Analysis of the goal conceded against Panathinaikos (6/12)
Zeca’s goal – Panathinaikos move the ball wide and Giourkas Spyropoulos whips in a cross. Zeca loses his marker, Naughton, and powers a diving header across Friedel and into the far post.
Panathinaikos came out with a lot more intent in the second half, and Spurs tended to sit off them. Look how easy we make it for them to pick up the ball centrally in our half…
…push it wide to Spyropoulos…
…and put in a cross. Lennon doesn’t get close enough to stop the cross coming in, but notice Naughton at the back post, his man (Zeca) making a run off him.
Naughton ball-watches and leaves Zeca with an unchallenged header.
It is a fantastic header back across Friedel and into the far post…
…although I do wonder whether Friedel could have come to try to punch or even claim the ball. As the cross is played in, Friedel is closer to where the ball ends up than Zeca, which tells me something.
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1) He must assume that Naughton is round on the cover and should be dealing with his man.
2) The cross is a bit of a whipper, and an out-swinger, moving away from Friedel all the time.
3) Zeca has all the momentum, making the run from deep and Friedel is stationary on his line. Even if he is closer to where the ball ends up than Zeca, there's no guarantee he'll get there first.
But in all, a very avoidable goal. Naughton particularly at fault.
I think Naughton had a decent game overall, but had a hard time because of very poor cover from Dempsey. He did OK, bar a few mishaps where this particular one ended up as a goal against.
On the plus side it looks like he's been working on being a sweeper keeper and when we have possession he was an outlet.
Naughton is getting better all the time, not many players would be considered to play left back when right footed.
AVB must see something there.
COYS
Disagree on Naughton though - think he's quite poor and, at 24, he needs to be showing more to keep his place in our squad.
Personally i would have chosen greater reaction time over advanced positioning in this case, but i doubt either would have made a difference and realy we have been excusing some very poor defending on friedel staying on his line or lloris coming out too soon. We have to go back to thinking of saves by the goal keeper as a last ditch attempt to prevent a goal, not our first line of defence
Half the goals this season have been put down to Freidel staying on his line, most of which I personally have placed on defensive errors and primarily on Gallas's poor recent form. If we look at Tim Howard, the master of his 6 yard box and no further, when he concedes a goal the defence is scoured looking for the cause, occaisionally it is because he stays on his line a little too long, yet it seems Spurs get a free ticket to spot the problem just by pointing at Freidel and turning a blind eye to vert's occaisional errors or Caulkers. Gallas played terribly against man utd, had not been for a dodgy leg and a convenient scape goat he may not even have got man of the match! seriousley though, i urge people to rewatch it with gallas in mind
The golden rule of defence is not to stop the goal, its to stop the shot, and that's what we're failing to do.
BF's problem all season has been he starting position, he is too scared of being lobbed, or being caught out. His cautious positioning allows our defenders, especially when they are caught out be skill or a mistake to be exposed.
As I still feel physically sick whenever I think about the last 4 minutes of yesterday's game, it'd be really great if you could do your time-honoured analysis, as a form of catharsis...
Lord knows I need it... :)
Best wishes
AlSpur