Winston Reid – West Ham United (English Premier League)

With the chance to do the double over Arsenal for the first time in almost a decade, Slaven Bilic went and sprung a surprise to deal with the usual Gunners’ flowing attack. Three men at the back, James Tomkins recalled (after a stint out with injury) to start alongside Winston and Angelo Ogbonna. Aaron Cresswell and Michael Antonio applied as wing-backs. Also, Andy Carroll made his first Premier League start since New Years. One of those things was a tactical victory.

Carroll was booked only a few minutes into the game, but that’s not the answer. 35 minutes into the contest Arsenal led 2-0. Alex Iwobi was playing magnificently, laying on goals for the stars of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez and what had started a very competitive game was suddenly torn open by some incisive play by the Arse. The West Ham back three was in tatters. It’s not a completely new formation but man it really didn’t work against Arsenal. They found space wide and in behind of the wing backs and that allowed them to get into the penalty area and wreak havoc.

But West Ham had an ace up their sleeve and that ace goes by the name of Carroll. They soon figured out that the Gunners were rubbish in the air and suddenly in came a barrage of high crosses towards the (former?) England forward. Cresswell and Antonio in particular tried to bomb him and – bang! – before the break it was 2-1 and then – boom! – first half stoppage time and incredibly it was 2-2. Bilic brought on Emenike to play up front with Carroll at half time, going back to a regular four-man defence and then – crash! – it was 3-2 to West Ham and Carroll had a hatty. There were seven minutes and 14 seconds between goal one and three.

It wasn’t quite the fairy tale it might have been. Laurent Koscielny equalised for the Gunners with 20 left on the clock after he broke from Winston’s gaze on a slightly scrappy attack and the game would end 3-3. Not enough to get them back in reach of Man City and fourth spot but at least they kept the tally ticking over against a difficult team. This result probably ends Arsenal’s title hopes, what with Leicester and Spurs both winning the following day.

Despite the semi-messiness around him, Winston actually had quite a good game playing in the middle of the trio and later as part of a regular 2-CB formation. Especially as the game went on, with Arsenal pressing for a winner, when he was constantly finding himself on the end of crosses and thumping them far away from danger. He made 10 defensive clearances where no other player in the match had more than five, adding three tackles, two interceptions and a blocked shot to that ledger too. He gave up two fouls and also stabbed a shot wide of the post at the other end. Not an easy chance but maybe he could’ve done better with it.

Up Next: FA Cup quarter replay vs Man Utd, 6.00am Thursday (NZT)

Chris Wood – Leeds United (English Championship)

Two games this week for Woody, two starts and two very mixed bags. First off the QPR game midweek. There were four changes from the Leeds team that inexplicably lost to Rotherham their last game. Woody was not one of them, he was up top and full of expectation.

So it was a lucky thing he scored a goal.

Yay for Woody. Not the prettiest one he’ll ever score but it was his ninth of the season and one he desperately needed in a fumbling season by his club that’s putting a lot of pressure on their under-performing players.

That goal came in the 70th minute of the game and it was close to the first thing of note that happened. 19 year old debutant Bailey Peacock-Farrell had a solid game in goal for Leeds but otherwise it was a bore. At least until two minutes remaining when fullback Giuseppe Bellusci made yet another stupid mistake in giving away a penalty that cost Leeds the game, 1-1 it finished instead. Wood had a chance to win it right at the death but he was offside anyway as his follow-up shot was parried away.

Manager Steve Evans was pretty stoked with Woody’s efforts though, he spoke to Radio Yorkshire and said some happy things:

Steve Evans: “I thought he was outstanding, the big fella,” Evans said. “He needs a lot better service than we gave him tonight. But you only had to look at the way he was moving tonight, and pulling balls down across the pitch. He’ll only get better for the next seven or eight games. It’s a big job to get him sharp for the start of next season.”

Yorkshire Evening Post:

“Chris Wood can be clinical

Wood definitely has his doubters at Leeds but fair play to him for sticking away the only decent opportunity he had. The 24-year-old was feeding on scraps apart from Luke Murphy’s delicious 70th-minute cross and made the most of that delivery with a decent sliding finish for his first goal since December - but remember the striker has missed most games since then. Wood also did well to hold up plenty of long punts and the New Zealand international ought to be in for a decent end to the season. That’s now nine for the campaign for Wood which makes him joint-top scorer with Mirco Antenucci. With seven games left, there’s no reason why Wood shouldn’t be aiming to get to 15 which would be a fair return given his injury troubles.”

Hmm but then they played Premier League hopefuls Burnley in a televised game and that one didn’t go so well. Not for Leeds, who fell behind after only a minute, and certainly not for Chris Wood either. Again, let’s not go in depth on the ins and outs of a late-season footy game that had little meaning for Leeds other than pride and fan service. But with that in mind, they actually produced one of their better performances in a while, the problem was: they couldn’t finish. Specifically their big kiwi striker couldn’t finish. Twice in the second half he completely missed the target on headers that he should have in the very least drawn saves for. Hell, no kidding around here, you can forgive one but when you get two of those you’ve gotta score at least one. Quite frustrating and it did nothing to get the upset fans off his back either.

HITC: “On another day Leeds striker Chris Wood would have won this match on his own, but the New Zealand international wasted two great chances when he looked odds on to score. The forward has struggled for form and fitness this season and he needs to up his game when the new campaign rolls around.”

YEP: “His first opportunity was a sitter by the standards of a top Championship striker. The second should at least have gone on target. No doubt held his hands up afterwards. 4/10”

Also YEP: “Chris Wood must be more lethal or removed from the side

Wood looked set for a productive end to the season when clinically netting in last Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with QPR, but there was nothing clinical about his display at Burnley. Yes, the New Zealand international got into good positions for his two second-half headers but, as a striker, that’s his job. It’s also his job to score goals and both chances were sitters. If Leeds are going to go anywhere next season they need a striker with a ruthless killer instinct and Wood quickly needs to find his.”

Steve Evans: "Football is a cruel game and if you switch off, you get punished. After the goal, we bossed the game. We opened them up, but no one is more disappointed than Chris Wood. They were two great chances. We have to be more ruthless in the box. We didn't get our shape at the start and it cost us"

It’s all pretty harsh stuff and articles like this don’t draw too much sympathy either but that’s the life for a striker at that level. Woody knows that and owns it more than anyone, he’s always the kind of fella to stay confident and take responsibility. At least teammate Liam Cooper’s got his back:

"He'll be hurting. He'll beat himself up but he's got a chance to make it right on Tuesday and he will do."

His manager offered some firing words too: “The net is three quarters empty and you’d normally expect him to put them in, but he’ll be back and he’ll lead the line on Tuesday. His performance apart from those chances was very good. He’s a terrific player and normally you’d expect him to take them.”

Which is fair. Woody really did play quite well. He held the ball up well, laying it of nicely and winning it in the air. He didn’t waste passes and about the only thing that went wrong was those two headers. Score one or both and he’d probably be getting Man of the Match awards. That’s the fine line sometimes. His finishing isn’t his best attribute but he’s still a dude who can find the net, and while the fan madness has been brewing a while and is definitely indicative of larger issues at the club, it was still crazy to see it all come to a head after the Burnley game.

Just in case you haven’t had enough Woody chat, here are three more articles for ya:

Noel Whelan: We need a ‘big-money partner’ to get best out of Wood

Burnley 1-0 Leeds: Not Okay

Chris Wood epitomised Leeds United’s season on Saturday at Burnley

Up Next: Birmingham vs Leeds, 8.45am Weds & Leeds vs Reading, 2.00am Sun (NZT)

Tommy Smith – Ipswich Town (English Championship)

At home against Brentford, Ipswich were down to the All Hands On Deck stage of the season, chasing a playoff spot that’s slowly slipping away from them. All Hands, which for the first time in ages didn’t include Tommy Smith. The most dependable guy in this column and he was dropped to the bench for this one, one of four changes to the starting XI from their frustrating 0-0 draw with Charlton (since relegated) last time. Smith dropped to the bench, Kevin Foley coming in at right back and captain Luke Chambers playing in the middle with Christophe Berra.

Those changes might not stick though. Three minutes in, Town midfielder Luke Hyam went hurling into a terrible challenge on Brentford winger Alan Judge. Straight away there was a howl of pain and a few Brentford players were pretty incensed about it all. On came the stretcher for Judge and out came the yellow for Hyam, which was a lucky one for him – it could well have been red had he not gotten a foot on the ball. Judge’s leg was broken, ending his outside chances at a call up for the Ireland squad at the Euros.

Hyam was then targeted by a few of the Brentford guys, constantly chopped and stabbed at in revenge, and 29 minutes in Town fell behind. A sharp Sam Saunders finish from the cut back breaking the deadlock as the Ipswich midfield were caught playing too high. Ipswich wouldn’t have a shot on goal until the 43rd minute and then in first half stoppage time (there was nine minutes of it) Hyam finally snapped. Taking exception to a bit of follow through by Ryan Woods, he got up and gave him a few shoves, one to the face, and that was more than enough for a second yellow. Mick McCarthy said later he regretted not subbing him off with a red card feeling very inevitable.

Mick subbed off his wingers at the break and it seemed to spark something in the home side. But playing with only ten men they were constantly caught out at the other end. Chambers let a cross go by him in vain appeal at the linesman while Danish striker Lasse Vibe dropped to header in untouched. Four minutes later he made it 3-0 when he robbed Berra of the ball in defence and stole through to score. Liam Feeney pulled back a consolation in the 88th minute. 3-1 final, something close to a disaster for Ipswich. Smithy watched the whole thing from the stands.

The playoffs are close to out of range now but they do get one last chance this weekend. Five games to go and eight points off sixth and it just so happens they’re playing that sixth place team, Sheffield Wednesday, this weekend. Win that and maybe there’s still hope. Lose it and they’re a single further slip up from mathematical elimination.

Here’s McCarthy talking about the defensive changes:

“Those changes at the back were with view to having two attacking full-backs. I thought Jonas [Knudsen] was excellent in the second half and an example to everyone else. Having just had two clean sheets that was a difficult one, but playing at home, if we could, I wanted us to be a bit better with the ball.”

In happier news, shout out to Smithy who came in third in the voting for Player of the Year by the Ipswich Town Supporters Club. Keeper Bartosz Bialkowski came first, as well as winning Junior POY. Here are the full results:

Player of the Year:

1. Bartosz Bialkowski
2. Freddie Sears
3. Tommy Smith

Junior Blues Player of the Year:

Bartosz Bialkowski

Academy Player of the Year:

Andre Dozzell

Platinum Supporters Award:

Cole Skuse

Up Next: Away to Sheffield Wednesday, 2am Sunday (NZT)

Marco Rojas – FC Thun (Swiss Super League)

Here we go, another Thun game and shout out to Frodo Rojas in the starting line-up again, out on the left wing. Although their trip to Sion almost got off to a disastrous start as Daniel Follonier ripped one off the post in the fourth minute. About ten minutes later Marco had the ball in the net. A deflected cross looped into the box and over the keeper, leaving Rojas open at the far post and his header was nothing but a tap-in. Except that he was offside.

He wasn’t happy with that and when you look at the replay you can see why, he was bloody miles onside. The problem was that the dude leaping towards the keeper was ruled to have touched it, and if he had then sure, Marco was way off. But it didn’t look like he did so there’s a genuine complaint there.

Still, a few minutes later Ridge Munsy broke by a defender and into the box, squaring it to Simone Rapp who put the Thuners in front. However they started to get pegged back by a few mistakes, almost conceding from a sloppy goal kick before half time and then after it needing the crossbar to keep their lead safe. In the 49th minute they lost it. A cut-back found nothing but open space (thanks to a handy deflection) and then Gonzalo Zarate was inexplicably beaten to the ball by Vincent Sierro who smashed it in first time. The post came to their aid again with 12 left and five minutes from the end Marco’s night was over, subbed off for Enrico Schirinzi (who can play at left back, meaning more defensive help).

A draw would have been a decent enough result for Thun. They didn’t get it. Right at the end of the 90 they let Ebenezer Assifuah sneak into the box and his ball across the goal was tapped in for the win by Geoffrey Bia. 2-1 to Sion, a win would have put Thun into the European places but instead they drop four points back (and Sion have a game in hand).

Up Next: 11.45pm Sunday, away to bottom placed Lugano (NZT)

Jeremy Brockie – SuperSport United (South African Premier Soccer League)

Two games for Jezz since we last caught up with him. One was a boring enough 1-1 draw against Chippa Utd that keeps SSU firmly mid-table. Brockie played all 90 and didn’t score. Michael Boxall was on the bench.

But before that game was their Nedbank Cup round of 16 bout against AmaTurks (University of Pretoria). It was an insane game, full of all the drama and excitement you hope for from cup footy. 11 minutes in Tuks struck on the counter to take the lead. Brockie almost set up a leveller nine minutes after that but his header back across was cleared. SSU got that deserved goal soon after but flash forward to midway through the second half and they were on the brink. Down 3-1, it looked like the Cup was slipping away from them. Then this happened:

Yes, Brockie! Get in there son!

And then, drama. SuperSport drew level in the 84th minute when Morne Nel capitalised on some poor defending to slot home for 3-3. Quite the comeback, though they couldn’t grab a winner in extra time and that meant the lottery of penalties. Actually they almost did, Brockie put the ball in the net with seconds left but rather than rapturous cheers all he got was a yellow card. He’d blocked the keeper’s throw out with a stray leg, the ball bobbling into the goal as a tease.

So to penalties. Swish, swish. Both teams score their first. Pressure on… and saved, the Tuks miss their second effort. SSU make it 2-1. Another Ronwen Williams save and then another SSU goal. That meant it was 3-2 and up stepped Jeremy Brockie with the chance to seal the shootout. He made no mistake.

SuperSport will host Black Aces in the quarter finals. Not a bad draw as they go for the silverware, the Aces are a stronger team on paper but home field advantage and the fact that the Mpumalanga team are currently on a wicked downturn of form really help their case. The two teams drew 1-1 (in an away game for SSU) early on in the season in their only meeting. The equaliser was scored by some dude called Brockie who seems to be getting a few of those things these days.

In fact Brox is having such a time over there that rival clubs are starting to sniff around. According to The Citizen, South African powerhouses Kaizer Chiefs have “made enquiries” about his availability as they look to bounce back next season from what looks increasingly like an empty trophy cabinet from this one. It’s sort of like the South African equivalent of all the ‘Winston Reid to Arsenal’ rumours of a year ago.

Up Next: Platinum Stars vs SSU, 1.00am Monday (NZT)