This weekend’s review…
Saturday Nov 15, 2008
Arsenal 0 – 2 Aston Villa
Arsenal went into this game with a morale boosting couple of wins, Villa with a confidence shaking couple of losses – so although not a massive surprise, Villa’s victory wasn’t exactly predicted. Martin O’Neill’s team were the more impressive in the first period, and would have gone in ahead had it not been for Almunia’s saves, including one from Ashley Young’s spot kick.
Villa’s first goal was given as an OG by Clichy but was forced by good work from Ash Young and Agbonlahor, and the second was a lightening run and good finsh by Agbonlahor. This was a good and dominating performance from Midlands side, which leaves Arsenal’s title hope hanging by a thread.
Blackburn Rovers 1 – 2 Sunderland
Blackburn scored just before half-time and must’ve thought they were on their way to some points at Ewood Park, but Roy Keane’s Sunderland were not going to give up that easily. Christopher Samba’s header from a corner sent Rovers into the half-time break the happier side, but Keane’s words obviously did the trick when Kenwyne Jones levelled only 3 minutes into the second half, just moments after hitting the bar. But Blackburn were stunned when Cisse pounced onto a knock down to advance on Robinson and lift it over the former Leeds and Spurs keeper.
Fulham 2 – 1 Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham had been flying high since Harry Redknapp’s arrival, and although Fulham are so strong at Craven Cottage, they must’ve fancied their chances at taking all three points when they crossed the capital. Fulham have a strong British core to their team with plenty of experience and it showed as they were not daunted by the in-form Spurs as they had the better of the first half. It was though, another Gomes error that gave Fulham the lead when Davies’ cross took a slight deflection and the keeper basically threw the ball into the net. The lead was extended in the second half when Johnson pounced in the six-yard box on 69, Spurs did hit back ten minutes later, but it was a mere consolation for Redknapp’s men.
Fulham jump into the top-half of the table, as it seems the honeymoon period is over for Harry.
Newcastle United 2 – 2 Wigan Athletic
Newcastle were shocked by Wigan’s early opener by Ryan Taylor who scored only his 5th goal for Wigan, but his 3rd against Newcastle. But it was the old boy Titus Bramble who came back to haunt his former club with an 88th minute equaliser. After the early knock Newcastle got back into the game, but took an hour and a quarter to draw level when Michael Owen finally put one away after missing a couple of gilt-edged chances.
Oba Martins thought he’d secured the three points when he powered home with only four regular minutes to go. The match will also be remembered for the mistake that saw Boyce sent off for a second yellow card for a good tackle that won the ball.
Manchester United 5 – 0 Stoke City
Stoke may well have arrived at Old Trafford with a slight hope of a battling performance and respectable score following Hull’s recent efforts here.
Cristiano Ronaldo was in the mood and his two free-kicks helped him to his 100th and 101st goals for the club in a rampant performance that saw Carrick score a cracker, Berbatov bundle a volley at the second attempt, and debutant Danny Welbeck welting the ball in from long range.
Stoke tried to impress their physical game on the Champions to try and continue their run of points, but United were having none of it and bounced back from their defeat to Arsenal to go third.
West Bromwich Albion 0 – 3 Chelsea
West Brom continue to look good and play attractive football, but they also continued to be easily opened up in defence and paid the price against the most clinical of opponents.
The Baggies had a good share of the opening possession and created a couple of chances, but were blown from deadlock when Jose Bosingwa cut in on his weaker left-foot and rifled home from 30 yards. The right back’s goal set Chelsea in motion and they clinically added to the score twice in 8 minutes through two superb finishes from the prolific Anelka. The Blues had wrapped up the convincing win by half-time and went back to the top of the pile after Liverpool’s early game.
West Ham United 0 – 0 Portsmouth
Robert Green’s first clean sheet of the season and great performance helped West Ham pick up their second point in six games to hopefully stop the rot. Tony Adams wasn’t disappointed with the result but felt that his Pompey team could’ve stolen it. The Hammers dominated the first half of this battling draw, and hit the crossbar from a free-kick, but Portsmouth picked up in the second period and made Green earn his clean sheet bonus.
Sunday Nov 16, 2008
Everton 1 – 1 Middlesbrough
Honours were shared at Goodison as a Boro old boy cancelled out the away team’s well worked early opener.
Yakubu ended his dry spell and rescued a point for the Everton with a second half equaliser against his former employers. Boro had opened the scoring with a goal in the eigth minute when Gary O’Neil neatly finished from Downing’s pass, but Everton battled away and managed to remain a point ahead of the Teesside team when Yakubu got the last touch off his back from a free-kick. Either side could have won it with Howard and Turnbull making good saves. Both managers were in the end, happy with the result which was a fair one.
Hull City 2 – 2 Manchester City
Geovanni struck against his old club to earn Hull City a draw against Manchester City, Geovanni edged the battle of the Brazilians as Robinho was lively but overshadowed by Stephen Ireland for City.
Two defensive errors contributed largely to the two opening goals that made the score 1-1, Cousin capitalising for the Tigers and Ireland for Mark Hughes’ men. Ireland had his and City’s second less than ten minutes later when he superbly curled the ball inside the far post just before half time. Geovanni’s freekick took a heavy deflection off Vincent Kompany in the wall, leaving substitute Schmeichel floundering and earning him a sixth Premier League goal of the season and Hull a point.
