Tottenham Hotspur claimed their second win of the season with a 3-1 victory over Brentford, but James Maddison’s goal celebration has sparked some criticism.
Bryan Mbeumo stunned Spurs with a goal just 25 seconds into the match, but Tottenham responded swiftly. Dominic Solanke scored his first goal for the club, tapping in from close range to equalise.
Shortly after, Brennan Johnson put Spurs ahead with a brilliant strike, making it 2-1.
Maddison then sealed the win in the dying minutes with a delightful chip over the Brentford goalkeeper, sending the Spurs fans into a frenzy.
However, his celebration drew criticism after he removed his shirt and threw it into the air, resulting in a yellow card.
Former Tottenham scout Bryan King expressed his displeasure with Maddison’s celebration, telling Tottenham News:
“It was a quality finish from Maddison. However, what was him taking his shirt off in the celebrations all about? Where does that come from? It meant that he picked up a cheap yellow card. He made his point by scoring a very good goal. I’d have understood if he had a message on a t-shirt underneath, but he was just wearing a plain vest.”
King added that while he didn’t consider it disrespectful, the unnecessary yellow card and the removal of the club shirt could have been avoided, noting:
“What is the point of taking it off and throwing it in the air? A lot of people regard that as disrespectful. I wouldn’t go as far as saying that. However, it doesn’t need to be done.”
“I’d imagine someone will say something about that, perhaps Postecoglou. The last thing a sponsor would want to see is the shirt lying in a crumpled heap. How much more effective would his celebration have been if he had the Tottenham shirt on.”
Maddison has faced criticism recently for his lack of goal contributions but looked to be back in form against Brentford.
While Ange Postecoglou may have a word with him about the yellow card, King’s criticism seems a bit harsh given the significance of the win.
