We’re back with our look around the top flight of English Football, going through all the action in what was an exciting week in the Premier League.
EPL Week 10 Review: Part Two
For fans of both Leicester City and West Bromwich Albion, this season has so far been a dramatic ride of exciting highs and depressing lows. City’s blistering start to the campaign climaxed with that thrilling 5-3 victory over Manchester United, which now seems to be a very distant blip on the long horizon. For the Baggies, their new position of tenth place in the top flight is a just reward for a spirited rally following a very slow start. Although the contrasting seasons thus far has brought about mixed emotions for these two Midland clubs, it is highly likely that both of them will play some role in the forthcoming relegation scrap this year. Based on Saturday’s game, it is not hard to see why. As so many newly promoted sides find out, you get found out, and even the merits of some surprise performances against the big boys count for nothing when the nights get longer, and Christmas approaches. City’s problems are currently compounded by the sudden loss of form of £7 million man Leonardo Ulloa, who not so long ago, could not stop scoring. Ulloa cannot now make the first team. The clumsy own goal conceded on Saturday by Esteban Cambiasso was symbolic of the Foxes’ current problems, and was certainly an own goal of a team bang out of form. When it’s not going your way, it’s really not going your way. For Albion, things are really looking up. Not only have they scraped another vital away win, in Saido Berahino, they also possess a young English striker in top form. It is little wonder that Berahino is compared to football legend Ian Wright. In a derby like this, points are vital – so the Baggies will certainly be boinging right now.
To say that West Ham United have never had it so good is both an understatement, and a deeply contestable statement to those ‘Ammers fans from East London who can recall “winning the World Cup” for England, way back in 1966. Of course, they didn’t win the Jules Rimet trophy, and however optimistic or confident they are feeling right now, the Hammers are unlikely to win any silverware this year either. But for now, at least, Sam Allardyce is a forgiven man – an entertainer, “a convert” who has been reincarnated into the club’s fabric, and delivered a team that scores goals, and also pleases the eye. In Stewart Downing, they also have a revitalised entertainer, who is looking the part and creating a lot. The Hammers also play with a lot of spirit, and certainly showed plenty of battling qualities in securing themselves a 2-2 draw, from being 2-0 down at the Britannia. Their opponents on Saturday, Stoke City, were of course, branded an “ugly” sister of the Premier League too – up until the “dinosaur” figure of Tony Pulis departed, to make way for a younger, more “forward thinking man”, Mark Hughes. Whether or not you choose to buy into this myth is irrelevant, but Hughes does have his team playing more expansive football, but unfortunately for them, not too much in the way of winning football. To be fair to Hughes though, it wasn’t for the want of trying on Saturday, and in attack minded players such as Victor Moses and Charlie Adam, they do possess both match winners, and game-changing players. But closing down a big lead is just as important, and this was certainly a point gained for West Ham, and two dropped for City.
It is not hard to see why Harry Kane is fast becoming one of the hottest young English properties, following his last minute free kick to sink Aston Villa on Sunday. Ok, it was a deflected strike, but Kane has earned his Spurs in loan spells away from White Hart Lane, so it is very pleasing to now see him cement his place in a slowly improving Tottenham team. ‘Pragmatic’ is the probably the most suitable adjective to use to describe Spurs’ season thus far, but fans will certainly take heart from a difficult win at Villa Park. Punching below their weight so far this season? Possibly not, is the greatest argument. Yes, Spurs invested heavily in the transfer market last summer, but with a new manager in tow, this was always likely to happen. A ‘big name’ striker was supposedly needed, but Kane’s ninth goal in as many games may just placate the fans until next summer, at least. For Villa, the struggle continues and they will do all they can to avoid a desperate relegation scrap this campaign. But in reality, they are in real trouble and six straight defeats, one goal in six games are truly transparent facts of a team in real trouble. One can admire the policy of Paul Lambert. ‘Buy youth and invest in the future’ is all very well and good when you’re Arsenal or Manchester United, but Villa aren’t and a proud history can only take you so far. The worrying spiral of defeats owes much to a genuine lack of confidence, and poor leadership. Christian Benteke’s red card was certainly avoidable, yet, like a team at the foot of the table, Villa get punished severely, and if this carries on, the inevitable will happen. No club is too big to go down.
Once again, the Manchester derby failed to disappoint, as millions of fans globally would testify. No, it wasn’t the high scoring affair that we have all become accustomed to in recent times, and no, it wasn’t completely one sided. But for what it lacked in goal action, it certainly compensated for in the drama stakes – with a first half red card for Chris Smalling being the main talking point, some contentious penalty decisions not given, and a few wild tackles certainly made it a feisty affair. Back to Smalling. He is a good defender, a young guy with his whole career to come – but at this moment in time, he is a clumsy defender, playing in a clumsy team. Manchester United just cannot defend at the moment. More worryingly, they cannot win away from home either, which is becoming a huge, unshakeable monkey on their collective backs. The question that must be asked is this though. How can United be so bad following the huge summer investment made? They seemed to have turned the corner recently, but this defeat will hurt even more as it came at the home of their main rivals, City. The blue half of Manchester once again overcame the big enemy, but they made heavy weather of it for sure. Once again, the importance of Sergio Aguero was there for all to see – on current form he must be one of the top three strikers in World football, and will go all the way to the very top – with or without City – that’s for sure. The three points keeps them just about in touch with runaway leaders Chelsea, but this three points must be built upon if City can go on and have a real go at catching Chelsea.
The problems are really starting to stack up in London, SE25. Crystal Palace are definitely in the midst of a “mini-crisis”, and with a difficult run of fixtures on the horizon to come against some of the very big boys, the immediate future is looking somewhat bleak. Now we all know what Neil Warnock thinks of referees – and it’s difficult to argue against some of his opinions, as we have really seen some atrocious refereeing in the top flight this season. But the blame cannot solely be placed in the man in black (or whatever colour they wear now..) and at some point Warnock will have to stop deflecting criticism away from both his players – and himself. However you look at it, a home defeat to Sunderland is a disastrous result for the Eagles, and also came at the cost of a needless red card for influential skipper, Mile Jedinak. It was the second home defeat in succession, and also the second game in a row where Palace have been reduced to ten men in a home game. Sunderland simply wanted it more on Monday night, were quicker to the ball and absolutely clinical in attack. Eager to erase the painful memories of that 8-0 defeat to Southampton, the Mackems were brave, feisty and fresh – and blew Palace away – that was all there was to it. There was certainly an element of luck to the avoidance of an early spot kick – ex-Sunderland man Fraizer Campbell chopped to the floor in the very early embers, but sometimes teams get that little rub of the green and roll with it. Which is what Sunderland did. Gus Poyet will be a very happy man – it will be fascinating to see if they can build on this win though. The talent is there, and the Black Cats could really roll if they play to their potential.
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