With some of the results this weekend you know the bookmakers and betting houses in and around England are smiling from ear to ear. If last week was the break out week for goals then certainly this week will be remembered as one for the shock results.
Tottenham 1, Chelsea 1
First up in the early game on Saturday were London rivals Spurs and Chelsea. Much was made before the game about the two Managers who had worked together at numerous clubs together before a falling out meant they lost contact with each other.
Sigurdsson scored the opener for the hosts with a less than convincing tackle from Terry to block the Soldado layoff. That was after twenty minutes and gave AVB (the Apprentice) a half time lead over Mourinho (The Master).
Much had been made of the Juan Mata issue and whether he should be playing more for Chelsea. The start of the second half we saw Mikel replaced by Mata and instantly Chelsea looked more of a threat. Another issue surrounding Chelsea is Fernando Torres and his lack of return in front of goal. That killer touch in the Premier League is still eluding him but the petulance in his game is still very much there. A yellow card eventually for a trip in the corner on Vertonghen was the least he deserved with not only a previous tackle going unpunished but replays showing the Spaniard dug his nail into the Spurs mans face.
Then the man of discussion before the game Juan Mata whipped in a beautiful free kick which was met by the head of Chelsea Captain John Terry to level the game and finish of the scoring.
With nine minutes left Torres and Vertonghen (both now on yellow cards) collided. Now at full speed initially it looked like a head collision between the two with Torres launching himself and therefore making Mike Dean rule it dangerous play. Torres did himself no favors by holding his head afterwards either. Replays showed their heads never connected and I think had Torres been more honest with it maybe he would have stayed, however for my money he should have gone for the eye incident earlier.
Villa 3, Man City 2
It is a case of two steps forward and one step back for the team from Manchester with the big win against rivals United and the 5-0 win against Wigan midweek wiped out with this result. Manchester City may have had one eye on the Munich game midweek but the fact is City were leading on two occasions. The amount of shots each team had it would have been a great result for Villa to have LOST 3-2. As it was they were simply more clinical in front of goal and took their chances when they came.
Playing Dzeko and Negredo upfront was a bit of a weird selection for me as they essentially offer you the same option. Villa were without Benteke and Agbonlohor but they rallied.
Toure opened the scoring just before the half. Minutes into the second half El Ahmadi equalized which stunned City back onto the front foot. Five minutes later City were back in the lead and that is where the mistakes were made. At that point City should have either decided to bring off an attacker for a defensive player and lock up what they had or put Villa to the sword. As it was they did neither and in the space of two minutes City’s 2-1 lead was turned into a 3-2 deficit.
City fans may point to the suspicion of offside for the first goal and debate on the free kick for the second but the truth is the first goal was nullified when Dzeko scored and mistakes were not learnt from. City will have to do much better when they face the German and European Champions on Wednesday.
Fulham 1, Cardiff 2
It is getting near to critical for Martin Jol to get some more points on the board. Fulham were lucky against West Brom a few games back with three goals disallowed only to see West Brom score with the final kick. Again, in this game, Martin Jol and Fulham were left ruing missed chances and a late strike. Cardiff had started brightly and after 12 minutes were ahead through a Steve Caulker header from a Whittingham struck corner.
Before the first half ended Fulham had already made two substitutions with the first an enforced one early on and the second coming as a tactical change. It was the substitute who then leveled for Fulham after only being on the pitch a matter of minutes with a sweet left footed finish from the edge of the box and nestling in the top corner. Half time arrived with the two sides level.
The game was evenly balanced as the clock wound down and then two minutes into stoppage time Jordon Mutch who finishes sweetly slotting home the final goal in a 2-1 win and leaving Fulham now in the bottom three.
Hull 1, West Ham 0
I didn’t actually get to see this game and so I cannot give an opinion on the penalty that was given nor on the one referred to in Sam Allardyce’s post match interview that wasn’t given. The goal that separated the sides at the final whistle was the penalty awarded for what the simulation claim and was slotted home calmly by the guy who won it, Robbie Brady.
What I will say though is that with almost 60% possession away from home, more shots on target, more shots off target and the same amount of corners as your opponent the fact that you score zero is a problem. To be fair Big Sam did say as much in the post match interview and there is a long way still to go in the season but hovering above the relegation zone is not where any team wants to be.
Hull on the other hand are now 7th although that could slip to 8th with anything but an Everton loss tonight. Bruce would be over the moon with his sides points tally who find themselves on the same amount as Manchester City and three more than his old club, United.
Man Utd 1, West Brom 2
At the beginning of the season I had written that I thought it was going to be a tough first season for David Moyes coming into United. With the start they had I actually said if they do not have double figures going into October the pressure for him to go will start to raise it’s ugly head. For the United fans calling for that action I say this, if you’d had your way in 1989 you would have sacked Ferguson. Stick with the man, he was widely accepted before the season started as the man for United so why not now? Rumors are that Sir Alex himself hand picked Moyes, and how often did he get things wrong? Sir Alex said at the end of last season to stick with it and you all cheered that afternoon at Old Trafford but now, two months in and everything is forgotten.
But I digress and to the match I go. West Brom were actually forced into an early change too with Scott Sinclair off with what looked like a hamstring injury. That said West Brom would make it to the break on level terms with United with all the action coming in at the half.
Second half started brightly for West Brom with lots of pressure of DeGea’s goal. A give away from Evans was given back by Anichebe and a dizzy run by Sessegnon forced a save from DeGea after a layoff to Berahino.
After 54 minutes the opening goal came, from West Brom’s Amalfitano who ran past the United backline as if they were not even there before neatly finishing with a chip over DeGea who had already gone to ground. United to their credit were soon back in it through Wayne Rooney and a great free kick which beat everyone and put United level. Moyes then decided to bring on RVP for Hernandez and go for the win.
Five minutes after the Rooney strike and West Brom were nearly back in front through an Olsson header which hit the crossbar. It would be fair to say that although United were a shadow of the side that lifted the trophy last year West Brom also put in the 90 minutes of their lives. They chased every ball, harassed and found the United defense wanting and didn’t let their heads drop when they were pegged back. In fact they were the aggressors and hungry for the winning goal.
With just over twenty minutes remaining, that goal came through Berahino. It was a fantastic finish but United only had themselves to blame as they kept launching the ball out of the area rather than playing it out as we are used to. As a result the ball would just keep coming back and when Berahino picked it up on the edge of the box there was only one thought on his mind. The last twenty minutes West Brom toyed, teased and frustrated Manchester United. Fellaini had the ball in the back of the net but was rightly ruled out for offside. In stoppage time the Red’s appealed for a penalty but again to no avail. Nani, it seemed went down way too easily and certainly didn’t convince anyone.
Southampton 2, Crystal Pal 0
After a stuttering start Southampton now find themselves up in the top part of the top half of the Premiership. Only Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs are above them as this is written, although and Everton win tonight will drop them down one more.
Pochettino hasn’t seen his side score a goal in the first half since April and he would have to wait until at least the next game as the sides went in at half time goal less. Palace did have a penalty appeal turned down but replays showed that the referee Martin Atkinson was correct with the decision as the player fouled was already on his way down before anyone touched him.
Usually as an away team you would come in at half time and the goal for the second half would be to just keep it tight for the first five or ten minutes of the second half. Crystal Palace didn’t listen to this and before the clock reached 50 minutes they found themselves 2-0 down. The first goal two minutes after the restart was a fantastic effort from Osvaldo who held off the Palace man before dispatching a powerful low shot into the bottom right corner of the net.
Two minutes later and Lambert doubled the lead from a free kick after Osvaldo was fouled. It was a brilliant strike which beat the Palace keeper at his near post.
Swansea 1, Arsenal 2
Both teams started the season with home defeats, the difference is that Arsenal haven’t dropped points since. However the Liberty Stadium isn’t the easiest place to go and as a result both teams retired at the half goalless.
Almost 15 minutes into the second half and the young German Gnabry finished off a flowing Arsenal move. Four minutes later Ramsey scored to double the lead after some good distribution from the Arsenal keeper quickly moved defense from attack.
Swansea to their credit did keep pushing and eventually got a goal back with an Arsenal like free flowing move started and finished by Davis.
Stoke 0, Norwich 1
Stoke have been bad so far this season, Norwich have been worse so it was interesting to see who would be the best of the worst in this game. A Jonny Howson shot from distance beat Begovic just after the half an hour with what was the eventual winner.
Stoke didn’t look like they had turned up for this game and at the final whistle Chris Hughton will be glad of the three points but maybe a little niggling feeling that it could have been more. Certainly they will have tougher games than this and therefore chances more at a premium.
Sunderland 1, Liverpool 3
Suarez played midweek in the Capital One cup but today saw him return to Premiership football after his ten game ban. Sunderland also had their first Premiership game without Paulo DiCanio who was let go last week.
It would be the strike of Sturridge from a Gerrard corner with the shoulder making contact with the ball rather than the strikers head. Minutes later Sturridge turned provider and put a pass on a plate for the returning Suarez to tap home and give Liverpool a 2-0 halftime lead.
Early in the second half and Giaccherini was the benefactor of a dropped shot from Mignolet in the Liverpool goal. The Italian fired past the keeper to cut the deficit in half. From then on it looked as though the tie could go either way. Certainly Sunderland caretaker Manager would have been pleased with his teams performance especially in the second half.
However when you press hard looking for that equalizer against a team with the pace of Suarez and Sturridge up front you are susceptible to the break and that’s what happened. A pass from Suarez to Sturridge was then returned back to Suarez who netted from just outside the six yard box to finish off a very nice Premiership return and get three points for a high flying Liverpool side.
