Analysis of the goal conceded against Blackpool (7/5)

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Adam’s goal – having brilliantly saved a penalty just seconds earlier, Gomes makes recklessly challenges Taylor-Fletcher in the box, and Adam converts this time.

Adam, who has just saved his penalty brilliantly turned around the post by Gomes, quickly trots off to take the corner, and Spurs are caught out a little, and do not mark properly.

The corner is played to the near post, and Gomes meets it with a punch.

Gomes, presumably still buzzing from his fine save, chases after the ball, and tries to claim it a second time.

He has it in his hands, but it escapes as he clatters into Rose and Baptiste.

He goes after it again, but Gary Taylor-Fletcher nicks it past him.

Gomes makes a desperate attempt to get to the ball…

…and does make contact with Taylor-Fletcher. The contact is probably not enough to send him sprawling to the floor, but it’s certainly there.

Adam and Campbell argued on the halfway line over who was going to take the second penalty, but Adam eventually steps up, and powers the ball into the corner, with Gomes diving the wrong way.

I can’t help but feel that Gomes’ exhilaration in saving the first penalty caused him to chase after the ball here. He seemed to be buzzing after making the stop, and had a sudden rush of confidence which meant that he felt that he could get to the ball. He should have claimed the loose ball second time around but, having spilled it, he should have backed off and let the defenders close Taylor-Fletcher out.

Some general points on the game:

• I thought that both penalties were legitimate – Dawson got a slight nudge for the first, but nothing substantial.
• Aside from the penalty that he conceded, Gomes had a really positive game, making fine saves from Campbell and Adam, and then obviously his penalty save. This has been the problem with Gomes this season – we are often left saying  “except for x, …”.
• Adam’s tackle on Bale was dangerous but, in my opinion, not intentionally malicious. The “downward” tackle generally looks bad but I would say that Adam is trying to plant his foot to allow himself to muscle Bale off the ball. However, the recklessness of the movement could easily have earned him a red card, and I could see him being retrospectively punished.
• Spurs underperformed (yet again) and were generally very poor in the penalty area. Both strikers had a poor first half and, other than his fine finish, Defoe was largely anonymous in the second.
• The team selection, with Lennon again on the bench, left us lop-sided for long periods. 
• Sandro and Modric continued to work well together, and were our best players throughout the match. This pairing is looking better and better, and bodes well for next season (if we can hang on to them both).
• Danny Rose had an impressive game in an unfamiliar left back role. I said before the game that I felt that it was a huge risk playing him at left back, and that it was actually unfair of Redknapp to play him there. In hindsight I was totally wrong and, aside from a few positional issues, he put in a fine performance (and should keep his place if Assou-Ekotto is still unavailable on Tuesday).