In Trippier’s defence, he’s not very good
Tottenham were hoping to put on a repeat of Liverpool’s Tuesday night heroics against Ajax in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final. They were only one goal down. Score early and it’s game on. Unfortunately for Spurs, they got off to the worst possible start, as Ajax captain Matthijs De Ligt headed in from a corner to give double their lead before ten minutes had passed.
The towering centre-back found himself unmarked at the set-piece, which begged the question: how? How does a top level side leave such a threat in so much space at a set-piece? The answer: Kieran Trippier was marking him. The simplest bit of movement from De Ligt allowed him to escape Trippier among the bodies and beat a static Dele Alli to the ball in the air.
Matthijs de Ligt leaps highest and Ajax are in front within five minutes 👏
Captain. Leader. Future legend. pic.twitter.com/yD8mT8S1iT
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 8, 2019
Trippier probably shouldn’t be marking De Ligt, it’s a David vs Goliath mismatch in terms of physicality, but the right-back still took a lot of stick from Tottenham fans after the goal.
Don’t think I’ve ever hated a professional athlete as much as I hate Trippier
— Jake. (@YedIin) May 8, 2019
https://twitter.com/illsaaaa/status/1126204980803919873
Trippier is about as useful as an ash tray on a motorbike 🙃.
— Andrew (@Datey11) May 8, 2019
If you ever want to see a good horror film, I recommend Kieran Trippier. #COYS
— Tamsin (@OnlyTams_) May 8, 2019
Ajax then doubled their lead through Hakim Ziyech, who buried a cut back from Dusan Tadić with devastating whip.
Game over before the break.
Hakim Ziyech 🔥🔥🔥
Try stopping that!
His 21st goal of the season is a beauty 😍 pic.twitter.com/l2WvSWtAKV
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 8, 2019
