EPL round 15 recap
by Paul O'Donnell
Arsenal visits Aston Villa to kick off a string of 3 league games in a week all on the road. The schedule has favored the Gunners to this point having played 8 of their 13 games at the friendly confines of the Emirates. Look for this run to change things a bit at the top of the table.
United gets Rooney back for 2 at home this week and neither will be the surprise we saw from Bolton in United's last league match. This one closes the weekend action on Monday evening.
Man City, still hanging around in the top 3 travel to the JJB. Low scoring City (only 1 team among the top 10 has scored fewer goals-Rovers) will face a difficult task to hold off a Wigan side desperate for a win at home.
In what could turn out to be the best match of the weekend the Toffees take the long trip south to face Pompey with both teams looking favored to finish in the top six. Pompey, who find their manager and board chairman involved in the current corruption investigations, will be looking to produce a quality effort.
Aston Villa 1:2 Arsenal
In a match that was a delight to watch the only real downside was that Arsenal won it. I know, I know but truth is I just don't like the Gunners, but they are a truly wonderful team and their league unbeaten run goes all the way back to last April. Villa produced a terrific effort of their own in a bid to extend their run of 4 consecutive victories but couldn't find the answer in a very competitive second half. Craig Gardner put Villa out front in the 14th minute but from then on in the opening 45 the match became a display of Gunners style and substance with goals from Flamini (23) and Adebayor (36). Both sides continued the effort in the 2nd half and most neutral fans watching would likely say it was a match that should have seen a share of the points the fair result. Instead Arsenal extends their lead at the top of the table. The team that beats the Gunners will do so by neutralizing their midfield possession game and bring more pressure to their defense. A tall order with the way Arsenal have been playing so far with their crisp one-touch accurate passing game and clever running off the ball that keeps their opponents middies and defenders under considerable pressure. Unless and until a team can disrupt that game and bring more pressure to their defensive corps Arsenal will continue to lead the league. On top of that it is truly significant that Arsenal haven't missed a beat despite the loss of both Fabregas and Robin Van Persie. A testament to the young and quality team Wenger has built.
Man United 2:0 Fulham
As if to embarrass the voters in the Balloon d'Or who placed him 2nd to Kaka over the weekend Cristiano Ronaldo notched a brace to lead United to their 7th consecutive win at home. The first was a clear error by Fulham's Steven Davis who headed the ball into his own area instead of clearing it over the line from a Giggs corner. The result; a blistering volley for goal number one for Ronaldo (10). He added his 2nd in the 58th with a towering leap and powerful header to the bottom corner. The score would have been much worse from the Cottager's perspective if it were not for their man of the match Antti Niemi who stoned Tevez several times, got away with taking down Ronaldo on a break (Ronaldo was shown a yellow for diving on the play) and had an overall career game making 8 saves on the day. Without Niemi's quality performance it would have been a route at Old Trafford.
Wigan 1:1 Man City
Steve Bruce must have been horrified in the opening minute watching his experienced defender (Titus Bramble) miss hit a clearance right into the path of City's Geovanni gifting the opener in the first minute. Wigan battled back to get the draw (Scharner, 25) halting their losing streak but the bad news on the day continued for Bruce as he lost Heskey to injury yet again, and Mario Melchiott will be suspended for 3 games because of a two footed challenge in the 88th minute. Will this guy ever catch a break as a manager?
Chelsea 1:0 West Ham
The Hammers mounted a stout challenge to the Blues but in the end a Joe Cole strike in the 76th minute extended the Blues unbeaten run at Stamford Bridge to 70 games on a play that Alan Curbishley insists should have been whistled for offside. Frankly, it seemed one of those that is often flagged in error when the play was close enough and the advantage should go to the offensive side. The match was chippy from the start producing 8 yellow cards and a flurry of free kicks with little pleasing soccer in between. Many fans would say it was typical of a hard fought London Derby.
Liverpool 4:0 Bolton
Sami Hyypia got his first of the season on a nice header from a Gerrard free kick (16) in a first half thoroughly dominated by the Reds. Torres added the 2nd with a cheeky lob on a classic route one attack in the 44th before Gerrard hit the 3rd from the spot (55). Babel closed the book in the 85th on a tap in from a rebound of a Dirk Kujt drive to end a tumultuous week for Rafa Benitez and his supporters with a much needed definitive win at Anfield.
Portsmouth 0:0 Everton
In the first goalless draw between these two at Fratton Park in 70 years the real news on the day was probably the staunch fan support for Redknapp despite his inclusion in the "bung" investigations into corrupt practices. Oh yes, it was also Pompey's 4th failure to score a goal on their home ground this season. Despite that, Pompey is still the 4th highest scoring team in the league thus far, they just can't seem to produce a goal for their home fans.
Blackburn 3:1 Newcastle
Rovers recovered from their recent dip in form with their first win since October on the strength of two definitive strikes from David Bentley (a brilliant free kick in the 54th and an opportunistic laser blast in the 67th) after the hard working Obafemi Martins had put the Tynesiders in front in the 47th. Rovers added a stoppage time goal from Kerimoghu to close the book.
Reading 1:1 M'boro
Dave Kitson notched his 5th of the season for the Royals off a straight up route one attack just like they diagram it on the chalk board. A monster clearance from Hahneman, a flick from Doyle put Kitson in alone and he produced a subtle lob of the keeper to the delight of the faithful. Boro got the leveler six minutes from full time on a nicely executed header from substitute Tuncay (his first in the EPL) off a precise cross from Luke Young. Reading had their chances to grab all three points but the final touch eluded them.
Sunderland 1:0 Derby
Paul Jewel came up the loser in his first in charge at Derby County on a stoppage time winner from substitute Anthony Stokes in the final minute of added time. Forty plus thousand fans at the Stadium of Light went home deliriously happy of course but this was one of those that the truly fair result would have been a point for both. Credit to Roy Keane's guys to go for the win late and they got it.
Tottenham 2:3 Birmingham
Spurs responded well with a brace from Robbie Keane (49 & 52) after a McSheffrey penalty (23) put City on top totally against the run of play but it wouldn't be enough on this day. Two wonder strikes, the first from Cameron Jerome (61) that leveled the score at 2, then the match winner in stoppage time from Larsson magnified the significance of all the missed chances by Spurs, especially in that opening 45. The Brum produced a spirited display and despite being outclassed were able to stay in touch with sheer effort, luck and hustle making Alex McLeish a winner in his first match in charge in the EPL.
