Arsenal

The Weekender

By Matthew Day ⋅ September 3, 2007 ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Story of the Weekend

Liverpool and Arsenal lead the table after victories against Derby and Portsmouth respectively, the Reds hammering Billy Davies’ Rams side 6-0 with Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso scoring twice apiece as Liverpool indicated for the first time in a long, long time that they will sustain a challenge for the league. Arsenal recorded their most convincing victory of the campaign, 3-1 winners against Portsmouth, and despite the lack of transfer activity and departure of Henry, Arsène Wenger’s side also appear ready to contest for the title. While Liverpool and Arsenal have ten points after four matches, Chelsea stayed on that number following their fifth game and first defeat of the season. They fell to a 2-0 defeat against an impressive Aston Villa side with Zat Knight doing more than he did in eight years at Fulham by scoring the opener and keeping a clean sheet.

Everton also lie on ten points after Joleon Lescott netted in the 90th minute to give David Moyes’ outfit a 2-1 victory at struggling Bolton, who now reside in 19th position. The most exciting game of the weekend came from Craven Cottage as Tottenham threw away a 3-1 lead with 12 minutes remaining to draw against Fulham, Diomansy Kamara netting a brilliant overhead kick in the final minute to ensure the points were shared, although the visitors dominated throughout. Martin Jol’s position as coach has become even more precarious. Manchester United beat Sunderland by a single goal from Louis Saha as they continued to flounder in front of goal, and there were wins for Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Blackburn and West Ham too. Reading, after losing 3-0 at home to the Hammers, lie in the relegation zone and second season syndrome is hitting them hard.

MOTD Watch
The fourth programme of the season saw Middlesbrough and Birmingham share the spoils as the last match of the night, though it is the first time the teams’ supporters have had to stay up until midnight this campaign, with Wigan still leading the chase for the prestigious ‘last on the MOTD’ award. With neither side doing much at the top nor bottom so far, it was a fair selection.
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
Saturday 1 September: Middlesbrough 2-0 Birmingham

Striker suspensions
You would think forwards have the least reason to earn a suspension through accumulating five yellow cards, yet for Diomansy Kamara and Mido, a one-match ban is just around the corner. With no requirement to go in for tackles – and let’s face it, neither of these two strikers are likely to – a suspension this early in the season seems ludicrous. Kamara has already picked up four cautions in six matches while Mido has accrued three. The reasons for yellow cards for Kamara have included kicking the ball away, failing to leave the field promptly after being substituted and not respecting the required distance at a free-kick, and one of Mido’s cautions was for putting his fingers to his lips after scoring against Newcastle. A lack of leniency from referees or unnecessary attitude from the front men?

There’s only one Alonso brother
An older sibling often struggles with jealousy when another child enters the family and then the responsibility of looking after a younger brother or sister and always doing things first. Perhaps Mikel Alonso has been restricted by this. 18 months older than his brother, 27-year-old Mikel has spent his entire career with Real Sociedad whereas 25-year-old Xabi remained until 2004, at which time he earned his big move to Liverpool when just 22. Since the transfer, he has won the Champions League and FA Cup, plus the Super Cup and Community Shield, while Mikel endured relegation with Sociedad at the end of last season. Now on loan at Bolton, Mikel was at fault for Everton’s 90th minute winner on Saturday by moving away from his position on the goal line and thus allowing Joleon Lescott to head into the vast space between Jussi Jaaskelainen and the right-hand post. Conversely, Xabi scored twice in Liverpool’s 6-0 win against Derby, guiding his side into top spot in the league table.

NUMBER CRUNCHER

34 The number of months since Liverpool last topped the Premier League table
2.51 Premier League goal average: 118 in 47 matches

Quote…Unquote

“Their third goal was as bad as anything I’ve seen, players were switching off, walking away and not looking at the ball.”
Arsenal have found a new way to score, according to Harry Redknapp

“It was a good game with good teams but a result that Chelsea didn’t deserve at all.”
José speaks in the third person as owner Roman Abramovich is spotted leaving in a huff after Aston Villa scored their second goal

“I won’t give you any waffle, we were absolutely hopeless. It was an awful display, we got our backsides kicked and there’s no doubt the best side won.”
Steve Bruce delivers the kind of honesty we love him for

“It was an almost perfect performance.”
Rafa Benítez is never satisfied, apparently

“It’s like a James Bond film where you think, why doesn’t the villain kill him and then eventually he comes back to bite them.”
Lawrie Sanchez avoids questions surrounding the awful Fulham performance in the 3-3 draw with Spurs

“The alarm bells are clanging in my brain.”
Steve Coppell is afraid, very afraid as Reading slip into the relegation zone

Good Week/Bad Week

Good week for…

Liverpool The Reds topped the Premier League table for the first time since November 2004 in stunning fashion and then saw main rivals Chelsea lose at Aston Villa to ensure they remained at the summit.

Michael Owen A goal in the Carling Cup was followed by a late winner against Wigan, and he looks set to star for England in the imminent Euro 2008 qualifying matches. He says starting the game on Saturday should dictate he is ‘match fit’, despite what the papers have had to say on the matter.

Joleon Lescott The Everton defender earned a call-up to the England squad two days after scoring the winner for his club at Bolton in stoppage time, his second goal of the season. He is equal top scorer with midfielder Leon Osman.

Bad week for…

Martin Jol Tottenham’s second win of the season looked guaranteed at Fulham, but the Dutchman’s substitution of the irrepressible Robbie Keane, who was replaced by Jermain Defoe, let the hosts back into the game and they snatched a point, leaving Jol on the brink once again.

Claire Merry Thierry Henry’s estranged wife was granted a divorce citing the player’s behaviour. Henry revealed he was leaving Ms Merry in June, days before his transfer to Barcelona. The Frenchman spoke of his joy at leaving England upon his arrival in Catalunya, and perhaps marital problems were partly to blame for his sudden departure.

Chelsea Roman Abramovich’s stormy face said it all, and his premature departure from the game at Aston Villa led to the tabloids to proclaim that he was on the verge of sacking José Mourinho. Just as it looked like everything was hunky-dory at Chelsea at long last…

Results
Arsenal 3-1 Portsmouth
Aston Villa 2-0 Chelsea
Blackburn 1-0 Man City
Bolton 1-2 Everton
Fulham 3-3 Tottenham
Liverpool 6-0 Derby
Man Utd 1-0 Sunderland
Middlesbrough 2-0 Birmingham
Newcastle 1-0 Wigan
Reading 0-3 West Ham

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