Analysis of the goal conceded against QPR (30/10)
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Bothroyd’s goal – a Barton corner is helped into the danger area by Helguson, and Bothroyd heads home at the back post.
As Joey Barton floats a deep corner across, Spurs have adopted a strange zonal/man marking hybrid – there are some players man-marking (King seems to have Helguson, Parker has Wright-Phillips), but some players are just in general areas – Kaboul is one such player who has the job of making it difficult for players to find space, but is not marking anyone in particular.
As the ball lands in the area, first notice how Wright-Phillips has got away from Parker, and now stands totally unmarked in an area similar to the one from which Formica scored against us last week in similar circumstances. Also note how Kaboul has come across to attempt to get under the ball. King is beaten by the flight, but has attempted to block Helguson’s route to the ball, and make it as difficult as possible.
Helguson is very strong and good in the air, though, and sends an intelligent header across the box.
There is a total mis-match at the back post, where Assou-Ekotto is marking Bothroyd. Bizarre as Bale, who is fairly strong in the air, is on the post.
Assou-Ekotto attempts to jump into Bothroyd to make it difficult, but it is a fairly straightforward header for the forward.
The second goal conceded from a set piece in two weeks, and in both cases we have missed both the original header, and then failed to clear the second ball.
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Sweetsman
Prefer the Gomes approach even if he does make the odd flap or blunder.
At 6'.2'' the second ball inside the six yard box should be his.
Thought we were beaten in the air quite often and in fact in the second half Kaboul was dropping off and not challenging.
Usually a strength of KKing and Kaboul
JimmyG2 - Definitely agree that Friedel is less pro-active than Gomes, but Friedel has given us a lot of stability IMO.
Anon @ 22:24 - Bothroyd's strength and movement made a big difference to QPR but you're right, we didn't adjust at all.
Anon @ 06:02 - I thought King did enough, not sure what Kaboul was trying to achieve.
Bonse - good spot!
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Dirk Nowitzki
Unfortunately for us the headed cross was equally well flighted so we look at the three responsible there; Bale could have come off the line and pressured the striker, but had he done so and we still conceded we would'nt spend long deciding who was at fault, so for his part, better to stay on that post, you know where you are, your keeper knows where you are, thats two out of three variables sorted.
Benny was challenging the striker, with the flight of the ball to be able to intercept he would have had to get infront of the striker before the cross, defensive suicide more often than not but we could have hoped for him making it a little less comfortable.
Friedle could have come and claimed it, he was a little leaden in the foot department probably anticipating an initial attempt rather than the cross, I feel this would have been the best option due to the extra protection keepers tend to get in such a situation.
Had any one of the above points been different we could have been looking at a clean sheet, however in this case (brad aside) i think we do have to do something not natural to football fans and say fair play, they got the fundamentals right and were rewarded for it.
bonse - I think that's a very balanced appraisal. That is certainly Friedel's main weakness, but I guess you have to take the rough with the smooth, and he has been so solid so far.