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 92nd 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.
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 92nd 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 7th 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 4th.
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 7th 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 4th.
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.
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...
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 8th. 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...
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 8th. 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...
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