 goals flattered Spurs but they never really looked in trouble. Clarke and Philogene have lots of potential in the f inal third but in the other two tthirds they don't seem to help either full back.

Other than that, the effort is there, we are still fighting and we are in better shape than Leicester and Southampton.... Uppa Town!

Bluejayzus added 17:19 - Feb 22

And with the Wolves result I think we are down. We have a decent team, but the prem is just not competitive. Any team coming up will face the same. It’s not the team it’s the league. The premier league need to make changes and fast or it will be come pointless exercise for promotion.

StringerBell added 17:21 - Feb 22

Unfortunately, we’re simply not good enough to stay up. It’s massively disappointing but we haven’t managed to bridge the gap in such a short space of time after back-to-back promotions. Hopefully the nucleus of the team will be retained because they should be able to get us back up at the first attempt. But, let’s face it, we’ll be in the Championship again next season.

oioihardy added 17:22 - Feb 22

Thought we played decent first half

Philips and cajuste so much better together but now injured so back to morsy we go ( which is a shame)

Right back and lw and number 10 are major problems for us ...

Even though omari got his goal he's pretty useless as a 10 . He's so much better down the right

Jaden can go back to villa

And lw we just don't have much . Clarke is too weak

Broadhead I love him he links play so well but doesn't contribute enough numbers wise

We basically haven't recruited well for these positions in both windows and it's really effecting us

Enjoy the prem while we are here still

Ps tim Robinson was dog water . Needs to be sent down to national league terrible ref

Bluewhiteboy added 17:28 - Feb 22

All fart no ......

What a waste of money. To much quantity not enough quality

therein61 added 17:30 - Feb 22

I'm afraid (from possibly being 2 or 3 up in a few minutes to lose 4-1) that was alarming!!!

cartman1972 added 17:31 - Feb 22

Sadly we're weak , light weight players. McKenna chops and changes the line up week in week out and has most to answer, spent a fortune on some rubbish ....Philogene , Clarke etc . Be glad to be back in the championship

Town1Inter0 added 17:33 - Feb 22

Feels like we’ve been punished twice for Tuanzebe’s first yellow that wasn’t last week.

IP9 added 17:33 - Feb 22

An early goal from us *could* have changed it, but... Godfrey not good enough, Clarke not good enough, second home game in a row where we have not had a shot on target in the second half. That's simply not good enough, and at times, Spurs were there for the taking. Ending the pitch with 5 of the league 1 team out there... Thanks for the journey boys, but we're just not good enough to compete at this level.

blueboy1981 added 17:35 - Feb 22

We are like a Fish out of Water in the Prem’ - and gasping for Air now.

In fact we are conceding so many it’s become a joke, and embarrassing for the Club.

Will we ever have a better chance of staying in the Prem’ than this season ? - I doubt it !

Fact is, the bottom third teams are as weak this season, as ever likely to be.

Interesting times ahead now for all the wrong reasons at the Club, therefore don’t discount anything at all.

What looks nailed on now, will not have been in any of the Owners Plans - whatever Supporters prefer to believe …. !!!

Supporters may be Benevolent - Owners cannot, and will not, be so accommodating of such !!

We’ll see ?

itfc2024 added 17:36 - Feb 22

well todays the day we have been relegated making up 5 points 6 if u include goal difference if 2 much to achieve we don't score enough and concede to many goals

today Godfrey was shocking send him back now and play players that will give their all

philogene 20 million your having a laugh what a waste of money

Hutchinson yes he scored today but hasn't done nothing this season

I hope mckenna don't come out with the same old rubbish we lost by fine margins sorry we didn't Tottenham took their big chances we didn't which has happened all season

IP9 added 17:38 - Feb 22

P.S. i called Godfrey a terrible signing on the day he joined, 93 minutes from September to January with Atalanta then jumping into the premier league, never going to happen in a million years, Harry Clarke was and still is a much better option! Another poor McKenna decision I am afraid to say...

number8 added 17:40 - Feb 22

Davis is defensively nowhere near good enough for the premier league.

JPR77 added 17:40 - Feb 22

Thought we started bright, got in their faces but their goal against the run of play and the referee sucked the life out of us. Survival looks unlikely now.

Tim Robinson should be assessed and deemed not fit to ref at this level, some shocking decisions.

tractorboybig added 17:41 - Feb 22

it shows the manager is out of his depth. poor additions since august and poor team selection again. It was a championship team against a poor premiership team which in reality condemns us to relegation/

joyousblue added 17:43 - Feb 22

Well done Eeyore quality post constructive and true , blueboy your just a nothing person , here we go from a host of you lets attack the young talent lets knock thier confidence , what the heck gives you the right to believe , that were down , that were rubbish , im sick of you so called managers who feel they know more , just like the bloke who phoned radio suffolk in the early days of mckenna , saying he should be doing this or that , he felt this or that was wrong , and he has never gone to a game , i will contiinue to go home and AWAY, they are my team even if we lose 4.1 everygame , all you supposed managers doing what you do best knocking the youngsters confidence etc my god you cheese me off big time we lost we are not down ,and even then my support is unbreakable leave the kids alone

brittaniaman added 17:45 - Feb 22

We try in this league but unfortunately we are not up to it, bad luck and injuries have not helped us, with 1pt in these last 6 games speaks volumes. Games are now running out for us for the catch up .

Broadbent23 added 17:45 - Feb 22

The games we think we can win are much harder to win, hapered by poor refereeing. Then with all and sundry gaining points above us; life in the PL becomes really hard. I will not concede the R word. This is a learning curve for KMc, so we move forward and gain what we can in future games. Brave performance but nievity still in some areas.

surgery added 17:45 - Feb 22

And please McKenna none of this garbage about taking positives from the game. When are we going to see the positive results of all the positives you’ve taken from previous games?

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Town are five points plus goal difference from Premier League safety following a 4-1 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves’ 1-0 win away at 10-man AFC Bournemouth. The Blues started brightly, Liam Delap hitting the post with a header, but Brennan Johnson netted on 18 and 26 before Omari Hutchinson pulled one back nine minutes before the break. However, Spurs added a third through Djed Spence with their first chance of the second half on 77 and Dejan Kulusevski grabbed a fourth with six minutes remaining.

Boss Kieran McKenna made four changes from the side which started last week’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa with Ben Godfrey, Leif Davis, Jaden Philogene and Jack Clarke returning to the team.

Godfrey took over from the suspended Axel Tuanzebe on the right of the defence with Davis returning at left-back having missed the game at Villa Park with a minor injury.

Philogene was handed his full home debut on the right with Omari Hutchinson in the middle and Jack Clarke on the left behind out-and-out striker Liam Delap.

Julio Enciso missed out having suffered a knee injury last week, while Conor Townsend and Ben Johnson dropped to the bench having started against the Villans.

Skipper Sam Morsy is fit again after the abdominal problem which kept him out at Villa Park but was also among the subs, as was Sammie Szmodics. Dara O’Shea captained in the Egypt international’s absence.

For Tottenham, Johnson, the son of former Blues striker David, returned to the XI for James Maddison, who was on the bench.

Destiny Udogie came in at left-back with Pedro Porro a sub. At centre-half, Archie Gray took over from Ben Davies, who was absent from the squad. Ex-Blues loanee Dane Scarlett was on the bench.

Town almost scored within seconds of the start. Jens Cajuste played through Liam Delap, who burst round the outside of Gray before hitting a shot which Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario saved to his left. The loose ball ran to Philogene, whose goal-bound shot struck Omari Hutchinson on the line. Town looked to get another opportunity but the linesman’s flag had been raised as Hutchinson had been offside.

Delap threatened again in the third minute, drifting past Gray on the left of the box as if the former Leeds youngster wasn’t there before stabbing across the face and wide.

Play moved to the other end, Udogie running beyond O’Shea on the Spurs left but Palmer was off his line quickly to claim at the Italian international’s feet.

Delap went even closer to scoring in the seventh minute, flicking a near post header from Phillips’s free-kick out on the right beyond Vicario but off the post. The loose ball didn’t immediately fall kindly but was nodded back to the edge of the area from where Philogene sent an overhead kick deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

Tottenham began to see most of the ball and went close to going in front in the 13th minute. Skipper Son Heung-Min got round the outside of Godfrey on the left and cut back to Lucas Bergvall, whose low shot was blocked by O’Shea. The ball ricocheted towards Johnson at the right post but Jacob Greaves somehow managed to take away from the former Forest man. Dejan Kulusevski nodded back in but O’Shea was fouled by Mathys Tel.

Moments later, Johnson got his name in referee Tim Robinson’s book for a foul on Davis as the Town full-back sought to break out of defence on the left.

However, in the 18th minute it was Johnson who would net the game’s opening goal. Gray’s long ball sent Son in behind on the left. The South Korean international worked some space to leave Godfrey standing and get to the byline before flashing a low ball across for Johnson, who got in front of Davis and slammed into the net.

The goal was harsh on the Blues, who had had the been the better side and had had most of the early chances, but with the visitors able to take their second serious opportunity, having found a weakness down Town’s right, a reminder of the clinical finishing at Premier League level.

The Blues looked to hit back, Clarke looping a header to Vicario in the 20th minute from a Hutchinson cross, then a minute later Delap hitting a shot from distance which deflected behind.

Following the flag-kick, Philogene shot not too far over, then on 24 Delap scuffed a low effort through to Vicario.

But two minutes later, Johnson doubled his side’s lead. Son was again played in behind Godfrey on the Town right, the visitors’ skipper cutting back to Johnson, who had been left completely unmarked 10 yards out on the far side of the box, from where he slotted home with ease.

On 26, Son was found on the left again but this time hit a low shot which deflected but with Palmer able to save. Four minutes later, Clarke was yellow-carded for standing on Djed Spence’s foot after the ball had gone.

It was a dispirited Portman Road as the half-hour mark passed with the Blues having played well before all but gifting Spurs their two goals.

However, the mood was significantly lifted in the 36th minute when Town pulled a goal back.

Phillips won the ball five yards outside the Tottenham box and threaded in Clarke on the left of the area. The winger, a one-time Spurs player, cut back to Hutchinson, who smashed a shot across Vicario and into the net, the former Chelsea man’s third goal of the season.

Three minutes later, the same two players combined again, Clarke finding Hutchinson on the edge of the area but this time his shot was too weak to test Vicario. Soon after, Godfrey was booked for a foul on Son.

Town’s impetus, both on and off the pitch, had been restored by the goal but in the 42nd minute Rodrigo Bentancur, Tottenham’s scorer in the Blues’ win in North London in November, brought the ball forward into the area unchallenged before his shot was saved by Palmer, Greaves subsequently nodding behind.

As the game moved into three minutes of injury time, Son was again found in space on the Spurs left but this time his shot was blocked by Godfrey.

That was the last action of an entertaining, end-to-end half. The Blues had started like a house on fire with Delap having three opportunities before Tottenham had settled into the match.

But as so often this season, the Blues were made to pay for not taking their chances with the visitors going into a two-goal lead having found easy pickings down Town’s right flank with Tuanzebe badly missed and Godfrey evidently not back to the top of his game after his half-season of inaction in Italy with Atalanta and Davis twice losing Johnson.

However, despite being two goals behind, the Blues stayed in the game and Phillips, Clarke and Hutchinson made the most of the opportunity to pull a goal back when it came and it seems likely there will be further goals in the second half with Town still in with a good chance of picking up points.

Town made a change at half-time, a predictable one, Luke Woolfenden taking over from Godfrey with O’Shea moving out to the right and the Ipswich-born defender taking up his usual central role.

The second half hadn’t settled into a pattern before Cajuste required treatment, Bentancur inadvertently falling on the grounded Swedish international and twisting his ankle. The on-loan Napoli man continued briefly before taking to the turf again and was replaced by Jack Taylor.

Neither side showed any serious threat until the 56th minute when Clarke and Delap won possession on the left with Vicario out of his goal but the winger’s low cross was cut out.

Moments later, Gray fouled his former Leeds teammate Davis out on the left but the free-kick came to nothing. However, within a minute Philogene was felled just outside the box by Udogie.

Hutchinson’s free-kick slammed into the wall, as did Phillips’s follow-up, but the ball reached the forward again on the right and his deep cross found Woolfenden at the far post, where he nodded into the ground and past Vicario. The centre-half thought he’d scored his first Premier League goal until the linesman raised his flag, VAR confirming that the defender had been offside.

Spurs had the next chance, Davis sliding in to block in front of Johnson as the forward looked to shoot as a low cross reached him from the left.

Following the corner, Kevin Danso was shoulder barged to the ground somewhat firmly by O’Shea, the on-loan Lens man claiming a penalty but with referee Robinson and VAR not interested.

Spurs subsequently made their first changes, goalscorer Johnson and Udogie making way for ex-Norwich forward Maddison and Porro, then on 68 Nathan Broadhead took over from Clarke for Town.

The Blues were beginning to put the visitors under pressure with Philogene and Hutchinson both having an impact down the right, Broadhead almost having an opportunity for a clear shot at goal from a ball in from the right before being closed down.

Spurs made a double change on 75, ex-Blues loanee Scarlett and Wilson Odobert coming on for Son and Tel, ahead of a Town free-kick from which O’Shea and Danso clashed heads.

Referee Robinson annoyed the home support by starting with a drop ball with play having stopped as it had gone out for a Blues throw, then for a dubious foul by Philogene on Maddison.

The ex-Canary, whose every touch had been booed by Town fans, created the visitors’ third goal in the 77th minute. The England international skipped his way into the area surrounded by defenders before laying off to Spence, whose shot deflected off Woolfenden’s calf and into the roof of the net.

Phillips, who had continued his recent positive progress, received treatment in the aftermath of the goal and was eventually replaced by Morsy, who was handed his armband by O’Shea, while George Hirst took over from Delap.

In the 84th minute, the visitors scored their fourth. With Greaves down in the Spurs half following a clash of heads with Scarlett, Kulusevski brought the ball forward down the right, cut inside Woolfenden before hitting a shot which curled into the net off the inside of the far post. Greaves claimed play should have been stopped due to his head injury, but in vain.

Three minutes later, O’Shea headed into the side-netting from a tight angle from a deep corner from the right.

VAR had a look at a Kulusevski challenge on Broadhead in the area during eight minutes of injury time, but the Blues were once again unsuccessful.

Referee Robinson was booed off by the Town support at the whistle, mainly for his performance in the Leicester match earlier in the season, although the Blues had been on the end of one or two questionable decisions from the West Sussex-based official.

An afternoon which had begun with so much promise finished as another of frustration and disappointment and a ninth home defeat of the season, compounded by Wolves’ surprise win at Bournemouth, which leaves the Blues five points away from safety with the Old Gold having a goal difference superior by 12.

Once again, Town were unable to score during their spells on top, both in the first half and at 2-1 in the second, with the opposition taking their opportunities more clinically when they came with Son exploiting the Blues’ weakness down their right side time and again in the first half, creating two goals and two further chances.

Town had spells on top and there was little between the teams for long periods, the Blues showing their usual spirit with Phillips, Clarke and Hutchinson combining well for the goal, but the difference was in both final thirds and once Spurs had scored their third there was no way back into the match.

McKenna’s men, whose path to Premier League survival looks ever more difficult, are next in action away at Manchester United on Wednesday, the Red Devils having drawn 2-2 at Everton earlier today.

Town: Palmer, Godfrey (Woolfenden 46), O’Shea (c), Greaves, Davis, Phillips (Morsy 79), Cajuste (Taylor 52), Philogene, Hutchinson, Clarke (Broadhead 68), Delap (Hirst 79). Unused: Muric, Johnson, Townsend, Szmodics.

Spurs: Vicario, Spence, Danso, Gray, Udogie (Porro 64), Bentancur, Bergvall, Johnson (Maddison 64), Kulusevski, Son (c) (Scarlett 75), Tel (Odobert 75). Unused: Kinsky, Reguilon, Sarr, Bissouma, Moore.

Photo: Reuters

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Eeyore added 17:11 - Feb 22

Score flattered Spurs. We needed an early goal but didn't get the luck we needed with the early chances. But was like playing with 10 men with Philogene so lacking in confidence. I can only guess that Mckenna didn't want to risk Szmodics. I suppose Philogene will improve, because he couldn't possibly do any worse.

Goalkeeper was good again and most players put in a really good shift. Wolves will be a must win. But looking forward to being at Old Trafford on Wednesday because - well you never know.

blueboy1981 added 17:14 - Feb 22

Another Opportunity for points missed today !

Who’s got the best excuse lined up for this one ? - they must surely be wearing thin now !

TimmyH added 17:15 - Feb 22

That game sort of says a lot about our season full stop, well certainly at home. Caught on the transition too easily, not taking chances and injuries. Have to also say that the starting line up didn't look right with Philogene and Clarke (both struggled so far) and a better defensive player in Townsend benched. 4 goals for Tottenham and it's not as if they created copious chances.

No point looking at what Wolves do if we can't do the business ourselves and lets be honest we've been poor at home and 2025 drawing a blank!

ITFCSG added 17:15 - Feb 22

Spurs didn't even need to get out of second gear today to put 4 past us at PR even though many people were laughing at them for being rubbish. Then what does that make us? Lots of aimless running but Vicario might as well has a picnic in goal during the second half. KMcK and Ashton may have more cock and bull stories to tell, but any realist can see that we are down barring a miracle.

grow_our_own added 17:18 - Feb 22

Love McK, but keeper and right-back this season have been among his very few mistakes since arriving. Dodgy sending-off last week cost us today. If Harry Clarke was still here, I think he'd be second choice.

EricGatesShinpad added 17:19 - Feb 22

Godfrey was found out again, accepting that Song is class and has been for a long time. I can see why Godfrey was let go by the Eyeties as he can't defend. OShea was better there but the damage was done.

Overall not a bad performance and 4 goals flattered Spurs but they never really looked in trouble. Clarke and Philogene have lots of potential in the f inal third but in the other two tthirds they don't seem to help either full back.

Other than that, the effort is there, we are still fighting and we are in better shape than Leicester and Southampton.... Uppa Town!

EricGatesShinpad added 17:19 - Feb 22

Godfrey was found out again, accepting that Song is class and has been for a long time. I can see why Godfrey was let go by the Eyeties as he can't defend. OShea was better there but the damage was done.

Overall not a bad performance and 4 goals flattered Spurs but they never really looked in trouble. Clarke and Philogene have lots of potential in the f inal third but in the other two tthirds they don't seem to help either full back.

Other than that, the effort is there, we are still fighting and we are in better shape than Leicester and Southampton.... Uppa Town!

Bluejayzus added 17:19 - Feb 22

And with the Wolves result I think we are down. We have a decent team, but the prem is just not competitive. Any team coming up will face the same. It’s not the team it’s the league. The premier league need to make changes and fast or it will be come pointless exercise for promotion.

StringerBell added 17:21 - Feb 22

Unfortunately, we’re simply not good enough to stay up. It’s massively disappointing but we haven’t managed to bridge the gap in such a short space of time after back-to-back promotions. Hopefully the nucleus of the team will be retained because they should be able to get us back up at the first attempt. But, let’s face it, we’ll be in the Championship again next season.

oioihardy added 17:22 - Feb 22

Thought we played decent first half

Philips and cajuste so much better together but now injured so back to morsy we go ( which is a shame)

Right back and lw and number 10 are major problems for us ...

Even though omari got his goal he's pretty useless as a 10 . He's so much better down the right

Jaden can go back to villa

And lw we just don't have much . Clarke is too weak

Broadhead I love him he links play so well but doesn't contribute enough numbers wise

We basically haven't recruited well for these positions in both windows and it's really effecting us

Enjoy the prem while we are here still

Ps tim Robinson was dog water . Needs to be sent down to national league terrible ref

Bluewhiteboy added 17:28 - Feb 22

All fart no ......

What a waste of money. To much quantity not enough quality

therein61 added 17:30 - Feb 22

I'm afraid (from possibly being 2 or 3 up in a few minutes to lose 4-1) that was alarming!!!

cartman1972 added 17:31 - Feb 22

Sadly we're weak , light weight players. McKenna chops and changes the line up week in week out and has most to answer, spent a fortune on some rubbish ....Philogene , Clarke etc . Be glad to be back in the championship

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Omari Hutchinson pulled a goal back for the Blues after Brennan Johnson had netted twice for Tottenham Hotspur to leave the scoreline 2-1 to the visitors at Portman Road at half-time.

Town boss Kieran McKenna made four changes from the side which started last week’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa with Ben Godfrey, Leif Davis, Jaden Philogene and Jack Clarke returning to the team.

Godfrey took over from the suspended Axel Tuanzebe on the right of the defence with Davis returning at left-back having missed the game at Villa Park with a minor injury.

Philogene was handed his full home debut on the right with Omari Hutchinson in the middle and Jack Clarke on the left behind out-and-out striker Liam Delap.

Julio Enciso missed out having suffered a knee injury last week, while Conor Townsend and Ben Johnson dropped to the bench having started against the Villans.

Skipper Sam Morsy is fit again after the abdominal problem which kept him out at Villa Park but was also among the subs, as was Sammie Szmodics. Dara O’Shea captained in the Egypt international’s absence.

For Tottenham, Johnson, the son of former Blues striker David, returned to the XI for James Maddison, who was on the bench.

Destiny Udogie came in at left-back with Pedro Porro a sub. At centre-half, Archie Gray took over from Ben Davies, who was absent from the squad. Ex-Blues loanee Dane Scarlett was on the bench.

Town almost scored within seconds of the start. Jens Cajuste played through Liam Delap, who burst round the outside of Gray before hitting a shot which Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario saved to his left. The loose ball ran to Philogene, whose goal-bound shot struck Omari Hutchinson on the line. Town looked to get another opportunity but the linesman’s flag had been raised as Hutchinson had been offside.

Delap threatened again in the third minute, drifting past Gray on the left of the box as if the former Leeds youngster wasn’t there before stabbing across the face and wide.

Play moved to the other end, Udogie running beyond O’Shea on the Spurs left but Palmer was off his line quickly to claim at the Italian international’s feet.

Delap went even closer to scoring in the seventh minute, flicking a near post header from Phillips’s free-kick out on the right beyond Vicario but off the post. The loose ball didn’t immediately fall kindly but was nodded back to the edge of the area from where Philogene sent an overhead kick deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

Tottenham began to see most of the ball and went close to going in front in the 13th minute. Skipper Son Heung-Min got round the outside of Godfrey on the left and cut back to Lucas Bergvall, whose low shot was blocked by O’Shea. The ball ricocheted towards Johnson at the right post but Jacob Greaves somehow managed to take away from the former Forest man. Dejan Kulusevski nodded back in but O’Shea was fouled by Mathys Tel.

Moments later, Johnson got his name in referee Tim Robinson’s book for a foul on Davis as the Town full-back sought to break out of defence on the left.

However, in the 18th minute it was Johnson who would net the game’s opening goal. Gray’s long ball sent Son in behind on the left. The South Korean international worked some space to leave Godfrey standing and get to the byline before flashing a low ball across for Johnson, who got in front of Davis and slammed into the net.

The goal was harsh on the Blues, who had had the been the better side and had had most of the early chances, but with the visitors able to take their second serious opportunity, having found a weakness down Town’s right, a reminder of the clinical finishing at Premier League level.

The Blues looked to hit back, Clarke looping a header to Vicario in the 20th minute from a Hutchinson cross, then a minute later Delap hitting a shot from distance which deflected behind.

Following the flag-kick, Philogene shot not too far over, then on 24 Delap scuffed a low effort through to Vicario.

But two minutes later, Johnson doubled his side’s lead. Son was again played in behind Godfrey on the Town right, the visitors’ skipper cutting back to Johnson, who had been left completely unmarked 10 yards out on the far side of the box, from where he slotted home with ease.

On 26, Son was found on the left again but this time hit a low shot which deflected but with Palmer able to save. Four minutes later, Clarke was yellow-carded for standing on Djed Spence’s foot after the ball had gone.

It was a dispirited Portman Road as the half-hour mark passed with the Blues having played well before all but gifting Spurs their two goals.

However, the mood was significantly lifted in the 36th minute when Town pulled a goal back.

Phillips won the ball five yards outside the Tottenham box and threaded in Clarke on the left of the area. The winger, a one-time Spurs player, cut back to Hutchinson, who smashed a shot across Vicario and into the net, the former Chelsea man’s third goal of the season.

Three minutes later, the same two players combined again, Clarke finding Hutchinson on the edge of the area but this time his shot was too weak to test Vicario. Soon after, Godfrey was booked for a foul on Son.

Town’s impetus, both on and off the pitch, had been restored by the goal but in the 42nd minute Rodrigo Bentancur, Tottenham’s scorer in the Blues’ win in North London in November, brought the ball forward into the area unchallenged before his shot was saved by Palmer, Greaves subsequently nodding behind.

As the game moved into three minutes of injury time, Son was again found in space on the Spurs left but this time his shot was blocked by Godfrey.

That was the last action of an entertaining, end-to-end half. The Blues had started like a house on fire with Delap having three opportunities before Tottenham had settled into the match.

But as so often this season, the Blues were made to pay for not taking their chances with the visitors going into a two-goal lead having found easy pickings down Town’s right flank with Tuanzebe badly missed and Godfrey evidently not back to the top of his game after his half-season of inaction in Italy with Atalanta and Davis twice losing Johnson.

However, despite being two goals behind, the Blues stayed in the game and Phillips, Clarke and Hutchinson made the most of the opportunity to pull a goal back when it came and it seems likely there will be further goals in the second half with Town still in with a good chance of picking up points.

Town: Palmer, Godfrey, O’Shea (c), Greaves, Davis, Phillips, Cajuste, Philogene, Hutchinson, Clarke, Delap. Subs: Muric, Woolfenden, Johnson, Townsend, Morsy, Taylor, Szmodics, Broadhead, Hirst.

Spurs: Vicario, Spence, Danso, Gray, Udogie, Bentancur, Bergvall, Johnson, Kulusevski, Son (c), Tel. Subs: Kinsky, Porro, Reguilon, Sarr, Bissouma, Maddison, Moore, Odobert, Scarlett.

Photo: Reuters

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TimmyH added 16:04 - Feb 22

Getting caught on the transition further up the field and seems like we're then playing 3 at the back...been the same all season whether it's Axel, Johnson or Godfrey in that RB position. Son just filled his boots

blueboy1981 added 16:40 - Feb 22

We never learn - every game is a repeat of the previous.

Fact is we are Pants, time for excuses to STOP !

We even make Spurs look great, and we all know they are not !!

Leejames99 added 17:14 - Feb 22

Ended up half a league 1 team again just daft, Woolf, Davis, Morsy, Taylor, Broadhead, Hirst it's crazy with Townsend,Szmodicks and Johnson on bench watching.

Why can't Delap manage 90 mins, Szmodicks must be getting fed up, if Phillips and Cajuste now injured and we have Morsy and Taylor in with Luongo as only other midfielder we are in big trouble

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Omari Hutchinson pulled a goal back for the Blues after Brennan Johnson had netted twice for Tottenham Hotspur to leave the scoreline 2-1 to the visitors at Portman Road at half-time.

Town boss Kieran McKenna made four changes from the side which started last week’s 1-1 draw at Aston Villa with Ben Godfrey, Leif Davis, Jaden Philogene and Jack Clarke returning to the team.

Godfrey took over from the suspended Axel Tuanzebe on the right of the defence with Davis returning at left-back having missed the game at Villa Park with a minor injury.

Philogene was handed his full home debut on the right with Omari Hutchinson in the middle and Jack Clarke on the left behind out-and-out striker Liam Delap.

Julio Enciso missed out having suffered a knee injury last week, while Conor Townsend and Ben Johnson dropped to the bench having started against the Villans.

Skipper Sam Morsy is fit again after the abdominal problem which kept him out at Villa Park but was also among the subs, as was Sammie Szmodics. Dara O’Shea captained in the Egypt international’s absence.

For Tottenham, Johnson, the son of former Blues striker David, returned to the XI for James Maddison, who was on the bench.

Destiny Udogie came in at left-back with Pedro Porro a sub. At centre-half, Archie Gray took over from Ben Davies, who was absent from the squad. Ex-Blues loanee Dane Scarlett was on the bench.

Town almost scored within seconds of the start. Jens Cajuste played through Liam Delap, who burst round the outside of Gray before hitting a shot which Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario saved to his left. The loose ball ran to Philogene, whose goal-bound shot struck Omari Hutchinson on the line. Town looked to get another opportunity but the linesman’s flag had been raised as Hutchinson had been offside.

Delap threatened again in the third minute, drifting past Gray on the left of the box as if the former Leeds youngster wasn’t there before stabbing across the face and wide.

Play moved to the other end, Udogie running beyond O’Shea on the Spurs left but Palmer was off his line quickly to claim at the Italian international’s feet.

Delap went even closer to scoring in the seventh minute, flicking a near post header from Phillips’s free-kick out on the right beyond Vicario but off the post. The loose ball didn’t immediately fall kindly but was nodded back to the edge of the area from where Philogene sent an overhead kick deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

Tottenham began to see most of the ball and went close to going in front in the 13th minute. Skipper Son Heung-Min got round the outside of Godfrey on the left and cut back to Lucas Bergvall, whose low shot was blocked by O’Shea. The ball ricocheted towards Johnson at the right post but Jacob Greaves somehow managed to take away from the former Forest man. Dejan Kulusevski nodded back in but O’Shea was fouled by Mathys Tel.

Moments later, Johnson got his name in referee Tim Robinson’s book for a foul on Davis as the Town full-back sought to break out of defence on the left.

However, in the 18th minute it was Johnson who would net the game’s opening goal. Gray’s long ball sent Son in behind on the left. The South Korean international worked some space to leave Godfrey standing and get to the byline before flashing a low ball across for Johnson, who got in front of Davis and slammed into the net.

The goal was harsh on the Blues, who had had the been the better side and had had most of the early chances, but with the visitors able to take their second serious opportunity, having found a weakness down Town’s right, a reminder of the clinical finishing at Premier League level.

The Blues looked to hit back, Clarke looping a header to Vicario in the 20th minute from a Hutchinson cross, then a minute later Delap hitting a shot from distance which deflected behind.

Following the flag-kick, Philogene shot not too far over, then on 24 Delap scuffed a low effort through to Vicario.

But two minutes later, Johnson doubled his side’s lead. Son was again played in behind Godfrey on the Town right, the visitors’ skipper cutting back to Johnson, who had been left completely unmarked 10 yards out on the far side of the box, from where he slotted home with ease.

On 26, Son was found on the left again but this time hit a low shot which deflected but with Palmer able to save. Four minutes later, Clarke was yellow-carded for standing on Djed Spence’s foot after the ball had gone.

It was a dispirited Portman Road as the half-hour mark passed with the Blues having played well before all but gifting Spurs their two goals.

However, the mood was significantly lifted in the 36th minute when Town pulled a goal back.

Phillips won the ball five yards outside the Tottenham box and threaded in Clarke on the left of the area. The winger, a one-time Spurs player, cut back to Hutchinson, who smashed a shot across Vicario and into the net, the former Chelsea man’s third goal of the season.

Three minutes later, the same two players combined again, Clarke finding Hutchinson on the edge of the area but this time his shot was too weak to test Vicario. Soon after, Godfrey was booked for a foul on Son.

Town’s impetus, both on and off the pitch, had been restored by the goal but in the 42nd minute Rodrigo Bentancur, Tottenham’s scorer in the Blues’ win in North London in November, brought the ball forward into the area unchallenged before his shot was saved by Palmer, Greaves subsequently nodding behind.

As the game moved into three minutes of injury time, Son was again found in space on the Spurs left but this time his shot was blocked by Godfrey.

That was the last action of an entertaining, end-to-end half. The Blues had started like a house on fire with Delap having three opportunities before Tottenham had settled into the match.

But as so often this season, the Blues were made to pay for not taking their chances with the visitors going into a two-goal lead having found easy pickings down Town’s right flank with Tuanzebe badly missed and Godfrey evidently not back to the top of his game after his half-season of inaction in Italy with Atalanta and Davis twice losing Johnson.

However, despite being two goals behind, the Blues stayed in the game and Phillips, Clarke and Hutchinson made the most of the opportunity to pull a goal back when it came and it seems likely there will be further goals in the second half with Town still in with a good chance of picking up points.

Town: Palmer, Godfrey, O’Shea (c), Greaves, Davis, Phillips, Cajuste, Philogene, Hutchinson, Clarke, Delap. Subs: Muric, Woolfenden, Johnson, Townsend, Morsy, Taylor, Szmodics, Broadhead, Hirst.

Spurs: Vicario, Spence, Danso, Gray, Udogie, Bentancur, Bergvall, Johnson, Kulusevski, Son (c), Tel. Subs: Kinsky, Porro, Reguilon, Sarr, Bissouma, Maddison, Moore, Odobert, Scarlett.

Photo: Reuters

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TimmyH added 16:04 - Feb 22

Getting caught on the transition further up the field and seems like we're then playing 3 at the back...been the same all season whether it's Axel, Johnson or Godfrey in that RB position. Son just filled his boots

blueboy1981 added 16:40 - Feb 22

We never learn - every game is a repeat of the previous.

Fact is we are Pants, time for excuses to STOP !

We even make Spurs look great, and we all know they are not !!

Leejames99 added 17:14 - Feb 22

Ended up half a league 1 team again just daft, Woolf, Davis, Morsy, Taylor, Broadhead, Hirst it's crazy with Townsend,Szmodicks and Johnson on bench watching.

Why can't Delap manage 90 mins, Szmodicks must be getting fed up, if Phillips and Cajuste now injured and we have Morsy and Taylor in with Luongo as only other midfielder we are in big trouble

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Town defender Jacob Greaves says the Blues are going to have to be ‘switched on at all times’ as they prepare to host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this weekend.

Ange Postecoglou’s side visit Portman Road on Saturday off the back of successive league victories having previously lost eight of their last 10 matches which has seen them plummet nearer the relegation zone than the division's top four.

Spurs have had their share of injury issues, particularly in defence with Micky van de Ven, Christian Romero, Radu Dragusin, Richarlison and Dominic Solanke all set to miss out against the Blues.

But despite a depleted Tottenham squad, Greaves is under no illusion about the size of the task if Town are to return to winning ways this weekend.

“We’ve done our work on them throughout the week,” he said. “You look at them in the table and think they’re a team that’s down there but they’ve obviously had their injury struggles this season which has been unfortunate for them.

“A lot of teams go through that but theirs has been a bit catastrophic. They’ve got a lot of players back, they’re missing the two centre-halves but apart from that I think they’ve got a clean bill of health.

“The threats that they’ve got on the top line – [Heung-min] Son, [Dejan] Kulusevski, [Mathys] Tel, [James] Maddison are all unbelievable threats on their day.

“We know we need to be switched on because at any moment they can do something out of the ordinary and they could score and we’d be losing. We know that we’ve got to be switched on at all times.

“Towards the end of the season every game is going to be massive no matter who we’re playing. We might win this week and we might get beat the next week, but we know we’ve got to try and keep picking up points.

“Sometimes you never know when that win is going to come – I was injured for the Spurs away game when we got our first win and no-one expected us to go there and win so sometimes it can come at unexpected times.

“Now we’ve tested ourselves against all the teams, we feel like we can beat anyone when we’re on our day. It’s tough because a lot of the teams are really good at this level, especially the top teams, but when we’re on it we know we’ve got a really good structure and a really good stadium to play in.”

While calling for another strong Portman Road atmosphere, Greaves acknowledged it is up to the players to provide the energy on the pitch to get the crowd going as well as the other way round.

The former Hull City defender said: “We need to give them something to cheer about. It’s important for us to show them the right stuff on the pitch so they can get behind us – winning the first tackle, header or whatever it may be.

“Try and dictate the play a little bit and not let them control the game, that will be important for us to feed that onto the stadium and then we’ll definitely feel it a lot more by how we’re playing. They’ve been excellent this season and long may it continue.”

Kieran McKenna’s system has appeared fluid over the last few months with the Blues regularly switching between a back three and a back four.

Greaves says the approach for each game is dependent on a number of factors, most notably assessing the opposition, and says adopting the right tactic is something the players have enjoyed.

“It’s about looking at the way the opposition sets up and the way the gaffer wants to nullify their threats,” he said.

“Sometimes at home we could be a back four and a bit more aggressive, but sometimes away from home it suits us a little bit more dropping into that five and being more defensively solid across the backline.

“It just depends on what the gaffer wants, we can still be aggressive with the right-winger that drops into right-back in terms of him being aggressive and getting up the pitch and everyone shuffling across.

“It’s different and it’s been nice to learn in this environment with the different tactics the gaffer wants, I feel like we’ve all taken it on board really well.”

Town are currently two points from safety and will be looking to complete a league double over Spurs just as they did in their previous Premier League campaign having beaten the Lilywhites in north London in November.

That 2-1 victory marked the Blues’ first league win of the season and while Greaves missed the clash with a hamstring injury, he was delighted with the manner of performance from his teammates.

He said: “It was incredible and that’s what we needed, especially to go away to Spurs who were flying at the time. To win there was a real statement that we could play, compete and win games against anybody.

“It gave us a massive boost for the rest of the season. I was disappointed that I didn’t get to play there being injured because it’s an unbelievable stadium.

“Every game eggs you on no matter if I did play against them or not. It would be lovely to get a result against Spurs, we’ve obviously beaten them and them not getting a point against us this year.

“Hopefully that can be the case but we know it’s going to be a tough test because they’ve got players that are unbelievable on their day. Hopefully we can be good on our day and keep them quiet.”

Reflecting on life in the Premier League so far, Greaves said: “It’s been a good test. I’ve really enjoyed playing in the biggest league in the world testing myself week in, week out. I’ve really enjoyed the challenge.

“Being on Match of the Day is the only real difference. It’s just the difference in level, you can get punished at any opportunity and the quality is crazy good. You’ve got to be on your game at all times.”

Asked if he was missing his hometown of Hull, the 24-year-old added: “A little bit. I’ve not really had much time to go back home and see my family but they’ve come up quite a bit as well which has been nice. I think everyone sometimes misses home but that’s a part of the job and you’ve got to get on with it.”

TWTD

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Town’s home game against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday afternoon will be refereed by Tim Robinson, who will be making his first visit to Portman Road since taking charge of the Leicester City match in November.

During the Foxes’ visit, the Blues, then 1-0 in front, were denied a penalty when Conor Chaplin was clearly fouled inside the area by Abdul Fatawu.

VAR opted not to overturn the penalty decision, despite the official appearing to have been unsighted when the incident took place, and to add insult to injury Kalvin Phillips was harshly dismissed for a second bookable offence in the aftermath.

The game eventually ended 1-1 with the visitors levelling in the fourth minute of injury time.

Following the match, Town CEO and chairman Mark Ashton and manager Kieran McKenna held a meeting with Howard Webb, the chief refereeing officer for the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), at Portman Road with the controversy one of a number of refereeing and VAR decisions which had gone against the Blues over the course of several fixtures.

West Sussex-based Robinson will be assisted on Saturday by Simon Long and Steve Meredith with the fourth official David Webb. The VAR official will be Chris Kavanagh and his assistant Tim Wood.

Photo: Matchday Images

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bringmeaKuqi added 17:24 - Feb 18

I hope the crowd let him know what we think of the Leicester game. The reality is that pressure influences decisions (as we saw with Tuanzebe)

dirtydingusmagee added 17:27 - Feb 18

Ooooh sh#t

blues1 added 17:30 - Feb 18

Reffed the Liverpool and leicester games. Awful both times. Can only hope he's better on Saturday.

RegencyBlue added 17:32 - Feb 18

Well he owes us one is all I can say!

Having said that I’m expecting nothing.

sohamblue74 added 17:45 - Feb 18

Not good news. A truly shocking ref. Amazed that they have sent him back to PR after his dismal performance at the Leicester match.

ButchersBrokenNose added 17:55 - Feb 18

Words fail me...

mrmorisato added 18:00 - Feb 18

What makes these appointments more interesting is that one of the Assistant referees for this match is Mr Simon Long who used to be the Referees development officier for the Suffolk FA and is an Ipswich Town fan so I'm puzzled as to why the PGMOL has given him this appointment???......I've known him for years as he used to work on Adastral Park in Martlesham. Simon's registered County FA is now Cornwall, but I will be watching on with a very close eye as to what he gives gives us on Saturday :) #COYBs

Saxonblue74 added 18:47 - Feb 18

Give him hell Blue army!!!

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