September 15th 2024.
In the intense North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham, it was Gabriel who silenced the home crowd with his powerful header in the 64th minute, securing the win for the Gunners. However, it was Tottenham's defender Cristian Romero who faced criticism for his role in Arsenal's winning goal.
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright pointed out that Romero made it "very easy" for Arsenal to score their winner. He noted that the Argentine defender was unable to hold off Gabriel, allowing him to easily head the ball into the net. Wright acknowledged that there could have been a case for a foul, but ultimately believed that Romero should have put more pressure on Gabriel.
Meanwhile, legendary striker Alan Shearer was even more scathing in his criticism of Romero. He stated that there was only one player who showed determination to win the duel, while Romero seemed content to be pushed off the ball. Another Arsenal great, Paul Merson, also sympathized with Tottenham for not being awarded a free kick, but also pointed out that Romero failed to properly defend against Bukayo Saka's corner kick.
Merson highlighted Romero's poor positioning and lack of awareness in his defending. He emphasized the importance of being side on to the ball and the opponent, and being at least a hand's length away. As an international center back, Merson expected better from Romero and believed that he should have been able to draw a foul in that situation.
It was clear that Tottenham's defense, especially Romero, was vulnerable from set pieces, as was also evident in their previous meeting with Arsenal. The Italian goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario, was also criticized for his "unconvincing" display by club legend Glenn Hoddle. The defeat was a tough pill to swallow for Tottenham, who will have to regroup and address their defensive weaknesses before the next derby.
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