Saturday 20th February, 2010
Everton 3-1 Manchester United
This was the best result of the weekend. Anytime Manchester United or Chelsea lose, the Premier league weekend has been a success in my opinion and needless to say, my very biased gunners point of view.
Everton has been a team I admired and frankly I have always wondered why they didn’t do better than the 5th or 6th position they seem to ‘own’ because they are one of the better organized and effectively resilient teams in the Premier league for as long as I’ve known. I’m not really surprised at the score line and the game didn’t leave you doubting that the toffees could win this game. Not even the impressive form of Wayne Rooney could help United salvage a point from this ever rising Moyes’ boys. United were flat in the second half especially after Berbatov was substituted and as Sir Alex said in the post match interview they deserved nothing.
The introduction of Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell by David Moyes must have been either genius coaching or an incredible fluke. Seemed like David Moyes brought on these two young toffees to close up shop in the last 15 mins of the game but they both ended up ensuring victory for the team. Again genius or what?
Arsenal 2-0 Sunderland
Sunderland has traditionally been one of the bogey teams for Arsenal primarily because of the nature of their play. They play a physical game which will ordinarily prove difficult for any team not to talk of a perceptively ‘fragile’ Arsenal side. But this game was far from perception or tradition. When these teams met at the Stadium of Light earlier in the season Sunderland had the upper hand. Well Saturday proved to be the Gunner’s revenge date.
I must say though that the free flowing Arsenal we all love is far from reality these days and creating or fabricating chances in front of goal has become some sort of a challenge even for a team that has scored 63 goals so far this season. I kind of don’t care as long as we keep getting the results, but it would be nice to see ‘Vintage Arsenal’ win the league rather than the struggling Gunners. Kenwyne Jones blowing the greatest chance of the match for Sunderland smacks of a man trying to impress probably Steve Bruce? Emmanuel Eboue was my man of the match. He played out of his skin. Great to watch!
West Ham United 3-0 Hull City
I don’t know who (the new owners or Gianfranco Zola) or what (the stability as a result of new ownership) to credit for West Ham’s recent good performances but it’s very nice to them do well and live up to their potential. They may be in a relegation battle (frankly every team in the bottom half of the table is involved in that battle) but they are one side that I think will survive relegation this season and will remain in the premier league next season. I’m surprised
Phil Brown of Hull has not been sacked yet! I honestly think they’ll survive the relegation battle also regardless of their tupsy turvy results recently.
Wolves 0-2 Chelsea
‘Always take your chances especially against the big teams!’ This is like one of the most used clichés in football and Wolves proved why. The wolves had numerous chances that could have turned this game on its head in their favor and would have favored the other teams in the fight for top spot.
But with Didier Drogba on the field, it was almost guaranteed Chelsea would have this one to lose. Yuri Zhirkov replaced Ashley Cole at left back as he recovers from broken ankle and he had a good game and also set up the first goal for the Drog himself. Chelsea goes four points clear of United and six points clear of Arsenal.
Portsmouth 1-2 Stoke City
Pompey is almost definitely relegated and that’s really sad to say but there doesn’t seem to be any other way than down for Portsmouth. Stokes last minute winner at Fratton Park basically sums up Portsmouth’s season so far – coming close to the light at the end of the tunnel but only discovering it was only a façade.
I still do believe that the instability off the pitch has permeated the psyche of the player s which ultimately affects play on the field. Rumors making the rounds are a South-African consortium is looking to buy the club once again!
Maybe, just maybe there’s really light at the end of the tunnel this time!
Sunday 21st February, 2010
Blackburn 3-0 Bolton
Fourth straight home win for the Blackburn and Sam Allardyce’s team are seating comfortably in the middle of the table. Owen Coyle and Bolton on the other hand have a lot to think about as they occupy third from bottom comfortably. When Owen Coyle decided to make the switch from Burnley to Bolton, I really wasn’t sure what to think apart from the fact that only time would tell if it was a wise decision.
It’s looking at this very moment that it wasn’t really a productive move as he would have hoped.
I think he’s only won two games so far since he took over and at this rate he’ll be coaching a ‘talented’ Bolton side in the championship.
Aston Villa 5-2 Burnley
Martin O’Neil’s side went 1-0 down early in the game but came back with a Stuart Downing show to win the game in the highest scoring game of the weekend.
Not really a big fan of Aston Villa and that with all due respect to the job Martin O’Neil has down with the team. I just feel as I’ve said before they are a smoking gun – potentially threatening but actually less effective when it mattered most. Just as they did last season, Aston Villa will just about now start dipping in form which will ultimately lead to dropped points and a top seven position not a top four finish. I hope they prove me wrong. Well not really!
Fulham 2-1 Birmingham
Bobby Zamora is the highlight of this game for me because he had a chance to show Fabio Capello a chance to see why so many people have been clamoring for him to be called to the English National team.
From hightlights this game seemed to be a delight to watch and justifiably so.
Two in form teams of the league going at each other playing some good football. Birmingham’s loss takes them middle table at 10th while Fulham is a position above them at 9th.
Manchester City 0-0 Liverpool
Boring score line and almost a boring game. Seemed both teams were happy with the point and the risk of scoring would jeopardize that point. Granted there were missed chances few and far between but nothing to sing about. I honestly think Rafa Benitez is playing it safe (forgive the pun) especially when they go away from home. But not sure that’s the way to ensure Liverpool finish in the top four as promised by Rafa clearly because this game against another top four contender was a good opportunity go all out and get the 3 points not just a safe point even before the game was played.
The key question I want to ask now is – Is Mancini doing a better job than Mark Hughes was before he got fired?
Wigan 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur
As much as I’m a huge fan of giving young managers a chance for the big time for success but I just don’t get Wigan. The only thing they are consistent in is inconsistency. It’s absolutely ridiculous how a team can be so consistent in inconsistency. One week they play like a South American beauty, the next they play like a high school amateur team full of novices.
Tottenham on the other hand, must be happy to play Wigan. This was the same team they spanked 9-0 in the reverse fixture and even though it didn’t end up with the same score line, the three goals scored marked the end of Tottenham’s goal drought in the last few games. This win takes them fourth in the league table while the home team is neck deep in the relegation drop zone contention.
Roman Pavlyuchenko had never started a Premier league game before this one but Harry Redknapp decided to bring him on which paid off with two goals from the Russian. Harry doesn’t seem to like Roman which was very evident in his post-match interview where he say (referring to his two goal hero) “…when he wants to play, when he wants to work he’s a good player”. Key words: “…when he wants to play, when he wants to work…” is he insinuating otherwise? Whatever the case is, Roman Pavlyuchenko is a fan favorite and he definitely didn’t do his reputation any harm.
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