While we’re waiting for this evening’s games, let’s take one more look back at one of the goals from the weekend.
Tottenham’s second goal against Swansea came, yet again, from the left foot of Gareth Bale – but there was far more to it that just the Welshman’s admittedly stunning finish.
Step-by-step…
One of the improved, yet ignored, aspects of this Tottenham team this season has been their collective work-rate – and in this particular instance, it’s Aaron Lennon’s hassling of Michel Vorm which prevents Swansea from playing the ball comfortably from the back and begins the sequence of events which led to the second goal.
Vorm’s lofted clearances pushes Ashley Williams out-wide, and because of more Tottenham pressing – this time from Emmanuel Adebayor – the Swansea captain is forced to attempt an awkward headed clearance rather than casually taking the ball under control.
When the clearance drops, Scott Parker is able to exert enough pressure on the attending Swansea players to prevent the home side from retaining possession…
…instead, Jan Vertonghen, who has read the play quicker than the home side’s forwards, is able to pick the ball up and drive into the Swansea half. This again demonstrates the Belgian’s worth, with him having the ability on the ball and the offensive ambition to progress forward rather than just settling for an easy lay-off to a teammate.
Vertonghen fizzes a pass into Gareth Bale, whose first-touch gets the ball out of his feet and allows him an immediate shooting opportunity.
The positioning on the shot is fairly precise, but it’s the speed at which it’s taken that renders Vorm helpless. The Swansea keeper is expecting another touch before Bale lets fly, and when that doesn’t happen he isn’t afforded the time to move his feet and make the initial steps before attempting the save.
This goal is actually a rather neat summation of why it’s so easy to dismiss Tottenham as just a ‘one-man team’ – the focus is all on the eye-catching finish, and the collective effort which led to the chance in the first place is ignored. Bale is Spurs’ glossy exterior – clearly – but his brilliance this season has frequently disguised the inner workings of the team around him, and the system which has been installed to allow him to thrive.
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