Analysis of the goals conceded against Chelsea (8/5)

Oscar’s goal – Another set piece goal. Mata’s corner is flicked on by Cahill (who is afforded too much room by Dawson), and Parker fails to track Oscar at the back post, leaving him free to head in from close range.

Spurs do not seem particularly organised from this set piece. As usual, we have a man on the front post only, so the back post is unguarded. The eventual goal-scorer, Oscar, is being marked by Parker. Regular readers of this blog will know that his marking from set pieces – or rather his ability to lose his man – is not a new problem.

As the ball comes in, Dawson leaves Cahill in too much room, and Cahill wins the header.

Parker simply doesn’t track Oscar and, as a result, the Chelsea man is left with the simple task of heading in at the back post.

It’s poor from Dawson, and it’s poor from Parker – but a man on the far post would surely clear this.

Ramires’ goal – Ramires lays the ball off, continues his run, and gets on the end of a pass from Torres before toe-poking beyond Lloris.

Chelsea look to spring forward quickly. Our midfield is positioned awfully – Parker has pushed far too high up-field to press Luiz, and can be seen here just on the halfway line, with Ramires at least ten yards ahead of him.

Torres receives the ball wide in space. He beats Huddlestone, and makes a driving run down the line.

As Torres cuts in, note Ramires – he has continued his run, with Parker barely having made up any ground.

Torres slips a pass through, and Vertonghen goes ‘all in’ – lunging to try to cut it out.

Ramires breaks through – Dawson could go to ground, and risk a penalty/sending off, but instead stays on his feet.

That may have worked had Ramires not toe-poked his shot so early – taking Dawson and Lloris by surprise, and finding the bottom corner.

For me, this goal is more about Parker’s positioning than Dawson and Vertonghen’s defending, though – I cannot understand why he had pushed quite so high up the pitch to press Luiz, leaving just Huddlestone and the back four to deal with Chelsea’s talented attacking players. Luiz moving the ball quickly instantly takes Parker out of the game, and a clever run by Ramires to take advantage of this leads to a goal. In my opinion this is a goal that we simply wouldn’t concede with Sandro in the team.