Some notes on Spurs loanee Samuel Shashoua’s performance against Peralada:

Spurs youngster Samuel Shashoua was in action for his loan club Atlético Baleares on Sunday afternoon. Samuel played 88 minutes of the Balearic clubs 1-0 win league victory over Peralada at the Son Malferit, in what was a dull and fairly uneventful game of football. Nevertheless, the 19 year old put in another good shift out on the left wing for the high flying Spanish club despite some very tight defending from the away side. The Tottenham loanee started Sunday’s match out on the left wing, in Atlético’s usual 4-2-3-1 formation. After some good early movement from the 19 year old during the opening stages of the game, the forward came close to giving Manix Mandiola’s side an early lead after they had started the game in positive fashion. After Kike Lopez had received the ball down the right flank he whipped a good ball into the Peralada penalty area. Shashoua had made an excellent late run at the far post and the teenager would have given Atlético the lead had Lopez’s cross not been cut out by Peralda defender Santi Bueno just in the nick of time. Samuel received the ball in a good position on the edge of the Peralda penalty area a couple of minutes later, after Lopez had threaded a nicely weighted pass through to him. However, Samuel went down on the edge of the penalty area after being clipped from behind by Maxi Villa, but no foul was given by the referee. Shashoua continued to be involved in the vast majority of Atlético’s attacking play and he continued to make himself available to receive the ball in promising positions. After Francesc Fullana passed the ball to Samuel on the edge of the oppositions penalty area, Shashoua attempted to play a quick one two with Nuha inside the penalty area but he was unable to get around Peralda defender Teo down the left side of the box, to get to Nuha’s pass. Samuel appeared to switch flanks with Canario shortly afterwards. After Fullana had passed the ball to Nuha down the left side of the oppositions box, the striker tried to square the ball for Shashoua who had made a darting run at the back post, but the goalkeeper Marc Vito managed to smother the ball before Samuel could get to it.

Mandiola’s side continued to dominate possession and after Samuel had passed the ball to the overlapping Kike Lopez down the right flank, the fullback curled a powerful curling effort narrowly wide of Marc Vito’s goal. Shashoua had worked extremely hard during the first half to influence the game and he had been very unlucky during the first period. The Tottenham loanee started the second half back out on the left wing and it didn’t take him long before he managed his first shot on goal of the game. After he had received Kike Lopez’s pass on the edge of the Peralada penalty area, Shashoua quickly adjusted his body before curling the ball towards the bottom right hand corner of Marc Vito’s goal. However, the Peralda goalkeeper managed to get down well to make a smart stop, to prevent Samuel from getting his fifth league goal of the season. After doing well to win the ball off of Maxi Villa down the left flank, Shashoua burst forward before threading a perfectly weighted pass into the feet of Nuha. The Gambian international took his time before giving the ball to Fullana on the edge of the penalty area. Fullana then attempted to pass the ball to Shashoua who had made yet another good run into the box, but the former England under 18 international couldn’t get to the ball in time and it rolled out of play. Atlético Baleares finally made the breakthrough in the 70th minute through Alvaro Vega who scored from a corner kick. Samuel continued to try and make an impact on the game during the minutes that followed. After doing well to keep the ball in play, Shashoua passed the ball to Fullana inside the penalty area however, the attacking midfielder fired wide of goal. A couple of moments later Shashoua tried to play a quick one two with Alberto Villapalos inside the danger zone but he was unable to get a shot away on goal, after he appeared to be fouled from behind by Peralada defender Ferraresi. Samuel was replaced in the 88th minute of the game and the youngster looked sad as he departed the field, and that wasn’t surprising.

Even though the Londoner had given his absolute all against Peralada down that left flank, he had been the subject of some really dirty defending from the oppositions defence. He was constantly getting cynically clipped from behind and this effected his game. It is also worth noting that Shashoua suffered a nose bleed after one such challenge but he soldiered on and gave another really good account of himself for Manix Mandiola’s high flying side. Up next for Samuel’s loan club is an away league game against Conquense on Saturday, a win for Atlético could see them go to the top of the league for the first time this season. Samuel’s razor sharp movement for Atlético this season has been of the highest quality, and it has been very Salah-esque. 

Samuel Shashoua for Atlético Baleares this season: 

Appearances: 21

Goals: 4

Assists: 2