Pedro Porro
Tottenham Hotspur faced a setback at St. James’ Park as they were unable to prevent Fabian Schar’s opening goal for Newcastle United in their recent Carabao Cup clash. The goal, which came in the 24th minute, was a result of a corner taken by Sandro Tonali, with Schar heading it past Antonin Kinsky. Despite protests from the Spurs players, the goal stood, leading to discussions about the defensive setup and the circumstances surrounding the set-piece.
Pedro Porro said: “Pedro Porro is leading the charge and having a word with referee Chris Kavanagh for allowing them to take that set-piece when Djed Spence was still tying his shoelaces.”
Sue Smith added: “All the talk was about set-pieces – and how good Spurs were – both managers conceded that Newcastle also were [dangerous]. He’s still putting his boot on. Manages to stand up, but you see, Schar, it’s too easy. I think it’s [Lucas] Bergvall making him. Certainly, Fabian Schar was.”
Jamie Redknapp said: “It’s certainly a contentious one. If you actually look at the corner before the goal, you can see Djed Spence has an important role in this goal. There’s Spurs’ set-up, and they’ve got a few players in good areas, Djed is there marking [Malick] Thiaw and [Nick] Woltemade – marking zonal as well. Now they [Newcastle] try to do a clever one here with Harvey Barnes attacking the ball, they’ve [Spurs] got a numerical advantage when that happens. What subsequently happens when they get their next corner, [Anthony] Elanga and Djed Spence go in for a challenge. Elanga’s boot actually caught Djed Spence’s. Spence gets his studs caught in his boot so his laces are messed up. He’s got to get his shoes back on. I’m not one who gives footballer’s a lot of sympathy, but I genuinely have sympathy for him here. Pedro Porro is going to say to him [the referee]; ‘Just wait’. You’ve got Richarlison; ‘Just wait a second here’. The numerical advantage that Newcastle have plays an important role.”
The incident highlighted the challenges Tottenham faced in maintaining their defensive organization during set-pieces. The discussion centered around Djed Spence’s unfortunate situation, where he was left out of position due to an equipment issue, which Newcastle capitalized on. This lapse allowed Schar to score unchallenged, raising questions about the timing of the corner and the referee’s decision to allow play to continue.
The match served as a reminder of the importance of concentration and readiness during set-pieces, especially in high-stakes matches like the Carabao Cup. Tottenham will need to address these defensive vulnerabilities to avoid similar situations in future encounters.
About The Author
