Defence Optional

Ok. In this as in 99% of cases I’m all in favour of managerial stability. Brendan Rodgers shouldn’t even be close to losing his job and the upcoming criticism is in no way implying that. It’s the world we live in that I have to make a disclaimer like that because otherwise all the negative energy directed at football managers gathers like a snowball until the public turns them into a scapegoat for all that’s wrong with the team. It happened to David Moyes (justifiably) and happens to Arsene Wenger any time Arsenal lose or falter (not justifiably). Being a football manager is tough work. I know, I’ve been sacked by Swindon Town, Northampton and Wolves all this week. Although I’m halfway through steering Peterborough to promotion, so take that haters!

Anyway, that aside, is anyone else getting sick of Brendan Rodgers’ ridiculously optimistic take on every Liverpool result? He called a 2-2 draw with against an injury-depleted Arsenal side both “outstanding” and “brilliant”. He even said it was better than the 5-1 win over them last season! "Can we now challenge for the top four? Yes. Absolutely. The most important thing is that we're moving in the right direction again." Sorry, but bollocks. You got one point, you actually lost ground on the top 4.

Admittedly they are playing a lot better these last few games. And Arsenal have been very good in patches all season themselves. But neither of these teams can defend, it’s so bad. But also hilarious.

At least the first three goals were defensive errors. Arsenal gave it away carelessly close to their own box for Coutinho’s opener, two Liverpool players jumped into each other as Arsenal won three headers in the penalty area – the third headed in by Mathieu Debuchy – for an equaliser and then nobody bothering to mark Olivier Giroud, admittedly through a brilliant build up as Giroud and Cazorla linked up.

No Super Mario for Pool (suspended for an instagram post - Why Always Him?), they started with the same front three as against Man United. But they did bring two forwards off the bench, Rickie Lambert and Fabio Borini. Borini got himself sent off late for raking Sanzi Cazorla’s chest, leading to this unusual case of #FreeTheNipple.

Not sure if Martin Skrtel’s injury time equaliser counts as bad defending, it’s not like you’d envy the guy meant to challenge the header against that raging monster in mid-air, already gone full punk with his heavily bandaged head (he got it stomped on earlier in the game – hence the nine injury time minutes).

Also Brad Jones sucks. He’s really not very good. He didn’t even get picked for the Australian Asian Cup squad – Nathan Burns of the Wellington Phoenix (deservedly) got in and Brad Jones, starting GK of five-time European Champs Liverpool, did not.

Despite Brendan’s words, this doesn’t feel like a result that’ll boost Pool’s season. Better than a loss though. Arsenal didn’t create enough chances and they got timid at the end. Liverpool don’t know what to do against set pieces and they’re lacking in confidence. A fair result and a mutually detrimental one, given others.

Christmas Toppings

2-0 is the perfect Chelsea win. An early goal, coast with the lead then kill it off with 15 or so to play. Exactly what they did against Stoke. John Terry, infinitely unlikeable, scoring in his 650th game for the club barely a cup-of-tea’s-time after the kickoff, then they battered away every Stoke attempt while Eden Hazard was battered by every Stoke defender until Cesc Fabregas finished off a lovely move for a second goal. His finish was sloppy but well-placed and there was no chance Stoke were scoring twice after that.

Let’s look at the second Chelsea goal. It starts with Charlie Adam giving away a free kick just inside his own half.

Chelsea then have a 10 pass move, in which no player has the ball more than twice and every player except the keeper and centre-backs touch it. Costa drops deep twice as an option and Hazard drifts from one side of the field to the other and back into the middle to get the ball.

From here Costa makes a simple run across the defence, dragging his marker with him and Fabregas runs into the space created.

First touch across the defender, second into the back of the net. Wonderful football.

Three points clear at Christmas, a nice buffer. But remember that Liverpool and Arsenal were top at his stage a year ago. Jeezus, a lot’s changed since then!

“It’s the LVG, Philosophy… Hakuna Matata!”

Louis Van Gaal’s winning streak is over, but there are worse ways to pop a balloon than this. A 1-1 draw with Villa away, in a game they could easily have won but for some weak defending and a few missed chances. Teams drop points all the time to dumb teams, it happens. United haven’t even been playing that well, but you can see flashes when the LVG Philosophy really takes a hold and things are breath-taking to watch. Only flashes, but they’re getting more frequent.

That Villa game changed immensely when Van Gaal switched Michael Carrick back into the midfield. Darren Fletcher just hasn’t had the games to keep up all the time and he was poor in his 45 minutes at Villa Park. Carrick at the back is always a handy option – when you’re defending. When you’re dominating the guys you want him further up the park as the anchor, bringing the focal point higher up the field, which not only better stabilises the attack but helps prevent the counter attacks that were Aston Villa’s best options to score all day. Them and set pieces where Christian Benteke was able to find Jonny Evans.

Evans made a mess of Benteke’s goal. He’s a solid defender with quick feet and good balance, can pass well on either foot (aside from the odd brainfade) and has the potential to be a leader. Yet he gets bullied by strong forwards like Benteke. When Phil Jones was on the Belgian it was a different story – Jonesy relishes that stuff.

Was it a red for Agbonlahor? I thought it was harsh. But then so was the constant booing of Ashley Young. Why? Coz he left your team? I didn’t realise it was so contentious. It’s not like he went to Birmingham, he went to Man United for a lot of money – can ya blame him!? Anyway, clumsy and rough challenge, probably no intent he just didn’t realise AY was so close. Man, it looked heavy though. You could tell that Young wasn’t milking it coz he lay there perfectly still, arms folded in and head down.

Other Ponderings

James Milner as a false nine? City need some fit strikers quickly!

Or maybe they don’t, after running away with it againt Crystal Palace in the second half. Having David Silva and Samir Nasri both back sure helps. Maybe they’ll just do this No-Striker-Barcelona impersonation for a while. Or maybe they’ll bring in former Barca goal scorer David Silva, fresh from New York via Melbourne! Seems logical, doesn’t it?

West Ham had a Chelsea-styled win against Leicester. First half goal to Andy Carroll, second half stunner to Stewart Downing. They do need some work with the timing of the goals, but the defensive solidity they’ve got down pat. At least against bottom half teams. They play Chelsea and Arsenal next which are not only two diametrically opposing strategies but two enormous tests. It’ll be fun to see how they play in each, given Fat Sam’s emphasis on his own adaptability.

I might look at mid-season awards in the New Year, but for now I’m struggling to think of a more improved player than Stewart Downing this season. The man has 4 goals and 6 assists through less than half a season, last season he had 1 and 2. He’s a constant threat and he’s even remembered how to shoot and cross! Fat Sam puts it down to playing him in the middle much more. Oh, and that single Premier League goal from last season? This was it.

I really can’t imagine a situation where Leicester City stay up.

If Sunderland played against Newcastle every week, they’d be challenging for Europe. If Newcastle played against Sunderland every week they’d already be relegated. 4 derby wins in a row for the Black Cats.

Charlie Austin, that is all.

Chalk another one up to the Southampton Academy, 19 year old Harrison Reed was great in his Premier League debut against Everton, making an astounding 15 tackles at the back of the midfield. And the Saints showed how silly those people who wrote them off after a dry patch were with a 3-0 win. Troubles for Everton however, who are really struggling with the balancing act of European football – something Southampton will have to deal with next season at this rate. Both have relatively small squads and like to rely on consistency of selections. Except Southampton seem to have this bottomless bounty of youngsters.

I’m beginning to see a trend in Stoke’s defensive strategies…