1. Is the Partnership back in fashion?
One of the things that interests me most in football is how formations come and go over time. I grew up very much in the 4-4-2 era before modern shifts placed more emphasis on midfield and creativity. Nowadays, most teams line up in a 4-5-1/4-3-3. This season there has been a bit of a shift backwards though, particularly of late. Indeed, there have been almost twice as many goals scored in the last 5 game weeks as there were in the first 4 and, whilst we can’t credit them all to Luis Suarez... he has certainly helped. Sturridge & Suarez looks a real partnership in every sense of the word. They feed off each other, create space for each other and have currently scored ten goals in four games together. Elsewhere, Man City had blossomed with the Aguero/Negrado axis before dropping it this weekend and dropping three points. Swansea have pushed Michu up alongside Bony to good effect and lower down the league Norwich, Fulham, West Brom and Newcastle have all been played 2 up for most of the season. And then there is RVP & Rooney, lauded by Hansen this weekend as the most fearsome partnership in the Premier League. In short, what utter tosh. RVP and Rooney are phenomenal players, but they are not a partnership. Indeed, the Utd striker conundrum is a good example of how important a partnership is. Good partnerships don’t just score goals, they create space for their team mates, work defensively and offensively and set the tone and balance of the whole team. Utd could lay claim to having the three best strikers in the whole league if you look at finishing (RVP), the number 10 (Rooney) and the super sub (Hernandez). But none of the three work together and Man Utd’s lightweight midfield is struggling as a result. It is no surprise that all of Utd’s good performances this season have come in cup games (and the first match vs Swansea) when one of Rooney or RVP have been absent. Ferguson knew this. It is why he bought Kagawa and it is why he tried to push Rooney out of the club. Moyes, ailing as he is, is faced with an impossible problem. Dropping one of his only two genuine world class players for the sake of the balance of the team. He won’t do it of course, and Utd will continue to struggle to dominate games. Even if, ironically, because the said two players are that good... they may well still bail them out of enough games with moments of genius.
2. West Ham. If in doubt... play no strikers at all.
Of course there is always the other option to playing 4-4-2 (or in Liverpool’s case, what appears to be 2-3-1-1-1-2) - and that is going away to the might of Swansea and playing with no strikers whatsoever. Now I’m the Swans biggest fan these days, but going to the Liberty Stadium is not like going away to Man City (previously Man Utd). Indeed, Swansea have a better record away from home this season. Big Sam of course, spent most of the summer buying the same player over and over again (average winger, who can cross sometimes) in order to feed his Plan A - Carroll & Nolan. West Ham’s Plan B hasn’t really got going this season, that freak, planet aligning Spurs result aside. Sure they’re defensively sound, as any team managed by Big Sam would be. But they’ve scored less than a goal a game even including that Norton Coin moment at White Hart Lane. Big Sam had one thing in mind this weekend. Kill the game and hope for a long shot to go in to sneak the points. Part one happened and as part two didn’t, the game was as much of a wash out as the weather. It’s ok though, soon we’re have Tony Pulis back in the league again as well...
3. How far can Saints really go?
Can anyone explain this one, very simple point to me? Fitness issues aside, of which there should be none at the highest level, why don’t more teams press? I mean, people can look at Barca and Spain all they want and say “we’ll never be able to pass the ball like that” - and they’ll probably be correct. But the thing both teams also do so well is harry you all over the pitch to get the ball back once they’ve lost it. Man Utd would sometimes do it under Ferguson, like wise Chelsea under Jose. Arsenal, to name but one team at random, never do it. The mind boggles how good they might be if they did. (Citation: Flamini has been doing it great this year, and they have already struggled badly in the last two games without him). All of which brings us to Southampton. Who press the hell out of you, defend in numbers, are organised in every position and can hit you on the break just as well as from a set piece. The Saints are 5th in the league at the end of it’s first quarter and still boast the best defensive record in Europe. In. Europe. They are ahead of both Manchester clubs and play two of the bottom four next up. What’s more, is that they’re not reliant on any one player. I mentioned a month ago about how they were achieving all this with English players and it’s a point worth reiterating following the weekend. Both of their goals were made in England with Lambert, Jay Rodriquez and Adam Lallana directly involved. Indeed, Saints front four were all English and all played exceptionally well. I don’t expect them to finish the season in the top spots, but a European place remains an outside bet if they carry on playing like this. If they get anywhere near that come May they will deserve every accolade going and their manager needs to be consulted by every young coach in the land about how to get their team playing like this. With... er... a translator.
4. Do Spurs feel lucky?
The league table doesn’t lie is the old chestnut. Perhaps at the end of the season, but right now it puts Spurs in 4th and just 3 points behind Arsenal. You have to go down to Man Utd in 8th to find anyone playing worse than AVB’s side, yet there they remain thanks to the brilliance of Hugo Loris and continuous Roberto Soldado penalties. Spurs have had an easy start, of the two tough games they have played, they have just a point from. They have won half of their games 1 nil and have scored just 4 goals, discounting penalties. But, like Man Utd in the past, they seem to so far have the one quality that you also need to make you champions. Luck. Spurs are not playing fluent football, although they are highly organised. It probably shouldn’t be a surprise given over half the entire team has been changed and, it is worth noting, they didn’t play well for the last ten games of last season either. Then they had Bale to bail them out. Now they have fortuitous penalty decisions. As with Arsenal, the next month should tell us whether Spurs are serious title contenders, or vying for the last champions league spot with an increasingly large number of other clubs. They play Everton and Man City away and Man Utd at home in their next four league matches. Of course, there is an argument that Spurs are being unlucky rather than the other way around. They are dominating games and perhaps it’s only a matter of time before they start opening up and beating teams by 3 or 4 every week? That’s not an argument I’me going to make. But someone could...
5. Where’s the heart Gareth, I can’t see it...
Given I’m bashing Spurs for a change, I’ll round off this week’s elongated blog with a short entry on everyones favourite Simian.
Gareth... it’s not going well is it. That is all.
https://twitter.com/HinduMonkey
Monday 28 October 2013
Sunday 20 October 2013
Five Things We Learnt From Watching Football This Weekend - Week Eight
1. Arsenal’s opening
goal was worthy of any stage
Arsenal managed to take their intimidating start to the season to new levels this weekend with a three act play worthy of any bard. The second, the tragedy, flirted with an improbable comeback before the heart stopping third combined pace, artistry and clinical finishing leaving the audience in raptures. But I’m here to talk about Act One. The score sheet will simply record the details Wilshere, 18 by it. But such words could never do justice to a goal that was sent from all the gods themselves. Team goals rarely get as much praise as individual pile drivers do; and in a sense that’s right. Argentina’s famous 25 passes goal sounded impressive… but let’s be honest, it was dull to actually watch. Passing football is at its best when it is so quick it takes the breath away. Usually only Barca and Spain are capable of this fast paced tiki-taka, with the other great teams of recent times relying on quick counter attacking (Man Utd, Real Madrid), resilience and strength (Chelsea) or being German (Dortmund, Munich). Wilshire’s strike against Norwich combined some of the most ridiculous first touches you’ll likely to see. The build up to the build up was good enough, but the build up to the goal itself between Santi, Giroud and Wilshere was jaw dropping. Hell, Arsenal deserve to win the title for this goal alone. Sure they’ll get injuries, run out of steam and probably fade away come May. But for every Arsenal fan come the end of the season… at least they’ll have this.
Arsenal managed to take their intimidating start to the season to new levels this weekend with a three act play worthy of any bard. The second, the tragedy, flirted with an improbable comeback before the heart stopping third combined pace, artistry and clinical finishing leaving the audience in raptures. But I’m here to talk about Act One. The score sheet will simply record the details Wilshere, 18 by it. But such words could never do justice to a goal that was sent from all the gods themselves. Team goals rarely get as much praise as individual pile drivers do; and in a sense that’s right. Argentina’s famous 25 passes goal sounded impressive… but let’s be honest, it was dull to actually watch. Passing football is at its best when it is so quick it takes the breath away. Usually only Barca and Spain are capable of this fast paced tiki-taka, with the other great teams of recent times relying on quick counter attacking (Man Utd, Real Madrid), resilience and strength (Chelsea) or being German (Dortmund, Munich). Wilshire’s strike against Norwich combined some of the most ridiculous first touches you’ll likely to see. The build up to the build up was good enough, but the build up to the goal itself between Santi, Giroud and Wilshere was jaw dropping. Hell, Arsenal deserve to win the title for this goal alone. Sure they’ll get injuries, run out of steam and probably fade away come May. But for every Arsenal fan come the end of the season… at least they’ll have this.
(which doesn’t even feature the outrageous bit of skill in
his own half to set the move going)
2. City finally
banish away blues
With 1 point from 9 following on from last season’s tame effort; much has already been written about Manchester City’s away day blues. The jury is still out on Pellegrini’s team after they almost let West Ham back into things, but in truth this was a routine away win from a squad who should be clear favourites to win this year’s title. Chelsea and seemingly Arsenal remain key challengers, but neither of those teams possesses anyone in the class of Sergio Aguero. Despite being prone to incessant niggling injuries, Aguero has scored 43 goals in the 72 Premier League games he has played for City. A record bested by nobody who hasn’t played for Man Utd during that time. The core of City’s team is better than anyone and with David Silva sparkling again, Nasri having refound his mojo and the return of Micah “the human wall” Richards; few would bet against them retaining their title come May. Much of that will depend on results such as this though. City retain the ability to switch off at any moment and seem to genuinely consider Javi Garcia to be a better defender than Joleen Lescott. On their day, they remain unbeatable. Capable of scoring in a blink of an eye and out muscling anyone. Their fans will hope this win goes some way to banishing their away day blues and kicks them on to bigger and greater things once more.
With 1 point from 9 following on from last season’s tame effort; much has already been written about Manchester City’s away day blues. The jury is still out on Pellegrini’s team after they almost let West Ham back into things, but in truth this was a routine away win from a squad who should be clear favourites to win this year’s title. Chelsea and seemingly Arsenal remain key challengers, but neither of those teams possesses anyone in the class of Sergio Aguero. Despite being prone to incessant niggling injuries, Aguero has scored 43 goals in the 72 Premier League games he has played for City. A record bested by nobody who hasn’t played for Man Utd during that time. The core of City’s team is better than anyone and with David Silva sparkling again, Nasri having refound his mojo and the return of Micah “the human wall” Richards; few would bet against them retaining their title come May. Much of that will depend on results such as this though. City retain the ability to switch off at any moment and seem to genuinely consider Javi Garcia to be a better defender than Joleen Lescott. On their day, they remain unbeatable. Capable of scoring in a blink of an eye and out muscling anyone. Their fans will hope this win goes some way to banishing their away day blues and kicks them on to bigger and greater things once more.
3. Writing about
Stoke City doesn’t get any easier
People like Mark Hughes. They want him to succeed. No honestly. I know this to be true why? Because um… Mark Hughes says so. Need more proof? Well… um… er… how about the fact that after starting the season with some vague promise Stoke have defaulted instantly to their old ways? What about the fact that their best player remains their goalkeeper, who single-handedly keeps them in every single match they play? Or their goals for column!? Four in eight games! One in the last SIX HOURS. That’s worth shouting about isn’t it? What about Peter Crouch? He scored that amazing goal against Man City didn’t he!? Was that the last time he actually scored? I think it might be. Was that the last time Stoke scored? No, no… that cheeky chappy Jermaine Pennant popped up a few weeks ago didn’t he? Oh wait, that’s it. Jermaine Pennant! Everybody loves him! That must have been what Hughes was on about when he said people want him to succeed!?
People like Mark Hughes. They want him to succeed. No honestly. I know this to be true why? Because um… Mark Hughes says so. Need more proof? Well… um… er… how about the fact that after starting the season with some vague promise Stoke have defaulted instantly to their old ways? What about the fact that their best player remains their goalkeeper, who single-handedly keeps them in every single match they play? Or their goals for column!? Four in eight games! One in the last SIX HOURS. That’s worth shouting about isn’t it? What about Peter Crouch? He scored that amazing goal against Man City didn’t he!? Was that the last time he actually scored? I think it might be. Was that the last time Stoke scored? No, no… that cheeky chappy Jermaine Pennant popped up a few weeks ago didn’t he? Oh wait, that’s it. Jermaine Pennant! Everybody loves him! That must have been what Hughes was on about when he said people want him to succeed!?
Mark. Nobody wants Stoke to succeed. Or you to succeed.
Except Stoke fans. And you.
Infact probably just you.
You twat
4. Roberto Martinez is doing a very good job
Four points off top, four points above Man Utd and just one defeat in 8 games. Roberto Martinez has taken a lot less time to settle in his new role than David Moyes has. Unlike Utd, Everton have retained the qualities of their departing manager whilst adding new ones into the mix. Martinez had a reputation for poor defensive management at Wigan, but Everton currently look as good as ever in that regard. The back five picks itself and it’s a solid, dependable unit full of attacking thrust from the flanks. What the Spaniard has added, is fluent, passing football combined with genuine movement. Barkley has been a revelation this season and there is a certain irony that the area where Utd continue to struggle the most is the main area Everton have strengthened in. The new look midfield of McCarthy, Barry and Barkley looks better than any combination Moyes’ new team can put together and Everton are starting to control games as well as win them. Everton fans cannot have expected this in their wildest dreams. Whilst Utd fans clung to what are fast becoming very false hopes and belief in a squad quite clearly not good enough, Evertonians spoke of a slide from any European challenge and some even mentioned relegation. That looks absurd right now. The season remains young, with 30 games still to play. But three months ago you would have been put in an asylum for suggesting Everton would finish above Man Utd this year. Injuries permitting, it now looks more like even money.
4. Roberto Martinez is doing a very good job
Four points off top, four points above Man Utd and just one defeat in 8 games. Roberto Martinez has taken a lot less time to settle in his new role than David Moyes has. Unlike Utd, Everton have retained the qualities of their departing manager whilst adding new ones into the mix. Martinez had a reputation for poor defensive management at Wigan, but Everton currently look as good as ever in that regard. The back five picks itself and it’s a solid, dependable unit full of attacking thrust from the flanks. What the Spaniard has added, is fluent, passing football combined with genuine movement. Barkley has been a revelation this season and there is a certain irony that the area where Utd continue to struggle the most is the main area Everton have strengthened in. The new look midfield of McCarthy, Barry and Barkley looks better than any combination Moyes’ new team can put together and Everton are starting to control games as well as win them. Everton fans cannot have expected this in their wildest dreams. Whilst Utd fans clung to what are fast becoming very false hopes and belief in a squad quite clearly not good enough, Evertonians spoke of a slide from any European challenge and some even mentioned relegation. That looks absurd right now. The season remains young, with 30 games still to play. But three months ago you would have been put in an asylum for suggesting Everton would finish above Man Utd this year. Injuries permitting, it now looks more like even money.
5. Watching England was almost fun again…
And so England are going to Brazil. And the whole country waits… and expects… well not much this time actually. If there is one thing Roy Hodgson deserves credit for, it’s managing the expectations of England fans so that even the most deluded follower of St George doesn’t believe we can win it. None of which should take away from some of the good work that Hodgson has done. After a slow start to the group England eased to the top of the table with two convincing victories against sub rate opposition (waves flag). If Roy wanted to get England to the moon, he found the right Space Monkey for the job (sorry). The best thing about Andros Townsend’s performances last week wasn't his ability or youthful abandon, is what that he approached the games without fear or apprehension and that rubbed off on all the other players. England played some of their best attacking football in years and much of it went through the freshman astronaut (sorry again). England can’t win the World Cup, but they have earned the right to be there and not being seeded will at least put to bed some of the ludicrous delusions of grandeur. We have some very good young players, mixed with experienced old heads. People who talk of our centre backs not having proved it at the highest level seem to have misplaced the knowledge that our number one defender, Gary Cahill, started, played and won the Champions League final and Europa final in successive seasons. If that isn’t proving it at the highest level, I’m not sure what is. Gerrard seems to have finally settled into the setup as the elder statesmen and he has proved himself a dependable captain. A team of Hart, Walker, Jones, Cahill, Gibbs, Wilshire, Barkley, Townsend, Welbeck, Rooney and Sturridge could well get to the Quarter Finals and all would be under 27. Add in Gerrard, Cole, Baines, Walcott and for no possible reason that I can fathom… Jermaine Defoe. And England are going to… ah who I am kidding. I don’t even care.
And so England are going to Brazil. And the whole country waits… and expects… well not much this time actually. If there is one thing Roy Hodgson deserves credit for, it’s managing the expectations of England fans so that even the most deluded follower of St George doesn’t believe we can win it. None of which should take away from some of the good work that Hodgson has done. After a slow start to the group England eased to the top of the table with two convincing victories against sub rate opposition (waves flag). If Roy wanted to get England to the moon, he found the right Space Monkey for the job (sorry). The best thing about Andros Townsend’s performances last week wasn't his ability or youthful abandon, is what that he approached the games without fear or apprehension and that rubbed off on all the other players. England played some of their best attacking football in years and much of it went through the freshman astronaut (sorry again). England can’t win the World Cup, but they have earned the right to be there and not being seeded will at least put to bed some of the ludicrous delusions of grandeur. We have some very good young players, mixed with experienced old heads. People who talk of our centre backs not having proved it at the highest level seem to have misplaced the knowledge that our number one defender, Gary Cahill, started, played and won the Champions League final and Europa final in successive seasons. If that isn’t proving it at the highest level, I’m not sure what is. Gerrard seems to have finally settled into the setup as the elder statesmen and he has proved himself a dependable captain. A team of Hart, Walker, Jones, Cahill, Gibbs, Wilshire, Barkley, Townsend, Welbeck, Rooney and Sturridge could well get to the Quarter Finals and all would be under 27. Add in Gerrard, Cole, Baines, Walcott and for no possible reason that I can fathom… Jermaine Defoe. And England are going to… ah who I am kidding. I don’t even care.
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