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Tyler Adams was “stupid” for making a tackle that he knew would get him sent off for Leeds United at Tottenham, said Tim Sherwood.
In the closing minutes of the 4-3 defeat against Antonio Conte’s side, Adams picked up a second booking for taking out Yves Bissouma as the Whites were desperately searching for a leveller, having given up the lead three times to trail.
The American is in the USMNT squad for the World Cup in Qatar and Sherwood suggested that the summer signing had given up on the Premier League game, with the momentum finally in the home side’s favour, and was ready to turn his attentions to internationals.
Speaking live on Soccer Saturday for Sky Sports on Saturday evening he said: “Adams has been sent off, second yellow card. Bissouma, who’s just come on as a sub, has burst past him. It’s a stupid tackle because he knows as soon as he makes the tackle he’s going to get sent off.
“It’s almost like, ‘I’ve done my job now, we’re out of this game, I’m going to the World Cup’. Poor decision from the kid, gets himself sent off. He’s a really good player as well, 4-3 Tottenham, 10 men Leeds.”
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Adams spent the whole afternoon battling valiantly in the midfield, with Sherwood earlier marvelling at the 23-year-old and Rodrigo Bentancur “flying into tackles” in the midfield against each other earlier in the game [4.13pm].
It was the type of wild encounter where that was necessary, and which always suggested that somebody picking up two bookings was always possible.
He was no doubt frustrated by the time he was sent off, because he had fought all game and seen his side take the lead three times before giving it away for good.
The deficiencies in defence, and the failure of the officials to rule out Spurs’ first for what Sherwood had called a “blatant foul” on Illan Meslier, no doubt contributed.
It was certainly a lazy final challenge but it is unlikely that Adams had actually decided he wanted to save himself a few minutes of action before the World Cup.
The red card pretty much did end any chances of a fight back, so Jesse Marsch will no doubt have been fairly unimpressed by that, but the midfielder was far from the primary reason that a potentially huge third win running went begging.
In other Leeds United news, Gary Lineker was wowed by what he saw in the dramatic game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.