STEPHEN CARR
For a three year period, Stephen Carr was possibly the most consistent right-back in the Premier League. A robust, stout individual but one who despite the perception of being unathletic could and did not stop running for the full 90 minutes. A reliable defender who would hassle left wingers not allowing them opportunities to deliver killer balls, but it was in the other final third that he became a somewhat hidden gem.
On October 23rd, 1999 he famously scored a rocket against Manchester United in a rain-soaked encounter, the goal soared past Fabien Barthez from a 45 degree angle from 30 yards out, the shot was as true as an arrow.
That goal won Carr great acclaim, and anytime he ventured forward he was encouraged to repeat the trick and while lightning rarely strikes twice, there is another goal he scored that deserves further appraisal.
On the last day of the season, Sunday 14th May 2000 – the same season as the Manchester United strike - Tottenham were at home against a Sunderland side that had exceeded expectations finishing 7th with Kevin Phillips scoring over 30 goals in a season.
In a drab typical end of season affair not much is memorable in a 3-1 home victory apart from near the end in the 82nd minute. With Sunderland throwing bodies forward for an equaliser, Carr intercepted a cross from the right hand side and pounced on his own interception 30 yards from his own penalty area. He headed the ball clear away and gave chase when others would have deemed it a lost cause, he kept the ball in play by the touchline and found open space ahead of him due to the over-commitment of Sunderland going forward. Then Carr found himself alone 25 yards from goal devoid of support from teammates. As he entered the penalty area he tried something.
Ahead of him the Sunderland keeper Thomas Sorenson is off his line not sensing danger and with the ball at the corner of the 18 yard box, he attempted to pull off an audacious chip to the far corner and has the chip went in the air, a hush descended around the stadium as they waited for the ball to land.
When it landed in the far side of the net, a beautiful roar of disbelief, admiration and joy. Stephen Carr had just put the icing on a convincing win with a goal that was more unbelievable due to it being achieved by a right back - it was a goal of speed, determination and at the end pure grace akin to another former Tottenham hero who scored a wonderful chip – Glenn Hoddle (v Watford, 1984).
Being Tottenham fan, it seems without the promise of glory in
competitions, we still have great goals to savour and remember from Hoddle to
Waddle and Gascoigne to Ginola. Stephen
Carr provided it not once but twice in a season; the United goals is more
fondly remembered – the opposition, the weather, the surprise of the strike and
it lives on in the annals of Sky Sports’ coverage. Yet the only clip of the
goal is a grainy YouTube clip that seems to be running at a different speed,
yet you can see how audacious the goal is. A goal scored by a player at the
height of his confidence capable of taking on a whole team on his own as if you
were in the playground.
Playing right back yourself growing up there is an affinity
towards players like Carr and those who came before and after him; at Tottenham
there have been some good versions of the right back from Dean Austin and Alan
Hutton to the modern day Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier. Carr was at the forefront of an altering
landscape for full backs. Gone were the days were you were meant to just defend
like Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn, a full back could venture forward if your
end product of crossing or shot was worthwhile and you can see it now in the
development of players such as Gareth Bale, Seamus Coleman and now Trent Alexander Arnold – these players dazzle and entertain but all bomb forward seeking to
score goals but they can do so due to the initial ventures of players like
Stephen Carr.
No comments:
Post a Comment