Ranieri off to a good start (Fulham 3 vs 2 Southampton)
(Goals: Fulham Alexander Mitrovic
33’, 63’, Andre Schurrle 43’. Southampton: Stuart Armstrong 18’, 53’)
The Italian supervisor properly supervised a win that would
go a long way in reviving the hopes of a brighter season ahead for Fulham. Claudio
Ranieri was the name on the lips of many in 2016 after that footballing miracle
of a League title win. The narrative though is very much different. Brought in
to replace the sacked Slavisa Jokanovic at Fulham, his remit was a dicey one in
turning around the flailing fortunes of a struggling Fulham side. His first
game pitted him against another manager under intense pressure in Mark Hughes
and his Southampton team. In a crucial six pointer for both sides, Mark Hughes’
side came out the stronger, and Ranieri would have been grateful to Spanish
goalkeeper Sergio Rico for keeping the game scoreless with a brilliant diving
save from a Nathan Redmond pile driver early on. The Spaniard could not prevent
the opener, however, after some suspect defending from the hosts. Fulham though showed
spirit and grit typical of Ranieri’s teams and clawed their way back through
goals from Alexander Mitrovic (two) and Andre Schurlle.
Stat: Alexander Mitrovic and Andre Schurlle have been
directly involved in 84.6% (11) of Fulham’s 13 league goals this season.
Indispensable
Back on song: Alexander Mitrovic grabbed two goals as Claudio Ranieri managerial spell at Fulham got off to a winning start
The Italian asked for a combative spirit and fight from his
side; there were lots of fighters on the pitch at Craven Cottage. While it’s
still early days, the win showed Ranieri's tactical acumen and game plan. His
3-4-3 formation freed defender-cum-wingback-cum-attacker Ryan Sessegnon from
much defensive duties and allowed the precocious youngster to influence play in
attack with his intelligent runs and movement, resulting in assists for goals
from Schurlle and Mitrovic, which had Fulham 2-1 and 3-2 up respectively. Sessegnon
is very much in the Gareth Bale mould, and his career could well follow the
trajectory of that of the Welsh man, in his final position at least. The young lad
courted by the big boys over the summer is better nearer the opponents goal
than his. Ranieri coaxed big performances from his stars too. Mitrovic was
back to his snarling best, ably supported by Schurlle. Jean Michael Seri and
Tom Cairney put in one of their better performances as Fulham recorded their
first victory in nine games. Ranieri would surely seek to rectify his hogwash
of a defence who were once again suspect at the back. But in danger of being
left adrift at the foot of the table, the ice-cool Italian saw his side stay
within touching distance of the other teams around them. Surely, not a bad way
to start a revival that seemed like a thankless task from the start.
Southampton manager Mark Hughes, on the other hand, must surely be looking anxiously over his
shoulders in the coming weeks as his precarious position now looks even worse.
Many would argue he should be getting more from the pool of players at his
disposal. It remains to be seen if the Southampton board share the same
opinion.
Ever green Murray showing little signs of slowing down (Brighton
& Hove Albion 1 vs 1 Leicester City)
Goals (Brighton & Hove Albion: Glenn Murray 15’.
Leicester City: Jamie Vardy 79’)
The older the wine, the better and sweeter it becomes. That
is perhaps fitting in describing the rich vein of form of Brighton & Hove
Albion striker Glenn Murray, and the way he just keeps getting better
despite his advancing years. Think of Benjamin Button, he is finding his peak
years at the twilight of his career. His mentality has seen him surpass varying
levels of setbacks in getting to this stage of his career: a century of caps in the
English Premier League. No mean feat considering his journey man career till
date. From Carlisle United to Rochdale, in the lower rungs of English football,
and Crystal Palace to Bournemouth, he is now doing it on the big stage, and
producing too. Having toiled in the lower leagues, now he is mixing it with the
big boys. 30 goals and 4 assists in 100 Premier League appearances
certainly makes for good reading for a striker who was once released by his
boyhood club, Carlisle at the age of 16. Murray is not one for giving up.
Late bloomer: Glenn Murray keeps on delivering for Brighton & Hove Albion despite being just shy of 35
One
of those 30 goals, earned his side a valuable point at home against Leicester
City on Saturday, a point would have turned three but for a foul on Kelechi Iheanacho by Beram
Kayal resulting in a penalty which Jamie Vardy duly dispatched, in an end to
end game at the Amex Stadium. Brighton sit in 12th place, seven
points clear of the relegation zone, testament to the huge work of coach David
Wagner, but also the contributions of Murray. In thirteen appearances this season, the sturdy striker has
plundered in 7 goals. Not just against the lesser weights, two of
those have come against Manchester United in a 3-2 defeat of the Red Devils
earlier in the campaign. His robust style harks back to the days when
traditional “big men” as strikers was very much the way to go. Until a certain
Catalan and his Legendary Barcelona side came into town, some would say even
before then. Yet, he is ever more crucial to this Brighton side and the way
Chris Hughton’s men play. Just shy of his 35th birthday, it remains
to be seen how much more he has in the tank. But you would surely not bet
against him doing it for the next one, two seasons, maybe three. Who knows?
Such is his will and warrior-like mentality that sees him batter many Premier
League defenders with his physical approach. Old, yes, but as the goals do not
seem to have deserted him, Brighton would be very comfortable with that.
The big stars step up for Spurs, while Sarri must rethink
Kante decision (Tottenham 3 vs 1 Chelsea)
Goals (Tottenham Hotspur: Dele Alli 8’, Harry Kane 16’, Son
Heung-min 54’. Chelsea: Olivier Giroud 85’)
The big games are always a stage set for the big players to
sprinkle their stardust and perform. And for Tottenham Hotspur they certainly
did. This was not a coming of age victory, as the might of this Spurs team is
not new to any. Yet it was a statement performance, arguably their best of the
season so far. Days like this serve a reminder, not like we have forgotten, of
how good Spurs could be should they be “brave” as their manager Pochettino
remarked in the summer. At Wembley most of the star performances were from
those clad in resplendent white. Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen, Son Heung-min,
Toby Alderwereild, Dele Alli. You would be hard pressed to select the man of
the match. There were many "men in white" out at Wembley This was a composite team display of flair, organisation, tactical
astuteness, and intensity. It was emblematic of the vision Mauricio Pochettino has for
this Spurs side.
Pick that out of the net: Dele Alli opened the scoring for Tottenham Hotspur, at Wembley, with a well placed header.
Stat: Christian Eriksen’s two assists against Chelsea took
his tally to 41 goals and 52 assists in 181 Premier League appearances for
Spurs. An average of a goal or assist every two games.
With Chelsea, prior to this, one of three teams on an
unbeaten run -the others being Liverpool and Manchester City-- the Blues might have been
considered as slight favourites. But Spurs hardly roll out the red carpet. Such
is their competitive mentality epitomised by their coach, Pochettino. In midfield, Dele Alli and Moussa Sissoko pressured the Blues metronome Jorginho, thus disrupting the visitors' build up play and
cutting out the supply lines to Hazard, Willian, and Morata up front. When the visitors
had the ball, play largely was in front of Tottenham, just what they
wanted. Son tracked back relentlessly, limiting the offensive contributions of
Chelsea's full backs. The pace at which Spurs broke on the counter was scary,
the movement up top pulling David Luiz –who had a poor game- and Antonio
Rudiger out of position. Such threat necessitated an anchor man to screen the
Blues rear guard and break the play of the opponents. Which makes Maurizio Sarri’s
use of Ngolo Kante a puzzling one indeed. In Sarri’s 4-3-3 system, Jorginho is the deep lying midfielder. A pass master and orchestrator he is,
a defensive shield he is not. That shield is best provided by Kante. With his
tenacity and workmanlike energy, he covers much ground in the middle of the park
recovering the ball and starting attacks. Sarri though utilises him further up the
field where he is allowed to join up in attacks. But that under-utilises his
strength. It was little surprise that the presence of Dier and Sissoko in Spurs
midfield made life uncomfortable for Jorginho on the day. With him being at
the core of the Sarri-ball philosophy of the Blues, it meant a tough outing for
the visitors. On another day, and with better finishing, the score line could
have read five or six –such was the clear chances created by Tottenham. One
which would have gotten Sarri worried at how uneasy his back-line was. Perhaps
reorganising the make up of that midfield three might do the trick. They might not be
found out against lesser teams, such is their technical quality, but against the
big sides, those flaws might be exposed. Chelsea still remain in the top four,
though they are now seven points behind leaders Manchester City –It might not
be obvious but the distance from top is growing –and one point above fifth placed
Arsenal. Perhaps, Sarri was prescient in admitting that his side are not title
challengers during their previously unbeaten start to the season. Spurs though
are not far from becoming a serious one, and for that they would need their
big stars to keep churning out those type of performances. Just as they did
against Chelsea at Wembley.
Everton’s newly found defensive resolve will be key just as
their attacking prowess (Everton 1 vs 0 Cardiff City)
Goals (Gylfi Sigurdsson 59’)
They weren’t fast out of the blocks but slowly Everton are
showing signs that they may yet cause one or two problems for the “top six”.
Unbeaten in their last three games –including an hard fought goalless draw at
Chelsea –and with five wins in their last seven games, the Merseyside blues
are finding their feet. Part of that has been down to the steel and resilience,
as well as the quality at the back. In Michael Keane and Yerry Mina –with Kurt
Zouma on the bench as well –Silva has at his disposal a strong center half
pairing that complements each other very well. The summer signing of Colombian world
cup star Yerry Mina has brought some level of experience to a young back-line
further strengthened by the addition of Lucas Digne at left back. Two
successive clean sheets against Chelsea and now Brighton certainly hints at
some degree of stability in a defence that has the potentially world-class Jordan
Pickford manning the posts, and one that has conceded 15 goals so far –the fifth
best defensive record in the division. The much vaunted riches in an attack
featuring the likes of Theo Walcott, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Richarlison, Bernard,
and Cenk Tosun might dominate the headlines, but a sturdy rear guard, ably marshaled
by the midfield duo of Andre Gomes and Idrissa Gueye, is providing the spring
board for the men in attack to strut their stuff. Above Manchester United in
the table, who lie in seventh, Marco Silva’s men might well have some significant
say in the top six spots come May. The strides they have made will surely be assessed in next weekend's Merseyside derby against high-flying Liverpool.
Henry was the king of the Emirates, but in Arsenal look to
have a new Prince in Aubameyang (Bournemouth 1 vs 2 Arsenal)
Goals (Bournemouth: Joshua King 45’. Arsenal: Jefferson Lerma
(own goal) 30’, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 67’)
In Arsene Wenger’s final seasons at Arsenal, one of his best
transfer deals would have been the capture of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from
Borrusia Dortmund. With every passing game, the Gabonese just seems to fit in
hand in glove with this Arsenal side. The prospect of succeeding Wenger is no doubt a
daunting one for Emery, but he would have been excited at the prospect of
working with Auba, as he is fondly called, and Alexandre Lacazette -who missed
this win against a brave Bournemouth side through injury. Aubameyang’s
multifaceted qualities and technique means he can perform a role, and very
well at that, either out wide or down the middle. His ability to stretch the
opposition with his runs in behind means Arsenal have a dependable outlet in
attack. His pace on the counter too is sometimes impossible to keep up with. He covers those blades of grass and makes it look effortless.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (second left) is plundering goals for fun at Arsenal
His tap in at the Vitality
stadium –from a Sead Kolasinac cross –led Arsenal to a 2-1 win, in a result
that was as close as the scoreline suggests, and stretched the Gunners’
unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions. Since his arrival in January, he
has scored 18 goals in just 26 games, a remarkable return considering the short
space of time he had to adapt to the physicality and cut and thrust nature of
the Premier League. His battle with Sergio Aguero (8 goals) and Harry Kane (7
goals) for the Golden boot award is sure to be an intriguing one.
Stat: Arsenal’s 2-1 win against Bournemouth was their fourth
away win of the season (after 13 games), same number they managed for the whole
of last season.
Dull and insipid United look miles away from a top four spot (Manchester
United 0 vs Crystal Palace)
Jose Mourinho expressed optimism, in the build up to this
game against Crystal Palace, that come the end of December his side will be in
the top four spots. On this evidence, not a chance. He did call for less
emphasis on statistics, and more on the team's performance, after the humiliating defeat
against neighbours Manchester City, in the Manchester derby prior to the
International break. The performances though are increasingly leaving little to like or get
supporters on the edge of their seats. It is hard not to look at the stats when
United are fourteen points behind leaders City or seven points behind Chelsea in
fourth. It becomes a more difficult ask when Mourinho’s men look like the early Santa Claus; handing
out free points to, no disrespect to Crystal Palace, teams they should be
beating. In such a tight battle at the top for those four spots, the Red
Devils can ill afford to keep dropping points against opponents, their rivals
for those top four spots will most likely sweep aside. It is a tight battle and
there is minimal room for errors. Were it not for the sharp reflexes of David
De Gea, Palace might have left Old Trafford with not one but three fully
deserved points. The performance was that poor it wouldn't have been a travesty
of justice had such a scenario occurred. While Mourinho still retains the
support of most sections of the fan base, the dissent in the stands is growing
louder, especially from those who can’t quite relate this United style with the
swashbuckling, vibrant side of years gone by. His sometimes internecine posture
is doing little to ease the atmosphere around the Theater of dreams these days.
Slowly United are being left in their own league. Not within touching distance
of the top four, and unreachable by teams below them. The optimism of a top
four place is looking increasingly bleak. Perhaps Mourinho sees something in
his team, that others don't, to feel otherwise, or perhaps there is little evidence to
allude to the top four credentials of this United team.
In other results goals from Mo
Salah, Trent Alexander Arnold and Roberto Firmino saw Liverpool to a 3-0 win
away at Watford, Manchester City continued their hot streak of form by
trouncing West Ham United 4-0 at the London Stadium. Elsewhere, Huddersfield
secured a crucial and surprising 2-0 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers, while
Rafa Benitez’s Newcastle United continued their resurgence with a 2-1 away win
at Burnley.
MATCH DAY 14 FIXTURES
30 Nov: Cardiff City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
1 Dec: Manchester City vs AFC Bournemouth
1 Dec: Leicester City vs Watford
1 Dec: Crystal Palace vs Burnley
1 Dec: Newcastle United vs West Ham United
1 Dec: Huddersfield vs Brighton & Hove Albion
1 Dec: Southampton vs Manchester United
2 Dec: Chelsea vs Fulham
2 Dec: Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur
2 Dec: Liverpool vs Everton
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