Analysis of the goals conceded against Fulham (30/01)


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A disasterous performance!

Murphy’s first goal.

Unfortunately the clips that I’ve managed to find don’t show the full passage of play in all of it’s hideous glory. For those that didn’t see it, Dawson plays a pass to Hutton without looking, and Dempsey nips in to take advantage. Hutton manages to shepherd him wide, and it seems like the danger has been averted.

Hutton then suddenly makes a tackle with his left foot (1. he should stay on his feet, and 2. why not his right?!), totally missing the ball, and instead tripping Dempsey. It’s unfortunately a nailed-on penalty.

Murphy is an excellent penalty taker, but this isn’t his finest effort. It still nestles in the corner, though.

Murphy’s second goal.

From bad to worse.

Dawson is in possession on the edge of the box, with Dembele (who is quite quick) pressing.

Inexplicably he tries a Cruyff turn to try to retain possession.

Dembele steals the ball, and bursts into the box.

Dawson makes a desperate grab for his shirt. Credit to Dembele – he plays on and gets a shot away. Phil Dowd however pulls play back, awards the penalty, and sends Dawson off. Some have argued that Bassong was coming round on the cover, and that a red card was harsh – I have to disagree. The fact that Dembele got a shot away unchallenged in spite of having his shirt pulled illustrates that this was a clear goal-scoring opportunity and, by the letter of the law, it was the correct decision.

Murphy passes this one into the other corner with ease.

 
Hangeland’s goal.

Another poor piece of defending, this time from a set piece. Clearly shaken by the events of the previous few minutes, our defence totally loses concentration. Duff’s corner to the near post is flicked on by, of all people, Andrew Johnson, who has easily lost Assou-Ekotto.

Bassong is marking the danger man, Hangeland.

But Bassong is watching the ball, and not paying close attention to what Hangeland is doing.

This leaves a painfully simple tap-in at the back post. Shambolic!

Dembele’s goal.

Bassong’s day doesn’t get much better, as he picks up from where Dawson left off.

He has followed Dembele to the halfway line (after Sandro was taken off, we had no dedicated holding midfield player as such, with Modric generally the deepest).

Dembele faces Bassong up – he can clearly see a huge space in behind him, and fancies his chances.

A slight shimmy is all it takes.

He’s round Bassong, and running at Gallas, who now has to leave his man and come across.

Watching the video shows how Bassong just ambles back – he’s totally given up on retrieving the situation. Gallas comes across, but doesn’t do enough to stop him getting the shot away.

Another slight sideways movement is enough to buy Dembele the space to unleash the shot, and he plants it in the bottom corner. Is Gomes at full stretch? Hard to blame him really, it’s pretty well struck. A very poor piece of decision-making from Bassong, and then a real lack of desire to get back and make the challenge.

Join the conversation

  1. Disagree about the Dawson sending off, by the letter of the law he would have to have denied a goal scoring opportunity of which he didnt as Dembele took his shot which Gomes saved. The ref can pull it back for the penalty as it was a foul but Dawson should not have been sent off.
  2. tottenhamthinktank - you cannot be serious? Dawson pulled the shirt of Dembele and put him off his shot. The clearest sending off ever. Dawson was at fault for the first 2 goals. The first one, yes Hutton should not be tackling, but he was already put under pressure unnecessarily by Dawson. One to forget for Dawson. Whilst I agree with his punishment, isn't it a tad harsh to punish him 3 times? Penalty + Red card + 3 game suspension?
  3. What if Debele had scored rather than Gomes saving - Would Dawson of still been sent off??
  4. It's only a 1 game suspension. not 3.
  5. Totally agree with Thinktank. Dawson was not holding the jersey when Dembele shot therefore he had a clear shot on goal and Dawson did not deny him that opportunity. They talk about passages of play!! A penalty and a yellow card would have been more appropriate. If Dembele had scored with his shot........?? Anyway what about all the pulling and hauling of players at corners etc. There has to be some kind of balance here.
  6. The fact is Dawson was stupid to try and foul him at all. Dumb thing to do.
  7. The fact is that Dawson was an idiot to try and turn the Fulham player in the first place! Having just conceded an idiotic goal, why mess around with it there? A player of his experience should have hoofed that ball up field, out of danger.
  8. Because we didn't have a target man up front Gomes was right to play short balls to defenders.
    He usually plays these to Ekotot who has the skill to make himself space.
    Dawson does not.
    Fulham pressed us high up the pitch until they were three goals up and then packed everyone behind the ball.

    Game set and match to Hughes on the field, in his head, and on the chalkboards before the game.

    Not the first time we've self destructed early in a game but no Bale to 'bail' us out if you will excuse the pun.

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