Premier League Ponderings – Week 15
Blue Blood Blues
Aaaand there goes the unbeaten start. It’s hard to imagine any team ever going unbeaten through a season with all of those midweek games and European distractions/priorities. There’s a reason it’s only ever happened twice in English football: A 19th century Preston North End side and the 2003-04 Gunners. Arsenal did it in a season where only three teams ever had a realistic chance of winning, and Man United would have their worst season until Moyes while Chelsea still hadn’t won a league title since the 1950s back then. The Premier League’s too competitive right now, there are too many good teams – Chelsea were bound to lose at some stage.
Still, who’d’ve thunk it’d be to Newcastle?
Diego Costa was there but Nemanja Matic was missing. That’s big for Mourinho, who loves a good defensive shield. In came Jon Obi Mikel instead to do his bit. There have been a few injuries and others to deal with but for the most part, Chelsea have had ridiculously consistent team selections. Six players have started every Premier League game for The Blues – there are only 41 such guys in total across the 20 teams. Six more of them are from Southampton, which shows you how important team regularity can be.
Both of these teams are well-organised defensively. But only Chelsea have true firepower at the other end as well. Newcastle’s rollercoaster season has seen plenty of 1-0 results going in both directions. They hang in there just long enough to capitalise or they hang in there until, like a geriatric Fonzie, they just can’t hang any more. Still no goals scored in the opening half hour of games for Newcastle, with more than half of their EPL net-rustlers coming in the final 20 minutes of matches. That was pretty much how things went against Chelsea.
The Blues started stronger in a relatively slow paced game. They had the early chances, with Costa, Willian and Hazard all coming close. Eden Hazard is definitely in the conversation for Player of the Season. I’ll admit I’ve questioned the end product of his flashiness before. I didn’t think he necessarily had that ruthlessness in front of goal to back up the step overs and the chances he creates. I do now. There’s probably no better player in England when on comes to taking players on and beating them. Not only has he gone past more guys than anyone else, but he’s the most fouled played in the league too (closely followed by Raheem Sterling).
Newcastle, meanwhile, they didn’t exactly have chances, but they did have a few chances for chances. You need a few of those just for the belief factor against Chelsea. Newcastle’s potential threat on the counter attack was ominous from the start.
That’s how Newcastle eventually took a shock lead in the second half. Moussa Sissoko carries it forward, feeds it wide and the cross from Sammy Ameobi finds Papiss Cisse (a 53rd minute sub) for the easy tap in. It wasn’t quite a counter attack, it was actually from a Fab Coloccini long ball but the effect was the same – running hard at the defence. Chelsea had men back but Gary Cahill cocked up a cross he should have dealt with. Completely avoidable and it changed the direction of the game. Newcastle – the definition of a streaky team – found confidence and Chelsea were pressed back as a result.
The impressive thing from the Geordies was that they earned this win. After scoring they really stepped things up. They didn’t just hassle but they got stuck in and made tackles. No time on the ball. The effort was immense. It’d be tough to pick a man of the match between Cisse, Coloccini, Jakc Colback and Moussa Sissoko.
Colback and Sissoko were everywhere in the midfield, and indeed the second goal game after a brilliant, crunching tackle from Colback to dispossess Hazard. He’s then the one to thread it through to Sissoko, who almost messes it up but manages to somehow get it to Cisse for the finish.
When Chelsea threatened in the second half, it was usually due to Eden Hazard drifting wide to get the ball – there was no space in the middle. That man Hazard hit the post when he found a bit of space on the edge of the box, but that kind of room was rare. Coloccini was superb.
Colo's partner in central defence, Steven Taylor, was also fine, though his tendency to dive in had him sent off for a second yellow. What he did well he did fantastically but he wasn’t nearly as in control as Coloccini, and his recklessness gave Chelsea an entrance back into things.
Didier Drogba scored immediately from the free kick, heading in Cesc Fabregas’ cross (Cesc’s EPL leading 11th assist). Toon keeper Jak Alnwick had come on for the injured Robert Elliot half way through proceedings, and he was caught out in No Man’s Land, hesitating before coming for the ball and not even getting close. Tell ya what, aside from that he was really good, having no problem making the trip from the front door to the letterbox to intercept those crosses. You wouldn’t have thought it was Alnwick’s Premier League debut to watch him. Chelsea pushed for an equaliser but none came.
Don’t you think NUFC owner Mike Ashley looks like John Key crossed with Kim Dotcom? Two mortal enemies fused together, no wonder he’s such a muppet.
Somehow Papiss Cisse has managed 7 goals in 4 starts (and 9 games in total). This was the second time this season that he’s scored a double off the bench. I’m still not sure what to make of Alan Pardew’s role in Newcastle’s turn around, but when Cisse started playing that was the turning point.
Meanwhile Jose Mourinho managed to blame the ball boys for slowing the game down. The man is a genius when it comes to deflecting criticism of his own side. Of which there shouldn’t be too much. This Chelsea side can beat you in the grind, they can beat you on the counter or they can beat you through sheer domination. That’s versatility.
Chelsea’s lead at the top is down to 3 points. They’re still strong favourites.
STOP! Hammer Time
You know what you can’t touch? West Ham and Sam Allardyce. Fat Sam has moulded this Hammers side into something that is not only surprisingly good, but actually entertaining to watch!
The whole thing is far from his reputation as a long ball manager. Sure, he still has Andy Carroll, and he still does encourage his fellas to pump it into the mixer plenty often, but not in an aimless way. Carroll has guys running off him. The crosses are in areas where they can be attacked. Far from the relegation struggle we were expecting after they lost to the Wellington Phoenix at Eden Park in preseason, this side were temporarily in third place after their 3-1 win over Swansea!
I put most of it down to what I’m calling the Undercover Signing of the Season: Alex Song.
That guy, good God. Every time I’ve seen him play he’s been the best player on the pitch. He wins the ball, he shields the defence, he brings it forward and his vision is incredible. If there is an open player on the pitch, he’ll roll towards him and find him. And he’s always there. When a striker or a winger runs out of room and needs an out option, he’s there calling for it. When Winston Reid wins the ball and is looking to send it forward, Song is there to save him having to lump it. He isn’t impeccable. He does lose the ball. But always while trying to do something positive like pushing a ball onto a Diaffra Sahko run or something. He’s an outstanding player and the fact that he’s playing on loan at West Ham still makes zero sense. Did Arsene lose his phone number? Did Stevie G hide Brendan’s messages? Has Louis cut all ties with Barcelona?
This isn’t a one man team though. Song’s not that kind of player. He brings out the best in others, like all great holding midfielders. West Ham’s centre backs defend deep. They don’t have wingers as such, but Stewart Downing plays in behind the two strikers and the full backs press forward (hence the CBs need to be deep – so they can cover more ground). Behind Downing is Kevin Nolan/Mark Noble (Noble’s better, Nolan’s more of a leader) and Cheikhou Kouyaté. The latter’s a decent player who’ll make some sloppy decisions, but his tenacity is a key advantage in scaring off opponents. Like a bulldog at the gate. A better keeper they could use, though Adrian at least gets the job done. Carl Jenkinson I’m not sure about, but Aaron Cresswell is great at left back. And the attacking trio of Andy Carroll, Diaffra Sahko and Enner Valencia gives them a rare luxury: Depth.
They have three options at centre back, an aging but legendary reserve keeper (Jussi!) and one or two other attacking midfield options. It’s not quite a complete bench but enough to cover most positions if there’s an injury or two.
This is how they prefer to line-up, but it’s not the only way they do. This team is versatile. When Alex Song was out, in comes Matt Jarvis on the wing, Downing over to the other wing. A standard 4-4-2. They can do that because West Ham are a threat from long balls and set pieces and can always fall back on that when other things don’t work. There is no straight replacement for Song in this squad, so Fat Sam wisely doesn’t try to find one, he simplifies and strategises instead.
They don’t create a lot of quality shots, nevertheless they’re always trying to. Crosses, blocked efforts, through balls. It’s how they’ve been able to get results on bad, uninspired days. It’s exciting and effective and it’s firing them up the table.
I did not see this coming. Shout out to Fat Sam. He’s always maintained his adaptability and despite his reputation as an old fashioned English punter, a certain Jay-Jay Okocha would bust that theory. He’s always put his teams out with the intention of getting the best results and that has meant playing the long ball as a first option more than he’d prefer. But he’s always had this undercover design for attractive football buried beneath the likes of Kevin Davies, Kevin Nolan and Andy Carroll.
Where Have Liverpool’s Goals Gone?
Apparently people wanna know this. Apparently it’s not obvious. Their top scorer from last season left to Barcelona. Their second top guy has only played 3 games. That’s 55 goals out of 110 in all competitions disappeared with the wind. HALF of their goals. And they replaced those 55 goals with a misused Mario Balotelli and Rickie Lambert. THAT’s where all Liverpool’s goals have gone.
More context for the unconvinced:
- Liverpool’s 2013-14 top scorers: Luis Suarez (31) & Daniel Sturridge (24)
- Manchester City: Sergio Aguero (28) & Edin Dzeko (26)
- Chelsea: Eden Hazard (17) & Samuel Eto’o (12)
- Arsenal: Olivier Giroud (22) & Aaron Ramsey (16)
- Manchester United: Robin Van Persie (19) & Wayne Rooney (18)
- Everton: Romelu Lukaku (16) & Steven Naismith (9)
- Tottenham: Emmanuel Adebayor (13) & Roberto Soldado (11)
Literally none of Liverpool’s rivals have had anything close to the same issues. City have been riding the wave of Sergio ‘19 Goals in 21 Appearances This Season’ Aguero (we’ll see what happens to them now…). Chelsea let Eto’o go and replaced him with Diego Costa (who already has 11 goals). Arsenal bought Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez. Van Persie’s had slumped a bit for United before his recent haul but Rooney’s playing well throughout and Falcao’s in town too. Everton picked up Eto’o to take some pressure off Lukaku (though last year’s pair still lead the pack). And Spurs… both those guys are still there, even if Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen are far better options.
Other Ponderings
WE STILL HAVEN’T HAD A MANAGER SACKED YET!?
My money is currently on Nigel Pearson. Leicester City are absolutely getting relegated unless something dramatic changes.
QPR's record at home: 4W - 2D - 2L ... that's better than Liverpool, better than Spurs, better than Everton and more points than Arsenal (who've gained 12 points at home in one fewer game).
QPR's record away from home: 0W - 0D - 7L ... you don't need to be a Neviller of Carragher to figure that that's the worst in the league.
Is this a penalty? Sure, probably. City were better than Everton anyway.
And this is a perfectly placed penalty. There are signs that Yaya Toure’s getting back to his best…
City could use that version of Yaya, too. It sounds like Sergio Aguero could be out for at least a month after doing some ligament damage early in that game. They’ve been dealing with the ‘One Man Band’ shouts for a while which is completely untrue. Remember that they’re already playing without David Silva. Edin Dzecko and Stevan Jovetic are still around and begging for a chance to impress. Now’s that chance.
It’s such a shame that he’s injured now though. Aguero was getting towards Suarez 2013-14 standards. 19 goals already – he could have hit 40! It’s good news for Diego Costa’s Golden Boot campaign at least.
Danny Ings, Charlie Austin and Saido Berahino. All three deserve England nods at some stage. All three scoring goals. All three, interestingly, playing for rubbish teams. Berahino was in Hodgson’s last squad so he’s a chance. I’ll bet Harry Kane plays before the others though.
Don’t forget Jay Rodriguez either. Should be back in a month or so. After Southampton fluffed more than a few chances against Man United, he’ll be a handy option.
As much as Southampton’s schedule has toughened, injuries have been a factor in their current losing streak too. Morgan Schneiderlin, Jack Cork, Tody Alderweireld all out. Don’t forget James Ward-Prowse either, a handy young English prospect in the middle with a superb set piece delivery.
By the way, that Arsenal game was the first time that Stoke have scored 3 goals in a game this season that wasn’t a League Cup game against Portsmouth. Arsene called his defence “soft”. He’s right.
Ah, but he’s also right that his team showed spirit and were unlucky. Inches away from salvaging at least a point after being 3-0 down at half time. Everybody not named Chelsea or Manchester City will have a shocker like that. Man United had it already in Leicester. Spurs against Liverpool, Chelsea and City (ouch). Liverpool against Crystal Palace. An embarrassing loss, yet not a major blow. This team is still on the right track.
Also, when people talk about tough trips to Stoke, this is what they mean.
The Duality of the Collective Arsenal Conscience
That’s funny. But also, listen to this disgrace. Managing a football team shouldn’t mean having to be verbally assaulted on the way to the bus (while the police stand by). Pretty strange reaction for a man who has taken this team to the Champions League in every full season he’s been there and qualified for the knockout stages 15 years in a row.
And back to funny.