Tottenham 2-1 Birmingham

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    By Phil Dawkes
    BBC Sport

    Barry Ferguson (left) and Roger Johnson (right) Birmingham’s players gave it their all, but were left dejected at full time

    Birmingham have been relegated to the Championship after Roman Pavlyuchenko’s late goal meant they lost at Tottenham, who sealed fifth place with the win.

    With results going their way, City appeared to have sealed their safety when Craig Gardner equalised substitute Pavlyuchenko’s opener for Spurs.

    But Wolves’ second goal in their 3-2 defeat at home to Blackburn put City back in the bottom three.

    And Pavlyuchenko’s last-minute strike ensured the Midlanders relegation.

    It is a crushing end to what has been a rollercoaster season for Alex McLeish’s men, who won their first trophy for 48 years with a last-gasp 2-1 win over Arsenal in the Carling Cup in February, but have been battling against the drop for the majority of the campaign.

    Birmingham were in control of their fate coming into this game, knowing a win would secure their safety, but defeat, coupled with circumstances elsewhere going against them – particularly Wigan’s 1-0 win at Stoke and Wolves’ second goal against Blackburn, consigned them to the drop.

    For Tottenham, qualification for the Europa League is a consolation prize following their failure to secure a second successive season of Champions League football.

    However, accessing the lesser European competition via a fifth-place finish is more preferable to Spurs than making it in through the Fair Play league, which would have meant them taking part in the early rounds in just five weeks time.

    This was a victory born out of Spurs’ commitment to attack, which may not have helped them achieve their ultimate aim, but ensures it has been a good, if not great season.

    The reasons behind Birmingham’s plight are simple: not enough goals at one end and too many at the other.

    They are the division’s lowest scorers with 37 to their name, which in itself is not a recipe for disaster as their impressive ninth place finish last season off the back of 38 goals scored demonstrates.

    However, in the absence of regular centre-back Scott Dann for much of the season through injury, the solid defence on which City built their success last campaign has looked shaky, conceding 11 more goals that have proven the difference between top half and bottom three.

    Knowing the threat Tottenham pose going forward, even without injured attacking midfield duo Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart, McLeish sent out a team whose focus was principally to frustrate and then hope to snatch something on the break.

    For the first half, they performed the first part of this superbly, with a back four – led by the towering Curtis Davies, who marked the similarly lofty Peter Crouch out of the game before the striker went off with a head injury after 39 minutes – holding firm behind an industrious and committed midfield five, that included tracking back striker Jean Beausejour.

    They frustrated the home side, who found themselves gifted plenty of possession in 70% of the pitch but hassled, harried and fought out of it in the remaining 30% closest to the Birmingham goal.

    Unfortunately, this almost completely nullified City’s threat at the other end, where Cameron Jerome found himself isolated up front alone and too often running without support down blind alleys, where packs of Spurs defenders lurked to rob him of possession.

    Unsurprisingly, all the first half chances were Tottenham’s. Sandro twice drew good saves from Ben Foster, firstly with a shot from a tight angle, which the keeper put behind with his foot, and then with a 20-yard drive that was tipped over.

    Foster was also called upon to claw away a cross-come-shot from Younes Kaboul late in the half and save a long-range strike from Luka Modric.

    The danger for Birmingham in adopting such a containing approach was whether they would be able to then switch instantly to a more progressive style should it be required.

    This was put to the test four minutes into the second half when Pavlyuchenko curled a superb shot past Foster from 20 yards to put Spurs ahead.

    The visitors initially struggled to impose themselves on the game, but were given a lifeline when the ball fell to Gardner after a corner and the midfielder connected superbly to give Carlo Cudicini no chance from the edge of the box.

    Gardner then curled a free-kick just over as a buoyant, and at this stage safe, City pushed on for winner.

    That they did not get one left them vulnerable and Wigan exploited this with a winner at Stoke to pull themselves to safety, as did Wolves who scored a second goal at home to Blackburn that lifted them out of the drop zone and put Birmingham in it on goals scored.

    City’s last hope of escape were snubbed out when Pavlyuchenko rifled in from 16 yards with the last kick of the game.

     

    Sunday, 22 May 2011

    Barclays Premier League

    Home Team Score Away Team Time
    Tottenham 2-1 Birmingham FT
    (HT 0-0)Birmingham are relegated
    • Pavlyuchenko 49
    • Pavlyuchenko 90+3

    TOTTENHAM

    BIRMINGHAM

    Possession

    • Tottenham 56%
    • Birmingham 44%

    Attempts on target

    • Tottenham 16
    • Birmingham 3

    Fouls

    • Tottenham 5
    • Birmingham 15
    • Final Result
    • Full Time
    • 90:00+4:04 The final whistle goes and the game is over.
    • Correction – 90:00+2:42 GOAL – Roman Pavlyuchenko:Tottenham 2 – 1 Birmingham Roman Pavlyuchenko gets on the score sheet with a goal from the edge of the penalty area high into the middle of the goal. Tottenham 2-1 Birmingham.
    • 90:00+2:42 Assist by Danny Rose.
    • 90:00+2:42 GOAL – Roman Pavlyuchenko:Tottenham 2 – 1 Birmingham Roman Pavlyuchenko gets on the score sheet with a goal from the edge of the penalty area high into the middle of the goal. Tottenham 2-1 Birmingham.
    • 90:00+1:45 Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Jean Beausejour, Roger Johnson has a headed effort at goal from just inside the penalty area that misses to the left of the target.
    • 90:00+1:11 Liam Ridgewell crosses the ball, Aaron Lennon manages to make a clearance.
    • 90:00+0:38 The referee blows for offside against Jermain Defoe. Indirect free kick taken by Ben Foster.
    • 89:10 Niko Kranjcar has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box missing to the wide right of the target.
    • 87:01 Aaron Lennon fouled by Liam Ridgewell, the ref awards a free kick. Younes Kaboul restarts play with the free kick.
    • 85:53 Liam Ridgewell gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Younes Kaboul. Niko Kranjcar delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing, Barry Ferguson manages to make a clearance.
    • 85:35 Ledley King fouled by Matt Derbyshire, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Ledley King.
    • 85:24 Niko Kranjcar takes a shot. Curtis Davies gets a block in.
    • 85:09 Booking Matt Derbyshire goes into the book.
    • 83:38 Effort from inside the area by Raniere Sandro misses to the left of the goal.
    • 82:34 Free kick taken by Michael Dawson.
    • 82:34 Substitution (Tottenham) makes a substitution, with Niko Kranjcar coming on for Tom Huddlestone.
    • 82:34 Foul by Keith Fahey on Aaron Lennon, free kick awarded.
    • 80:10 Danny Rose challenges Cameron Jerome unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct effort from the free kick comes in from Craig Gardner.
    • 78:13 GOAL – Craig Gardner:Tottenham 1 – 1 Birmingham Craig Gardner fires in a goal from the edge of the area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Tottenham 1-1 Birmingham.
    • 77:42 Inswinging corner taken by Jean Beausejour, Younes Kaboul makes a clearance.
    • 77:12 Raniere Sandro concedes a free kick for a foul on Liam Ridgewell. Ben Foster takes the direct free kick.
    • 75:28 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Danny Rose by Jean Beausejour. Direct free kick taken by Danny Rose.
    • 75:07 Roger Johnson is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Michael Dawson takes the indirect free kick.
    • 74:54 Roman Pavlyuchenko challenges Liam Ridgewell unfairly and gives away a free kick. Ben Foster restarts play with the free kick.
    • 74:02 Substitution Matt Derbyshire joins the action as a substitute, replacing Sebastian Larsson.
    • 73:49 Effort from the edge of the box by Keith Fahey goes wide of the left-hand post.
    • 73:21 Corner taken by Sebastian Larsson from the right by-line to the near post, clearance by Roman Pavlyuchenko.
    • 72:45 Roman Pavlyuchenko takes a shot. Save by Ben Foster.
    • 71:36 Craig Gardner takes a shot. Save by Carlo Cudicini.
    • 71:09 Shot from just outside the penalty box by Tom Huddlestone misses to the left of the target.
    • 68:18 The referee blows for offside. Michael Dawson restarts play with the free kick.
    • 67:18 Cameron Jerome sends in a cross, clearance by Michael Dawson.
    • Correction – 63:23 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Sebastian Larsson played to the near post, Michael Dawson manages to make a clearance.
    • 63:23 Corner taken by Sebastian Larsson from the right by-line played to the near post, Roman Pavlyuchenko manages to make a clearance.
    • 62:33 Corner taken right-footed by Sebastian Larsson from the left by-line, Roger Johnson takes a shot. Raniere Sandro manages to make a clearance.
    • 61:50 Craig Gardner fouled by Raniere Sandro, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Sebastian Larsson from right channel, Ledley King manages to make a clearance.
    • 60:58 Roman Pavlyuchenko takes a shot. Curtis Davies gets a block in.
    • 60:06 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Danny Rose by Craig Gardner. Direct free kick taken by Danny Rose.
    • 57:20 Luka Modric is ruled offside. Free kick taken by Ben Foster.
    • 56:27 Roman Pavlyuchenko has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide right of the target.
    • 56:10 Foul by Craig Gardner on Danny Rose, free kick awarded. Luka Modric restarts play with the free kick.
    • 53:45 Luka Modric takes a shot. Save by Ben Foster.
    • 53:28 Corner from right by-line taken by Aaron Lennon.
    • 53:16 Jermain Defoe takes a shot. Curtis Davies gets a block in.
    • 50:30 Booking Liam Ridgewell goes into the book.
    • 50:11 Foul by Liam Ridgewell on Roman Pavlyuchenko, free kick awarded. Younes Kaboul takes the free kick.
    • 48:42 Assist by Danny Rose.
    • 48:42 GOAL – Roman Pavlyuchenko:Tottenham 1 – 0 Birmingham Roman Pavlyuchenko fires in a goal from just outside the penalty area to the top right corner of the goal. Tottenham 1-0 Birmingham.
    • 48:02 Raniere Sandro delivers the ball, Ben Foster makes a save.
    • 47:33 Jermain Defoe takes a shot. Roger Johnson gets a block in.
    • 47:16 Unfair challenge on Luka Modric by Stephen Carr results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Luka Modric.
    • 45:43 Shot from just outside the box by Keith Fahey misses to the left of the target.
    • 45:01 The referee gets the second half underway.
    • 45:00+1:17 Luka Modric takes a shot. Save made by Ben Foster.
    • Half Time
    • 45:00+1:07 The ref blows to end the first period.
    • 44:30 Free kick taken by Michael Dawson.
    • 44:30 Booking Barry Ferguson receives a caution for unsporting behaviour.
    • 43:57 Barry Ferguson challenges Younes Kaboul unfairly and gives away a free kick.
    • 42:56 Barry Ferguson concedes a free kick for a foul on Jermain Defoe. Tom Huddlestone takes the free kick.
    • 41:21 Danny Rose crosses the ball, Craig Gardner makes a clearance.
    • 38:55 Substitution Roman Pavlyuchenko is brought on as a substitute for Peter Crouch.
    • 37:59 Centre by Tom Huddlestone, Stephen Carr manages to make a clearance.
    • 35:55 Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Luka Modric, Raniere Sandro takes a shot. Blocked by Craig Gardner.
    • 35:32 Luka Modric decides to take a short corner.
    • 34:30 Danny Rose takes a shot. Blocked by Jean Beausejour.
    • 31:44 Centre by Danny Rose, clearance made by Barry Ferguson.
    • 29:59 Unfair challenge on Peter Crouch by Sebastian Larsson results in a free kick. Luka Modric takes the direct free kick.
    • 28:27 The referee gives a free kick against Tom Huddlestone for handball. Free kick taken by Ben Foster.
    • 25:53 Jermain Defoe takes a shot. Save made by Ben Foster.
    • 25:40 Jermain Defoe takes a shot. Roger Johnson gets a block in.
    • 20:04 Peter Crouch has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
    • 18:43 Sebastian Larsson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Danny Rose. Danny Rose takes the free kick.
    • 18:12 Curtis Davies fouled by Peter Crouch, the ref awards a free kick. Ben Foster takes the free kick.
    • 15:32 Jermain Defoe is penalised for a handball. Free kick taken by Ben Foster.
    • Correction – 13:54 Headed effort from deep inside the area by Raniere Sandro misses to the right of the target.
    • 13:54 Headed effort on goal by Ledley King from inside the penalty box misses to the right of the target.
    • 13:29 Luka Modric takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post, Roger Johnson makes a clearance.
    • 13:15 Raniere Sandro takes a shot. Save by Ben Foster.
    • 12:59 Tom Huddlestone takes a shot. Blocked by Barry Ferguson.
    • 10:59 Liam Ridgewell gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Aaron Lennon. Younes Kaboul takes the direct free kick.
    • 9:50 Corner from the right by-line taken by Luka Modric, Tom Huddlestone takes a shot. Keith Fahey gets a block in.
    • 9:07 Ledley King fouled by Cameron Jerome, the ref awards a free kick. Ledley King takes the free kick.
    • 8:17 Luka Modric decides to take the corner short.
    • 7:39 The ball is swung over by Danny Rose, clearance by Roger Johnson.
    • 1:49 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Luka Modric.
    • 0:00 The game begins.

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    Tottenham 2-1 Birmingham