Crowded house and Vorm switches off

THE first goal was an error by Michel Vorm, Tottenham’s secondstring keeper. Liverpool targeted him by crowding the six-yard box and placing him under pressure with flat deliveries in to the area in front of him.

This might be down to Vorm’s lack of height but Hugo Lloris is only 4cm taller. In reality it’s just their basic ability to deal with high balls.

When closely marked by an opponent, a keeper faces the choice whether to place a marker (Vertonghen) in between themselves and the opponent (Van Dijk) so there can be less direct interference, or put the marker the other side of the opponent.

This only gives the keeper one player to come over. In this case (top picture), Vertonghen is marking in between and does his job well, containing Van Dijk enough that he can’t jump at the ball and giving Vorm the space he needs to get a run on the ball. It should be enough for Vorm to punch cleanly.

Vorm needed to attack the ball so that he punches through it and his momentum guards against any challenge from Van Dijk.

The tactic of crowding the area to disturb Vorm works as he loses focus as he reaches over Van Dijk and misjudges the punch.