Happy Boxing Day!
by Paul O'Donnell
Better and more widely known as Boxing Day, this also marks the half way point of the EPL season. While those in the race at the top will not be facing one another this round the competition usually produces a few surprises. Somewhere in this group of games is sure to be a turning point and that applies to the top as well as the bottom teams. The result is that it is likely there will be some adjustments to the look of the table at this stage.
Can Fulham actually win a match on their travels? It has been almost a year and a half since they've done that. Will they have a new manager? A Christmas surprise package for the Craven Cottage faithful? Can Villa get fully back on the rails and produce a shocker at Stamford Bridge? Will Portsmouth finally score a goal in front of their home fans and make it a difficult day for the leaders? Can Rovers end their slide down the table on their trip to Man City who sport an unblemished home record (9-0-0)?
Will the surprise be Derby, playing with a newfound confidence, make it a rough outing for Liverpool? Will Reading's upswing continue on their visit to the Hammers? Or will the surprise come at the Stadium of Light from Roy Keane's Black Cats as they entertain the team he led on the pitch for so many seasons?
Chelsea 4:4 Aston Villa
Check it out! An EPL game produces goals galore, 8 of them, plus 3 red cards and 2 penalties. Villa started brightly and it wasn't long before they had built a 2-0 lead on goals from Maloney (13 & 43), the 2nd of them yet another howler by Cech. And yes, this match was being played at Stamford Bridge. A fine 'simulation' by Ballack finally got Chelsea on the scoreboard in the 45th as well as the dismissal of Zat Knight with the day’s first red card when Shevchenko converted from the spot. Another hit from Shevchenko in the 49th leveled the scores before Alex got his first for the Blues (65) and they had the lead at 3-2.
The lead didn't last long as Laursen leveled matters in the 71st before Ballack put Chelsea back up at 4-3 (87). That lead too wouldn't hold; not today. Gareth Barry converted another penalty in stoppage time for the final score. I feel sorry for Martin O'Neil; he had his guys ready to go after it and they did just that taking advantage of the weakened Chelsea side and that acting job by Ballack turned the game around. It wasn't so much a blatant dive as it was, you know, you feel the pressure so you go down, and he did it well enough to earn the penalty and the totally unwarranted red card for Knight.
Birmingham 3:0 M'Boro
A Downing OG (21) and another strike late in the half by Forssel (44) for City made for a bad day for Boro. It would end in about the same way on a McSheffrey penalty in stoppage time as City earned the much needed points at home.
Derby 1:2 Liverpool
Torres opened the scoring (11) with a twisting run that left a few Derby defenders looking as if they weren't quite ready to play and topped it off with a strong shot for the score. From that point on Derby challenged the Reds and held firm before finally finding the leveler from McEveley (66) and looked the more likely to go on for another and win it. Not today, as Liverpool applied the pressure over the final 15 minutes and it did end in the goal by Gerrard (89) as he knocked home a rebound by hustling for the post stealing the points at Pride Park. Gerrard's match winning goal came directly from the training ground and the mantra 'go to goal' and 'follow the shot' or perhaps even more appropriate in this case cover 'the back post'. As the play developed with Benayoun out wide along the end line he crosses to Torres whose shot is bumbled away and directed into the run of Gerrard who is heading for that back post. Being where he should be, or at least headed in that direction, he deflected it in for the winning goal off the rebound.
The end of this match showed in other ways too why Gerrard is so dearly loved by fans of Liverpool. In the 88th minute his drive from just outside the area deflected off the bar and instead of making that woeful show with the hands to the head and the pleading look to the sideline Gerrard just took it in stride and stepped up his effort to get that winner and he went on to do just that in stoppage time. Derby manager Paul Jewell expressed his disappointment but his warriors had their chances, such as a diving header by Giles Barnes off the well placed cross from Eddie Lewis that might have won it a few minutes earlier. Truth is, yes, they made it very difficult for Liverpool but in the end the quality and resolute approach at the death made the difference. The win moves the Reds to 4th in the table for now. All but the most ruthless of fans would say Derby deserved a better fate on this day but it wasn't to be.
Everton 2:0 Bolton
A rare Phil Neville goal (50) that resulted from his attempted cross into the area and yet another from that man Tim Cahill (69) made the day a celebration at Goodison.
Portsmouth 0:0 Arsenal
It is truly amazing but here it happens again; Pompey fails to score a goal for the home fans. Seems as if they just don't like playing on their home turf at Fratton Park. This time was a bit different however as they also became the first EPL team to stop Arsenal from scoring this season. The result is the Gunners see United take the top spot away.
Sunderland 0:4 Man United
The Red Devils smacked Roy Keane's Black Cats on goals from Rooney (19), Ronaldo (45) and a brace from Saha (29, 85 pen). Almost seemed as if Sunderland left someone in the training room. The win moves United to the top of the table.
Tottenham 5:1 Fulham
Spurs get just the right medicine with a visit by Fulham that produces braces from Keane (26, 61) and Huddlestone (45 & 70) and Defoe added another one late (89). Dempsey got his sixth of the season for Fulham in the 60th.
West Ham 1:1 Reading
I'd bet Sam Allardyce wished he still had Nobby Solano at Newcastle. Solano scored a beauty that was made by his experience, anticipation and determination to make something good happen for his team, and he did in the 41st. Kitson leveled for the equally determined Royals in the 59th to earn a point on the road.
Wigan 1:0 Newcastle
Taylor got the home fans singing in the 64th at the JJB and it brought a big, relieved smile to the face of Steve Bruce. Just what he needed in his stocking; 3 points as they leapfrog Fulham and moves them 2 points clear of the relegation zone.
Boxing Day Plus One
Manchester City 2:2 Blackburn
Rovers end the unbeaten untied record for Man City at home with a disputed late goal (84) on a header from Santa Cruz, his 2nd on the day. Darius Vassel put City on top in the 27th minute and Rovers hit back immediately from Santa Cruz. Two minutes later City were in front again on a Ryan Nelsen OG. Rovers pressed hard in the 2nd half and finally managed the late 2nd to draw level on the day. For Blackburn it’s only a point but it does stop the rot after 4 consecutive losses and Santa Cruz is taking up the slack for McCarthy not producing goals after his own scoreless run of 10 games.
