James Maddison Shushes Critics After Manchester United Triumph
If there was any lingering doubt about whom James Maddison was “shushing” following his decisive goal against Manchester United, he clarified his stance on TikTok. (Where else would he go?) With the caption “COYS,” he juxtaposed Roy Keane’s recent critique of the midfielder on a podcast with footage of his goal from Sunday.
In the podcast, Keane expressed skepticism about Maddison’s impact, stating, “If you’re a player in the Spurs dressing room and he’s back in the squad, you wouldn’t be looking and going, ‘James is back today – we’re going to be fine!’” Ian Wright, the co-host, encouraged Maddison, saying, “You’ve got to silence this, James; you’re the only one who can do it.”
And in Maddison’s eyes, he did just that. After scoring from close range, he sprinted toward the nearest camera, performed his signature dart celebration, and placed his finger to his lips in a gesture of silence.
Keane had previously remarked, “People say, ‘Maddison’s the man’, but when is he going to step up to the plate?” On Sunday, he certainly did.
“There was just a little bit of outside noise this week, wasn’t there?” Maddison reflected after the match. “People have their opinions, and I wanted to do my talking on the pitch today. I’m sure there will be a certain few who enjoyed me being the match-winner today.”
Argument settled. Or was it? What has Maddison truly demonstrated? Every nine-year-old with a bit of football knowledge knows the basic rule when a teammate shoots on goal: “Follow it in!” And any young player who has observed Andre Onana at United knows he is prone to weakly parrying shots, making it likely for someone to capitalize on the rebound. Maddison did just that, netting a simple three-yard tap-in to give Spurs an early lead after just 13 minutes.
But a lead over whom? This is not the formidable Manchester United of yesteryears. While they may not be the worst team to don the club’s colors, they currently languish in 15th place, enduring their worst season in half a century according to their manager.
Given the early stage of the match, it wasn’t immediately evident that Maddison’s goal would be the winner. However, he astutely recognized that the United front line of Rasmus Hojlund (who has not scored in 14 games), Alejandro Garnacho (without a goal in 17 games), and Joshua Zirkzee (just one goal in 13 games) was unlikely to turn the tide.
“It doesn’t surprise me that Madders didn’t accept what was being said about him and chose to fire back,” said Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou after the match. “It’s just brilliant to have him back. He’s a quality player. If you look at his goal tally this year from midfield, it’s still impressive.
“He was frustrated when he got injured, and honestly, we didn’t expect him back for a couple of weeks. But he worked incredibly hard in training and did everything right to make sure he was available. He took his goal well but also played a crucial role in securing our victory.”
So perhaps Maddison’s shushing was more of a preemptive strike, showcasing that this goal would be the cherry on top of an all-around impressive performance. However, it’s also possible that he didn’t fully grasp the nuance of Keane’s critique, as the latter’s comments were more layered than the sensational quotes that made headlines.
“I saw him, James Maddison, at [Manchester] City when they won that game 4-0 and thought he balanced his attacking quality with solid defensive contributions,” Keane elaborated. “I actually said that he set a standard that he needs to maintain. He’s not consistent, and that’s the issue with him.”
Consistency, by its very nature, is difficult to establish overnight. Yet, Tottenham will face Manchester City again in just nine days, providing an obvious opportunity for Maddison to prove that his performance was not merely a fleeting moment of brilliance.
Meanwhile, Spurs will undoubtedly relish the chance to fuel a growing siege mentality. Postecoglou declined to express sympathy for his opposite number, Ruben Amorim, amidst an injury crisis, stating, “Welcome to my world. But do that for two months.”
Spurs are indeed climbing a steep hill, and while one win does not transform their fortunes, just as one goal from Maddison does not erase the criticisms directed at him, both have the potential to ignite a spark within Tottenham that could turn their season around.
