EPL Week in Review Novemeber 7-9th
- Season is far from over but after today’s win Chelsea must feel the EPL title is theirs to lose. A true measure of a championship team is being able to grind out a 1-0 result.
- John Terry may walk away with the headlines thanks to his game winner but Ricardo Carvalho was outstanding. From blocking shots to getting under Manchester United skin. It almost surprised me Rooney didn’t give Carvalho a stomp ala the last World Cup. Johnny Evans mind you did trip up Carvalho which got him a yellow card.
- It also amuses me how Carvalho in his opinion has never committed a foul in his life. Even when it was a clear foul he’ll still wag his finger.
- What is this man doing bringing a toothbrush to a football match? Where is the toothpaste?
- Wayne Rooney was United best player but again against a top four club Rooney is unable to left his game further and no, his goal in the community shield does not count. The English press and announcers are rarely going to say anything negative about Rooney. Fair play since he does bust a lung out there but when he is being praised for running back and playing right back I’m thinking what in the world is Rooney doing back there? Fabio Capello has it right when it comes to Rooney. All he wants Rooney to focus on is being in front of goal.
- It must be of some worry to Sir Alex Ferguson that his Manchester United side has been second best to Chelsea and Liverpool already this season. Granted both of those were on the road and they did beat Arsenal at home but against the top four you are looking for draws on the road and wins at home. Dropping points against Chelsea and Liverpool now makes the return matches on home every more important.
- Arsenal fans are feeling confidence week by week and now sit in a tie for second place with a game in hand on Manchester United. This Arsenal team is playing like the Gunners of old. This Arsenal team is killing off games early. Usually by halftime Arsenal has already wrapped the game up. This weekend’s game against Wolves no exception.
- Jody Craddock is in the form of his life with four goals in two games. Shame for him one of them was an own goal on an unlucky chip shot from Eduardo which bounced off his head.
- Nice way for Aston Villa to rebound from their mid week defeat to West Ham by outclassing Bolton 5-1. What must been seen as good news for Villa fans is how all their top players factored into the score sheet.
- Came across this stat the other day how Emilie Heskey hasn’t had a shot on goal all season. This blows my mind. While he isn’t a starter you would think even coming from the bench he’ll give it a go on goal. No wonder Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen love playing with him on the national team. Some strikers go nine games without a goal and they start having nervous twitches. Heskey can’t even be bothered to shoot on goal.
- Going into the game Blackburn under Paul Ince had two more points than they did this year with Sam Allardyce. Then Portsmouth came to town and changed all that.
- Also going into the weekend Portsmouth had conceded one less goal than Liverpool. Another telling stat for the type of season it’s been so far. Thanks to Blackburn scoring goal three on the weekend means Liverpool just has to prevent two goals from being scored in order for this stat not to carry over for another week.
- Poetic Justice some would say with Darren Bent missing his penalty kick after earning it on a dive. On the flip side Sunderland fans would say Bent should have been awarded a penalty kick in the first half.
- Nice goal by Tom Huddlestone to put the game away. That rocket of a shot may still been rising if it didn’t hit the net.
- When does Mark Hughes feel the heat again? Manchester City only has one defeat this season but drawing six straight is not going to get it done. A lack of focus is clearly on display when watching Manchester City and that is on the coach. There is no way a team with the talent on City should make themselves 2-0 down against Burnley. Lescott and Toure are clearly not on the same page out there. No one could tell me what in the world Wayne Bridge was doing out there, playing every position but his own.
Then the light snapped back on for Manchester City and credit to them fought back to lead 3-2. What bugs me most about letting Burnley tie the game up is the fact City should of learnt this lesson when they dropped a two goal lead against Fulham.
- Tip of my cap to Owen Coyle and his Burnley team. They could have let their heads hand low and let Manchester City run over them once up 3-2. Instead they kept fighting and earned a well deserved point.
- Players like Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink are part of the reason Hull City are crying poor due to having too many players but thanks to his 90th minute goal against Stoke Phil Brown should have a huge grin going into the international break.
- Look forward to see Alberto Aquilani play some against Birmingham. Aquilani has had to deal with a double case of bad luck. One with the injury itself, the other is having every other key player for Liverpool injured which will put even more pressure on Aquilani to hit the ground running once fit.