1. Rogers and Emery Combine for Heist
Can results sometimes deceive? It's a valid query. Aston Villa's winning streak was extended versus Manchester United, but so did the persistent questions. Statistically, they were inferior by a number of key indicators – a lower shot count (12-15), less possession (43-57), not as many golden opportunities (2-3). As usual, the victory was a slender one. As usual, expected goals (xG) sided with the opposition: analysis indicates United edged it 1.31-1.02. Yet the reality is games are determined by more than statistics. They are won by collective effort, shrewd management and individual talent – and Villa possess each ingredient. Villa's emerging star might just be their sole standout, but he’s delivering as a timely gift. The Spanish tactician is wily, seasoned, streets ahead of his counterpart. Should Rogers have benefited from a positional error, it was likely because the manager identified that Yoro was playing out of position, and told Rogers to take up a wide position, drive inside and exploit the space. Talent and management, in perfect harmony.
2. The Amorim Conundrum: Still Searching for Answers
When Manchester United beat Brighton 4-2 on 25 October, their fans felt optimism return. They had won three league games in a row for the maiden instance under the Portuguese coach. Their position climbed to fourth. And the wins were all good ones – over Brighton (a side they often struggle against), Liverpool (at Anfield!) and Sunderland (at Old Trafford, facing a team fresh from the Championship, but still – a comfortable clean sheet). Senne Lammens looked solid, Bryan Mbeumo offered threat and morale was high. But then United slipped into a slump. Over the next eight fixtures, two wins, six missed opportunities. In the recent fixture they were the better team without ever looking like winning. Yes, Matheus Cunha scored a good goal, but he also failed to convert a golden opportunity. Yes, United were cursed by absentees (to influential figures), but they were punished for defensive errors. Following over a year in England, the manager has yet to solve how to secure victories.
3. Below-Par Gunners Get on Their Grind
It was an evening fixture on the festive weekend but a glaring absence of finesse in the opposition box made for a drab affair. For Everton, the issue was expected with creative forces absent, and their star man struggling to lift an entire team single-handedly. In many respects it is astonishing that the Toffees occupied a European spot in the table two weeks earlier given they have played the whole campaign without a proven goalscorer. For Arsenal and the Spanish coach, while he relished a hard-fought three points and a return to the top of the table, the problem should be of similar concern given their designs on the Premier League. The manager claimed that victories will inevitably be more emphatic with graft and determination. But it is fairly soon in the season for a team that can start with international stars, while leaving exciting options on the bench, to be relying on grinding out wins.
4. Guardiola’s Festive City Investigations
During the holidays Pep Guardiola will monitor the scales to ensure his Manchester City players have not overdone the festive fare. He explained the team wanted to enjoy a break after their 3-0 triumph but he refused because their display lacked quality. So the schedule involves rehabilitation, work for those who didn't feature, and following a short break, then brief training for the upcoming match. Guardiola detailed how improvements can be made. “I excel at analyzing what happens in the game, where are the spaces – if the players were in the right areas, we could generate more chances.” Guardiola will also enjoy a rest: “I will be on vacation with the family and champagne. A trip to Barcelona is planned – it's a great city, the food is top.”
5. Liverpool's Joy Tempered by Isak Blow
The Swedish striker's finish at Tottenham felt, for a glorious few seconds, like an arrival. This was the very purpose Liverpool splashed the cash for him to do, to unlock stubborn defences with his movement and range of finishing, and the assurance with which he finished from a neat pass boded superbly. So the scene of his substitution immediately, the victim of a reckless attempt, was a significant blow for the Dutch coach and disappointing for the spectator who would like to see such a gifted player perform at his best again. There are fears Isak has sustained a fractured leg and he probably endures a extended spell on the sidelines. It would be a major blow with Liverpool having quietly moved into the upper echelons, putting together a six-game unbeaten run featuring Isak’s first Premier League goals in their colours. Their fortunes this season appear inextricably linked to those of their £125m investment.
6. Did Chelsea Get Away with One?
Managers often moan about debatable rulings as a means of diverting the narrative from matters they want to keep private. The 13 points Newcastle have dropped from winning positions this season appears relevant. The Newcastle boss certainly did not seem particularly eager to mention that costly trend following his side’s collapse from a 2-0 lead against Chelsea in a game they ended up drawing. Yet Newcastle’s manager was surely right to question a decision made by the on-field referee and VAR not to award his team a penalty following a obvious foul on Anthony Gordon. With the score then 2-1, a 12-yard award could have swung the momentum. Was the decision to offer the Chelsea defender the benefit of considerable doubt informed by Gordon’s reputation for being expert at earning fouls and sometimes exaggerating? Comments by a well-known analyst was interesting. “He sees the challenge coming,” was the analysis. “He knows the challenge is coming and he's ready. I think he intends to hit the deck. But the force and aggression there … that’s not shielding the ball.”
7. Statistical Doom for Struggling Wolves
Brentford’s maiden victory on the road this season spelled a welcome result for Keith Andrews. Rather than celebrate, Andrews sympathised with Wolves, the club he came through at. “A large chunk of my life was here,” he said. Wolves’ situation is increasingly desperate; statistical models state – perhaps generously – their likelihood of the drop at overwhelmingly high, leaving little tangible to fight for beyond pride. A senior professional brutally spelled out|bluntly outlined|frankly
