It was yet another enthralling weekend of Premier League action as Manchester City lost their unbeaten start to the season, and there were massive wins for sides at the bottom half of the table. Here, EconSport runs you through what we learnt from match day 15 and 16 of the English Premier League.
HODGSON AND PALACE MUST RELIEVE
ZAHA OF THE GOAL SCORING BURDEN
The January transfer window could
not have come at a more opportune time for Crystal Palace. It is crystal clear that manager Roy Hodgson needs to
ease some of the burden off Wilfred Zaha. After starting the season in
sparkling form with three goals in his first four matches, the Ivorian has gone
off the boil in recent weeks embarking on a barren run in front of goal
stretching to nine games. That run has not been as a result of a drop in
performances, but more an awakening of opposing defenders to the immense talent
in those boots of his, hence the close attention been paid to him on
the one hand, and a lack of service on the other. Stop Zaha, and you stop
Crystal Palace some would say. A loan move for a reliable striker might well be
the difference between Palace beating the drop and staying up this season.
Maybe a Divock Origi –though it will be hard to persuade Jurgen Klopp to let
the Belgian go in the middle of a title challenge –or a dip into the foreign
market pool will do. The Eagles are not in a precarious position, but theirs is
not a position of great strength either. The 2-1 loss to Brighton & Hove
Albion two weeks ago, was followed up by a 3-2 away loss at West Ham United, leaving Hodgson’s team two points above the relegation places, in 16th,
they are hovering close to the end of the table they wouldn’t want to be. Failure to pick up maximum points against Leicester City next weekend might see Palace's progress under Roy Hodgson's put under the microscope. An attention the former England manager would want to do without. With Hudderfield and Newcastle playing each other, and Burnley travelling to Wembley to face Tottenham , Palace can ill afford a
no-show at home against Leicester City. Hence they must get others to step up in performances to share the goal scoring responsibility, and make do without Zaha as the Ivorian serves a one-game suspension after picking up his fifth booking of the season.
Wilfred Zaha has suffered a dip in form for Crystal Palace in recent weeks.
JAVIER HERNANDEZ AND LUCAS PEREZ
CAN FINALLY BREAK THE CENTRE FORWARD JINX AT WEST HAM…THEIR QUALITY IS EVIDENT
It’s been a constant search since the David Gold and David Sullivan began at West Ham United in 2010; the search
for a reliable and potent goal scorer, one who fills his boots with loads of
goals. Many have come and gone, some dire, some stopgaps, and others flattering
to deceive, the void proving quite
difficult to fill. In Javier Hernandez and Lucas Perez, signed from Arsenal
over the summer, the Hammers have two quality goal-getters, whose statistics at other clubs make for pretty good reading. Add to that mix the attacking threat of Marko Arnautovic, summer signing Felipe Anderson --who looks a class act by each passing game-- and the return of the injury plagued Andy Carroll,
and it’s one forward line not many rival EPL teams can boast of. The 3-1
victory over Cardiff, secured courtesy of a double from Lucas Perez, who came
on for the injured Marko Arnautovic, and a solitary strike from Michail Antonio, was followed up with an interesting 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace in the London derby, and saw Manuel Pellegrini’s men net three goals in three consecutive EPL games. Not
an easy task, just ask Jose Mourinho and the red half of Manchester.
Stat: West Ham United secured three consecutive Premier League wins for the first time since December 2016. On the rise!
A recurring theme of Pellegrini
teams’ has been their attacking brand of football. The Chilean is better known
for his attacking coherency than defensive rigidity. As such, it was fitting
that he took charge of a West Ham team who, though underachieving, possessed quality technical players. Coupled with the service provided from midfield by
the likes of Felipe Anderson and Robert Snodgrass (who both scored stunners against Crystal Palace), it’s an enticing prospect
indeed. The only stumbling block is his strikers staying fit. Hernandez and
Carroll have had their battle with fitness concerns, while Perez has been in
and out of the team ,meaning Arnautovic has sometimes had to carry the
collective need on his own. The timely return of Chicharito and Perez to
goal-scoring form couldn’t have come any better. Both have grabbed doubles in
the convincing wins over Newcastle United and Cardiff, leaving the Hammers in
11th place on 21 points. Indeed they are farther from the relegation
places (18th placed Huddersfield on 10 points) than to sixth place Manchester United, who are just five points ahead. And some of that have been due to the
rich form of Hernandez and Perez. Maybe the solution to that search might have
been found after all.
CARDIFF'S HOME FORTRESS
Cardiff City were among the side penciled for the drop at the beginning of the campaign, due in part to their lack of quality signings overall compared to their rivals. However, manager Steve Warnock is using his experience at this level to extract the maximum out of a group of players who would run their legs to stump for him. Such is the togetherness in this Cardiff side. I touched on the importance of a strong home form earlier in the campaign, if the Welsh team were to stand any chance of surviving in the cut and thrust nature of the Premier League. The importance of winning their home games has never been more evident for Cardiff than in recent weeks. Heading into the busy Christmas period, Warnock's side have won four of their last five Premier League games at the Cardiff City Stadium, including last weekends 1-0 victory over struggling Southampton --who find themselves in the relegation zone on the back of a 14-match winless run in all competitions, with Mark Hughes paying the price and replaced by Ralph Hasenhuttl-- The goal, scored by Callum Paterson courtesy of a dreadful error by Jannik Vestergaard, was no more than Cardiff deserved. A remarkable run which has seen them rise to 14th on the log, four points clear of the bottom three. We know what to expect from this Cardiff team. Warnock sets them up to be hard to beat, with two banks of four, and from there provides a platform for the forwards up top to nick a goal or two. The recent impressive showings of Sol Bamba and Sean Morrison at the heart of the defence, and Neil Etheridge in gives assurance a goal can sometimes be enough for all three points, as was the case against Southampton. They are still far from safe though, and their status in the crucial weeks ahead will largely depend on their form in front of their fans , and nicking one or two smash and grab wins on the road.
Cardiff manager Neil Warnock is doing a magnificent job, from a limited squad, in steering his side out of the danger zone.
CHELSEA'S VICTORY OVER CITY OWED MUCH TO HAZARD'S BALANCE
Manchester City's roller coaster start to the season hit a bump at the Bridge on Saturday, as Maurizio Sarri's Chelsea defeated the Citizens 2-0 to knock the champions off their perch at the top of the Premier League table. It was a game the fall out of which will be discussed for weeks to come. This was Manchester City's first loss in twenty-one EPL games, and a first defeat in sixteen away games. Such has been their dominance. Be it at the Etihad or at the Emirates. That spellbinding form was given a reality check by a resolute and organised Chelsea at Stamford bridge in a 2-0 win for the home side. A result that had the imprints of a certain Eden Hazard written all over it. The Belgian grabbed both assists with ingenious play to see his side throw themselves back into the title race. For the first , he showed incredible awareness to pick out Ngolo Kante who slammed home a finish beyond Ederson. At a time for cool heads, Hazard was ice cool. He always is. Strutting his stuff, committing defenders with out-of-this-world trickery and making it look so easy. The timing of the goal --right on the stroke of half time further emphasised its importance, as it meant the Blues had something to protect heading into the second period. And they didn't just protect it, but added to it. Still courtesy of one man. Hazard. His 78th minute corner was met with a sumptuous header by David Luiz to double the lead, and leave Guardiola's City with an insurmountable mountain to climb. It's not that Chelsea dominated play, indeed for much of the first half, the Blues could barely string five or ten passes together, however they stayed solid in defence. For all of Manchester City's possession and beautiful patterns of play, Chelsea's rearguard stayed firm, and clear cut chances were scarce. The goal just before the break, further knocking them off their stride. The fact that Hazard played in a slightly unfamiliar role --though he's been utilised down the middle in some games-- with Morata and Olivier Giroud benched, and still came up with the good was all the more impressive. These are the games big players look forward to. And when it mattered most, Eden Hazard stepped forward and delivered, and blew the title race wide open with two great assists. That's eight already this campaign in just sixteen games, already double the number he achieved the whole of last. What a player he is. With his contract running down, Chelsea should go out of their way to sign him up to a new deal. Call it player power, but few players come any better than Eden Hazard.
IT'S BEEN A TOUGH CAMPAIGN, BUT BURNLEY FINALLY GET BACK ON TRACK AT TURF MOOR
It's been far from the highs of last season, as Sean Dyche's Burnley have laboured in the opening weeks of the campaign, gathering 12 points from 16 games so far this season. Many of their performances have also been uncharacteristic of a side renowned for their steel, organisation, and commitment, chasing non stop, harrying opponents, committing into tackles, making them a tough nut to crack for many. The outer shell of that nut seems to have softened this season. But against Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend, it was back to basics, showing what endeared them to neutrals in their recent years in the top flight. Getting the ball out wide, putting crosses into the box, resolute at the back, causing difficulty in the opposition ranks with their physicality, that nasty edge has been sorely missed in the opening weeks of the campaign, but it was back to the fore in a slender 1-0 victory against Brighton. The goal was typical Burnley. Johann Gudmundsson swung in a free-kick which was only partially cleared by the visitors, the move was kept alive in the box, and after a couple of headers in the air, the ball dropped kindly to Jack Cork who blasted it goal-wards, a deflection of James Tarkowski helping the ball in and giving the Clarets a lead they never looked like relinquishing. It was a scrappy goal, but Dyche wouldn't care one bit. This was a show of spirit and character from his side, after a slump in form was threatening to develop into a mini crisis. It doesn't get any easier, as up next is an away trip to Wembley to face Tottenham Hotspurs. If the clarets can show the same zeal and commitment on display at Turf Moor over the weekend, it would be far from a walk over for Spurs.
FAN FAVOURITE TORREIRA IS THE TYPE OF PLAYER ARSENAL HAVE MISSED FOR MANY YEARS
A relative squat figure, but his contributions are anything but. Lucas Torreira exemplifies everything good about the new Arsenal under Unai Emery. By each passing game, and with each accomplished performance on the pitch, he is increasingly lokking like an absolute bargain at just £26 million. Surely, on the back of his magnificient displays, he wuld be worth at least three times that presently. The Gunners have cried out for a controller in the middle of the park, since the days of Patrick Viera patrolling the middle of the park, like he owned it all. Torreira is the closest to the Frenchman, that Arsenal have had. His tenacity in chasing after possession is infectious, showing ferocios intensity and boundless energy in covering large amount of grass on the pitch, like a duracell battery that never gets weak. A great player makes others around him better, and that is what Torreira has done. Just ask Granit Xhaka. Emery's settled double pivot has flourished thanks in no small part to the role of the Uruguayan. He sets the tempo and screens the backline, giving Xhaka the license to utilise his creative instincts further up the field. He followed up his well taken goal against Tottenham Hotspur, in the 4-2 derby win, with the only goal against a stubborn Huddersfield side at the Emirates. It was threatening to be one of those days as Arsenal did everything but put the ball in the back of the net, until Torreira's late intervention. He had looked certain to score a stunner in the first half, but for an outstanding save from Jonas Lossl in the Huddersfield goal. Not just a defensive shield, he is well adept with the ball at his feet, and he's made himself a vital part of Emery's revitalised Arsenal.
Stat: Arsenal's 1-0 win over Hudderfield meant the Gunners are on their longest unbeaten run (21 games) for over a decade --since November 2007-- Transformed.
SPURS BOUNCE BACK SUPERBLY
Tottenham Hotspur showed a strong mentality and how far they have come with their superb response to what is sure to have been an emotionally sapping and physically exhausting 4-2 derby loss against Arsenal at the Emirates stadium, two weeks back. When you lose such games, you can't wait to get back on the pitch , and right the wrongs of the previous game. The men in white have responded with two convincing victories over Southampton and Leicester City to keep themselves firmly in the mix of a fierce top five battle --they are third on the table, six points off undefeated Liverpool-- Players are stepping up too when it matters most, Heung-Min Son's goals have taken some of the pressure off Harry Kane. Spurs are an exciting team to watch, one which is on the cusp of something big, albeit with the necessary investments. After seeing off Leicester City comfortably over the weekend, attention now turns to the all important Champions League game at the Camp Nou against Barcelona in midweek, needing to better or equal Inter Milan's result against PSV in the other group game, in a game that would decide their fate in the competition. Riding on the back of two morale boosting consecutive wins, the seemingly impossible task might not be beyond Pochettino's team at the Nou Camp.
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