Monday, 2 December 2013

Facts: Rooney leads the way but Suarez and Aguero fluff their lines

Facts: Rooney leads the way but Suarez and Aguero fluff their lines

Facts: Rooney leads the way but Suarez and Aguero fluff their lines

Posted: 01 Dec 2013 03:39 PM PST

Chelsea 3-1 Southampton Chelsea have now won 8 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season, more than any other side. This game had the 7th lowest pass completion rate of the season (from 130 PL games) – 73.5%. Jay Rodriguez's goal after 13 seconds was Southampton's only shot on target of the game. Chelsea scored 2 of the 4 headed goals in the Premier League this weekend. Southampton caught Chelsea offside 7 times, a weekend high. They have provoked the joint most offsides in the PL this season (46, level with Spurs). Ramires made 10 tackles in this game, more than any other player. He also conceded a weekend-high 6 fouls. Chelsea 3-1 Saints: Report • Reaction:Chelsea, Southampton• Stats Zone ANALYSIS What FourFourTwo's Ben Welch learned at Stamford Bridge Man City 3-0 Swansea In 7 home games this season Manchester City have scored 29 goals – more than any other Premier League side has managed in total. Man City were the only side to complete more than 90% of their passes this weekend. Sergio Aguero had a weekend-high 6 shots from inside the area this weekend but 4 were off target and he failed to score. Man City 3-0 Swansea: Report • Reaction: Man City, Swansea • Stats Zone Hull 3-1 Liverpool Hull scored more than 1 goal in a Premier League fixture for only the 2nd time this season. Luis Suarez had 5 of Liverpool's 9 shots in this game. Liverpool had more ball touches than any other side this weekend (787). Hull 3-1 Liverpool: Report • Reaction: Hull, Liverpool • Stats Zone Tottenham 2-2 Man United Wayne Rooney has netted 5 Premier League away goals this term, equalling his total for the entire 2012/13 campaign. Rooney had 5 of United's 8 shots in this match. Aaron Lennon played 20 minutes of the second half without making a single pass (and was then substituted). Manchester United have conceded 20 goals in their last 10 Premier League away games, failing to keep a clean sheet in any of them. Spurs 2-2 Man United: Report • Reaction: Spurs, Man United • Stats Zone Newcastle 2-1 West Brom 18 of Newcastle's 19 Premier League goals this season have been scored by Frenchmen. Chris Brunt's goal was West Brom's only shot on target in the match. Newcastle hit 9 shots from outside the box, more than any other side this weekend. Newcastle 2-1 West Brom: Report • Reaction: Newcastle, West Brom • Stats Zone Aston Villa 0-0 Sunderland Christian Benteke has now gone 7 Premier League games without a goal – his longest drought in the English top flight. Sunderland have gone 5 away matches without scoring in the PL for the first time since May 2009 (when they went 6 games goalless). Steven Fletcher was caught offside 4 times, more than any other PL player this weekend. Villa 0-0 Sunderland: Report • Reaction: Villa, Sunderland • Stats Zone Cardiff 0-3 Arsenal Mesut Ozil has now made 6 assists this season, the most in the top flight. Ramsey's opener was Arsenal's 5th headed goal of the campaign from only their 7th headed shot on target. Arsenal played 5 of the 18 through-balls in the Premier League this weekend. Overall, the Gunners have a league-high 22 of them this season. Cardiff 0-3 Arsenal: Report • Reaction: Cardiff, Arsenal • Stats Zone Everton 4-0 Stoke Gareth Barry has already made more PL assists this season (3) than he did in 31 games for Manchester City last term. He made 2 in this game alone. Everton defenders have scored 5 PL goals this season – more than those of any other side. Stoke didn't hit a single shot off target (3 on target, 1 blocked). Gerard Deulofeu had 4 shots on target, more than any other player in the PL this weekend. Peter Crouch misplaced 22 passes, more than any other player this weekend – but he did win 14 of his 17 aerial duels. Everton 4-0 Stoke: Report • Reaction: Everton, Stoke • Stats Zone Norwich 1-0 Crystal Palace Norwich have kept 4 clean sheets in their last 8 home league matches, only conceding 7 times in this run. Marouane Chamakh won more fouls than any other player this weekend (6). Palace hit a weekend-high 7 blocked shots. Norwich 1-0 Palace: Report • Reaction: Norwich, Palace • Stats Zone West Ham 3-0 Fulham Going into this weekend's games, Mohamad Diame had fired in more shots without scoring than any other player (27, including blocked). Stewart Downing got his first assist of the season with his 24th chance created. Fulham didn't manage a single shot on target. The Hammers hit the woodwork twice, more than any other side this weekend. Adel Taarabt embarked on a weekend-high 13 dribbles in this game. West Ham 3-0 Fulham: Report • Reaction: West Ham, Fulham • Stats Zone ANALYSIS What FourFourTwo's Ben Welch learned at Upton Park

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Debrief: The Premier League weekend reviewed, Dec 1

Posted: 01 Dec 2013 01:30 PM PST

Deulofeu dazzles on debut start, Oviedo excels as Baines back-up Everton fans may have had to wait a while to see Barcelona loanee Gerard Deulofeu in full flight, but on Saturday's showing it was worth it. The 19-year-old had been limited to eight substitute appearances in the Premier League before the weekend and celebrated his first start by ripping into Stoke at Goodison Park, scoring the opener before playing a key role in two more goals. "I think he was fairly disappointed with last week - from my point of view I thought he was outstanding when he came on against Liverpool but he had two very good chances and he thought he should have took them," said manager Roberto Martinez. "I thought his goal was sensational." Saturday's 4-0 pummeling of the Potters also witnessed a star turn from stand-in left-back Bryan Oviedo. As Leighton Baines nurses a toe injury on the sidelines, the 23-year-old signing from FC Copenhagen also made his first league start of the season and seized the opportunity, bagging Everton's third from long-range and teeing up Romelu Lukaku to score the fourth. "This is a very good chance for me. Leighton is a great player but I have waited a year and a half for this chance and I am so happy to play again," he said. "I think the coming games are a good opportunity to play for the team and make the most of my chance." Everton 4-0 Stoke•Match report•Stats Zone analysis Man United's missed opportunity at Tottenham Manchester United may have left White Hart Lane with their long unbeaten run there (13 visits) in tact as Wayne Rooney's brace picked up a point, but it could have been so much more. The entertaining lunchtime tussle ebbed and flowed, with the Red Devils enjoying 60% of the possession but often failing to work Spurs shot-stopper Hugh Lloris. David Moyes' men targeted left-back Jan Vertonghen for much of the game. Prior to his 84th-minute substitution, Antonio Valencia had made the most attacking third passes and completed the most take-ons. Contrastingly, Danny Welbeck was used sparingly on the left as the visitors failed to exploit the space in behind attack-minded right-back Kyle Walker. On one of the few occasions they did, Welbeck won his side the penalty that allowed Rooney to cancel out Sandro's stunning strike within three minutes. Tottenham 2-2 Man United•Match report•Stats Zone analysis Meulensteen needs more from Taarabt, Bent New Fulham manager Rene Meulensteen may have insisted the news of Martin Jol's sacking was a surprise, but he was probably the only one. The Dutchman's departure was confirmed on Sunday afternoon, a day after a 3-0 defeat at West Ham United made it six consecutive defeats for the Cottagers in all competititions, leaving them in the drop zone. Former Manchester United coach Meulensteen arrived at Craven Cottage less than a month ago to join Jol's backroom staff, and said of his compatriot's ousting: "We have a fantastic understanding with each other and I really enjoyed working with him and was looking forward to working with him in the future to ensure we can turn this corner. We were both confident we were capable of doing it." To turn that corner, the 49-year-old needs to start getting more out of the gifted individuals at his disposal, including Adel Taarabt and Darren Bent, as FFT's Ben Welch explained in his findings from Upton Park... Taarabt's talent is not in question, but his decision-making cancels out his ability. Time and again the Moroccan chooses to dribble when he should pass. At Upton Park he attempted 13 take-ons – more than any other player – but lost the ball 7 times, often in promising positions. He attempted 20 passes in the attacking third, but just 12 found their target – that's a completion rate of just 60%. He failed to create one goalscoring opportunity. When you're in a relegation battle, you need your match-winners to make a difference, but Taarabt is all style and no substance. Bent, a proven goalscorer at this level, is lost in this Fulham side. He didn't manage one shot on goal and only completed 73% of his attempted passes. The former Aston Villa hitman is most effective when he plays on the shoulder of the last defender. When he did peel off his man and make a run the pass never came. Instead, Fulham pumped the ball forward for Bent to compete with James Collins and James Tomkins. Inevitably he lost 11 of his 12 aerial duels. Bent is a poacher, not a target-man. West Ham 3-0 Fulham•Match report•Stats Zone analysis Arsenal's other unit working just as well Amid the clattering applause for Arsenal's attack, let's not forget the boys at the back. The clean sheet at Cardiff means that the Gunners have only conceded once in five league games - Robin van Persie's winner at Old Trafford, also the only time they've failed to score in this season's Premier League. Cardiff caused trouble for the two Manchester sides but were held at bay by Arsenal's back six. Aaron Ramsey has caught the eye going forward but topped the charts for ball recoveries with 10; alongside him, the increasingly impressive Mikel Arteta registered 7 ball recoveries but also won a match-leading 7 out of 10 tackles and made 5 interceptions, topped only by Gary Medel and matched by Laurent Koscielny behind him. Koscielny also contributed 10 clearances, as did Kieran Gibbs, with Per Mertesacker contributing 7. Arsenal completed 38 clearances as a team – but there's the rub: the defensive section of their unit is currently working as well as their more eye-catching brethren farther forward. And as long as that continues, so will Arsenal's charge for glory. Cardiff 0-3 Arsenal• Match report • Stats Zone analysis Jay Rodriguez should have a future with England The Southampton striker was dismissed by critics after one game in an England shirt. Even by football fandom's fickle nature, this was way too premature. Rodriguez is a handful. His power, pace and strength gave Arsenal all sorts of problems at Emirates Stadium. In the first half against Chelsea on Sunday, he was unsettling the experienced heads of Gary Cahill and John Terry. He read Michael Essien's woeful backpass inside the opening 15 seconds and coolly slotted the ball past Petr Cech to give Southampton the lead. When he gets the ball, he's positive – driving at defenders, either beating them with skill or holding them off with brute force. Admittedly, he was only successful with 2 of his 5 attempted dribbles, but it was his confident running that put Chelsea on the back foot. His defensive work deserves more recognition. He picked up 8 loose balls – the third best tally on the day. This young star could offer England something different in Brazil. More FFT ponderings: Ben Welch on Chelsea 3-1 Southampton • Saturday's Premier League analysis

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Rooney deal to be done in good course, says Moyes

Posted: 01 Dec 2013 08:27 AM PST

Rooney cancelled out goals from Kyle Walker and Sandro to ensure Manchester United claimed a 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane on Sunday. The England forward has now managed 10 goals in all competitions for United this term, having remained at the club following interest from Chelsea in the close-season. Asked when a new deal for Rooney may be agreed, manager Moyes said: "I don't really know. I think we're fine. "We're just moving on from the summer and I think it will be done in good course and the appropriate people will talk when the time is right." Moyes had high praise for Rooney's display against Tottenham. "He's got a chance in the game, the boy," said the Scot with a grin. "He deserves the adulation he's getting because he's playing well, scoring goals and he was very good again. "His performances have been great; he's worked incredibly hard and deserves the rewards he's getting." Moyes is now hoping United can take advantage of back-to-back home Premier League games against Everton and Newcastle United, having seen his side slip nine points behind leaders Arsenal as a result of successive away draws at Cardiff City and Tottenham. "We had a great win (5-0 over Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League) in midweek and but for a minute in Cardiff (where the hosts grabbed an injury-time equaliser) you'd have been saying Manchester United have had a really good week," added Moyes. "We've had three away games on the bounce and we've won in the Champions League and picked up two draws – not ideal, but not the worst. "We're concerned that we're not as close (to Arsenal) as we'd like to be, but it's a long season and I think we've still got room to progress and get better. "Hopefully we'll be there or thereabouts. There is a long way to go, a lot of games coming up in the next eight weeks certainly, and we hope to be in the mix at the end of that period."

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Walker hails Spurs spirit in Man United draw

Posted: 01 Dec 2013 06:33 AM PST

Manager Andre Villas-Boas has come under pressure after his side slumped to an embarrassing 6-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium last weekend. That heavy reverse capped off a month that saw Tottenham fail to register a Premier League goal throughout November, but December brought a change in fortunes as Walker and Sandro found the target against the champions on Sunday. The impressive Wayne Rooney twice equalised to deny the hosts victory at White Hart Lane, but Walker was encouraged by Tottenham's display. "We needed to show the fans something and prove to ourselves we're a top team. We've stayed strong this week," the full-back told BT Sport. "The results haven't been great but we've stayed strong as a team. The spirit in the changing room is first-class." Walker is confident Tottenham, who remained ninth as a result of Sunday's draw, can finish in the top four. "We've brought a lot of players in and it might take a bit of time. The players we have got are top-class international players so we'll be up there. I guarantee it," he added. Villas-Boas was invited to send a message to any frustrated Tottenham fans, but declined. The Portuguese expressed satisfaction with his team's response to last weekend's defeat, however, and felt three points would have represented a just reward. "To respond in this fashion against a team that has just put five past the second team in Germany (a reference to United's 5-0 UEFA Champions League win over Bayer Leverkusen in midweek) was good for us," said the Tottenham boss. "We are extremely happy with the performance, not so much with the result. I think we probably deserved to win the game."

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Premier League: Tottenham 2 Man United 2

Posted: 01 Dec 2013 05:50 AM PST

Wayne Rooney twice levelled for the visitors in an action-packed encounter, his second goal coming from the penalty spot on 57 minutes. Kyle Walker, who was at fault for Rooney's first, and Sandro had put Tottenham ahead, the latter with a spectacular long-range strike. Having been thrashed 6-0 at Manchester City last week, Andre Villas-Boas' men can take heart from a much more competitive showing and their first league goals since October, while United are now unbeaten in 12 matches across all competitions. However, both sides remain outside the top four and some way adrift of Arsenal, Tottenham trailing the front-runners by 10 points and United by nine. Villas-Boas made three changes to the side humbled at the Etihad Stadium in Tottenham's last league outing, with Younes Kaboul, Lewis Holtby and Erik Lamela, who did not even make the bench, omitted. Robin van Persie remained sidelined for the visitors, whose team included four alterations from the 2-2 draw at Cardiff City, with 40-year-old Ryan Giggs among those to miss out. Rooney saw a goalbound strike superbly blocked by Sandro prior to Walker opening the scoring in the 18th minute. Jonny Evans upended Paulinho on the edge of the area and Tottenham's right-back drilled the resulting free-kick under United's jumping wall. The influential Rooney was forced into a block of his own to deny Michael Dawson before Tottenham - a constant threat on the counter-attack - spurned two chances in quick succession either side of the half-hour mark. Roberto Soldado fired high and wide following a delightful exchange of passes with Paulinho, while Aaron Lennon's left-footed effort forced David De Gea into a save with his feet. Tottenham were swiftly punished for not extending their advantage in the 32nd minute as Walker diverted a right-wing cross from Phil Jones into the path of Rooney, who fired home from close range. The home side regained the lead in stunning fashion nine minutes after the break, though, with Sandro cutting inside Tom Cleverley before unleashing a thunderous strike into the top-right corner. Yet United were level again within three minutes, Rooney firing a penalty straight down the middle for his eighth Premier League goal of the season after Danny Welbeck had been brought down by Hugo Lloris. Rooney threatened again from a Patrice Evra cross, while Walker put another free-kick narrowly wide before providing a delightful cross that substitute Andros Townsend came agonisingly close to connecting with, yet neither team could find a winner.

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