Arsenal

The Weekender

By Matthew Day ⋅ August 27, 2007 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Story of the Weekend
It was a return to form for the omnipresent Premier League quartet; the top four all securing narrow victories to ensure the league table has some resemblance with reality, though Manchester United remain in mid-table. Their lack of firepower up front was again apparent in a tight 1-0 win against Tottenham, though Nani’s piece of individual brilliance lit up a tense affair in which both sides desperately needed to win. Martin Jol’s job is safe, for now, though a loss at Fulham on Saturday would crank up the pressure on his shoulders. Chelsea moved to the top of the table after a Frank Lampard effort squirmed under Portsmouth goalkeeper David James – with England coach Steve McClaren watching on, Liverpool were 2-0 winners at Sunderland and Sven-Göran Eriksson saw the end of his superb start to the campaign, Manchester City losing to a Cesc Fàbregas goal at Arsenal. Fabulous Fab, however, forgot kissing the club badge after scoring had gone out of fashion.

West Ham continued their slow start to the new season with a tame 1-1 draw with third-placed Wigan, as Chris Hutchings continues to prove his critics wrong. Bolton also got off the mark by hammering Reading, and there were wins for Aston Villa and Birmingham while a draw was played out at Goodison Park between Everton and Blackburn as Roque Santa Cruz continued to impress for the visitors. Sam Allardyce says he wants to bring in new faces before the transfer window closes on Friday after watching another draw for his Newcastle side. A visit to the Riverside saw them lead twice only to allow Middlesbrough to level almost immediately on both occasions.

MOTD Watch
After three programmes, Wigan have emerged as early leaders for the prestigious ‘last on MOTD’ award. Their opening day defeat to Everton was featured last on August 11, as was the draw at West Ham on Saturday. Is it fair for a side residing in third place?
Saturday 11 August: Everton 2-1 Wigan
Wednesday 15 August: Fulham 2-1 Bolton
Saturday 18 August: Newcastle 0-0 Aston Villa
Saturday 25 August: West Ham 1-1 Wigan

4x Fulham
Fulham continued their run of matches where the first team to score has ultimately lost the game 2-1. Sadly, for Lawrie Sanchez, his side have taken the lead in three of their four matches and Fulham now lie in 19th position with three points despite spending £24m over the summer. The first goal in all four matches has come within the first 16 minutes and on the three occasions Fulham have lost, their opponents’ two goals have come in the second half and their winner inside the final two minutes. All four winning strikes have come from a midfielder. Fulham appear to enjoy the sensation of shooting a bullet into their foot – goalkeeping errors accounted for goals in the home games against Bolton and Middlesbrough, they gave away a penalty to Arsenal on opening weekend, and scored an own goal at Aston Villa.

Illegal save?
Kasper Schmeichel has been told by his father that he will not be taking up the option of playing for England after an impressive start to the season, culminating in the penalty save from Robin Van Persie at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday. He ultimately conceded his first goal of the campaign as Manchester City fell to a first defeat, but should the penalty have been retaken? The assistant referee monitors the goalkeeper’s movements – he is not permitted to stand off his line – and after Van Persie’s effort was saved, he lifted his flag to his waist to signal to referee Chris Foy that Schmeichel was indeed off his line. However, Foy overruled his assistant despite having an inferior viewpoint.

NUMBER CRUNCHER

12 The number of months since Chelsea last topped the Premier League
2.41 Premier League goal average: 89 in 37 matches

Quote…Unquote

“I’m not under pressure. The chairman’s backing me and you can see today how the players are desperate to play for this team so there is no problem.”
Martin Jol attempts to salvage some pride after a soul-destroying week

“It does hit him on the chest, I’m sure of that.”
Sir Alex Ferguson does a Mourinho in praising the referee after Spurs are not awarded a penalty. Further evidence of a ‘big’ club getting the rub of the green perhaps

“It was another major error. Yet again, we have been on the receiving end of such a decision.”
Lawrie Sanchez vents his fury as Fulham are denied a penalty – just a week after David Healy’s ‘goal’ was not awarded

“At the end of the first half I went on to the pitch to remonstrate with the referee. I shouldn’t have done it; I should have waited until we got to the dressing room.”
Martin O’Neill makes an apology of sorts to referee Steve Bennett, who better beware the renowned Ulster anger in future – though, terrifyingly, it will be in the confines of his dressing room next time

“I chose to join Tottenham last season, now I’m staying at the club through my own free will. At least for now.”
Dimitar Berbatov delivers the kind of statement that usually leads to a transfer approximately 12 months later

Small club/big club syndrome

Referees’ chief Keith Hackett didn’t return Lawrie Sanchez’s call a week ago, but did make contact with Liverpool manager Rafa Benítez and made Rob Styles personally apologise for his error. Sanchez claims it’s because Fulham are a small club and “don’t matter” – and who is to argue with him?

Many have even scurrilously suggested the assistant referee who failed to award Fulham a goal when 2-1 down against Middlesbrough would have avoided a suspension if such a major error hadn’t been made in a high-profile encounter the same weekend. Because of Styles’ incorrect decision in the biggest match of the season so far, the media jumped on the bandwagon and included the assistant referee’s mistake at Craven Cottage on the previous day in their coverage, forcing Hackett into action.

Perhaps the Premier League’s decisions are becoming increasingly based on what the media have to say – a trial by the press. And this suggestion is somewhat vindicated by the lack of coverage of Sanchez’s assertion on Saturday that Fulham should have had a penalty for a Craig Gardner handball. What Sanchez really needed was for Wes Brown to admit he was guilty of a handball against Tottenham, and all hell would have broken loose again…

Results
Arsenal 1-0 Man City
Aston Villa 2-1 Fulham
Bolton 3-0 Reading
Chelsea 1-0 Portsmouth
Derby 1-2 Birmingham
Everton 1-1 Blackburn
Man Utd 1-0 Tottenham
Middlesbrough 2-2 Newcastle
Sunderland 0-2 Liverpool
West Ham 1-1 Wigan

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