Premier League Review – Manchester United and Chelsea frustrate one another after Newcastle edge out Villa
Our review of today’s Premier League action, featuring Manchester United’s incredible comeback at Stamford Bridge and Newcastle’s victory over Villa.
Relive our Premier League coverage of Chelsea 3-3 Manchester United here, and Newcastle 2-1 Aston Villa here.
Image courtesy of WellOffside.com
* It may be forgotten in the wake of a truly incredible game of football, but both teams involved at Stamford Bridge needed a draw like Fernando Torres needs a banana skin. Chelsea desperately needed to make up for lost ground and United, who will have come off the pitch in a state of elation, will be less and less so the more they reflect on the result. They will have the psychological victory, of course, but time and available points – to say nothing of potential dropped ones for City – will begin to run out very quickly now.
* General predictions before the match were that Bosingwa would be soundly pumped by Valencia, but it was his opposite number who had the shocker. Patrice Evra was at fault for all 3 Chelsea goals – firstly allowing Sturridge to skin him with absurd ease, secondly leaving a ridiculous amount of space for the cross which produced Mata’s goal, and commiting the pointless foul that gave away the free-kick for the third goal. His form has improved vastly over the past few weeks in an attacking capacity, but if anything his defending is getting worse.
* Fernando Torres has forgotten that you have to at least try and shoot if you want to score. Just David De Gea to beat, Manchester United defenders falling over themselves to catch him but it’s futile, he turns back and gives Antonio Valencia the ball. The question has to be: when exactly does Torres think it’s the time to shoot? What kind of chance is he imagining he’s waiting for: open goal, keeper somewhere near the halfway line, would he consider shooting?
* Howard Webb. Ladies and gentlemen, Howard Webb. It’ll be correctly pointed out that the failure to award a clear penalty and red card for Cahill’s tackle on Welbeck with the score at 0-0 absolves Webb of any perceived Manchester United bias. What will be disappointing is that it actually backs up the real problem: he is an incompetent buffoon.
—–
* It was a delight to see that the much-ballyhooed Demba-and-Dembarer strikeforce proved to be an instant success for Newcastle. As well as getting a goal each, the pairing seemed to have a natural smoothness which, combined with today’s victory, ensures that Newcastle have to be considered serious contenders for fourth place. Looking at their team now, they are only a solid defence (which they had, until Steven Taylor’s effectively season-ending Achilles injury) away from being a very good team indeed.
* Aston Villa. Not exciting, not effective, not pragmatic, not smart, not sexy, not cheap, neither solid nor fluid, not worth the time, not worth the effort, not worth the money, and not worth the Premier League place. The Eck-olution is complete.
