Double derby draws, an abundance of Chelsea, City and (?!?) West Brom goals, a classic Rooney red card, and big wins for Palace and Southampton were just the tip of the iceberg on Matchday #6 in the Barclays Premier League. Read on for a reminder of what went down last week before you get caught up in this weekend’s EPL action with another installment of Additional Time…
Derby Draw, Part 1: Phil Jags Breaks Red Hearts
…I’d rather not relive this.
(…)
Okay, fine.
This was a match that both sides needed to get something from following poor starts to the season, and while each ended with a point to the good on the final whistle, there’s no doubt the blue half of Liverpool left the Anfield grounds on a much more upbeat note than their red neighbors.
It’s incredible what one moment of brilliance can do.
From the Reds perspective, the match never should’ve been in question when Phil Jagielka struck in the 91st. The hosts more or less ran the game in the first half, with chances coming from a bright Adam Lallana, Jordan Henderson or Raheem Sterling, who must’ve regarded Roberto Martinez’s selection of Tony Hibbert at right back initially with skepticism, then with glee. (To say Sterling caused the slow-footed Hibbert problems is like saying Enron had book-keeping issues; both would be in the category of “massive understatement”.)
Everton nearly/should’ve went down a man after Gareth Barry – remember him? – picked up a 1st minute yellow on a poor tackle on Lallana, then scythed down Mario Balotelli not ten minutes later, then handled the ball in the box off a Sterling shot, but referee Martin Atkinson chose to take no further action after the initial yellow. (Some of these were so blatant, it was like Barry was trying to get sent off. In related news, Martin Atkinson should look up the definition of “unnatural arm position” before his next match in charge.)
After a handful of good chances were spoiled by an on-point Tim Howard in the first half, the Reds got on the board in the 65th minute thanks to a beautiful free kick from their talismanic captain. Steven Gerrard – who’s been tabbed somewhat harshly as one of the causes of Liverpool’s slow start – did not err when he pumped the ball up and down from 25 yards out, curling it over the wall, off Howard’s extended hand and into the back of the net. The goal was Gerrard’s tenth in his Merseyside Derby career, fourth most all-time in the series, and it looked to be the launching pad for the LFC ascendency.
Two minutes later, the hosts should’ve doubled their tally, as Sterling beat Hibbert with ease down the Toffee right flank and found Balotelli in the six-yard box, but the Italian’s volleyed effort somehow flied past a charging Howard but skimmed over the top of the bar.
It would be a miss the Reds would rue at the time, but it was made much more glaring after the Everton captain put his stamp on the match in the dying moments.
With time running down, the Toffees mounted a strong final push to level the match, and improbably, it was central defender Phil Jagielka who came up trumps thanks to an unstoppable blast from distance. After an Everton corner, the ball pinged around in the box before Dejan Lovren was able to head it away, only to have the clearance fall to an on-rushing Jagielka. The Three Lions center half swung hard on the half-volley, and the ball responded, screaming off his foot and swerving away from a diving Simon Mignolet to nestle into the top corner and shatter Liverpool hopes of a much-desired three points.
Roberto Matinez said after the game that it was the best goal he’d seen in person. Whether true or not, it’s fair to say that the Anfield faithful do not share that sentiment.
With the draw to add to their modest collection of points earned this year, both Merseyside clubs sit firmly in the lower half of the table, with the Reds in 14th and Toffees in 15th through six matches played. And while we’re still very much in the early days of the campaign, and while both still have the squad to make a Top Five push, there’s no ignoring the fact that dropped points in September can’t be recovered in the spring. Both will need to up their game soon, or a second consecutive season of European football for each might be at long odds.
(…Cripes, Phil Jags.)
Derby Draw, Part 2: Ox To The Rescue
Speaking of one-one derby draws…
While Everton and Liverpool have been equally disappointing this season, Arsenal and Tottenham have been a bit harder to figure. Spurs started strong, only to fall apart over their last three games, while the Gunners look like potential title challengers one week – see their 2-2 comeback against City or their 3-0 dismantling of Villa – and a bit naïve and toothless the next.
That up-and-down trend played itself out in the North London Derby this past weekend. In a match that bordered on uneventful for long stretches of time, the first half was essentially a stalemate in every sense, with the only happenings of note involving two more Arsenal injuries.
Captain Mikel Arteta was forced to withdraw near the half-hour mark with a calf injury, while fellow midfielder Aaron Ramsey was subbed off with another apparent hamstring problem, a recurring theme for him and Arsene Wenger’s crew over the years.
(As an aside: In the wake of the most recent knocks at the Emirates, a report was published after the match detailing just how many player injuries the Gunners have suffered since such stats were kept. Starting in 2002, Arsenal have recorded an incredible 889 injuries, the most of any Premier League club by nearly 14%. It’s nice to have facts that back up what we’ve always known: everyone who plays for Arsenal becomes instantly brittle.)
After the midfield shuffle at half, the Gunners looked to take the advantage on home soil, but it was Spurs that would hit them against the run of play in the 56th minute. After a Christian Eriksen interception in the Arsenal zone, Erik Lamela would find Nacer Chadli in acres of space on the right flank, and the Liege-born winger – yes, he’s Belgian, just like every other good young player in the world right now – would beat Wojeich Szszesny to put the visitors in front.
Arsenal appeared to peg them back moments later, as a towering Per Mertesacher header off a corner nearly found its way past Hugo Lloris, but the French keeper was able to save it off the line to maintain his squad’s slim advantage.
Upon first viewing, the ball looked to have clearly crossed the plane of the goal, though thanks to goal line technology, my eyes and those of 60,000 at the Emirates were proven incorrect. I know we aren’t close to solving world hunger or curing Ebola, but at least we’ve got this figured out.
The Gunners would not be held at bay long, however, and in the 74th, the hosts would get on level terms again. After a scramble in the Spurs’ end, the ensuing loose ball came out to Santi Cazorla on the left corner of the 18-yard box. Even though the little Spaniard fluffled his shot, it rolled past most of the Tottenham defense, somehow avoided a wild swing of the leg by Danny Welbeck and fell to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who passed it firmly beyond Lloris into the top corner.
For Ox, it was his first goal in this derby fixture and of this Premier League season, and it nearly propelled the Gunners to all three points, as they poured on the attack in the closing twenty minutes of the match. If not for strong efforts by Lloris, Younes Kaboul and the rest of the Spurs defense, a home victory wouldn’t have been hard to imagine, though both sides will likely be content with the point going into difficult home tests in Matchday #7; the Gunners have the unenviable task of hosting Chelsea, while Spurs entertain a suddenly dangerous Southampton side.
The Wrap-Around
Chelsea 3, Aston Villa 0
Remember when Villa had the best defensive record in the league? After back-to-back 3-0 hidings from some of London’s finest in Arsenal and Chelsea, the Villains are now at -3 in goal differential…and they host Manchester City this weekend. Someone get Brad Guzan a cup of tea and a hot towel…and Ron Vlaar.
As for Chelsea, this has become all a bit routine, right? They’ve racked up 19 goals already this season – no one else has more than 12 – and they’ve been by far the most consistent club in the league. Last week’s draw away to City is the only blemish on their record, and even that took an act of the football gods to come to be. (By the way, what was stranger to see last week: Derek Jeter getting a standing ovation at Fenway Park, or Frank Lampard scoring a match-deciding goal against Chelsea? Did I miss the memo that it was Bizarro Week in the world of sports?)
Not surprisingly, Jose Mourinho isn’t satisfied, as he called out Eden Hazard for a poor performance again in his postmatch presser. It’s an interesting motivational strategy from the Special One, much in the way that little boys on the playground are mean to the girls they like. (…Sounds about right for Jose, doesn’t it?)
In the meantime, no one’s found a way to stop Diego Costa – eight goals now in six league games – and their defense looked more resolute this week in picking up their second clean sheet of the season. They now have a great measuring stick game at home against an Arsenal side fresh off a 4-1 Champions League thrashing of Galatasaray; something tells me they won’t be as easy an obstacle for the Blues as Villa proved to be…
Crystal Palace 2, Leicester City 0
…Does anyone else realize that Palace is undefeated since manager Neil Warnock took over on August 27? After dropping their first two matches, the Eagles drew their first two under the 65-year old Englishman’s care, and now have reeled off back-to-back wins over Everton and Leicester to sit in the top half of the table. (I feel a bit blasphemous here…but maybe Tony Pulis wasn’t as important as we thought.)
Both of the Palace goals against the Foxes arrived over a three-minute span early in the second half, and both came off set pieces, with Frazier Campbell and Mile Jedinak getting on the scoresheet to stop a Leicester side that was flying high after beating Man United the week previous. Palace will look to make it three wins in a row when they travel to Hull this weekend, and I wouldn’t bet against them at this point.
Speaking of the Tigers…
Hull City 2, Manchester City 4
Mercy me. A few quick thoughts:
1) After Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko found the back of the net in the first eleven minutes of this one, there’s no doubt that City put their game firmly into cruise control, likely with an eye ahead to their clash in the UCL against Roma in midweek. I don’t completely blame them, and it probably still would’ve earned them three points against a so-so Hull side, except…
2) …Let’s just say Eliaquim Mangala was involved. Unless Demichelis or Kompany pick up an injury, the 23-year old former Porto defender won’t feature in an EPL match again this calendar year. Have fun repping City in the League Cup, Eliaquim…
(Poor kid. The own goal he headed in – with incredible power and accuracy, mind you – was a bit cynical but also unfortunate…but the boot to the chest in the box on Abel Hernandez that drew a penalty for the Hammers’ second goal was pretty indefensible. While it wasn’t as bad as the Nigel De Jong -Xabi Alonso judo exhibition in the 2010 World Cup Final, it’s not a good sign that it brought up immediate comparisons.)
3) Despite Mangala, the Citizens still rallied back with another goal from Dzeko and another goal from Frank Lampard (?!!) in the second half to still win comfortably. (If you’re curious, Lamps celebrated a bit more on this one.) Even though Yaya Toure is still playing at 60% of his usual devastating level, they’re still a side not to be trifled with.
4) Joe Hart, Willy Caballero, Baby Prince George…Honestly, I don’t think who they start in goal is going to matter too much in the long run. City’s clearly one of the top two teams in the Prem this season, but the emphasis there is firmly on the “two” at the moment. (No mystery as to who’s No. 1, but as for the rest of the league, the first installment of my EPL Power Rankings will come later in the column…as if it wasn’t already long enough, right? Again, I can’t help myself here.)
Manchester United 2, West Ham 1
Oh, Wazza…
We were due for something like this though, right? Wayne Rooney, a man who’s engine has always run a bit warmer than most (see: World Cup 2006 vs Portugal…or several hundred other examples), hadn’t been sent off in an EPL match for nearly half a decade, so when he aimed a well-placed kick at Stewart Downing’s lower thigh as the Hammer winger broke away on a counter attack, we shouldn’t have felt too surprised.
Yes, he’d been handed the captaincy of Man United – and England, for that matter – but does an armband really change a man?
In this case, that answer is apparently a resounding “Not overnight.”
As far as the Red Devils as a squad go, this had all the makings of as comprehensive a victory as their 4-0 mauling of QPR following the international break on Matchday 4 before Rooney went all Van Damme on us, causing Louis Van Gaal’s squad to merely hang on with the man disadvantage. They’re still a bit of a mixed bag this season, as they’ve been consistently shaky at the back – the goal from Diafra Sakho was a comedy class of defending errors – while maintaining potency to the extreme in attack. They could finish 4th or 8th right now, and it wouldn’t surprise me.
Southampton 2, Queens Park Rangers 1
In the 68th minute, Graziano Pelle told Charlie Austin, “I see your incredible self-volley bicicyle kick and raise you my OWN incredible self-volley bicicyle kick!!!” Two of best individual goals you’ll see, and they took place a mere two minutes apart at St. Mary’s this weekend. (It’s sad but entirely fitting that Rangers would get all of two minutes to feel good about themselves. Not a great season for ‘Arry and the boys.)
Honestly, how about Soton? A lot has been written about how this team was doomed to fail this year after new owner Katharina Liebhehr essentially pushed the self-destruct button in the offseason. And yet, thanks to an incredible job by manager Ronald Koeman and the ascendency of players like Morgan Schneiderlin, Dusan Tadic, Nathaniel Clyne and the aforementioned Pelle, here were are. The Saints have gone 4-1-1 through the first six weeks of the campaign and sit in second position in the table behind Chelsea, and Jay Rodriguez – arguably their most important hold-over from last year’s club – is still rehabbing a late-season ACL tear and is a few months away from joining the squad.
From relegation fears to European hopes…What a weird season, right?
(With that said…Let’s not get crazy just yet. Is this level of play sustainable for Soton? No. Can they finish in the top half? Absolutely. They look better and deeper than Villa, Swansea and the rest of the early surprises from the projected mid-table. Stay tuned.)
Sunderland 0, Swansea 0
There are times when a nil-nil draw doubles as a great football match.
This, friends, was not one of those times. In Swansea’s defense, they were hampered a bit by poor refereeing – Angel Rangel deserved two yellows in that match as much as I did – but they still were 11-v-11 for the majority of proceedings. Not a good showing.
It was so bad that I’ve chosen to suspend all “Fighting Poyets” and “Sir Gary Monk” references until each side starts earning those titles again. Shame on you, Sunderland and Swansea. Shame.
West Bromwich Albion 4, Burnley 0
A week after beating Spurs on the road, the Baggies absolutely hammered a Burnley side that had given up four goals all season until this weekend. The four spot Albion put up was made all the better thanks to manager Alan Irvine, whose post-goal celebrations were reminiscient of that awkward kid in school who was always creepily smiling, even when no one else was around. (At least in Irvine’s case, we knew why he was excited…although this was still a bit over-the-top. Can you tell success is a bit foreign to Irvine and WBA?)
Adding to Irvine’s giddiness was Saido Berahino, who has four goals himself now on the season after grabbing a brace against the Clarets. The 21-year old forward is generating serious consideration to make the roster for England’s next round of Euro 2016 qualification; if chosen, he’d the be the first Baggie to represent the Three Lions since keeper Scott Carson was picked back in 2008. (No offense, but as Carson made all of four appearances for England, the home fans will hope for better for Berahino.)
With two straight wins after an 0-2-2 start, West Brom now have eight points through six games this season. Liverpool have seven. Everton have six. In related news, I’m officially confused.
Stoke City 1, Newcastle 0
Congrats, Peter Crouch, on making us long for the days when you did the robot after scoring.
Also, is anyone else seeing the Oakland Raiders-Newcastle United parallel that’s playing out again here? After starting 0-4, Oakland brass fired head football coach Dennis Allen following a loss this weekend in London, of all places, citing a lack of progress (read: regression) since Allen took over last year. On the plus side, they informed Allen of their decision in a mature, professional manner…Oh wait, that’s right. They let Allen know he’d been let go over the phone. Nevermind. (The Oakland Raiders: Committed To Finding A New Rock-Bottom Every Year Since 2004)
With that in mind, enter kindred sports franchise spirit Newcastle. Toon owner Mike Ashley was quoted last week as saying he was going to fire manager Alan Pardew should the Magpies fail to beat Stoke, then later backtracked to the point that he had his lawyers release a statement saying he was “only joking” when he made the comments. And yet…After the insipid Newcastle performance against the Potters, let’s just say that were I Alan Pardew, I wouldn’t be answering the phone this week unless I recognized the number.
Additional Time Final Table Forecast: Poll 1 of 6
Before we look ahead to this weekend, I feel as though we’ve come far enough in the season to update a few predictions from early August. Don’t think of these as power rankings but as more of a guide to where I think these teams will finish at season’s end based on squad strength, stability, and what we’ve seen so far.
I’ve listed in parentheses my preseason rank, as well as the number of spots up or down the side has shifted after the first six weeks of the year. As the season progresses, I’ll update these every six weeks…and we’ll see how it goes.
The Favorite
1. Chelsea (1st, -) The only truly dominant side we’ve seen this year. They won’t go unbeaten all season…but it’ll be a massive surprise whenever they drop points.
Champions League Locks
2. Manchester City (2nd, -) A cut above the rest, but despite the draw against Chelsea, results like their loss at home to Stoke keep them below the Blues in the title chase.
3. Arsenal (3rd, -) Another season, another Top Four, but another miss on a true title charge. Too many injuries. Again.
European Hopefuls
4. Liverpool (4th, -) …Seems about two places too high, right? And yet I still think they figure it out as the season progresses, especially once Sturridge returns.
5. Manchester United (7th, +2) If it wasn’t for that defense…
6. Tottenham (5th, -1) If it wasn’t for that offense…
7. Everton (6th, -1) The derby draw should give them a boost moving forward. Too talented not to contend for a place in Europe.
Top Half Surprises
8. Southampton (15th, +8) Woof. Like everyone else, I had far too little faith after the changes in personnel and at manager this offseason. Great work by Ronald Koeman to bring in the right players and right system to keep the upswing going at St. Mary’s.
9. Crystal Palace (18th, +9) Basically the same thing as Southampton, except more traumatic on the managerial front. The wheels were off to start the year, but Neil Warnock has steadied the ship and then some. The biggest mover on the list.
Inconsistent/Ultimately Safe
10. Swansea (9th, -1) Lots of movement on this list for the Swans before I finally settled on them here…pretty much where I had them to start the season. They look like a classic Good/Bad team to me; they’ll beat the teams below them and lose to the ones above.
11. Aston Villa (11th, -) Would’ve been higher if not for back-to-back dismal results against the EPL’s elite. This is about right for the Lambert/Keanes.
12. West Ham (12th, -) You just don’t know with them, do you? They’ll finish about here, and Big Sam will still get sacked.
13. Stoke City (8th, -5) Seems a bit low, especially as they beat City, but they’ve lost to Villa and Leicester and drew at QPR. Another mixed bag of a season at the Potteries.
Only At Home
14. Leicester City (16th, +3) Also seems low after beating United and drawing Arsenal and Everton, but they’ve looked shaky on the road, and I think the grind of the EPL will catch up eventually. With that said, I’d favor them at the King Power against almost anyone.
15. Hull City (14th, -1) Classic Tigers season. They’ll mix it up with some of the big boys and struggle against the minnows. Much better at the KC than on the road.
The “Fighting” Poyets
16. Sunderland (13th, -3) They’ve been shut out in three of their last four and have been generally poor in each…but they earned draws against United and Spurs, and I still (stupidly) believe this team won’t need to escape relegation like they did last season, just like I still (pathetically) believe Jozy Altidore is going to start scoring goals in the EPL.
Only Against Burnley
17. West Brom (17th, -) Let’s just say I’m not putting too much stock in their 4-0 win against the Clarets last week.
Danger Zone
18. Newcastle (10th, -8) What a mess. Lots of talent, no direction. I know this looks like a tremendous slam of Alan Pardew, but f they get the right manager in, they still could finish mid-table…but the damage might already be done. Hatem Ben Arfa got out just in time.
19. QPR (19th, -) Oh, just get relegated already, ‘Arry. (The lone bastion of hope? Dead-ball genius Niko Krancjar will continue to earn them points they don’t really deserve.)
20. Burnley (20th, -) Even the fighting spirit of Sam Dyche’s club was lacking against WBA last week. That’s not a good sign…especially when that’s all you’ve got going for you.
Looking Ahead
Several marquee clashes are on the way in Matchday #7, headlined by Chelsea entertaining Arsenal in a matchup of the last two unbeatens in the league and Everton traveling to Old Trafford to face United in the Post-Moyes Bowl.
The Blues have been unstoppable this season, and Arsenal’s defense (…and midfield…and attack) is paper-thin, thanks to the latest round of muscle pulls and ligament damage. Much has been made of the 6-0 beat-down Chelsea inflicted on Wenger’s crew the last time the Gunners made the trip to West London, but even though Arsenal are scoring goals and have yet to lose in the league this season, it’ll be a tough ask to get something from this match at the Bridge.
Manchester United will of course be without the suspended Wayne Rooney when they face off against his old club, but in the eyes of some, that might be a good thing. Forgotten man Juan Mata will likely take his spot in the lineup, and he, along with the attacking trio of Di Maria, Falcao and Van Persie, are still potent enough to inflict further damage on an Evertonian backline that’s been sieve-like this season. With that said, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Toffees come away with something here, as they’ve been excellent against the Red Devils lately, including notching two league wins last year during the ill-fated and short-lived (and completely wonderful) David Moyes Era.
Another intriguing match to pay attention to is in North London, as Tottenham hosts a Southampton club that’s won four straight matches, albeit over so-so opposition. This will serve as the new-look Saints’ first real test since losing 2-1 at Liverpool to open the campaign, and a result of any kind at White Hart Lane will keep that momentum going. On the flip side, this is the type of match Mauricio Pochettino’s club needs to win if they have true European aspirations, especially on their home ground, which hasn’t exactly been a fortress this year. Both league fixtures last year in this matchup were wildly entertaining, as Spurs won each by a 3-2 scoreline. The neutrals can only hope for as many goals this time around.
Thanks again for reading this week, and remember to follow me on Twitter @alheinert for match commentary and updates over the weekend’s action. Enjoy the football, and walk on!
Photography courtesy of PremierLeague.com