Premier League Review - Matchday 10
27-29.10.18
This week's review is tempered by the tragic news of the helicopter crash following the Leicester v West Ham game in which Leicester owner and chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others lost their lives.
We also had the shock of Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle's collapse in the BT Sport Studios, but the latest news is that Glenn is responding well to treatment. Of course we are all hoping for a speedy and full recovery. This was Glenn's 61st birthday, and I understand that Glenn has a BT Sport employee Simon Daniels - to thank for his knowledge and ability to use a defibrillator which saved his life.
Football has been put into perspective this week, when some clubs, including Spurs, have paid their respects to the fallen of The Great War which ended 100 years ago, and of course to all those who have died or suffered in service since.
Saturday
Brighton 1 Wolves 0
Until last week's home defeat to Watford, Wolves had enjoyed a run of 6 games without defeat, but now they have lost two in a row, and worryingly failed to score in both games.
Brighton remembered Peter Brackley who died recently, and was a fan and regular contributor to the "Seagulls"' programmes, known to most football fans as a fine commentator.
Glenn Murray's 100th Brighton goal (his 6th league goal this season) was enough to give the home side the points. It was scored when Murray turned in a mis-directed Bruno shot in the 48th minute. This was Brighton's third successive 1-0 Premier League win, and the first time they have had such a run in the top flight since 1981. Mathew Ryan made several good saves to hold Wolves at bay.
Fulham 0 Bournemouth 3
Fulham slumped again, and one wonders how long Slavisa Jokanovic can hold onto his job after being allowed to spend £100 million in the summer. His side have leaked more goals than any other in the Premier League.
Bournemouth took a 15th minute lead through a penalty won when Fosu-Mensah fouled Wilson, who scored from the spot. Fulham's Kamara was booked for a pathetic piece of simulation in the box when Begovic pulled out of a challenge. Begovic then saved from Shurrle's shot. Rico was in goal for Fulham and he made a good save with his right hand from Bournemouth skipper Simon Francis's 25 yarder, but Bournemouth made it 2-0 with a fine goal starting from the back with Adam Smith's run, Wilson's stretch and pass to Fraser and a final pass to 21 year old David Brooks, signed in the summer from Sheffield United.
Fulham had Kevin McDonald sent off for a second yellow card, and Kamara was lucky not to also see a second yellow card after kicking the ball away after conceding a free kick outside his area. Fulham's misery was complete after 85 minutes after another fine ball by Ryan Fraser and a fine finish by Calum Wilson. Eddie Howe's Bournemouth are flying!
Liverpool 4 Cardiff 1
Liverpool went to the top of the table for the weekend with this convincing win. The first goal came in the 10th minute when Mo Salah finished off a sequence of three shots on goal after Alexander-Arnold's cross. It took until the 66th minute for the Reds to get their second though. That goal came from Mane, forging his own space for a shot within the area, scoring his first league goal for nearly two months.
Cardiff got a surprise goal back though, scored by Paterson at close range after a cross by Hoilett was deflected into his path by a Liverpool defender. That was the first home league goal conceded by Liverpool for 10 games. Normal service was resumed when Shaqiri converted Salah's inside pass, and Mane scored a second goal, again created by a delicate pass by Salah.
Cardiff remain just outside the bottom three, but will surely face a season-long battle for survival.
S'hampton 0 Newcastle 0
Southampton have now failed to score in three successive games, whilst Newcastle had their second consecutive blank. "Saints" had the better of the game and the best chances to score but Newcastle's keeper held them at bay, whilst never overstretched. I think the BBC struggled to fill their allotted time for match highlights!
Watford 3 Huddersfield 0
After last week's win at Molineux, Watford maintained their return to form with this win against Huddersfield, who fell to the bottom of the table. Watford took a 10th minute lead after "The Terriers" did have a bright start with chances for Mooy and Pritchard. Pereyra scored Watford's goal with a clever run into the box from the left floating past several players before slotting home. Deulofeu made it two with a cracking right foot shot from the right of the Huddersfield area.
Lowe had a dipping shot pushed onto the bar by Foster, who also made a good save from Billing. Huddersfield certainly never gave up, but in the second half they went 3-0 down when Success scored with ten minutes to go.
Leicester 1 West Ham 1
Claude Puel started with Jamie Vardy on the bench and it seemed to me that he wanted his team to play more from the back. They didn't always look comfortable with this strategy. West Ham were missing the injured Yarmolenko and the ill Arnautovic, which led to Pelligrini giving Diangana his first league start.
Leicester had started the brighter of the two sides, but it was West Ham who took the lead in the 30th minute after a free kick was won by Rice and fired home by Balbuena after his first effort had rebounded off the post.
West Ham were soon down to 10 men after skipper Mark Noble got a straight red for a studs-up tackle upon Ndidi. Noble will miss our Carabao Cup game on Wednesday for a start!
Vardy came on for the second half and had apparently suffered a stomach complaint. West Ham's 10 men successfully defended their lead until the 89th minute when Ndidi scored with a shot deflected off Balbuena's back
Sunday
Burnley 0 Chelsea 4
Chelsea had to do without Eden Hazard who was ruled out with a back problem, but they maintained their unbeaten run with ease.
An early shot by Ross Barkley bounced into the ground and was headed goal-ward by Morata but was well saved by Joe Hart. After 20 minutes, Morata passed to Willian, who was making a run on the left-hand side. Willian hit a shot across Hart, which rebounded off the post. Two minutes later Barkley put in Morata for a sharp finish left of Hart.
There was some needle between Morata and Tarkowski, both of whom were booked, before Willian was also booked for simulation inside the Burnley area.
It took Chelsea until the 57th minute to go two up, and Barkley scored this one with a low shot from outside the area after a sideways pass by Kante. Next up was Willian, who also scored from outside the box with a right footed shot, also to the left of Hart.
Chelsea sub Olivier Giroud tried to break his Premier League duck with a shot that passed the left-hand post and a header that hit the bar, after a Hart save, but it was another substitute Rubén Loftus-Cheek who scored the fourth goal in added time. Loftus-Cheek is struggling to get game time at Chelsea, but had scored a hat-trick in their midweek Europa League win over BATE.
C. Palace 2 Arsenal 2
"We've got our Arsenal back!" sang the travelling fans during this game. It certainly seemed like that to this observer when Aubameyang put the away team into the lead in the 56th minute after Lacazette had helped the ball across the area with his clearly raised hand. Does that remind you of another French Arsenal player?
Arsenal had gone behind just before the break to the first of two successful penalty kicks by Palace skipper Milivojevic after Mustafi had brought down Kouyate. Xhaka had levelled that goal in the 51st minute with a stunning curler to the far post. Justice was probably done when Milivojevic scored a second penalty 7 minutes from time after Zaha had been brought down by Xhaka.
Arsenal's run of 11 successive wins in all competitors came to an end, while Palace's goals were their first home goals of the season.
Man Utd 2 Everton 1
Everton probably fancied their chances in this game, but they lacked fire power against a United side for whom Martial left his mark. Martial was tripped by Gueye after 25 minutes and although Pogba's penalty was saved by Jordan Pickford, Pogba got a second chance with the rebound, which he took. Pogba had taken a convoluted run-up to his spot kick with pathetic tiny steps.
Rashford (in for Lukaku) had the ball in the net, which was correctly disallowed as he had been offside when Pogba hit his shot which was saved by the England number one, but Martial made it 2-0 in the 49th minute with an unstoppable shot into the corner of Pickford's goal.
Everton got one back when Richarlison was brought down by Smalling and Gylfi Sigurdsson made no mistake from the spot. United held onto their lead despite 6 minutes of added time, with Martial closed down well by Pickford when he had a wonderful chance to make it 3-1.
This match was watched by the Thai Boys' team who had been rescued from a cave in Thailand in July. They were the guests of Manchester United.
Monday
Spurs 0 Man City 1
This game was the 100th Premier League game of the 380 game season. Moussa Sissoko is leading the vote for the Spurs man of the match, which will be his first such vote since this time last year when he scored, but we lost to West Ham in the Carabao Cup. I'd like to see him sore again, but not to lose again to "The Hammers" tomorrow! You can monitor the spursometer which will be finalised tomorrow (31.10.18)
Fixtures/Results 27-29.10.18
Saturday
Brighton 1-0 Wolves
Fulham 0-3 B'mouth
Liverpool 4-1 Cardiff
S'hampton 0-0 Newcastle
Watford 3-0 Hds'field
Leicester 1-1 West Ham
Sunday
Burnley 0-4 Chelsea
C. Palace 2-2 Arsenal
Man Utd 2-1 Everton
Monday
Spurs 0-1 Man City
Premier League Table
P W D L F-A GD Pts
1. Man City 10 8 2 0 27-3 24 26
2. Liverpool 10 8 2 0 20-4 16 26
3. Chelsea 10 7 3 0 24-7 17 24
4. Arsenal 10 7 1 2 24-13 11 22
=========================================
5. Spurs 10 7 0 3 16-8 8 21
=========================================
6. B'mouth 10 6 2 2 19-12 7 20
7. Watford 10 6 1 3 16-12 4 19
8. Man Utd 10 5 2 3 17-17 0 17
9. Everton 10 4 3 3 16-14 2 15
10. Wolves 10 4 3 3 9-9 0 15
11. Brighton 10 4 2 4 11-13 -2 14
12. Leicester 10 4 1 5 16-16 0 13
13. West Ham 10 2 2 6 9-15 -6 8
14. C. Palace 10 2 2 6 7-13 -6 8
15. Burnley 10 2 2 6 10-21 -11 8
16. S'hampton 10 1 4 5 6-14 -8 7
17. Cardiff 10 1 2 7 9-23 -14 5
=========================================
18. Fulham 10 1 2 7 11-28 -17 5
19. Newcastle 10 0 3 7 6-14 -8 3
20. H'dsfield 10 0 3 7 4-21 -17 3
