Analysis of the goal conceded against Stevenage (7/3)

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Joel Byrom’s goalByrom makes a burst forward in the inside right channel – Nelsen goes with him, but rather than shepherding him out, he tries to nick the ball. Byrom sends Cudicini the wrong way from the resulting penalty.

Kranjcar is slow into a challenge in the midfield area.

Byrom bursts beyond him, and looks to run past Nelsen.

Nelsen is quite slow on the turn, but seems to have done enough to shepherd Byrom out (or at least into a less dangerous area).

Instead, he makes a desperate lunge in an attempt to nick the ball. He misses the ball, and clips Byrom.

Byrom’s penalty is taken expertly, sending Cudicini the wrong way.

Analysis of the goals conceded against Manchester United (4/3)

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Rooney’s goal – Rooney makes a run ahead of Walker, and meets Young’s corner to score from close range.

Walker’s headed clearance from a United free kick loops into the air, and Friedel seems to slightly misjudge his position. The ball is seemingly going over the bar, but he elects to punch it over to make sure.

As the corner is about to be taken, Kyle Walker has a close eye on Rooney.

Walker seems to be paying more attention to Rooney than the ball but, as the kick is taken, Rooney makes a burst ahead of him.

That tiny bit of movement is enough to get him a yard of space, and so he is able to make the header largely unchallenged.

The ball is past Friedel before he can react.

Young’s first goal – Spurs are caught out defensively by a quick throw-in, and Nani runs clear. His cross is partially blocked by Kaboul, and then half-cleared by Walker, but runs through to Young who acrobatically scissor-kicks home.

Phil Jones takes a quick throw-in to Nani. Modric has failed to mark properly, meaning that Nani has a free run in behind.

Our defenders do relatively well to close off the options…

…and Nani takes a chance in just feeding the ball across goal. Kaboul manages to half-block the ball, and the deflection takes it beyond Friedel.

Kyle Walker should hack this away with his left foot, but is presumably worried about slicing the ball on the goal line, so attempts to clear with his stronger right foot.

Unfortunately his weak clearance comes straight out to Young. He still has an awful lot to do, with not much goal to aim at and the ball at an awkward height. He manages to scissor-kick the ball into the bottom corner, leaving Friedel no chance.

Young’s second goal – Spurs are caught pushing too many players forward at once, and as Evra charges down the left, he finds Young beyond our midfield. He is given time to line up a shot, and finds the far corner.

United have possession at the back, with little pressure on the ball. It is played wide to Evra, who has space to push on.

Evra charges forward, unchallenged, and is able to slide a pass in to Young, who has got beyond our midfield. Kaboul is wary of Welbeck making a run in behind, so cannot instantly come out to press the ball.

As Young advances and winds up to shoot, Kaboul makes a late charge…

But unfortunately it is too little, too late, and Young picks out the far corner in some style.