Winston Reid – West Ham United (English Premier League)

This was a week of contrasts if ever there was one, right Winston? It was horrible and then it was actually kinda good. The horrible first and West Ham hosted Manchester City. You know how that goes, based on the 5-0 defeat that they copped in the FA Cup. The good news here… it wasn’t quite so bad this time.

Nah, they only lost 4-0. It was a debut start for Jose Fonte in defence alongside Winnie at the back there but it was also a full debut for one of City’s new fellas: Gabriel Jesus. And the Hammers quickly learned what all the hype is about (honestly, he’s sooo good). 17 minutes in and he slipped a pass to Kevin De Bruyne for the opening goal, Aaron Cresswell really buggering that up in the buildup.

Very promptly it was 2-0 as Leroy Sane nutmegged Sam Byram and generally caused havoc before David Silva appeared to tap home the deflected cross from close range. It wasn’t even half-time when Raheem Sterling fed Jesus for a slick one and the Brazilian made it 3-0 before Yaya Toure added a fourth midway through the second half after Jose Fonte had marked his debut by conceding a penalty by taking down Sterling. Ouch, not much to write home about there… Winston was the only defender not openly at fault for a goal so that’s… a positive? Not really.

Tell you what he did do though, he trod on John Stones’ face and split it open like a pistachio nut.

Eight clearances for Reido, five interceptions and three tackles. You get to do a fair bit of defending when you only have 30% of possession. And also when you midfield plays like a pair of turnstiles, just saying. Plus he needed medical attention at one stage and looked close to being subbed off (he played the full game) and could have had a goal with a Lanzini cross just inches from his reach with the consolation headed goal on offer.

ESPN FC Player Ratings: “DF Winston Reid, 6 -- Even Reid couldn't help the crumbling mess around him.”

A few days later they had the chance to make some amends and that’s exactly what they did. Away to Southampton, maybe it was having Fonte and his scout report on his old club that made the difference, who knows. Manolo Gabbiadini joined the Saints on deadline day and he scored a thumper to make it 1-0. Beat the offside trap and then took advantage of Fonte being slow to close him down as he smashed the ball inside the far post, leaving Darren Randolph looking silly.

That was about it though. Pedro Obiang had been so awful against City but he led the redemption show. A superb pass through for Andy Carroll set up the equaliser straight away and Obiang then put them ahead on the brink of the half with a rocket of a low shot that Fraser Forster seemed to lose in the crowd of players. First person to celebrate with him… see for yourself:

Is that… is that a smile on his face?

Later on they made it comfortable as new signing Robert Snodgrass won a free kick on the left side of the box. Snoddy being the replacement for Dimitri Payet. And Payet being a free kick specialist, next thing Mark Noble (one of the senior players that spoke out against Payet) whipped in that free kick and it ended up in the net off the boot of Steven Davis. Credited to Noble, mind. 3-1 with only 52 minutes gone. The Hammers eased off from there, doing enough to hold on against a few dangerous Southampton excursions.

Five tackles, six clearances and five interceptions for Winston. Quite similar to last game in performance except the rest of the team were much better and they won. Picked up a yellow card towards the end for a late one on the zippy Shane Long too.

ESPN FC Player Ratings: “DF Winston Reid, 6 -- Looked unusually uncertain against Gabbiadini at times, but stuck to the task.”

Jose Fonte: “It takes time to develop a partnership but Reid is excellent. He has been in the PL for many years & has great experience.”

This was a giggle too. It’s accurate, courtesy of The H List:

“[Fonte] has a serenity about his play that sits nicely next to the slightly frenetic, permanently angry Reid - who plays these days with the demeanour of a furious Maths teacher - and between them they did a decent job of restricting Southampton to some low quality chances.”

Up Next: West Ham vs West Brom, 4.00am Sunday (NZT)

Chris Wood – Leeds United (English Championship)

Deadline Day passed in Leeds but not without a bit of action. They managed to keep all of their main dudes, selling only Alex Mowatt to Barnsley (and he had a horror debut for them, getting sent off there), while picking up both Alfonso Pedraza and Modou Barrow on loan. Both are wingers, though Pedraza will probably fill in as Chris Wood’s backup striker as well. Pedraza comes in from Villarreal and brings a killer left foot with him and at 20 years old he’s got lots to prove. As for Barrow, he’s a Swansea lad, Garry Monk going back to that same old well, and you may remember him for slaying up Arsenal earlier in the season… though he’s not done much since. Leeds are apparently holding options to pick each of them up permanently… so long as they get promoted.

Without buying a superb centre back or another genuine striker, they’re still hyper reliant on Wood as well as CBs Pontus Jansson and Kyle Bartley. Still, they’ve added some speed and a lot of creativity which goes bloody well as far as a poacher like Chris Wood looks at it. Also Pontus The Great has agreed a contract with the club that’ll make his move permanent at the end of the season. Ka-ching.

HITC Sport: “And perhaps the most telling indication of [Wood’s] new-found dependability is that his longest run without a goal this season stretches to just three games. And that came all the way back in October. Maybe Leeds United don’t need an alternative option up front. Not when they’ve got a striker as clinical and consistent as Chris Wood at the peak of his powers.”

Anyway so the Whites played twice and first off was a tough one against Blackburn at Ewood Park. Ryan Nelsen’s old home, though they’re a long way from those heady days. Woody got himself a full 90 minutes after being well rested having sat out the FA Cup defeat the previous weekend although this wasn’t a game he’d quite get a grip on.

Woody’s best chance came from a free kick about 22 minutes into it. Edge of the box, he lines it up… bang off the right boot but it curls just wide. Super close from the lad, as close as he would come as it happens. Very little seemed to be falling his way and as such he looked a bit off the pace.

He wasn’t alone and not a whole lot went on in the first half. Pablo Hernandez came on off the bench at HT and it made a difference, suddenly Leeds looked that tiny bit sharper. Eventually they took the lead on 74 minutes. Stuart Dallas was the man who put it away, a beautiful slice of control off the chest and then the first time drive across the goal and inside the far post. It was a huge goal and one that erupted what had been a nervous crowd worried that midweek points would be dropped.

Yeah… they got a whole lot more worried when in the 83rd minute Elliott Bennett smashed one from distance and Rob Green was slow to react in the LUFC goal. It whipped in on the bounce having zipped through a crowd of players and that was 1-1. Lucas Joao could have put Blackburn up a few ticks later but he looped his shot well over the top and Leeds, showing the kind of resilience that really can get you promoted, went on and won it just a minute from time as that man Pontus beat his marker to a Hernandez corner kick and, mate, he wasn’t about to miss from there. A thumping header and a valuable three points.

YEP Player Ratings: “Chris Wood - Close to breaking the deadlock in the first half and though much of the game bypassed him, he kept the pressure on as Leeds chased a late winner. 5/10”

Cool, next up they played Huddersfield who came in a single place behind them and would be their opponents if the playoffs began the day before this contest. Also with Reading drawing, third place was back on the line if Leeds could take the W. If not, then fifth.

They didn’t win. Sorry to break it to you all like that but they fell 2-1 in a real tense and dramatic affair that hopefully does foreshadow a bit of playoff drama between the sides. Chris Wood had fired one on target bright and early which was well saved but Huddersfield looked the sharper team at home. Even after Kasey Palmer had to be subbed off injured after only 24 minutes they still looked sharper and it was fair enough when that sub Izzy Brown went and gave them the lead within two minutes of entering the park, shout out to him. Picked up the end of a Tommy Smith (not that one) cross and turned it past Rob Green in the Leeds goal. A bit stink, so let’s fast forward to the good bit, 34 minutes in…

Yup, that touch past the keeper was something decent. Pretty routine goal otherwise (with an offside involved that went ignored) but that’s what he’s there for. It’s what he’s been doing for a good slog now too.

Wood’s scored eight goals against Huddersfield in his career, more than any other club.

YEP/Lee Sobot: “And just eight minutes after Town’s opener, United drew level when a free-kick on the edge of Huddersfield’s box saw Bartley head a Hernandez delivery to Wood who cleverly beat Ward before prodding the ball home from close range for his 21st goal of the campaign.”

Cut a long story short, Huddersfield absolutely laid siege in the second half. They were brilliant and it was only luck and desperation that kept Leeds level. Ultimately they couldn’t quite last the 90 minutes though, leaking the winner to Michael Henefe with a minute left in regulation time. That goal sparked a bit of brouhaha on the sideline which saw both managers sent to the stands – Hudd’s manager it David Wagner, who’s best buds with Jurgen Klopp. Naturally, Monk took exception to Wagner over-celebrating (told ya he was mates with Jurgen) and things kicked off from there. It meant for eight minutes of injury time but nothing came of it.

The Guardian: “Wagner hurtled more than 60 yards down the touchline to celebrate with his players, incensing Monk, who made physical contact with Wagner as the German passed through the visiting technical area on his way back to the home dugout. After Monk leant towards Wagner, connecting with a shoulder, to spark a grapple between them, players from both teams raced towards the fracas. Things escalated rapidly, with substitutes and backroom staff from both clubs involved in an unseemly mêlée. It is not unreasonable to think that the Football Association will consider charges for the clubs for failing to control their staff.”

YEP Player Ratings: “Chris Wood - As ever, came up with the goal but found himself a long way out on a limb and wasn’t able to hold the ball up consistently. 6/10”

Aaron Mooy helped set up the winner, flippin’ Australians. At least Woody grabbed a goal for Waitangi Day though.

Up Next: Home against Cardiff at 4.00am on Sunday (NZT)

Bill Tuiloma – Olympique de Marseille (French Ligue 1)

Putting in another one of these suckers, Tui was one of a number of fringe first teamers that showed up for the CFA team, including Aaron Leya Iseka, Henri Bedimo, Zinedine Machach and Saïf-Eddine Khaoui who have all played in at least eight Ligue 1 games this season.

Didn’t help though. Despite dominating most of the game, OM2 weren’t able to make it count and they went down 2-0 to Paulhan Pezenas. Oh no but it’s worse than you think because the opening goal, which came in the 74th minute, just happened to be a Tuiloma own goal. Whoops. Jumped for a header from a free kick but could only flick it on past his keeper.

They then conceded again on the break as they pushed for the leveller and that was that. Tui did play 90 minutes though, most of the first teamers that dropped down (except for Machach who sorta took Tuiloma’s chance in the first team earlier in the season as they promoted him instead) were all subbed mid-second half. After a quality start, the CFA team has only won one of their last seven.

With all these new players coming in, some of those dudes are gonna be stuck in the ressies more than they’d prefer. Speaking of, Dimitri Payet made his re-debut off the bench for Marseille, though they lost 1-0 to Metz.

If you’re wondering why Tuiloma’s still there after Deadline Day, he might still be able to go on loan within France for something like another month. At least those are the rules if you play Football Manager. But it’s probably not gonna happen because he’s already had the chance to go on loan to Consolat (as mentioned in the last couple weeks of this column) but told them: “yeah, nah”. Also he’s been struggling with an ankle injury and almost didn’t play this game.

La Provence: “Various (young) professionals who were not picked by Rudi Garcia to face Metz on Friday night were selected here: Zinedine Machach, Aaron Leya Iseka, Antoine Rabillard and, to a lesser degree, Bill Tuiloma, who was still uncertain Friday night due to ankle pain. The latter could have been loaned to Consolat during the last transfer window but he preferred to stay at OM. If he is fit to play, his performance will certainly be evaluated.”

Can’t really blame him. It’s his career and he didn’t do so well last time he went out on loan.

Up Next: Rodez vs OM2, 6.00am Sunday 12 Feb (NZT)

Ryan Thomas – PEC Zwolle (Dutch Eredivisie)

Cool to see Thommo starting, it always is. Especially when it turns out he’d fought through another injury. Despite playing all 90 minutes last week in the defeat against FC Twente, it turns out he’d pulled a muscle above his knee (so… presumably his quad) and battled through it. He then had to train aside from the squad for a day or two but come the end of the week he’d recovered fine and wasn’t in any danger of missing the next contest.

See, told you so.

Bloody good thing too because Zwolle went and picked up a huge win for them in the relegation contest, one that fires them up a couple of spots to 13th on the table and three clear of the drop zone playoffs. There are 13 games to play in the league, by the way. A fair distance to travel yet, though getting the trips over Sparta Rotterdam was massive for them.

And pleasingly it was barely ever in doubt. With the game at 0-0 at the break, Zwolle came out strong and within half a dozen minutes Queensy Menig had skipped around the keeper and scored the opener. Nicolai Brock-Madsen broke the offside trap to make it 2-0 soon after. Then, despite Bart Schenkeveld picking up two yellows in the space of six minutes for a 84th min red, substitute Erik Israelsson finished things off soon after.

Or so it seemed, because Mathias Pogba, the brother of, went and scored twice in injury time to threaten a comeback that would dwarfed the one that happened in that American Football game the other day (Chris Wood is a Patriots fan, if you were wondering) but nah, no worries. Zwolle held on for the 3-2 victory. No shots for Thomas but his passing was solid and he again got himself involved with 52 touches of the ball playing in behind the striker. Could’ve offered more creatively but he pressed well without the ball.

Also, sitting on the bench unused for Sparta were Aussie’s Craig Goodwin and Kenneth Dougall.

Up Next: PEC Zwolle vs NEC Nijmegen, 8.00am Saturday (NZT)

Sam Brotherton – Sunderland AFC (English Premier League)

Oh damn, another Flying Kiwi! Yeah mate, you know it. Sam Brotherton has signed a two and a half year deal with Sunderland and you can read all about that right here, including why you shouldn’t expect him to be playing Premier League any time soon but maybe you shouldn’t rule it out either, plus why getting relegated wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen to him.

Up Next: Lots of training, lots of work