DEFEAT & DRAMA: SCOTT PARKER'S 'HURTING' OVER BURNLEY PENALTY INCIDENT
Burnley boss Scott Parker expressed "huge frustration" after a late collapse saw his side concede twice in the final minutes to lose 3-1 to Brentford, questioning a key penalty.
Burnley manager Scott Parker said he felt huge frustration after a late collapse led to their fourth straight defeat.
The Clarets were on track for a hard-earned point against Brentford until the 81st minute.
"There's huge frustration; it hurts," he admitted.
Parker noted the difficulty of the match, saying, “We knew how tough it would be. Brentford has had some big wins here against teams like Liverpool, United, Villa, and Newcastle.
He continued, In the first half, play went back and forth. We defended well when we needed to, especially against their set plays and crosses. We also had chances of our own.
“In the second half, they put even more pressure on us, and we couldn't get control of the game. Still, we defended well until the last 10 minutes.
Parker mentioned the penalty that went against them, saying, “Was it a penalty? We got back in the game and showed character to make it 1-1.
“My frustration comes from conceding a goal within 30 seconds of scoring. It's happened before this year, like against United. We're trying to understand why, but that's what's so frustrating today.
“We can accept losing in this league, but it's the way we lost at the end that hurts.
Axel Tuanzebe was penalised for the foul that led to Igor Thiago's penalty goal.
The defender seemed to touch the ball, but the referee ruled it a foul from behind.
Asked about the penalty, Parker said, “Everyone’s asking me about it, so there must be a question mark. Live, it didn’t look like a penalty. It looked like Axel got a touch.
“But we have VAR now, and someone miles away can look at it in slow motion, so I hope they made the right call. I can’t say for sure until I see it again.”
CONOR GALLAGHER CONFIRMED AS "VITAL" STARTER FOR SPURS FOLLOWING BENTANCUR’S INJURY LAYOFF
Conor Gallagher proved the doubters wrong against Man City. Discover why his €40m move to Tottenham is finally paying off for Spurs.
Chelsea and Atletico Madrid both decided Conor Gallagher wasn’t worth the trouble. At Chelsea, he had his moments—Pochettino liked him, but the fans never really warmed up. When Chelsea shipped him off to Atletico, it made sense. Enzo Fernandez stepped up, took over Gallagher’s role, and fit in perfectly next to Caicedo, with Cole Palmer adding that extra spark up front.
Things didn’t get much better for Gallagher in Spain. He barely got a chance at Atleti, lost his spot in the starting eleven, and pretty much ended up on the transfer list before anyone had time to blink. Interest was lukewarm at best until the winter window rolled around. Aston Villa wanted him and went after him pretty aggressively, but then Tottenham swooped in late. Spurs needed someone to patch up the midfield after Bentancur’s injury, so they just paid up—40 million euros, no hesitation.
His start at Tottenham? Rough. Honestly, that was to be expected. He’d played well at Palace before, but after his struggles at Atleti, he needed time to adjust. Sitting on the bench in Spain didn’t do him any favours.
Then Gallagher showed up. People doubted whether he could really add creativity and move the ball forward for Spurs, so his early struggles got people worried. But then came the 2-2 draw against Manchester City. He suddenly looked like the player both Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank were so desperate to sign.
Against City, Gallagher flipped the script. He set up a crucial assist, drove play forward on the dribble, and kept drawing fouls—everything the Spurs needed. Defensively, he was all over the place in a good way: two tackles, three interceptions, a full 90 minutes, and a huge part of the Spurs clawing their way back into the game.
Tottenham fans loved it. They saw the effort, the attitude, and the hunger to win. Gallagher just wouldn’t quit, and in that second half, he, Xavi Simons, Pape Matar Sarr, Destiny Udogie, and Dominic Solanke ran the show. Four of those guys have been carrying Spurs lately, so Gallagher is fitting right in with them. That’s a pretty good sign he’s going to work out just fine in North London.
AC MILAN MEDICAL FAILURE: THE HIDDEN KNEE INJURY THAT CRUSHED MATETA’S £30M MOVE
Jean-Philippe Mateta's £30m move to AC Milan is OFF. Discover why a failed medical has put his France World Cup dreams in jeopardy.