Despite the fundamentally inaccurate opinion of Fosu Gharban that Ya Ya Toure
remains an “average” player, the evidence is fast amounting that the Ivorian is
anything but. City’s late surge to their first Premier League title has seen
Toure play a pivotal role. Mancini must also take some credit here in how he
has started using the player. For the last five games, he has deployed Toure
deeper alongside Gareth Barry and then, with the game getting more stretched,
has brought on De Jong to allow Toure to play in the space. This tactic
ultimately won Manchester City the league this weekend as Toure powered forward
to score two unstoppable goals. The Ivorian is a player for which the phrase “everything
in his locker” was invented for. Strong, quick and powerful, he is as adept at
tackling and heading as he is at shooting and passing. Almost none of that by
contrast, could be said about Manchester Utd’s engine room main player, Michael
Carrick. Carrick is a decent passer of the ball but he lacks any sort of dynamism
whatsoever. If the game is a foot, he’s not going to come up with a killer
pass, let alone an actual goal to bring the match back in your direction. As
one fan put it on Saturday evening, “Ya Ya Toure wins you matches, Michael
Carrick doesn’t.” The need for Ferguson to strengthen his midfield has never
been more pressing…
2. Jordan Henderson is the worst signing in Liverpool’s
history.
That may seem like a bold claim given some of the filth that has turned out in red shirts over the past decade, but for a player who cost £20m and has played as often as Henderson has, statistically at least the claim deserves analysing. Until the much maligned Andy Caroll came on this Saturday, Liverpool were fast heading to an embarrassing cup defeat to add to their collection of losses already this season. The big striker restored some of his own reputation and his clubs pride with a marvellous cameo, but before and during that it was striking once again how totally inept both Henderson and Stewart Downing were. Faintly bored as I watched Utd struggle past Swansea on Sunday, I decided to analyse the impact of both these players over the course of the season in direct contrast to two counterparts from all the other clubs. For most of the season they have played as wingers (or Henderson slightly inside right) so taking the two first choice wide players from the other clubs (not strikers who play wide like Sturridge) I compiled the following table of goals and assists created.
That may seem like a bold claim given some of the filth that has turned out in red shirts over the past decade, but for a player who cost £20m and has played as often as Henderson has, statistically at least the claim deserves analysing. Until the much maligned Andy Caroll came on this Saturday, Liverpool were fast heading to an embarrassing cup defeat to add to their collection of losses already this season. The big striker restored some of his own reputation and his clubs pride with a marvellous cameo, but before and during that it was striking once again how totally inept both Henderson and Stewart Downing were. Faintly bored as I watched Utd struggle past Swansea on Sunday, I decided to analyse the impact of both these players over the course of the season in direct contrast to two counterparts from all the other clubs. For most of the season they have played as wingers (or Henderson slightly inside right) so taking the two first choice wide players from the other clubs (not strikers who play wide like Sturridge) I compiled the following table of goals and assists created.
| Premier League Wingers Chart - 2011/12 Season | ||||||
| Club | Wingers | Goals | Assists | Total | Minutes | Goals/Assists p/m |
| Man Utd | Valencia/Young | 9 | 25 | 34 | 3340 | 98.24 |
| Man City | Silva/Nasri | 11 | 25 | 36 | 4871 | 135.31 |
| Spurs | Bale/Lennon | 13 | 21 | 34 | 4607 | 135.50 |
| Chelsea | Mata/Ramires | 10 | 19 | 29 | 4808 | 165.79 |
| Fulham | Dempsey/Duff | 19 | 12 | 31 | 5348 | 172.52 |
| Arsenal | Walcott/Rosisky | 9 | 15 | 24 | 4400 | 183.33 |
| Bolton | Petrov/Eagles | 8 | 17 | 25 | 4678 | 187.12 |
| Everton | Osman/Pienaar | 7 | 11 | 18 | 3443 | 191.28 |
| Wolves | Jarvis/Hunt | 10 | 9 | 19 | 4053 | 213.32 |
| West Brom | Morrison/Brunt | 7 | 12 | 19 | 4399 | 231.53 |
| Sunderland | McClean/Larsson | 12 | 7 | 19 | 4450 | 234.21 |
| Swansea | Dyer/Sinclair | 13 | 9 | 22 | 5153 | 234.23 |
| Stoke | Ethrington/Pennant | 3 | 13 | 16 | 3976 | 248.50 |
| Norwich | Pilkington/Bennet | 9 | 6 | 15 | 3898 | 259.87 |
| Newcastle | Guiterez/Ben Arfa | 7 | 11 | 18 | 4681 | 260.06 |
| Wigan | Moses/Gomez | 11 | 7 | 18 | 4844 | 269.11 |
| Blackburn | Pederson/Formica | 7 | 10 | 17 | 4792 | 281.88 |
| Aston Villa | Nzogbia/Albrighton | 4 | 7 | 11 | 3552 | 322.91 |
| QPR | Barton/SWP | 3 | 9 | 12 | 4917 | 409.75 |
| Liverpool | Henderson/Downing | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4810 | 962.00 |
The evidence is beyond damning. It’s no surprise to see City & Utd lead the table, but what’s shocking isn’t just that Liverpool are bottom of the list, but bottom by such a margin. Indeed, the £40m spent on Downing & Henderson has been responsible for a Premier League goal either being scored or created once every 962 minutes. That’s almost once in every eleven games!? Indeed, the stats are so bad; the pair are actually as poor as the next three teams (Blackburn/Villa/QPR) combined. There’s little more I can say. There is simply no defence for the performance of either signing and whilst Downing could perhaps be considered unlucky, Henderson, as he again showed us on Saturday is yet to provide any real evidence he can play this game at all.
3. Arsenal will only
have themselves to blame.
It could have been worse… a lot worse. Throwing away three points against Norwich this weekend, after mounting a typically heroic comeback, was ultimately made to look ok by Spurs stuttering again against Villa and Newcastle going down to the leaders. Still, there remains just 2 points separating three clubs for the Champions League spots with the prospect of Chelsea becoming a fourth if they beat Liverpool this evening. Arsenal should have had this well wrapped up by now and will be kicking themselves that things are still in the balance going into the final weekend. Away to a West Brom side saying goodbye to Roy Hodgson will not be easy, especially given Spurs are at home to Fulham. Newcastle, granted, have a much harder fixture at Everton but the way they’re played this season you wouldn’t bet against them winning there. Arsenal simply have to qualify for the Champions League. Perhaps more than any other club they need that carrot to dangle in front of their star players, not least Robin Van Persie, and convince them to have another shot at glory come August. Arsenal have played with adventure and guile many times this season, but they have also shot themselves in the foot when it’s mattered time and time again. It’s all or nothing time for Wenger’s boys and they owe it to their manager and to their club to finish the job next weekend.
It could have been worse… a lot worse. Throwing away three points against Norwich this weekend, after mounting a typically heroic comeback, was ultimately made to look ok by Spurs stuttering again against Villa and Newcastle going down to the leaders. Still, there remains just 2 points separating three clubs for the Champions League spots with the prospect of Chelsea becoming a fourth if they beat Liverpool this evening. Arsenal should have had this well wrapped up by now and will be kicking themselves that things are still in the balance going into the final weekend. Away to a West Brom side saying goodbye to Roy Hodgson will not be easy, especially given Spurs are at home to Fulham. Newcastle, granted, have a much harder fixture at Everton but the way they’re played this season you wouldn’t bet against them winning there. Arsenal simply have to qualify for the Champions League. Perhaps more than any other club they need that carrot to dangle in front of their star players, not least Robin Van Persie, and convince them to have another shot at glory come August. Arsenal have played with adventure and guile many times this season, but they have also shot themselves in the foot when it’s mattered time and time again. It’s all or nothing time for Wenger’s boys and they owe it to their manager and to their club to finish the job next weekend.
4. Farewell Kentucky
Fried Rovers.
It was only a matter of time before this happened. We all wanted Kean to defy his critics, most notably his own fans, but Blackburn have been too bad for too long and if hadn’t been for Yakubu, would probably have been relegated two months ago. Kean, as ever, was defiant in defeat and insisted he will “never resign” and that he had the “full support” of the owners. That may well be the case, but for a club who’s owners targeted 6th at the start of the season… relegation must be a very rude awakening. The fans continue to cry fowl play, but the cold hard facts are that their team has not performed over the course of the season with anything like the level of skill and ability they should have done. Blackburn aren’t quite West Ham under Glen Roeder, but they are still a better team on paper than Wolves, Swansea, Wigan, QPR, Bolton & Norwich and should not have gone down. They have defended too often like domesticated cats rather than Lions and their midfield has been badly exposed by average teams at their own ground. Whether the slightly farcical Venky’s/Kean partnership will continue into the lower leagues only time will tell. But when this advert came out at the start of the season, the writing was probably already on the wall. And yeah, it really does get worse every… single… time… you watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYwf2SBWa5o
It was only a matter of time before this happened. We all wanted Kean to defy his critics, most notably his own fans, but Blackburn have been too bad for too long and if hadn’t been for Yakubu, would probably have been relegated two months ago. Kean, as ever, was defiant in defeat and insisted he will “never resign” and that he had the “full support” of the owners. That may well be the case, but for a club who’s owners targeted 6th at the start of the season… relegation must be a very rude awakening. The fans continue to cry fowl play, but the cold hard facts are that their team has not performed over the course of the season with anything like the level of skill and ability they should have done. Blackburn aren’t quite West Ham under Glen Roeder, but they are still a better team on paper than Wolves, Swansea, Wigan, QPR, Bolton & Norwich and should not have gone down. They have defended too often like domesticated cats rather than Lions and their midfield has been badly exposed by average teams at their own ground. Whether the slightly farcical Venky’s/Kean partnership will continue into the lower leagues only time will tell. But when this advert came out at the start of the season, the writing was probably already on the wall. And yeah, it really does get worse every… single… time… you watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYwf2SBWa5o
5. Hi Ho Sheffield
Wednesday.
It is a mark of how far Sheffield football has fallen over the last few years that a team getting promoted back into the Championship has gained such a genuine outpouring of local emotion. Sheffield Wednesday have been in the 3rd tier of English football for too long and this weekend’s promotion was richly deserved for a team who have lived in the shadow of their neighbours for the past decade. It was, to Owls everywhere, made all the sweeter that it came at the expense of their local rivals who must now navigate the play offs shorn of confidence and form. That, in turn is a shame. The Steel City would benefit from both teams getting back into the Championship and having a genuine chance of making the promised ground over the next few seasons. The Ched Evans case has certainly hurt Utd, who have been pretty awful since their main striker was sentenced to Jail. Wednesday, by contrast, have won when it’s mattered most; 5 out of their last 6 crucially, which has carried them to automatic promotion. After playing host to the likes of Stevenage and Yeovil for what seems like an eternity, Wednesday fans can at least look forward to the relatively more glamorous matches against the likes of Blackburn, Wolves, Leeds and West Ham again. The belief, finally, has come back to Hillsborough.
It is a mark of how far Sheffield football has fallen over the last few years that a team getting promoted back into the Championship has gained such a genuine outpouring of local emotion. Sheffield Wednesday have been in the 3rd tier of English football for too long and this weekend’s promotion was richly deserved for a team who have lived in the shadow of their neighbours for the past decade. It was, to Owls everywhere, made all the sweeter that it came at the expense of their local rivals who must now navigate the play offs shorn of confidence and form. That, in turn is a shame. The Steel City would benefit from both teams getting back into the Championship and having a genuine chance of making the promised ground over the next few seasons. The Ched Evans case has certainly hurt Utd, who have been pretty awful since their main striker was sentenced to Jail. Wednesday, by contrast, have won when it’s mattered most; 5 out of their last 6 crucially, which has carried them to automatic promotion. After playing host to the likes of Stevenage and Yeovil for what seems like an eternity, Wednesday fans can at least look forward to the relatively more glamorous matches against the likes of Blackburn, Wolves, Leeds and West Ham again. The belief, finally, has come back to Hillsborough.
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