Teflon Jan

Of the centre-backs that played yesterday, one got almost sole blame for us letting in three goals.

Michael Dawson

Nobody would suggest he had the best of games, but it is amazing how little Jan Vertonghen receieves. It's as if large numbers of our fans have a dogmatic denial of Vertonghen actually being at fault at all.

Let's look at the goals...

GOAL #1
Corner comes in. Jan jumps, completely misses, and gives Reid two bites at the cherry to score.


GOAL #2
Jan lets Vaz Te have a free run despite being shoulder to shoulder, and lets Dawson deal with him. After he turns Dawson, Jan still fails to track his run.

GOAL #3
The midfield put no pressure on the passer, the usual Achilles ball between CB and FB from last season lets Morrison in to score.



Now Jan is solely at fault for #1, equally (if not more) at fault for #2.

Dawson shares the blame for #2, and is a part of the blame for #3.


Yet Teflon Jan largely escapes blame, and not for the first time.

Why is this?