Former Arsenal player Paul Merson contended that Gabriel Magalhaes’ decisive goal for the Gunners against Tottenham should have been disallowed due to a prior foul committed by the defence.
Gabriel netted the sole goal of the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, directing Bukayo Saka’s corner into the net with a header in the 64th minute. It secured a vital victory for Mikel Arteta’s team, who overcame the unavailability of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard to obtain all three points.
Merson was there in the Sky Sports studio for the match, along by former Tottenham striker Les Ferdinand. Despite their former club rivalry, both individuals concurred that the goal should not have been validated.
What is the cause of the sensation? Gabriel discovered space within the Spurs’ penalty area before scoring, with an implication that his opportunity sprang from an unlawful shove on opponent Cristian Romero, but both acknowledged that the Argentine could have exhibited greater resilience.
Merson expressed disappointment at the prospect of not receiving a foul. His positioning is incorrect; all aspects of his defensive are flawed.
He is an international center-half; even I am aware of this, despite not playing in a defensive position, since one must be positioned sideways. You must observe both the ball and your teammate. Initially, you must maintain a distance equivalent to a hand’s length as he stands beside you. I would anticipate a foul.
Ferdinand stated, “I believe that if a centre forward engages in such behaviour, the referee would penalise him for a foul.” They do not even regard it. He requires greater strength. The defence is inadequate, however he does receive a push in his back.
Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou expressed no objections regarding the legitimacy of the winning goal, however he remained exasperated by his team’s momentary slip of focus. The loss positions his club in 13th place, having accrued only four points from four matches thus far.
I believed it was a well contested match throughout. “We managed it predominantly and commenced effectively,” Postecoglou stated on Match of the Day. We failed to capitalise on the opportunity and could not gain the upper hand.
“We lost focus for the goal.” We have formidable players who aggressively pursue the ball, and we momentarily lost focus.
I believe I have expressed my thoughts. Overall, we dominated the game today, maintaining advantageous territory and possession; nevertheless, we failed to capitalise on these opportunities and faced consequences.
