Words and art: Aleks V
Stats: Aidan Reagh

Fans, don't fret if your team hasn't had a winning start. Although 17 of the past 26 English Premier League champions won their season openers, this hasn't always been the case. Nine seasons saw the eventual champion draw or lose its opening game. Most recently, Manchester United won the 2012/13 PL title having kicked off the season with a 0-1 loss to Everton. The Reds went on to lose just four more games. Blackburn Rovers, which won the 1994/95 season, drew its season opener against Southampton, but ended the league table on top with a whopping 12-point difference between third-place Nottingham Forest.

In other words, the best is yet to come.

Words and art by Aleks V. Stats compiled by Aidan Reagh.
Photos: Southampton FC, Premier League.
*All stats from last season.



With Premier League action less than two weeks away and the summer transfer window set to close on August 9, many clubs have been eager to strengthen their squads.

Southampton FC managed to avoid relegation last season, finishing 17th in the Premier League table - just three points above ill-fated Swansea City, though with a comfortably better goal difference (-19 vs. -28). Newly-appointed manager Mark Hughes secured the club's PL spot, but has a lot of work to do to prevent another downward spiral.

The club signed a number of players from the Premier League, Bundesliga, and Scotland, but are its acquisitions really upgrades?

GoalChatter examines some of the Saints' key transfers.


Goalkeeper




The Saints are looking for a solid pick to alternate with Alex McCarthy, as Fraser Forster is on the verge of leaving the club. Despite a serious knee injury in 2015 that left Forster sidelined for nearly 300 days, he made an impressive return to form and earned Player of the Month honors in March 2016 for a record-breaking 708-minute clean sheet. A loan spell may soon be in his future. In the meantime, Southampton will look to utilize the young Angus Gunn, who arrived from Manchester City. Gunn, an England U-21 international, spent last season on loan at his father Bryan Gunn's former club, Norwich City, keeping 15 clean sheets in 51 appearances. It's too early to tell what he'll bring to the pitch, but there's something to be said about a youngster who got the call to play for England's senior side against Brazil in a friendly, as well as train with Gareth Southgate's men ahead of the 2018 World Cup.


Centre-back




Danish centre-back Jannik Vestergaard joined Southampton from Borussia Mönchengladbach, having finished ninth with the club last year. The 25-year-old's towering height (1.99m) will add some strength in the box when defending set pieces. According to Squawka, he was one of the Bundesliga's top 10 players in aerial duels won (103). This can also be an advantage in the attacking end, as evidenced by Vestergaard's goal-scoring record: Per Transfermarkt, of his past 10 goals, nine have been headers. His fitness is just as impressive - he was the only outfield player in the Bundesliga to have played every one of his club's minutes in 2017.

Squawka notes his tackle success rate as 50%, (he won 35 tackles last season). He also made 44 interceptions, 143 clearances, and 34 blocks.


Southampton will kick off its Premier League season with a home game against Burnley FC on Sunday, August 12 at 8:30 a.m. ET (12:30 p.m. GMT).

Opinion

by Aleks V 

The Theatre of Dreams currently plays host to a rather lackluster show. Dull movement, inaccurate passes, and a six game winless streak that featured a tumble from 3rd to 6th in the league table are just a few of the season's highlights. Promising, top-billed stars (Martial, Depay) have shone, but only briefly. To top it all off, players like Ander Herrera are no longer as visible as they usually are. Something must be amiss. Of course, all fans will agree that no matter how many games Manchester United fail to hit the target or get by winning 1-0 against a 10th placed team, the show must go on. But before it does, it needs a new guy in charge. Someone who has a record of rebuilding and getting the players, veteran and new, to look their best. United are, after all, "such stuff as dreams are made on", but as Shakespeare aptly noted, their "life is rounded with a sleep".

Luckily for them, there happens to be an Englishman called Nigel Pearson who's yet to be picked up by another side yearning for stardom.

Pearson may not have a resume the likes of current Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, with world-renowned clubs like Ajax, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich in the mix. However, he has something that may be more important - a background in rebuilding. Case in point: Leicester City. Upon his arrival, the club were playing in the third tier of English football. During his second spell, they had arrived at the Premier League.

Nigel Pearson. Photo: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

The fruits of his labor are still visible under the Foxes' current manager Claudio Ranieri. Although credit must be given to Ranieri, who brought the club further up the table and into the race for the title, Pearson's second spell at Leicester laid the foundation for their Premier League success.

12 of the players from his 2013/14 roster are still there. Some have been instrumental to the Foxes' consistent performance in the Premier League. Danny Drinkwater, who made five assists so far this season, has been praised for his midfield mastery. Jamie Vardy, a prominent goalscorer at Leicester, found the net in eleven consecutive matches last year, breaking a record held by Ruud van Nistelrooy.

There are plenty of parallels to be made between Nigel Pearson and United's manager of 26 years Sir Alex Ferguson. Both were appointed with the task of rebuilding struggling sides. United were on the verge of relegation, Leicester were relegated from the Championship. Both managed teams that pulled off impressive comebacks - the Red Devils are often called the "comeback kings", while the Foxes, under Pearson, learned to overcome 1 and 2-goal deficits, carrying the trend into the Ranieri era and earning the same name. Fittingly, both Ferguson and Pearson won managerial awards as well as titles. Pearson has yet to win said titles with a Premier League club, but that may yet change.

Sir Alex himself complimented Pearson on his work at Leicester, saying his team "were fantastic". Sadly, I can't recall the last time that word was used to describe Manchester United.

Sir Alex Ferguson. Photo: Total Fusbol

Critics may point to a scandal involving Pearson's son which led to his sacking. However, a fair assessment of the manager's abilities should not be affected by his son's behavior. They'll also point to Pearson's fiery temper, most notably in some of his encounters with the press, but before the critics do any more pointing, the clear-headed among us will show them the door.

Lets not forget that Ferguson, who wasn't on bad terms with the press to begin with, had a tough time with the media as the years went on. In his autobiography, he writes that it was difficult to have any relationship at all with the "intense and volatile" press of today. And who could blame him? Pointless questions are asked, provocations are made, and facts are often spun out of proportion, or slanted in favor of where the money's from, and not just in sports journalism.

Sir Alex became synonymous with Manchester United, etching his name in the history of football as one of the game's greatest managers. Naturally, United struggled to transition into the post-Fergie era, first with David Moyes in charge, and now with Louis van Gaal. As it turns out, the job of Manchester United manager calls for something more than just Premier League experience - there's an "it factor" involved as well.

Sir Alex Ferguson was a managerial phenomenon, and neither Manchester United nor any other football club will likely find another leader of his intellect and tactical ability any time soon. What they can find, however, is someone with similar qualities who can take the team in a very similar direction.

All that's left to do is put pen to paper.

--

Highlights of Nigel Pearson's first season at Leicester:
League One champs, promotion to Championship
23 game unbeaten run (2008-09)
4 losses in 46 league games

Highlights of Sir Alex Ferguson's first full season at Manchester United:
2nd place top division finish
10 game unbeaten run (March - May 1988)
5 losses in 40 league games


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Blast From the Past

Szczesny saves Dzeko's penalty.

Vidic and Evra celebrate their goal.

A full house at Old Trafford and three goals on the pitch were enough to make an exciting historic match-up. Sir Alex's strategy was spot-on - United was building up from the midfield and seemed in no hurry to score, but were keen whenever Luis Suarez got possession. There were always several players marking the Uruguayan striker. Despite the fierce rivalry and occasional booing of Luis Suarez by the home crowd, it was nice to see Evra and Suarez share a civil handshake, reminding us what the game was really all about. United were quietly putting on more pressure, but still hadn't tested Pepe Reina; there was a chaotic shuffle on the pitch from both sides. As soon as the visitors cranked up the speed, Danny Welbeck took advantage, getting the ball on the right and finding Tom Cleverley. Patrice Evra picked up the ball on the left of the box and presented van Persie with the perfect pass for a one-touch finish. As expected, RVP made his mark; the talented striker shows no signs of stopping. From a risky pass to the keeper to Gerrard's flub, Liverpool's mistakes were never-ending, giving both RVP and Welbeck ample room for opportunities.

United scored their next goal from a set piece, and once again, Robin van Persie's involvement was crucial. His delivery gave Evra the header that was taken up by Vidic near the net. But the skipper's goal was United's last trace of activity for awhile; three minutes later, Steven Gerrard tested the net. De Gea blocked the shot, but Sturridge was keen on the rebound. Another mistake would deprive the Red Devils of a possible 3 points. Sir Alex's team slowed down a bit after halftime, and the lack of attentiveness caused them to concede. Liverpool had some great defending, and Pepe Reina saved the team from a possible Kagawa goal. Nevertheless, Rodgers's team was still not fast enough to compete with the Red Devils. The problem was apparent in their passes and incomplete counters. United took away a well-deserved win and showcased their improvements, Welbeck and Kagawa among them. Sir Alex's side are only 3 days away from the second leg of their FA Cup match against West Ham, and today's game showed both their strong suits as well as potential weaknesses that could come back to haunt them in other tournaments.


English Premier League - 22nd Match Week
Saturday, January 13, 2013, 8:30AM EST

Manchester United vs. Liverpool - 2:1 (1:0)
Venue: Old Trafford (Manchester)
Referee: Howard Webb (Yorkshire)
Goals:
1:0 Robin van Persie (Asst. Patrice Evra) (19')
2:0 Nemanja Vidic (54')
2:1 Daniel Sturridge (57')

Half Time Stats:
Shots on target: 5:0
Shots off target: 3:1
Fouls committed: 7:6
Yellow cards: 0:1
Red cards: 0:0
Corners: 1:1
Offsides: 1:0
Possession: 57:43

Full Time Stats:
Shots on target: 5:3
Shots off target: 10:10
Fouls committed: 14:16
Yellow cards: 1:4
Red cards: 0:0
Corners: 3:1
Offsides: 1:1
Possession: 46:54

The long-awaited clean sheet came in a match-up against 6th place West Bromwich Albion. Old Trafford saw 90 minutes of what Ian Darke described as "an armchair ride for Manchester United". With Shinji Kagawa back in the lineup, United had some extra flair in their attack. The Reds dominated the first half, pushing around a helpless-looking West Brom. A great combination by Kagawa and Ashley Young let United open the score. Young's low ball into the far post was aided into the net by Gareth McAuley, an own goal from a poor attempt at a clearance. Another team's defense was to blame for a change, as the Reds seemed to have cured themselves of their Achilles' heel. Ashley Young had another shot at scoring after Valencia's delivery, but was cut short by Ben Foster. West Bromwich finally got a shot off target towards the end of the half, when Peter Odemwingie ran past two defenders to slip in a wide shot. United could have easily made it 2-0 from there on out - Foster, who was usually quite steady throughout the match, flopped on a clearance just as Danny Welbeck was running up. Unfortunately, the English forward missed the opportunity, and the ball flew well past an empty net. Vidic and Cleverley's pointless fouls gave away two dangerous free kicks to the opposition, but thankfully for the Reds, there was no magic moment in store for West Brom. The hosts lost a bit of possession towards the end but were in no jeopardy of conceding.

Kagawa in action against Thorne.

After a ridiculously slow half, the visitors were determined to change things up on the pitch. More set pieces came and went. When van Persie came on, West Brom. manager Steve Clarke answered with Lukaku, a player who has been referred to as the team's own Didier Drogba. He also brought on Scottish midfielder James Morrison, who had scored before against the Reds, most notably on New Years Day last year. McAuley, whose own goal had given United the lead, had a header that bounced off the crossbar. De Gea was no longer bored at the net, but amazingly, the guests did not make much use of their surplus of talent on the pitch. Possession of the ball had evened out, and United were on the rise once again, shifting the action back to the other side of the pitch. The guests could have had a 3 or a 4-goal deficit if not for Ben Foster. Another well-played combination involving Antonio Valencia gave Danny Welbeck the opportunity to make up for his earlier flubs. The latter aimed at the far post, but Foster dove to deflect the ball into a corner. The presence of Robin van Persie was bound to cause trouble for the visitors sooner or later. For United, the goal was better late than never. Sir Alex's two subs made all the difference - Paul Scholes found space to pass to van Persie, who shifted towards the center and had a brilliant shot into the far post. The Reds had another goal-scoring opportunity in added time during a counter, but Welbeck held on to the ball instead of passing to Valencia or Young.


Perhaps it wasn't as easy a win for United as Darke had described. It's hard to believe, but The Baggies are only 2 points away from Chelsea and 3 points away from 3rd place Tottenham. The team didn't show much of their capabilities on the pitch, however. The standings are often hanging by a thread, especially towards the middle of the table. While United maintain their lead and the 7-point gap between Manchester City, they could have been more aggressive on the attack. There is some lack of team work on the part of Danny Welbeck, and it would have been productive to have Chicharito on the pitch. West Bromwich had some sloppy defending and did not establish a good enough pace from the start, but the players are teeming with potential.

It'll be interesting to see how both teams fare in the new year.

One thing is for certain: they can only get better.

If there's anything we learned this season, it's that the teams in the middle of the table will provide a good enough challenge for front-runners such as the two Manchester teams and Chelsea. Having previously beaten Manchester City and Arsenal, Michael Laudrup's team have shown no mercy on the pitch. Today's game had the Swans playing on familiar turf, a home field advantage that was most effective against United.

United's success has been taking a backseat.

The first half hour belonged to the guests. Patrice Evra exposed Swansea's set piece weakness by scoring the header from RVP's delivery of the corner kick. Though United appeared dominant, they failed to apprehend Swansea's secret weapon - Michu. Having already gotten to the net from an offside position, the Spaniard was eager to score. He played out a great combination with De Guzman, whose shot forced De Gea to dive in for the save. Without help from the defense, United's keeper was helpless when Michu scored on the rebound. With goals against both Arsenal and Manchester United, the midfielder continues to show his prowess. He is, in essence, Swansea's Robin van Persie. In his 18 appearances for Swansea, the Spaniard has scored 13 goals, mirroring van Persie's record for United. The end of the first half saw a shift in possession in favor of the hosts and a formidable opponent for the Reds.

Aside from the usual defensive mistakes, United looked sharp on the attack and had a slew of opportunities. The guests gave the Swansea defense a run for their money. RVP and Michael Carrick both hit the crossbar. The addition of Ryan Giggs created a great partnership with Rooney and Chicharito on the field and prevailed over some of Swansea's less-than-stellar moments. Nevertheless, the second half was a mirror image of the first. Swansea saw more of the ball at the start, with United catching up towards the end. Williams and Davis fended off shots from RVP and Ashley Young, sending the hosts off on a counter. United failed to build anything productive, and the title of comeback kings began to sound less like a broken record and more like a thing of the past. However sloppy United's passing at times, they had another barrier to keeping up their 6-point gap with City. Credit should be given to Swansea keeper Michel Vorm, who was solid all throughout the game. De Gea was there when his team needed him, but without support from the defense, his job was far more difficult. Both teams had their share of moments, however, and the match did not fail to administer the typical Premier League excitement. Michael Oliver did a great job refereeing the match, and made great decisions on fouls with the exception of not sending off Ashley Williams for his needless kicking of the ball into the back of RVP's head.

In the RPL, this would probably have been a straight red.

United is now 4 points ahead of Manchester City, while Swansea is just one point away from Norwich, Stoke City, and Liverpool. With the ever-increasing capabilities of the middle teams, staying in the lead will continue to be a challenge. Fergie Time and last-minute goals are long gone; the Red Devils need to pick up a good central defender during the January transfer window. The midfield has been a problem for the team for much too long, as evident by United's inability to keep a clean sheet as of late. There's plenty of competition this season and only one spot for the champions of England. Sir Alex will soon have the opportunity to make some vital changes to the squad which will hopefully reflect well on the club's performance and bring back some of that consistency his team is usually known for.

Barclays Premier League - 18th Match Week
Sunday, December 23, 2012, 8:30AM EST

Swansea City vs. Manchester United - 1:1 (1:1)
Venue: Liberty Stadium (Swansea, Wales)
Referee: Michael Oliver (Cramlington, Northumberland)
Goals:
0:1 Patrice Evra (Asst. Robin van Persie) (16')
1:1 Michu (29')

Half Time Stats:
5:5 shots on target
4:2 shots off target
3:8 fouls committed
0:1 yellow cards
0:0 red cards
2:3 corners
2:0 offsides
54%:46% possession

Full Time Stats:
9:7 shots on target
5:13 shots off target
11:16 fouls committed
2:4 yellow cards
0:0 red cards
3:6 corners
3:0 offsides
40%:60% possession

United's win over their local rivals came as sweet revenge. Only last fall, Manchester City trounced the Red Devils in a 6:1 defeat for Sir Alex's side, their worst loss at Old Trafford since 1955. Not only that, but City won the title on goal difference. The team hasn't lost a home game for 2 years, and this season, it hasn't lost a single match, vying for the top spot with United. But as they say, all good things come to an end, and so did City's unbeaten streak. The Citizens started off strong, but were unable to pose a major threat. Their lack of chances ultimately led them to concede on the 16th minute. Wayne Rooney's right-footed shot wasn't as accurate on the ball as it should have been, but still nutmegged Gareth Barry and rolled past Joe Hart into the near post. The game opened up, and both teams looked to be solid contenders. A great chance came for City when Kun Aguero ran past a defense of 6, only to be denied by David De Gea. Unfortunately for the hosts, Rooney soon got his double. Rafael ran on the right flank and nutmegged Clichy in his delivery to Rooney. The striker didn't fail to net the ball into the lower corner once more. Yet City had no intention of letting things slide, and were able to create a few chances before the halftime whistle. David Silva's great delivery to Barry carried much potential, as did Balotelli's pass that De Gea cut short. United were seemingly denied a penalty for Aguero's challenge on Ferdinand. Scoreboard aside, the game had evened out.

Rio Ferdinand holds up the coin that was thrown at him.

Rooney's second goal brought about a melancholic Manicini, but the halftime break served to motivate the Italian manager. Carlos Tevez came on for Balotelli, and City was back in the game. Strangely enough, the hosts picked up more yellow cards after Balotelli left the pitch than when he was on it, yet they made up for it by playing brilliantly. Aguero had several great attempts, coming  close to scoring from a Nasri delivery. The latter was fantastic as well, and was one of the key players behind City's first goal. The combination leading up to the hosts' comeback was by far the most brilliant moment in the match. Tevez picked up Nasri's delivery for a powerful shot that was saved by De Gea. David Silva ran up for the rebound, shooting twice but failing to get the ball past the defense. The last ball was picked up by Yaya Toure, whose shot finally made it into the far post. There was some controversy leading up to the comeback as a United goal was not counted for an offside. RVP had shot the ball into the post, and after Joe Hart failed to reach the ball, Ashley Young netted it in. Had the goal been counted, the game may have seen even more goals from both sides. Interestingly enough, no one made a big deal about the error. Had the hosts been in a similar situation, the players and fans would have almost certainly blamed the referee for being biased towards the Reds.

The "offside" goal.

There was another moment ignored by the official when Rooney was brought down in a one-on-one counter at the far end of the left flank. Nevertheless, the match drew on, the hosts making use of their home field advantage more than ever. The duo of Tevez and Silva kept up a mighty presence, the former hitting the post in his attempt. Both players shone in the last minutes of the match. It took nearly 40 minutes for Mancini to see the fruit of his labor unfold. A corner delivery bounced off the pitch to the one and only captain Zabaleta, who scored his first goal of the season, nutmegging Phil Jones in the process. The remaining minutes saw a rightfully tied derby, but there was still a score to settle, and the karma police took note of the refereeing blunders as well as the unruly City supporters. The latter had not only tossed coins at Rooney when he was taking a corner but ended up injuring Rio Ferdinand towards the end of the game as the player lifted his jersey in celebration of the winning goal. Three points went to the team that was the victim of negativity and injustice. An RVP free kick in added time flew past Joe Hart, ironically bouncing off Samir Nasri's leg before it reached the net. Amid the incident with Ferdinand, officials attempted to control a rather large group of frenzied City supporters in the stands behind the net. There's one thing though that is more powerful than law enforcement. It's the same thing that changed a derby. The Reds retain their reputation in more than one way and increase their gap between both City and Chelsea.

City's keeper Joe Hart defends Rio Ferdinand from a supporter.

Super Sunday - 164th Manchester Derby

Barclays Premier League - 16th Match Week
Sunday, December 9, 2012, 8:30AM EST

Manchester City vs. Manchester United - 2:3 (0:2)
Venue: Etihad Stadium (Manchester)
Referee: Martin Atkinson (Leeds)
Goals:
0:1 Wayne Rooney (Asst. Ashley Young) (16')
0:2 Wayne Rooney (Asst. Rafael) (29')
1:2 Yaya Toure (Asst. Carlos Tevez) (60')
2:2 Pablo Zabaleta (Asst. Carlos Tevez) (86')
2:3 Robin van Persie (90+2')

Wayne is the Man: He scores, he assists.

It's easy to sound like a broken record when calling Manchester United the "comeback kings". This season, Sir Alex's team has been synonymous with conceding first and going on to equalize and win, having played 6 games in this fashion. Today's game was no different. United started off strong, but let Robson-Kanu open the score for Reading early on with a left-footed shot. It wasn't long before Anderson got the equalizer, setting the tone for the next half hour. The guests' first corner earned them a penalty after Evans was brought down unceremoniously in the box by Tabb. Sure enough, Wayne Rooney put United ahead, taking the PK with a great air of confidence. Yet his team's lead was short-lived as a feisty Reading brought the fans at Madejski Stadium to their feet. The home team was absolutely brilliant on set pieces, becoming more and more aware of United's Achilles' heel. Le Fondre got a header in from a corner delivery after his shot ricocheted off RVP's arm right in front of the net. How on Earth did Reading score again? Another corner, another goal. The delivery brought Sean Morrison a nice header. Despite the fact that the game was being refereed fairly well up to this point, the official failed to take note of Jonny Evans being brought down as the goal was scored. Ashley Young's brilliant back heel pass to Anderson brought the ball to the center of the box for Rooney. Neither the penalty nor the goal-scoring opportunity brought Rooney any hesitation, and the one-touch finish brought United another equalizer. Sir Alex did well to bench Rafael and avoid a potential sending off; there was a bit too much fouling from him today. A second back heel pass, this time by Wayne Rooney, gave RVP his goal in the near post, a ball that went in so easily, as though the former Arsenal star didn't have to think twice about what he was doing. Plenty of goals graced the first half, but so did plenty of United free kick freebies. Things worsened on the refereeing end, as well. Four minutes before the halftime whistle, RVP was denied a double by none other than Mark Halsey. The ball flew well over the line before being cleared away by a defender. If a linesman can't spot that, what was he watching while the ball was flying past the goal line?

The Goal That Wasn't.

The plethora of goals seen in the first half failed to materialize into any kind of spectacle in the second. Rooney's hat-trick will have to wait for some other time. As expected, United kept control of the ball and continued to dominate. Van Persie finished the game without a hat-trick as well, missing a more-than-perfect opportunity to send the ball past Federici after the Reading keeper's grievous error. There were many more ways to score than miss, and it was awfully strange to watch RVP struggle to decide what to do with the ball, especially when former Villa man Juan Pablo Angel has scored such goals in the MLS. Although the game had quieted down at this point, United still had some fire left for a final finish. Yet many were expecting more goals in the second half. Was it psychologically difficult for the Red Devils to bring back that same level of firepower as they had earlier on? It was much clearer that Reading was done for - a few sloppy attempts is all the hosts had to offer after having been in the lead on two occasions. United not only retained their reign as Comeback Kings, but also increased the gap between their local rivals, setting the stage for the Manchester derby next week. 10 points now stand between the two leaders.

Lady Justice Turns a Blind Eye

There are different kinds of 'blindness' which sometimes overlap, creating some confusion. The blindfolded sculpture of Lady Justice that many may remember from the 1960 movie Inherit the Wind represents a fair, objective judgement, yet at the same time she is portrayed as being "blind" to the community's ignorance to the law. Similarly, FIFA has been preaching objectivity while evading the issue of goal line technology beyond random talks of wanting to improve it without removing the 'human element' from the game. Football is long overdue for some new rules, and goal line technology is the number one priority.


Factiles:

Reading v Man Utd is only the third match in Premier League history to see seven first-half goals.
The same record holds for two other games, Blackburn-Leeds (1997) and Derby-Bradford (2000).

Wayne Rooney’s penalty (16 mins) was the 1000th that Manchester United have scored in the Premier League this century.


Barclays Premier League - 15th Match Week
Saturday, December 1, 2012, 12:30PM EST

Reading vs. Manchester United - 3:4
Venue: Madejski Stadium (Reading)
Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire)
Goals:
1:0 Hal Robson-Kanu (8')
1:1 Anderson (Asst. Ashley Young) (13')
1:2 Wayne Rooney (PK) (16')
2:2 Adam Le Fondre (Asst. Nick Shorey) (19')
3:2 Sean Morrison (Asst. Nick Shorey) (23')
3:3 Wayne Rooney (Asst. Patrice Evra) (30')
3:4 Robin van Persie (Asst. Wayne Rooney) (34')

This season's North London Derby was full of surprises, some pleasant and others bearing quite the opposite character. Interestingly enough, the Spurs started off quite well, scoring a goal that was disallowed for an offside, and another that was counted. Emmanuel Adebayor scored against his former club on the rebound after Szczesny saved a tough shot from Defoe. Tottenham continued to dominate, leading with 4 attempts in just 13 minutes. A brilliant combination that ended in a shot by Spurs midfielder Aaron Lennon somehow evaded the Gunners' far post. Anyone watching would have thought the match would continue as a one-sided effort in favor of Villas-Boas's side. With 73% of goals conceded by the Gunners in the first half, things weren't looking well. As always, however, the Gunners came back in style. Not only did they make use of their home field advantage, but they also decimated the 10-man Spurs after Adebayor got sent off by Howard Webb for a high tackle on Cazorla. Adebayor has been sent off 4 times in his career, 3 times by Webb. Without one of their best players, Spurs were like an Arsenal side without Olivier Giroud. "From that point onward," said the commentator, "Arsenal grew and grew". Walcott got a cross in from the right, giving Mertesacker the chance to craft a brilliant header from the center of the box for the equalizer and his first goal for Arsenal. The guests failed to make use of their set pieces and couldn't turn the game back to what it started out to be. Andre Villas-Boas could only stand and watch as Arsenal netted in two more goals before halftime. Sagna provided the chances for both Giroud and Podolski, the latter of which scored a deflected shot past an unsteady Hugo Lloris. Perhaps Spurs could have not conceded that goal - Lloris had saved plenty of other attempts. Ricochets always make it difficult for keepers, however, so it's difficult to blame him. Giroud squeezed in Arsenal's 3rd goal after Cazorla's delivery into the box.

Per Mertesacker celebrates with Theo Walcott. Source: lovingaaronramsey

As any good derby goes, the game moved from one end of the pitch to the other. If it hadn't been for the Spurs' non-existent defense, the match would have likely continued in such a fashion. The fire in their boots seemed to have died down as well - AVB's team could maintain possession, but were unable to create any chances, leaving their net at the mercy of the home team. The Gunners created some beautiful combinations, and Villas-Boas didn't seem to know how to get his team around in the maze of red. Playing with 10 men didn't help the guests, either. Giroud got a perfect cross from Cazorla from the right and easily sent the ball flying past Lloris. The Frenchman scored his fifth goal in all competitions this season. Cazorla picked up a swift pass from Podolski and scored his first goal at the Emirates in a one-touch finish. The Spurs' skipper Gallas was barely able to stop Podolski from scoring himself soon after. Walcott and Giroud wasted great opportunities leading up to the Spurs' second goal. If anyone could shine a light on the guests, it was Gareth Bale, who sped past Wilshere and Walcott to net in a long ball. But it was too little too late for Tottenham, and it may as well be for their manager. Nevertheless, the Welsh midfielder was intent on making a more significant contribution, taking up the ball after a terrific combo by his teammates, but his delivery found no receiver. Wenger brought on Oxlade-Chamberlain for Giroud, who received a standing ovation for his game. An Arsenal counter was intercepted, but not for long. The Ox himself had an absolutely beautiful run on the right, passing to Walcott, who nabbed it in the far post. The youngster failed to score himself, though he did manage to get a last-minute corner.

The match was Wenger's 39th North London derby; he's only lost 5, and he wasn't about to add to that record. The experienced manager has shown that despite his mistakes, he can put on a good show. He knows his players well - all of today's goalscorers, except for Walcott, are new signings. Tottenham, meanwhile, have a "chicken and egg situation", according to the commentators, in which "they have to try and get the right balance". Nevertheless, the derby was enjoyable and refereed very well. Arsenal showed they are very much capable of coming back, but the time will come when they will need to come back as a team in how they play, rather than from goal deficits. Then again, it could have been the atmosphere surrounding the match that influenced the Gunners. "It's derby day," the commentator pointed out. "You just never know."


Barclays Premier League - 12th Match Week
Saturday, November 17, 2012, 7:45AM ET

Arsenal FC vs. Tottenham Hotspur - 5:2 (3:1)
Venue: Emirates Stadium (London)
Referee: Howard Webb (Yorkshire)
Goals:
0:1 Emmanuel Adebayor (10')
1:1 Per Mertesacker (Asst. Theo Walcott) (24')
2:1 Lukas Podolski (Asst. Bacari Sagna) (43')
3:1 Olivier Giroud (Asst. Santi Cazorla) (46')
4:1 Santi Cazorla (Asst. Lukas Podolski) (60')
4:2 Gareth Bale (Asst. Sandro) (70')
5:2 Theo Walcott (Asst. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain) (90')

Half Time Stats:
7(6) : 4(3) shots (on target)
7:9 fouls committed
0:1 yellow cards
0:1 red cards
2:1 corners
1:2 offsides
60:40% possession

Full Time Stats:
13(10) : 6(4) shots (on target)
13:12 fouls committed
1:2 yellow cards
0:1 red cards
6:6 corners
3:2 offsides
58:42% possession

One would think that a face-off between the two longest-serving managers in English football would be an exciting match with goals coming from every direction. Sadly, Arsenal's game this season denied us that thrill, and it doesn't look like things will get better anytime soon. In a very predictable manner, Robin van Persie opened up the score for the Reds. Already the forward has contributed to a United tradition - that of scoring first at Old Trafford. The former Gunner netted the ball in after a cross from Rafael and a defensive error by Vermaelen. Though he scored his first goal against his former club, Van Persie's thirst for goals may not have been fully satisfied. He spent much of the game making hasty runs, often getting ahead of himself. In one scenario he shot the ball in even after he had clearly heard the referee's whistle for offside. He had a brilliant chance for a double in the second half, but underestimated the amount of space he had and gave De Gea a relatively simple shot to save. United were lacking in their own way, however. Fergie's team didn't take advantage of Arsenal's failure to make clear attacks, settling down a bit after the goal. United visibly had the advantage and were in control of the ball, but their attacks lacked a sharp final finish, not really threatening Mannone as much as they should have. Arsenal's nightmare worsened when Cazorla's handball gave away a PK. There was no disputing the call, as the ball hit his arm when he covered his face from a shot. Surprisingly, it wasn't RVP who went up to take the kick. Wayne Rooney, who had a great game overall feeding the ball into the box, failed to administer the penalty, his right-footed shot merely grazing the post. The missed chance didn't shatter the Reds, though they weren't too far ahead in possession.

Source: shinjikagawa-baby

Unlike this season's Gunners, United are known for finishing what they started. The Reds followed through with a second goal, a header by Patrice Evra into the near post off of a cross by Rooney. Anderson was in the perfect place to get a third ball in, but sent it high instead. United continued their dominance and Arsenal struggled to come up with ways to inch closer to De Gea's net. Finding the equalizer became even more unlikely after Wilshere earned a second yellow for a reckless challenge on Evra, leaving his team a player down for the rest of the game as well as for the next match against Fulham. An irresponsible move, considering United have never lost a game when leading with two goals. Wenger brought in Arshavin for Lukas Podolski, the latter of which has shown nothing of his abilities at Arsenal thus far. But even Arshavin's involvement in combinations wasn't enough to nab a tie, not when the rest of the team was barely going forward. Giroud finally had a shot on target, perhaps the first for Arsenal in the entire second half. Cazorla seemed to have taken the matter into his own hands during the last seconds of the game, firing off two attempts, one of which finally flew past De Gea into the net. Though the goal relieved United of their clean sheet, it was just too little and too late.

Arsenal fans can't use refereeing as the excuse this time, and if they do, they can safely look up referee Mike Dean's record and his denial of several penalties to both Manchester United and Chelsea in an important match as well as his questionable decision to award Blackburn a penalty in their game against Burnley two years ago. Despite the number of bookings, today's match was aptly officiated, and judging by Arsenal's sloppy game, the loss was well-deserved. Meanwhile, United knock Chelsea off the first place spot, just two points ahead before the Blues' result against Swansea is accounted for. Arsenal are in 6th for the moment. It'll be difficult for them to make it to the top 5 if Spurs and Fulham have a good season. By now it is clear that if every match is a struggle for Arsenal like their comeback against a last-place Reading, something is not right. United are the team to beat, but that's neither here nor there. I'd be a broken record if I said it's not the win that's important, but how you win. But there's another truth that's often overlooked: sometimes it's also important how you lose. You can go down with dignity if you know you've given it your all, especially if you're up against a front-runner. Arsenal are either highly unmotivated or very unfit. Whatever the reason may be, it's sad to see Wenger's team flop this way after last season's performance. RVP's absence can't be the only reason - if Fergie's United is the same with or without him, then why not Arsenal? If one were to put van Persie back in the Gunners' lineup, I am certain they would not be much better off. One commentator mentioned confidence as the issue, but that concept goes hand-in-hand with motivation, and that, my friends, is the manager's job.


Barclays Premier League - 10th Matchweek
Saturday, November 3, 2012, 8:45AM EST

Manchester United vs. Arsenal FC - 2:1 (1:0)
Arena: Old Trafford (Manchester)
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Goals:
1:0 Robin van Persie (4')
2:0 Patrice Evra (Asst. Wayne Rooney) (67')
2:1 Santi Cazorla (90+5')

Half Time Stats:
5(4):2(0) shots (on goal)
7:7 fouls
2:1 corners
2:1 offsides
51:49% possession
2:1 yellow cards
0:0 red cards

Full Time Stats:
13(6) : 7(2) shots (on goal)
15:15 fouls
6:1 corners
5:1 offsides
48:52% possession
5:3 yellow cards
0:1 red cards

If Oscar Wilde were here to witness this match, he’d probably say “there’s only one thing worse than not making a call, and that is making a call.” What may have been a tie between two of the season’s biggest contenders ended in a narrow and controversial win for the Red Devils. It can’t be denied that United started strong, dominating the pitch with a certain former Arsenal star in the mix. Their first goal came from an unfortunate error by David Luiz, who was simply in the wrong place. Robin van Persie‘s shot bounced off the post and ricocheted against Luiz straight into the net. RVP made it 2-0 himself after Valencia’s cross. Although Torres was marked well by the opposition, Chelsea was still able to test De Gea from set pieces, like Luiz’s long-range effort that was saved by De Gea’s leg. The Spaniard came through a second time with a save in a similar fashion. The keeper still has much to learn – his saves were not as solid as they should be. Di Matteo’s team was right to rely on long balls – they’ve got skilled players like Ramires who can make the run and find space to shoot from afar. Chelsea was likewise able to put on enough pressure to drive United out of the right flank and retake the initiative. Evans nearly scored an own goal as Chelsea nabbed a corner. United’s 2-goal lead seemed to have reawakened Di Matteo’s team. Even before the second half players were contesting Mark Clattenburg‘s decisions. United’s Valencia seemed upset at how easily and quickly free kicks were being awarded to the Blues. The other side was none to happy as well after Clattenburg blew his whistle in favor of United after Rafael’s retaliation to Ramires’ foul on Wayne Rooney. Chelsea soon broke through United’s defense, and in the words of a commentator, Torres was no longer waiting to star in the next Twilight movie. Two attempts in a row by the Spaniard targeted De Gea’s net, but it just wasn’t meant to be. It was all up to Juan Mata, Chelsea’s set piece specialist, after Rooney was booked for heading cleats-first into Hazard, giving away the set piece at the top of the box. Mata’s left-footed shot curved over the 15-man wall and right in the near post, not too high a shot to save but a difficult ball nonetheless. He scored his fourth goal this season and nearly made his fifth after a pass from Torres, but De Gea stopped him in his tracks. The yellow for Torres’ high challenge against Cleverley was uncontested, but would later lead to a far less agreeable one.

Mr. Clattenburg makes a costly decision.

With the match more or less equal, the second half promised to be a goal-scoring fest. It started with a back-and-forth between the Premier League leaders, marred only by Clattenburg’s blind eye to a David Luiz hand ball after Valencia’s shot from the right flank. Most took no note of it, and the game carried on with Juan Mata trying to get in a double. A great combination by the Blues that started from the left moving in to the center sent the ball to Torres, who delivered back left to Oscar. The latter’s cross got the feisty Ramires a header, leveling the game. De Gea was solid, and Hazard’s attempt was futile. Mata lacked accuracy in his close-range effort, despite having gotten a good cross. RVP couldn’t get in through the Chelsea defense and Ashley Young was no better on his attempt, providing an easy ball for Cech. A red card was issued to Ivanovic for a foul on Ashley Young after the Red Devil was brought down on his solo run. Though a card should have been issued, the red seemed a bit of a harsh call. As Chelsea supporters upped the volume on their chants and United regained possession, the worst that could happen found a way to occur at Stamford Bridge. Fernando Torres was on the counter, Michael Carrick had contact with the Spaniard, and Clattenburg whistled for Torres to exit the pitch. Instead of a yellow to Carrick, Torres was booked for a dive. Di Matteo was furious, while Abramovic was just mildly slipping in to a state of melancholy. With Chelsea down in the dumps, United continued their efforts. RVP’s shot was saved by Cech, but the keeper failed to collect, and the ball teased the post dangerously. The newly-subbed Chicharito got out of a close offside just in time to make the shot on the rebound, scoring his second goal this season. With 9 men, Chelsea looked to their counters, but Ramires lacked accuracy, and Hazard failed to produce dangerous shots. Stamford Bridge resounded with supporters calling to whichever players had the ball to step it up for the home team. Clattenburg chose to head out with a fair decision, booking Valencia for simulation in stoppage time. United were in no hurry to score, and, after several weak attempts, settled in to rolling the ball around. Thousands of fans folded their arms as they witnessed Chelsea’s first loss of the season, not in a style that was marked entirely by pure sportsmanship, but in a match heavily controlled by a half-blind man and his whistle. United witnessed their first win at Stamford Bridge in over a decade, but are they really content with a tainted victory?

It’s not the first time nor, unfortunately, the last time that the football world will be flooded with accusations of biased refereeing. If any team encountered such problems as of late, it’s the Red Devils. “Referees favoring United” has been a hotly-disputed topic over the years – remember Howard Webb? One could contest that it was a difficult derby to referee, which is why it’s even more ironic that Mark Clattenburg managed to err on the easier calls.

The officials are simply “trying to eradicate this diving disease that ruins the game…and in attempting to eradicate it, they will make mistakes,” said an English commentator. Perhaps not. Perhaps it is corruption and not good intentions going awry that bring the level of refereeing into such absurdity. From the isles of Italy to the fields of Russia, referees have been known to openly accept bribes for years. The respective football associations must be willing to “put up their dukes” and go to battle against any and all officials who act outside of the laws of the game, or they too will be synonymous with corruption.


Barclays Premier League – 9th Matchweek
Sunday, October 28, 2012, 12:00PM EST

Chelsea vs. Manchester United – 2:3 (1:2)
Arena: Stamford Bridge (London)
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Goals:
0:1 David Luiz (Own Goal) (Asst. Robin van Persie) (4′)
0:2 Robin van Persie (Asst. Antonio Valencia) (12′)
1:2 Juan Mata (44′)
2:2 Ramires (Asst. Oscar) (53′)
2:3 Chicharito (75′)

Match Stats – Half Time:
7:3 shots on target
1:1 shots off target
4:6 fouls
59:41% possession

Match Stats – Full Time:
11:7 shots on target
3:8 shots off target
13:11 fouls
2:2 yellows
2:0 reds


Published on Get Real Premier

There are two kinds of outsiders in a league. One of them is not so obvious, and certainly not like the other. The Gunners have for awhile now been the team that's either getting late goals or scoring by chance, and barely eking out three points. Wenger's challenge this season is coming up with a consistent way to score. Once any system changes, one has to adapt. We haven't seen much adaptation yet, but we've certainly been shown the possible options. Jack Wilshere's performance in the starting lineup was spectacular. One of the few Arsenal players to pose a threat to QPR's highly skilled keeper Julio Cesar, Wilshere's presence in the match was most notable. Giroud has been pretty good on the pitch in the last few games as well. Lukas Podolski has so far been the big disappointment for the Gunners, failing to bring his National Team and Bundesliga skills to the club. Despite his teammates' performance, the first half was a major flop. Arsenal maintained possession and even tested Cesar's net a few times, but playing against a last-place QPR, their chances should have come every two minutes, if not 30 seconds.

Though Wenger made no halftime subs, he certainly fired up his players. The Gunners came back on the pitch with a bit more urgency. Arteta's free kick gave Podolski one of his few well-executed shots, and Arsenal's first real encounter with the net. Cesar's save quickly transferred to a counter by the Rangers, and the game was just getting started. QPR's Sean Wright-Phillips continued to hover around Arsenal's box, but it was the Gunners who failed to take their best shot of the match. A wonderful delivery from Walcott gave Cazorla the perfect opportunity just 12 yards shy of the net, but the Spaniard managed to miss. Anyone would easily think it just wasn't meant to be for Arsenal, and they wouldn't know just how wrong they were. The Rangers were down to 10 men after Mbia's pointless, reckless retaliation on Vermaelen got him sent off. The referee had not noticed Vermaelen's initial challenge. With a little help from Lady Luck, Arsenal were back in business. An unfortunate Julio Cesar failed to keep a clean sheet, despite having done all he could to prevent the Gunners from scoring. Just moments before conceding, the Brazilian keeper saved the ball after a pinball series, deflecting the shot mere inches away from the goal line in a heroic jump. The great combination came seconds after Andrei Arshavin came on the pitch. The Russian went on to provide a brilliant cross on the left flank. Cesar saved another pinball effort, but Arteta's goal on the rebound was inevitable. Cesar went in for a diving save after Aaron Ramsey's shot on a half-volley, preventing the Gunners from a 2-0 win. Former Real Madrid midfielder Esteban Granero had a few good ideas for the guests and nearly got his team the equalizer in the last minute of regulation time after Taarabt's delivery. The Spaniard vied against both Wilshere and Cazorla earlier on, and was lucky enough to only get one yellow. In a sense, luck was on either side today.

They've got that #23 to thank. Source: tokeletesterdek

It took one substitution to turn the match around. The lesson for Wenger here is simple: don't underestimate the Russians. The Russian Premier League has created quite a few impressive players over the years. Pavel Pogrebnyak, who had his start at Spartak Moscow, did wonders at Fulham, scoring 5 goals in 3 games, including a classic hat-trick against the Wolves in which he scored from both of his feet as well as his head. Needless to say, the Russian's move to Reading had upset Fulham manager Martin Jol at the time. Then there was Yuri Zhirkov, whose defensive skills prevented Chelsea from conceding several goals in their Champions League match against Inter Milan in March 2010. Of course, several RPL stars have failed to shine on English soil, regardless of their talents. Andriy Voronin, who saw great success alongside Kevin Kuranyi at Dynamo Moscow, started off well for Liverpool in '07 but failed to continue his goal-scoring streak after recovering from an injury. Many will remember that former Spurs manager Harry Redknapp constantly benched striker Pavlyuchenko, despite the Russian's success at Spartak and his National Team. Wenger can't be making the same mistakes that got Benitez and Redknapp on a downward slope. He needs to refurbish the starting lineup. Out of all the possible changes to be made, perhaps the most crucial is giving Andrei Arshavin more playing time. While it's still unclear exactly who's going to step it up for Arsenal, from the looks of it, Arshavin might just be able to rekindle both his own and his team's successes. It all starts with giving him a chance.

Barclays Premier League - 9th Matchweek
Saturday, October 27, 2012, 10:00AM EST

Arsenal FC vs. Queens Park Rangers - 1:0 (0:0)
Arena: Emirates Stadium (London)
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Manchester)
Goals:
1:0 Mikel Arteta (84')


Published on Get Real Premier

"Would you like your humble pie with chips?" asked Jon Champion during the halftime break. What a great question for Arsene Wenger, especially this season. Arsenal's future has been looking somewhat grim; from losing van Persie to United to injured keepers Szczesny and Fabianski, the team has had their share of troubles. On top of that, they're now 10 points behind Roberto Di Matteo's European Champions. Today's match saw an incredibly sloppy performance from the Gunners, a lot of possession and not a lot of chances. Gervinho didn't see the field as well as he usually does, getting in quite a lot of passes to offside players. There were a couple of early attempts by Podolski, but none were on target. Grant Holt opened up the score for Norwich after Alexander Tettey's shot was pushed away by Arsenal keeper Mannone. Holt picked up the ball on the rebound - all he needed was a simple tap to score. Holt has been the star for Norwich this season, scoring in three consecutive games against the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, and now Wenger's side. Paradoxically, possession was almost always in Arsenal's favor, yet the score could have easily been 2:0 for Norwich. Michael Turner's header from a corner delivery just missed the far post. Podolski wasn't aggressive enough on the ball and completely missed out on a chance to go head-to-head with the Norwich keeper. It's one thing when a player misses a shot, and quite another when he doesn't take it.
Just as many had speculated about Sir Alex Ferguson's halftime substitutions, so too did some Arsenal supporters sit with sweaty palms, anxiously anticipating the arrival new faces on the pitch. Neither manager had made any half-time changes. In United's case, the choice made sense. The Red Devils came out of the halftime break to score. That said, after watching Manchester United come back from 1-goal deficit to Stoke, I half-expected Arsenal to do the same. Instead, the match had a rather different shock value - it was Norwich that continued to carry the initiative. Arsenal didn't get to the opposition's net in over 20 minutes. By then, Wenger had made up his mind - it was up to Oxlade-Chamberlain to take over from the lackluster Podolski. An interesting decision, considering the Ox was recently axed from the England squad. Not only that, but he had to be subbed out after less than 10 minutes due to an injury. With 15 minutes left in the game, Wenger brought on Andrei Arshavin. The Russian international took on set piece deliveries and partook in one combination. I should point out that Norwich's substituted players received a standing ovation for their efforts, which is much more than can be said about the Gunners. The crowd of just under 27,000 saw their team get their first win of the season and the first win against Arsenal at Carrow Road since Boxing Day in 1984, an unforgettable moment for manager Chris Hughton's career.

Photo: Stephen Pond/Empics Sports Photography Ltd. Source: Yahoo! Eurosport UK

How can a Premier League giant that is 72:28% ahead in possession lose the match? It would be wrong to say that Arsenal don't have much talent in their team right now without van Persie. The problem isn't what the players can do - it's what the players aren't doing, and therefore, what the manager isn't doing. If seen from the most objective viewpoint, Wenger isn't taking cues from his players. If you've been watching the documentary series Being Liverpool, you'll know that Brendan Rodgers is very serious about every single player being fully committed to the team. Anyone who shows signs of neglect is kindly reminded that they can just as easily be playing for the reserves. Then there's Sir Alex Ferguson's remarkable Red Devils, the team that carries more stability with them than both Arsenal and Liverpool. That stability comes from the manager's mindset and his ability to communicate with and motivate the players to get the results he desires. At Arsenal, there's clearly a problem with motivating players - with the likes of Podolski and Arshavin on the team, there's so much untapped potential. These players have proven themselves before, largely on the National Team level and under different managers. So why not now? Wenger is losing hold over his players, and the Gunners might soon find themselves trading places with last season's Liverpool, if he doesn't get some of that humble pie.

Manchester United is a team that tends to always meet or exceed expectations, so it was a bit of a shock that the Red Devils didn't quite achieve what they were hoping for during the first ten minutes. A free kick by Stoke City's Charlie Adam accidentally became an own goal by Wayne Rooney. The situation is not uncommon - a player going in to defend the ball in front of the net is always putting himself up to an unnecessary ricochet. United were pretty quick to take back the game at Old Trafford, and Rooney soon saw his first career goal against Stoke, a brilliant header from an RVP delivery. Neither the denied penalties nor Paul Scholes' near-elimination had any effect on Fergie's team. Valencia's cross seemingly nutmegged a defender, giving the always ambitious Robin van Persie his 8th goal in a United jersey with a brilliant one-touch finish.

source: all-soccer

It didn't take long for Fergie's spidey senses to kick in. No sooner was the second half underway than United were scoring. Rooney's cross from the right flank gave Danny Welbeck a diving header to propel the ball into the far post. RVP was down in the box, but United managed to only get a corner. Stoke's keeper Asmir Begovic nicely saved Johnny Evans's close-range header, temporarily halting United's goal-scoring frenzy. Two consecutive combinations by the home team couldn't find their way into the net, leaving Stoke with an opportunity. With three defenders ahead of him, Michael Kightly managed to push past and got his left-footed shot in despite De Gea's diving effort. It was a surprising return for Stoke, who up till then hadn't really been in the game. Rooney ultimately had the final word in this match. In true United spirit, the hair-plugged striker landed one more goal himself, the 200th in his career, from an RVP corner delivery. He had an odd hat-trick of sorts, but more than made up for his accident at the start of the game. Though a few players were clearly still exhausted from National Team duty, the team played their usual solid match. The refereeing was questionable at times, not only for United but for Stoke as well. Of course, the one thing Fergie's team needs to look out for now is any sort of defensive mishaps. The three-against-one scenario should have ended in their favor. But the great thing about United is as always their ability to bounce back in the game, and today was no exception.


Barclays Premier League - 8th Matchweek
Saturday, October 20, 2012, 10:00AM ET

Manchester United vs. Stoke City - 4:2 (2:1)
Arena: Old Trafford (Manchester)
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Goals:
0:1 Wayne Rooney (own goal) (11')
1:1 Wayne Rooney (Asst. Robin van Persie) (27')
2:1 Robin van Persie (Asst. Antonio Valencia) (44')
3:1 Danny Welbeck (Asst. Wayne Rooney) (46')
3:2 Michael Kightly (59')
4:2 Wayne Rooney (Asst. Danny Welbeck) (65')


Published on Get Real Premier

Fernando Torres celebrates his goal. Source: ferrnandotorres

An exciting London derby was underway today as current Premier League leaders Chelsea put Wenger's side to the test at Emirates Stadium. With a match on home turf and a 61:44 record of wins against the Blues, Arsenal looked to be the favorites. Of course, the persisting question going in to this season continues to sound like a broken record - can Arsenal manage without Robin van Persie? Perhaps one player doesn't make the team, but today the Gunners looked like they could use a goal-scoring forward. A crowd of over 60,000 watched as the chances began to sway in Arsenal's favor, cut short by the inevitable set piece goal from Fernando Torres. Perhaps it was Diaby's early substitution that rocked the boat, or the fact that Wenger didn't include Mertesacker in today's lineup. Either way, poor marking by the defense, especially Koscielny, gave Chelsea the lead. Juan Mata's great delivery allowed Torres to volley the ball in with his right foot, his 5th goal in 10 appearances for Chelsea this year. It's safe to say that Torres is having a much more productive season, not only in scoring goals, but in setting up dangerous counters. He's the kind of player the Gunners are currently lacking. Referee Martin Atkinson denied Torres a penalty after his one-on-one counter ended with his going down in the box. Replays showed that there was indeed no connection with Koscielny; the Spaniard was already going down. Chelsea have never lost their 15 Premier League games refereed by Atkinson; his presence must have been a lucky charm. Torres scored an offside goal after a pass from Mata and continued to be active throughout the half. Chelsea were significantly ahead in possession, though Arsenal were getting most of the chances. Cazorla, Gervinho, and, at times, Podolski set up a series of potentially great attacks. None of them posed too much of a threat for Petr Cech. The Gunners were finally able to equalize a few minutes before halftime after a cross by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from the right flank gave Gervinho his 4th goal of the season. Despite Arsenal pushing the game more in the last ten minutes, Oscar had a nice potential attempt for Chelsea, and Torres shot the ball into the side netting in a last-minute effort.  

Arsenal came back strong at the start of the second half, with Podolski setting up a nice attack in the box. Cazorla missed the near post, though he was only a few meters away from the net. Chelsea exploited their counters, and for good reason. Vermaelen brought down Torres, earning Di Matteo's side yet another free kick and another goal. Juan Mata's delivery went straight into the net, though it seemed questionable whether Koscielny's leg touched the ball before it went in. Podolski finally tested Petr Cech with a close-range header, but the keeper came through for the guests. As the game evened out again, Arsenal's attacks came in waves. Olivier Giroud, who came in for Podolski, tested the keeper and got a corner for the home team after his shot ricocheted off a defender and forced Cech to reach for the ball. A late attempt by Wenger's side was saved by the inside of the crossbar, though Gervinho was offside. Victor Moses found space but shot the ball over the bar. Arsenal's last hurrah soon followed. Cazorla's shot teased the upper left corner, while Giroud wasted his moment, dribbling away, shooting too late, and not following the ball's motion. Chelsea walked away with 16 points, and rightfully so. As ESPN commentators Ian Darke and Steve McManaman suggested, Di Matteo's side simply have more players to mix and match. John Terry played a great defensive game, especially late in the second half. Transfers like Hazard and Oscar are shaping the midfield, while Moses proved his abilities in the wing.

Arsenal came off of a 6-1 win over Coventry in the Capital One Cup to a loss that could have been prevented. While Di Matteo can certainly be credited for his tactics this season, the Blues were already pretty consistent before he came in. During Arsenal's 7 years without a trophy, Chelsea have won 8 trophys, including 4 FA Cups, 2 Premier League titles, and the coveted status of Champions of Europe. 

If there was any irony to be found, it came from both sides. It was the first time this season that Chelsea scored from set pieces. Arsenal played a more organized game than the guests and even created more set pieces, but there's too big a gap in productivity between players like Cazorla and RVP. Whether or not that explains the 7-point gap between Arsenal and the Premier League leaders or Arsenal's first loss of the season is debatable. So far, it looks like Lukas Podolski and Gervinho will have to step up their game to help Wenger's side compete with the front-runners. They've certainly got the potential, but can the duo help their team win their first trophy in 7 years? We've got the rest of the season to find out. 



Barclays Premier League - 6th Matchweek
Saturday, September 29, 7:45AM EST

Arsenal vs. Chelsea - 1:2 (1:1)
Arena: Emirates Stadium/Ashburton Grove (London)
Referee: Martin Atkinson (Leeds)
Goals: 
0:1 Fernando Torres (Asst. Juan Mata) (20')
1:1 Gervinho (Asst. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain) (43')
1:2 Juan Mata (53')


Published on Get Real Premier.