Dejan Kulusevski, considered one of Tottenham’s best players, had an evening that left both fans and pundits perplexed. The £110,000-a-week Swede displayed moments of brilliance when he had possession of the ball, but his inconsistency also left much to be desired.
A particular incident just before half-time encapsulated the enigmatic nature of Kulusevski’s performance. With Spurs already in the lead and on the hunt for another goal, Kulusevski found himself in an excellent position to shoot after a skillful cut inside. However, rather than taking the shot himself, the 23-year-old made a surprising decision to pass the ball to a teammate, much to the bewilderment of onlookers.
This unconventional choice disrupted the attacking move, leaving manager Ange Postecoglou visibly furious on the touchline. The decision didn’t go unnoticed by Tottenham hero Jermain Defoe, who was analyzing the game as a pundit for Premier League Productions.
Defoe expressed his astonishment at Kulusevski’s reluctance to take the shot, given his remarkable technical ability. He noted, “Here, you just think, technically he’s so good, just roll it into the corner. He’s just looking at that extra pass; he’s almost trying to be too clever, and then the chance is gone.”
Continuing his analysis, Defoe highlighted the peculiar sequence of events, stating, “You see here, I just can’t understand why he’d pass it there. When you watch at that angle, he doesn’t even look at the goal; he actually looks to his left first. As he goes through, he’s not even thinking of shooting.”
For Defoe, it was clear that Kulusevski’s initial instinct was to pass the ball, which he found “really strange.” He stressed the importance of forward players focusing on getting their shots off once they enter goal-scoring positions, emphasizing, “Once you’re a forward player and you get into those areas, the first thing you should think is ‘how can I get my shot off?!’”
Kulusevski’s decision to pass up a promising opportunity to score certainly raised questions, and Jermain Defoe’s analysis shed light on the enigma that was Dejan Kulusevski’s performance against Fulham. Tottenham fans will hope for more consistency from the talented Swede in the matches to come.