Every now and then, especially when our form is not great, one player becomes a lightning rod for criticism. Lucas Leiva had it. Jordan Henderson had it. Gini got it too. Now it’s Joe Gomez
You get a mentality where no matter what has happened, critics will start actively looking ways to blame the player for anything that go’s wrong. Highlighting Gomez’ role in the second is a good example of this. It’s absolutely wild to apportion any blame on Gomez for what Ali does, but here we are. He is the lightning rod. It must be his fault. Somehow.
Let’s go through this.
For fucks sake, it’s an outrageous goal, and sometimes we have to applaud ability rather look for mistakes. Swap over Gomez and Van Dijk there if you want, it’s not getting stopped.
In the build up I’d like about five of our players to get closer to Madrid and actually put in a tackle, or take the foul, but it’s hardly Gomez’ ‘fault’.
Not all his fault? Not his fault in the slightest.
Bajcetic loses the ball high up the pitch, and the ball loops into the air towards our own goal. Gomez get in front of Vinicius, controls the ball, and plays a routine back pass to the best Goalkeeper in the fucking world. Who then inexplicably twats it against Vinicius and into his own goal.
There is simply no part of that that is Gomez’s fault. When I watched it happen the thought did cross my mind that at least no-one can pin that on Joe. How naive of me!
Yeah, it’s a soft free kick, but that happens.
I’m more concerned about what happens next. The complete immobility of the entire defensive line (including Gomez) as the ball is whipped in, Trent allowing Militao a free run from the back post, and Darwin’s lazy attempt at a block (The Gomez style jump in the air and turn your back effort, but we like him so it’s sound)
This is the one where he is most culpable, and he is perhaps a bit lazy in how he moves for the block. But it’s a defection. It happens and it’s unlucky.
So there we go. Some culpability for a couple of the goals, but in no way was his performance the car crash that is being described. It was a poor team performance, but he was hardly the worst, while being nowhere near the best. Probably somewhere in the middle. Maybe lower middle at worst.
I’m sure what follows now is a load of snide posts that I’m in love with Joe, or I’m obsessed or something. Cos that what we do on the internet - if someone disagrees let’s act like they have taken the most absurdly over the top position so it’s easy to ridicule them.
I’m not in love with him. If he goes in the summer I’ll remain of the option that it’s a stupid decision, but I won’t shed any tears. I don’t think on form he can expect to be starting when everyone is fit. I don’t think he looks like he’s getting back to the level he showed prior to doing his knee for the third time.
But when some people are trying to blame him for Alisson fucking up a routine backpass, it’s obvious that we’ve crossed a threshold from fair criticism to absurd scapegoating.
