Where has THAT been from Tottenham?
After failing to win any of their first four matches this season, Spurs have now won three straight, scoring six goals and conceding only one, Kevin De Bruyne’s opener in the 4-1 win at White Heart Lane over a previously-invincible Manchester City.
Spurs have been playing some sexy football in recent matches, with a mentality of hunting in packs the key on the weekend. Against City, possession was often won by pressing high up the pitch, swiftly turning defence into attack, and converging on City’s goal with penetrating ease. Special mention must go to Tottenham’s Clinton N’Jie, whose injection off the bench added an extra gear of pace to a side that was already pretty pacey. His assist for Spurs’ fourth goal was excellent, just the kind of football Mauricio Pochettino wants his side to be playing.
There is no need for an entire ‘It ain’t easy being a ref’ item this week just to debate the legitimacy of Spur’s first goal – Kyle Walker was clearly offside prior to Eric Dier smashing Tottenham back into the game. There is no point going any further into it. These things seem to even themselves out… like De Bruyne being marginally offside for his goal when played in by Yaya Toure.
Speaking of City, two weeks ago the entire football world was asking if they were going to walk away with the title prior to their 2-1 home loss to West Ham last week.
“How would City respond?” pondered the Premier League highlights show. Well, they’d lose. In a game where they needed fight and heart, players like Raheem ‘BOOOOOOO’ Sterling were virtually invisible.
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City look a team lacking in a key ingredient needed for a title fight – resilience; since New Year’s Day, City have fallen behind in nine league matches, and have won only two points from those losing positions. That obviously doesn’t include being overrun by a rampant Spurs this week.
This lack of fight is epitomised by Sterling, a player whose move from Liverpool to City was defended in some circles as a young, ambitious talent looking to test himself at the ‘highest’ level, which is admirable.
Another way of looking at the situation, however, is that Sterling was suddenly required to put a team on his back last season, and he crumbled, not out of the question considering his age and level of experience.
He would likely have seen an ‘easy out’ at City, a team where there are plenty of other, better players to do the ‘heavy lifting.’ It’s no surprise that Sterling has played well when facing lesser opponents this season, but disappeared into the shadows when a team stands toe-to-toe with City, as Tottenham did.
It may seem obvious to say, but when you sign players who are only in it for themselves and are unwilling to fight, like Sterling at Liverpool last season, you get players who are only in it for themselves and unwilling to fight. More performances where he looks like he just couldn’t give a stuff and it won’t just be the away fans booing Sterling’s every touch.
Star Wars bonus: just asking, but why were Tottenham playing the music from Star Wars Episode III before the game? I get that George Lucas sold the rights to Disney, and that Star Wars stuff is now everywhere (literally, just go to your local shopping mall), but the pre-match music at a Premier League game?
The Sack Race – what happened next?
In our last edition, we took a look at the manager’s on the hot seat, but a week can be a long time in football. Results of those who would have been worried:
Brendan Rodgers – won 3-2 at home to Aston Villa
Steve McClaren – drew 2-2 at home to Chelsea
Dick Advocaat – lost 3-0 away to Manchester United
Mark Hughes won 2-1 at home to Bournemouth
Tim Sherwood – lost 3-2 away to Liverpool
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So, three managers we identified as being in trouble – Rodgers, Hughes, and McClaren – got confidence-boosting results. The point at home to the champions was especially important for McClaren and Newcastle following their embarrassing exit to Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup; Jose Mourinho is still yet to win a game at St. James’ Park in the Premier League.
While they couldn’t all win, with Rodgers’ Liverpool and Sherwood’s Aston Villa facing off against one another, no one is really surprised that Sunderland lost to United. Speaking of which…
View from the top
Despite their perceived ‘issues’ surrounding players like Wayne Rooney (more on him below), Manchester United currently sit top of the league. United haven’t played their best, yet still sit top of the pile for now, which surely says more about the rest of the Premier League than it does about them. The other 19 teams would love to be mired in this type of ‘crisis.’
Rooney-watch, the finale
Well, there’s an item ruined, as Rooney finally got on the scoresheet in the league, even if it was a fortunate rebound in off his knee following some delicious lead-up play by (that man again) Anthony Martial. After scoring against Championship defence in midweek – Ipswich in the League Cup – and against (pretty much) another against Sunderland on the weekend, the question now becomes can Rooney deliver against decent opposition.
Indefensible
Some cover-your-eyes-awful defending in the league this week, starting with the champion’s fightback on Tyneside.
In terms of technical ability, Newcastle scored a fantastic opener through Ayoze Perez, but it must also be said he was the recipient of some terrible marking from Kurt Zouma, with the Chelsea defender simply watching the ball drop to Perez, making no attempt to close down the Newcastle striker. Zouma was so far away from Perez it was as if the Newcastle man had the plague, or cooties, or something.
Tottenham’s Harry Kane was also back to being in the right place at the right time with an instinctive, reactionary, strikers goal, his first in the league since the final day of last season (he’d gone 12 hours and 28 minutes without a goal, in case you wanted to be really specific). But have a look at how alone Kane is when he scores. Manchester City’s entire, expensively-assembled team stop and watch as Christian Eriksen’s free kick rebounds off the angle straight to Kane. You’d think for the money City paid they’d have defenders who know how to follow-up a shot at goal. Still, at least they all had a great view of an England International scoring.
Another who needs a lesson in the art of defending is Liverpool’s Emre Can, in the team as something of a defensive midfielder one would assume. As Villa broke for their first goal, Can seemed as if it was his job to only track Rudy Gestede, the eventual goalscorer, 70-80 per cent of the way, dropping off his ‘goal-side’ position as the Villa striker entered the penalty area. Surely no one is surprised to hear that Gestede had himself a tap-in.
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Leicester v Arsenal quick thoughts
Percentage of Arsenal fans who got that sinking feeling of “here we go again” when Jamie Vardy gave Leicester a 13th minute lead?
At times, this was counter-attacking football at its finest, as the sides traded goals on the break, while Arsenal reminded all of us just how good they can be when their side clicks (regardless of how frequently or infrequently it happens). A thrilling game.
A small controversy some might say regarding Alexis Sanchez’ second goal that had a hint of offside to it. It was certainly interesting that the telecast didn’t show the wide shot across the Leicester backline – did it perhaps show something the officials would rather we didn’t see, like Sanchez being offside? Nothing controversial about the Chilean’s third – whack!
It’s Raining Goals (hallelujah)
All in all, there were 35 scored across the eight games on Saturday, the highest-scoring Saturday in the Premier League since November 27, 2010 (thanks, Opta Stats).
Are Bournemouth cursed?
First Tyrone Mings is lost to a season-ending knee injury and then Max Gradel, now news that star striker Calum Wilson is the third Cherries player lost to a knee knack. Can things get much worse for Bournemouth?
Refreshments will now be served on the West Ham rollercoaster
Of course West Ham followed up their away win over Manchester City with a draw at home to Norwich, in a game where the Hammers needed a last-minute equaliser to secure the result. West Ham’s next five league games are – Sunderland (away), Crystal Palace (away), Chelsea (home), Watford (away), Everton (home). Looks like LDWLW on current form.
Goal of the week – Ramires
Chelsea will start the month of October closer to the bottom three than the top four, and against Newcastle they had been reduced to taking aimless pot-shots from distance, which seemed a pointless tactic… right up until the point that Ramires, who has suddenly added goals to his repertoire, riffled in an unstoppable shot from 25 yards. Pick that one out, indeed.
Goose of the week – Kevin De Bruyne
After spending last week’s ‘Final thought…’ item singing the Belgian’s praises, of course that praise comes back to bite as City crashed to a 4-1 defeat. De Bruyne is this week’s goose for his shockingly lazy clearance/pass to Eric Dier for the Tottenham man’s thwacked equaliser that set in motion City’s loss. To be fair, De Bruyne was deployed on the right wing in this game, which does not suit him or his style of play. He really needs to be deployed as a ‘number 10’ where he can be City’s attacking outlet, far away from the pesky matter of defending.
Gloveman of the week – the West Ham v Norwich game
Some cracking saves at both ends of this match by Adrian and John Ruddy, even if Ruddy’s weak punch cost Norwich a late equaliser (harsh, I know).
Stat of the week
When trying to quantify Tottenham’s recent success, how about this – in all competitions this season, Spurs have won 100 per cent of matches midfielder Dele Alli has started and won zero per cent of games when he hasn’t. Maybe Pochettino needs to find room for the player dubbed the ‘new Steven Gerrard’ every week.
Spooky bonus: Wearing the famous number 7 jersey, Memphis Depay became the seventh Dutchman to score for Manchester United in the league, in what was his seventh game.
Fantasy Stud
Now this is what we like to see – a player who responds to a bollocking and the ignominy of being named as a coach killer, step forward Alexis Sanchez, who we named in our fantasy dog house last week (surely Sanchez reads this column?!). After a run of ten Premier League games without a goal, Sanchez popped up with a superb hat-trick against Leicester, the third of which was an absolute corker. With the triple, he became the first player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League, Serie A, and La Liga. More of the same please, sincerely – Fantasy Managers everywhere (myself included).
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Fantasy Coach Killer
For the first time this season, the Fantasy Coach Killer is a coach, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini. Are you kidding me with those team selections, Manuel? Joe Hart apparently dropped, how’d his replacement go? Vincent Kompany on the bench, and then completely out of the side? Kevin Dr Bruyne on the right wing? Granted, he scored City’s opener, but he would have a pass completion rate of less than 40 per cent. City’s selections (and performance) would have led to some shocking scores.
Final thought…
I’ve not mentioned this in these pages to date, and I do my level best to keep this allegiance out of what I write, but I must admit: I am a Liverpool fan, and as a Liverpool fan it was so heartening to see the Reds number 15, Daniel Sturridge, back amongst the goals this week.
After a frustrating year blighted by multiple injuries, the joy on the England forward’s face as he grabbed a double in the 3-2 win over Villa was there for all to see.
Sturridge’s first, Liverpool’s second, was straight out of the 2013-14 playbook: an intricate, ticka-tacka passing moved capped off by an exceptional, rasping first-time finish. Sturridge’s movement and link-up play, particularly with Philippe Coutinho, have been sorely missed by Liverpool over the past 12 months; maybe there is reason for hope on Merseyside after all.
But it doesn’t matter if you’re a Liverpool fan, or an England fan – all football fans should be happy to see Sturridge back scoring goals and playing with a smile on his face.