5 Things We Learnt From Watching Football This Weekend - Week Twenty Two

1. Spurs are back to their best.
Since the opening two games of the season right up until the most recent week, no team had taken more points, or won more matches than Tottenham Hotspur. On the coattails of the leaders they were playing with verve, swagger and a large degree of skill. It surely couldn’t last. Following an inevitable and stumbling draw against Wolves as soon as their title chances had been touted, Spurs proceeded to lose a game yesterday that only they... in their pomp... could possibly have done so. City didn’t deserve to get anything from this game, they were outplayed for large chunks and look terrible at the back without the steadying presence of Vincent Kompany. Only David Silva deserved mention in the same breath as the superb Bale, Modric, Parker and Defoe. Spurs had brilliantly got back to 2 all and for twenty minutes tore into City and wasted a series of promising positions and chances... until the 92^nd minute, when Bale once again shot past the static City backline and squared for a visibly shattered Defoe to tap into the net. He stretched, he missed... and City went up the other end and won a penalty from a ridiculous tackle from the otherwise brilliant Ledley King. How had this happened? Mario Balotelli had been totally inept for 30 minutes, his only contribution to leave Scott Parker dazed and confused. Yet here he was, inexplicably winning and scoring a penalty that no City fan could possibly claim to have deserved. But then that is football... and that is Spurs all over. They may or may not have got Mario’s stamp of approval on things... but they have only themselves to blame for 2 minutes of madness that saw them exit the title race stage left.

2. Liverpool are nothing without Suarez.
Since the Uruguayan departed for a mid season holiday with the Ku Klux Klan, Liverpool have picked up one point in the league, scored one goal and conceded six. With Suarez not returning for another fortnight, this is a massive period for Liverpool during which they could conceivably be dumped out of every tournament. They may have the edge over City before Wednesday and Utd is always a coin flip, but the most pressing concerns for their fans will be a league position of 7^th which shows no signs of improving. Saturdays “performance” was another example of how terrible Liverpool have been this season against so called “lesser” teams. Bolton have the worst home defence in the league, have just sold their best player and are languishing at the wrong end of the table. Still Andy Carroll couldn’t score. Still Kenny couldn’t decide on what combination to use in midfield and this time his defence went completely AWOL as well. Suarez may have the shooting accuracy of Andy Cole at his worst, but he creates most of his own chances, tears into teams and is a constant menace for 90 minutes. Liverpool are badly missing him, more so given Dirk Kuyt’s terrible form since the summer.  They need him back, but it says it all about their form that Chelsea can play this badly and still be six points ahead in the race for 4^th.

3. Arsene got it wrong.
The loudest noise at the otherwise so quiet you could hear Per Mertesacker’s breath as he tried to keep up with Ryan Giggs (38), was the boos of Arsenal fans directed towards their manager as he removed the lively Oxlaide-Chamberlain with the game finely poised... and sent on their Russian Teddy Bear. It was a decision every bit as indefensible as Gareth Bales continued goal celebrations. Chamberlain had torn Utd’s latest attempt at a right back inside out all game and had only just created the equaliser with a brilliant reverse pass. Utd’s defence are vulnerable to direct pace... they aren’t venerable to ageing, past their best number tens who continue to be played out of position on the wing. Almost inevitably, Arshavin was at fault for the winner as the superb Valencia cut inside all too easily and danced his way through the back line before laying off the winner for Welbeck to slam home. Having lost three in a row Arsenal are now in serious trouble. They are at least still in the Champions League and, in fairness, are missing over half of their first eleven. But they cannot afford many more defeats if they’re going to get that final, never before so coveted fourth spot.

4. Clint Dempsey may be finally off the smack.
With darkened, hollowed out eyes and a faintly skeletal face... Clint Dempsey looks more like a cast member of the Wire than a footballer. But appearances can always be deceiving and Dempsey has kicked on massively after a middling start to his football career. He has been superb for Fulham over the past two seasons, scoring 28 times in his last 60 matches. This weekend he bagged a second hat-trick of the season with the sort of clinical strikes that Fernando Torres can now not even dream about. He can shoot, dribble, create and is superb in the air. Now at his peak, the only question is why nobody has ever mentioned him as a transfer target for... well anyone. He can play as a number 10, a false 9 or as a wing forward in most formations. He is, in short, twice the player that Andrei Arshavin is...

5. Sunderland are flying.
Even taking into account the “new manager” syndrome, Sunderland’s run since Martin O’Neill has taken over is now bordering on the preposterous. They have won 7 out of their 9 games under his tenure and were incredibly unlucky not to get more against Chelsea last week. You would have expected them to be harder to beat, but they are now playing fast, fluent football and have unearthed a rough diamond in the previously unheard of James McClean. Relegation candidates but a month ago, they now look a good bet to finish in 8^th. If they can buy a proper striker, get some defensive cover and hold on to the superb Stephane Sessegnon, Fozu’s prediction that they can break into the top six might not look so stupid after all...

5 Things We Learnt From Watching Football This Weekend - Week Twenty One

1. It’s time to stop jumping in with both feet.
Following Vincent Kompany’s seemingly harsh red card last week, the key words at the centre of the “two footed debate” are once again “clarity” and “consistency.” Referees seems to be getting less protection from the FA rather than the opposite and despite cries from fans, players and managers for referees to explain their decisions, we are met with a wall of silence that would make the KGB proud. It cannot go on. Refereeing has slipped to new lows this season; and it’s now got to the stage where a trained chimp who spins a random wheel each time there is an incident may as well be the monkey in the middle. With regards the Kompany issue, it was harsh and probably not a red. There are always worse tackles which get yellows to lazily fall back on in defence (not least Alan Hutton’s assault on Shane Long earlier in the season) – but the issue with Kompany is further muddied as he only connected with one foot (despite two being off the ground... by about 2mm) and the tackle certainly didn’t use “excessive force.” This weekend alone, we easily saw ten tackles that were of equivalent danger levels go unpunished. Much as I don’t like quoting Alan Hansen, he is right when he continues to bang on about refs needing to be “absolutely sure” before handing out red cards and penalties. Or as we saw on Saturday, the simply ridiculous decision to give Fernando Torres a yellow card for a stonewall spot kick. A decision, of course, made all the more ridiculous because of the FA’s pathetic and petty rule that you can’t appeal yellow cards. It probably is time to stop jumping in with both feet (if you don’t do it, you don’t get sent off after all)... but it’s certainly time for the FA to start bucking up their ideas and working out what the fuck they’re doing with the laws of the game first.

2. Swansea are the new Arsenal.
Sunday’s teatime match up was billed as one for the purist. Here were two teams who like to keep the ball on the floor, play one touch, passing football and hit teams on the break. In short, it delivered, with Swansea edging a pulsating match 3-2. The worry for Arsenal fans though, is not just that they lost the game and more ground on Chelsea for 4^th, but that a team newly promoted through the Championship play offs took them on at their own game and won... easily. That Arsenal scored twice was largely due to two great passes and clinical finishes. The rest of the match was controlled by Swansea who played around Arsenals static midfield and ran poor Aaron Ramsey into the ground. Indeed, the Welsh Captain was given such a lesson in touch and control by supposedly lesser players that this performance will haunt him for weeks. The good news for Swansea keeps coming, they are in the top half of the table completely on merit and don’t look like a team likely to suffer a collapse. They are organised, solid and have some really good players. They are a welcome addition to the Premier League and on this evidence, won’t be leaving it anytime soon. Although could somebody please teach Brendan Rogers to smile... a bit. It can’t be that bad living in Swansea. No... wait.

3. Wayne Rooney must stop taking penalties.
United swept aside Bolton like a wounded Tiger stumbling upon roadkill on Saturday, so much so that Rooney’s latest penalty miss was largely forgotten. Rooney has now missed four of his last eight spot kicks and has an overall success rate of barely 65% since taken over from Ronaldo as Utd’s deadball specialist. He has missed high profile kicks and he has missed by miles. He has slipped on his run up an unforgivable three times. He now has to stop taking penalties. The key to a good penalty taker is, above anything, composure under pressure. Rooney is a man who loses his head about once every four games and regularly plays largely on adrenalin. He strikes the ball well enough but his kicks smack of a player who is thinking too much about what to do rather than just doing it. He could do worse than watch the countless penalties taken by Le Tissier and Cantona, who missed just three spot kicks between them in their careers (oddly, both missing to Mark Crossley). Both of them didn’t think about anything but scoring, they scored casual chips, top corner rockets but more often than not just sent the keeper the wrong way time and time again. They were in control of the situation and they made a mockery of the stats that this season has seen a third of all penalties missed. Rooney’s errant 12 yard form will cost United before too long and with the likes of Carrick, Giggs & Young in the squad, there really is no reason why Rooney shouldn’t be politely asked to get to the back of the line.

4. Blackburn have a chance... and plenty of spirit.
Somehow, someway, Blackburn moved out of the bottom three this weekend after overcoming the shock of seeing their leading scorer given an early bath and sending Fantasy Football managers up and down the country into seething tyrants. Blackburn were fortunate to be playing Fulham of course, a team about as good on the road as a 30 year old reliant robin, but even taking that into account they played with pace and passion and achieved the three points without their two best players on the pitch. Nobody is really sure how Steve Kean still has a job, but after the horror show at home to Bolton, Blackburn have only lost just once and are now out of the relegation zone for the first time this season. It’s still very much 3 from 5 as I said last time. Wolves need to start winning at home rather than grinding out impressive but not all that important draws to big clubs. Bolton look a certainty to go down and Wigan are in deep trouble but at least are behind their manager and play for their places. Indeed, with Mark Hughes watching the wreckage that Neil Warnock had left behind yesterday with a face that simply said “dear god,” Blackburn and Steve Kean have a genuine chance of escaping. Certainly after this performance, nobody can accuse them of being chicken...

5. Money aint everything... but it helps.
 http://www.transferleague.co.uk/league-tables/2006-2011.html
As I “researched” my blog yesterday I stumbled upon this little gem of a table showing the total transfer spends (gross and net) over the past 5 seasons in the Premier League. It makes for interesting reason. There’s no real surprise to see the top two places taken by City and Chelsea (although it is mildly interesting to see quite how much City have spent), but Liverpool in 3^rd? £83m net spend to go backwards? Other surprises come in Man Utd having the same net spend in the transfer market over the past 5 years as... Stoke. A stat which gives further weight to the Glazer’s influence over the purse strings. The big laughs of course go to West Ham, who have splurged over £100m in transfer fees only to be in the Championship... and to Arsenal, rock bottom of the table having made £31m for the football club over the same period. If Wenger was in control of our banks we probably wouldn’t be in a recession. Although he still has knack all to show for it of course. Finally, a big shout out must go to Everton fans and David Moyes. Everton are not a big selling or buying club and Moyes has had to make do with what he has pretty much his entire managerial career. That he has guided Everton to consistent top 8 finishes despite spending less than Ya Ya Toure’s weekly wage each year... is a fine effort indeed. 

5 Things We Learnt From Watching Football This "winter break"

1. Sometimes it’s defeat, not victory that can be snatched from the jaws of a draw.
The New Year’s Eve/Day fixtures saw a flurry of late goals and drama but none more so that at Sunderland where the Black Cats grabbed the most implausible of late winners. Both Manchester clubs had found themselves (for contrasting reasons) entering the final 10 minutes of their matches drawing against struggling opposition. Playing poorly, these were exactly the moments when commentators roll out the clichés of “this is where titles are won and lost, playing badly against lower teams and grinding out victories at the death.” What was surprising then, not to mention mildly amusing, was that not only did both teams fail to go on and win, but watch in horror as they conceded late goals and lost. Sadly, with pretty much all the chasing pack stumbling as well, the title remains a 2 horse race barring Spurs staying almost completely injury free for another 20 games. But even so, it was nice to see the underdogs very much having their day for once.

2. Chelsea’s old guard is really creaking.
Yesterday’s narrow and lucky victory over Wolves did little to change the feeling that Chelsea are in a really difficult period. No transition is easy, Fergie has managed it a few times, Wenger twice… but most managers struggle to develop more than a single team, more often than not getting sacked before they have the chance to do so. Chelsea could do a lot worse than sticking with AVB and his pleasingly positive philosophy, but there is little doubt the club has to go through a major overhaul. Four of the back five who played against Villa were part of the Jose era that conceded goals like Shylock tossed around money. The problem isn’t just the organisation though; the simple fact is that five years ago the likes of John Terry and Peter Cech were just better players. Ashleigh Cole is the latest big name to find himself waning, having been given a torrid time by several wingers already this season. Add to this the likes of Anelka, Malouda & Drogba all moving on and Frank Lampard every bit as bad, but now nowhere near as fit or lucky as he used to be… and it’s clear AVB has his work cut out. He will need time and money to succeed and could do a lot worse than play his young charges with more regularity than he is doing. I mean Christ, I haven’t even mentioned Fernando Torres…

3. Arsenals defence is somehow improving.
Thumped by United and then conceding four to Blackburn, Arsenal were in such disarray in September that Lee Dixon & Martin Keown appeared to actually threaten the club. After this was followed by a flurry of injuries and the inspiring but flawed 5-3 thriller at Stamford Bridge, the thought of Arsenal having the best defensive record in the league over the next 10 games seemed like a highly unlikely prospect. But, 10 games since that match Arsenal have kept 5 clean sheets and conceded only 1 goal apiece in each of the others. They’ve lost just once against City and have learnt that if they can keep clean sheets, Van Persie will almost always score to win the match for them. The difference seems to have been not just an improved and settled midfield which now occasionally protects the back four, but the fact that the said back four have been composed entirely of centre backs. This has worked well for Wenger, who shorn of rampaging but defensively ill equipped full backs, has seen his troops deliver more steel and solidity, especially when it comes to set pieces. Arsenal won’t win the league, but pride has been restored in North London and with them and Spurs playing the way they are, Chelsea and Liverpool have a lot of work to do to get in the Champions League next season.

(p.s. - it should be noted that this was written at 6pm yesterday, following which Arsenal contrived to get a man sent off and throw away a lead inside ten minutes and totally disprove most of the above. It's tough being a journalist you know... but I just can't be arsed to now rewrite it. Let it be held up as an example of how delicate this sport can be at times...)

4. It’s 3 from 5 for the drop.
Whilst the likes of Fulham, Sunderland and Villa have all struggled at times this season, none of them are in positions where you can see them losing another 10 or 11 games and actually end up relegated. Already slightly cut off, Wolves and QPR are now the only clubs who should be nervously looking over their shoulder to see the bottom three peering ominously up at them. They may be spared by the hopelessness of the clubs beneath them, but neither manager is safe from the sack so close to the transfer window. Indeed following yet another home defeat, Neil Warnock can’t be sleeping too well at present. Despite Wigan’s mini recovery though the jury is still out that they possess the players capable of putting another 20 odd points on the board. Blackburn remain a club in crisis and continue to be severely undermined in every home game by their vociferous fans, detracting completely from good performances on the road. Bolton meanwhile look the worst of the lot and are about to lose their only defender to Chelsea. They can’t score, create or keep clean sheets… which is never a great position to be in. Still, given Owen Coyle once again elected to play Paul Robinson over my Nan this Christmas (now dead, god rest her soul, but still actually better than Robinson given she wouldn’t actually give the opposition a goal every match)… I’ve ran out of sympathy. 

5. Is Television Football Punditry now a dead art?
Gary Neville is trying, I’ll give him that, but over the past couple of years and certainly since “Gray/Keys Gate” television punditry has been toned down to such a banal level that trained chimps may as well be sat on the MOTD couch or ESPN/SKY studios. Is it a crime to express an opinion that doesn’t come wrapped in its own bundle of clichés? Or to say something about a match that the scoreline couldn’t have already told us? At one point on MOTD this weekend, Lineker asked Alan Shearer if he agreed with what Mark Lawrenson had just said about one particular game. Shearer looked confused and surprised and just about managed to mumble a “yes… they deserved it, poor” before the camera panned away and yet again spared his considerable blushes. He is not alone though in his total ineptitude. Kevin Keegan is less a pundit than a haircut and I’m not sure Matthew Le Tissier is qualified to speak our language let alone pass off his opinions as some sort of factual insight on this increasingly sullied sport. Good pundits do come (and go) – Gavin Peacock, Graeme Le Saux, any American Goalkeeper. By and large though, the trend is getting worse not better and sooner, rather than later, somebody is going to get desperate and put Alan Green, Stuart Hall and Dave Whelan on a couch together. And nobody wants that.