Pundit claims Spurs would not have lost Palace game without player mistake

Garth Crooks has accused Japhet Tanganga of losing his composure in the second half against Crystal Palace after the Tottenham defender saw red.

Tottenham were without several first-team players going into the clash on Saturday, including centre-backs Davinson Sanchez and Cristian Romero, who are serving their mandated quarantine in a training camp in Croatia after flying to South America during the international break.

That meant that Nuno Espirito Santo had to rejig the backline, which had kept three consecutive clean sheets heading into the game.

Tanganga was moved to centre-back to partner Eric Dier and new signing Emerson Royal came in at right-back. Dier subsequently went off injured in the first half, leaving the Lilywhites with an inexperienced pairing of Tanganga and Rodon at the back.

Tanganga then had a couple of minutes of madness after the interval as he first picked up a booking for a tussle with Wilfried Zaha before putting in a mistimed tackle on Jordan Ayew that earned him a second yellow and his marching orders.

The 22-year-old’s sending off meant that Ben Davies had to partner Rodon at centre-back for the final half-hour of the game as the Eagles took full advantage and put three past Hugo Lloris.

Crooks insisted that Tanganga left referee Jonathan Moss with little choice but to send him off after going to ground just minutes after being booked.

The former Spurs man wrote in his column for BBC Sport: “The first thing I want to say about this game is well done referee Jonathan Moss.

“Last season both Japhet Tanganga and Wilfried Zaha would have been sent off for their unseemly display of petulance. However, that’s all it was.

“What came later was sheer madness. To see Tanganga go to ground chasing lost causes two minutes after the previous incident deserved a sending-off.

“Palace wouldn’t have won this game if Spurs had kept 11 players on the pitch but Tanganga lost his composure and his discipline. Zaha, on the other hand, kept his.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Tanganga definitely had a rush of blood to his head as there was no reason for him to go to the ground. However, in the 22-year-old’s defence, he did realise what he was doing and seemed to pull out of the challenge.

So, I do not agree with Crooks’ take that his tackle on Ayew deserved a yellow. I thought the referee got carried away by the reaction of the crowd at Selhurst Park.

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