Premiership round up - Week 18

Fulham v Man United - 3:0 - Fulham started well against a United defence plagued with injuries. Zamora chested a fine lay-off for Gera whose brilliant strike was stopped by a top-draw save by Kuszczak, standing in for the injured Van de Saar. After playing so well recently Scholes nodded off in mid-field and was robbed by Danny Murphy who scored a soft goal (22). Zamora nearly stole a second and missed, but was right on target in the first twenty seconds of the second half to get his 10th goal of the season. Duff got Fulham’s third (75) by the same route as they almost got their first, good body control and a lay-off by Zamora. ‘We want four,’ shouted Fulham’s fans, but they were happy with the margin they won by. Not what we expect from United in the run-up to the busy Christmas period; they need to rebuild their defence, fast.

Man City v Sunderland - 4:3 - The burning question before the game started (other than the manager’s fate) was ‘by how many goals do City need to lead before they can consider a game safe?’ Today’s answer was ‘more than two’. Slick passing by Tevez to Bellamy, followed by his fine cross, delivered City’s first; a tap-in for Santa Cruz (4). Five minutes or so later Bellamy was challenged in the box by Nosworthy and fell, rolling in agony. It’s hard to tell, but the challenge did not seem that severe. Bellamy recovered after Tevez put the penalty away (12). Marvellous tonic, a goal. Sunderland (unlike Bellamy) refused to lie down and came back at City four minutes later with a brilliant header (Mensah, 16) and may have had a couple more before Henderson drew Sunderland level, nearly breaking the net with a thumping shot from ten yards after City failed to clear the ball (24). So, four goals in the first half of the first half, more or less. But there was lots more to come. Bellamy (fully recovered) put City back in front with a very well-placed shot across the goal ten minutes later. The fans then had to wait a full 26 minutes for the next goal, a well-worked but poorly defended manoeuvre that Jones used his head to conclude, levelling the match once more. Although there were more chances and a sending off (Turner, 90+2) Santa Cruz had already finished the game off with another tap-in (69).

Portsmouth v Liverpool - 2:0 - Liverpool went to work early and produced a few half-chances but it was Portsmouth who got the advantage with a superb volley from a difficult angle by Belhadj (33). The ground was slippery and Liverpool’s nerves are easily twitched these days, so it was no great surprise when Mascherano went in too heavily on Ben-Haim, did his own knee a nasty, but was sent off nonetheless. Further chances at either end were not taken until Piquionne tapped the ball into the air from a cross and delivered much the same finish as Belhadj, a well-aimed volley from an oblique angle. Not Liverpool’s day, and certainly not their season, although possibly the start of Portsmouth’s, and a great win for Avram Grant, who almost smiled. Rafa Benitez was less happy and said (with the least hint of a tic in his left eye) - ‘The referee was perfect!’

Arsenal v Hull - 3:0 - Hull turned Arsenal over in this fixture last season, but no-one expected a repeat this time out. Quite right too, this was a bad-tempered, spiteful game which Arsenal always dominated. Nasri was stupid enough to step on Hunt’s foot and Hunt was stupid enough to roll about as if an elephant had trodden on him. After lots of pushing and shoving both players were carded. Denilson broke the deadlock even whilst the referee was drawing his breath to blow up for half time with a perfectly placed free kick (45+4). Eduardo nearly scored a second for Arsenal before a ludicrous penalty decision went Hull’s way when Fagan fell over (‘he pushed me, he pushed me’ was what Your Ear thought was on his lips, but the referee awarded the penalty for shirt-pulling). The penalty was saved (twice, first Geovanni’s shot was saved, then Hunt, poetic justice, headed wide). Crisis over, Eduardo walked in Arsenal’s second (59, although he might have missed it) before Diaby buried a third goal after a good pass forward by Arshavin (80). Walcott might have made it four with a chip but just missed. Arsenal are chipping away at second spot in the league and would take it if they played and won their game in hand.

Blackburn v Spurs - 0:2 - Reindeer weather seemed to suit Blackburn, who applied all the early pressure. Then it stopped snowing and Defoe almost scored. In stoppage time to the first half (45+2) Crouch, against the run of play, got Spurs the lead. The defender jumped but Crouch stood his ground, with his head still higher than the man next to him. He is a very tall lad, and hardly bothered to get on tip-toe for the header that went in off the underside of the crossbar. Gomes was having one of those ‘sometimes’ days (sometimes they go in, sometimes they don’t) and McCarthy was denied what looked like a drop dead certain opportunity by the back of Gomes’ leg and the post. Blackburn’s eagerness to get forward finally did for them at the back. Crouch found himself in free space and smacked home Spurs second goal (82). Blackburn continued to attack and were unfortunate not to get a draw, at least. Sam Allardyce was understandably disappointed - ‘We were unlucky to come up against Peter Crouch in top, top form… We’re lacking in the final third, but we don’t have £20-30 million to put that right so we have to keep making more chances than the teams at the top…’ St Harold took his players’ booze-up jaunt to Ireland philosophically and with apparent good humour - ‘I told ‘em I didn’t want ‘em to have a party and that’s the only part that disappoints me… but I suppose it’s all part of growing up and we’ll sort ‘em out on Monday.’ Hair-shirts all round, we think.

Aston Villa v Stoke - 1:0 - A dour struggle developed over the course of an hour or so, with Villa having slightly more possession, but no more scoring opportunities, than their opponents. Then Carew, who is incredibly strong in the box, headed in to win Villa the lead and the game (61). Stoke had their chances but their finishing was not of the highest quality, whilst Sidwell missed a clear shooting chance late in the game. Nevertheless, this was a good, hard-fought midlands derby, with both sides fully committed.

West Ham v Chelsea - 1:1 - Chelsea created all the chances in the first half, took none, then Collison was brought down in the box by Cole and Diamante scored from the spot (45). Shortly after the start of the second half Lampard was asked to take the same penalty three times (due to encroachment) in order to equalize (61). It was a poor penalty decision - the man did not have the ball under control, he was not fouled and the defender got the ball, so making Lampard take the penalty three times seems fair (almost). Later another bad decision occurred, a penalty that should have gone the Hammer’s way. Referees’ decisions are getting worse as the year progresses. After the match Zola greeted Ancelotti in a surprisingly friendly way (Ancelotti unloaded Zola from Parma to Chelsea) and said - ‘Maybe one goal less from the other side would have been perfect…’

Everton v Birmingham - 1:1 -The perfect start for Everton - Bilyaletdinov drilled in the opening goal from Saha’s pass at the end of five minutes. Saha was given offside early on (and had a goal disallowed) and Everton had many more of the chances, but it was Birmingham who scored next (Larsson, 22) from a poorly defended cross. In the second half Carr handled the ball (but was not seen) denying Everton another chance on goal. This was a draw Everton should have won, their failure to do so was mainly due to poor refereeing decisions.

Wolves v Burnley - 2:0- Milijas opened the account for Wolves (15) after Jensen failed to hold the ball from a shot. Jensen redeemed himself later, stopping three shots at point blank range (he is a very big man). Doyle was yellow-carded for ‘shirt removal’ after scoring Wolves’ second (50). Mick McCarthy’s strategy to play his ‘B’ team against ManU earlier in the week seems to have been vindicated by this victory.

News of the Week (to keep us in perspective) - In a week when Christmas looms large and a surreal TV advert involving Sven Goran Eriksson selling Kleenex (thus are the mighty fallen) was shown on the box for the first time, we turn to those who might be more in need of a hankie or two for something to keep us awake.

Football Manager News - Hughes Blues - By the long, grim wave he gave the fans after the game ended Mark Hughes knew he had been sacked before he left the field by way of the tunnel. Later City’s chairman said ‘A return of two wins in eleven Premier games is clearly not in line with the targets that were agreed and set…’ He did not say ‘especially after we had spent over £240m.’ Roberto Mancini (who watched the match) takes over immediately with Brian Kidd as his assistant. Mancini won two Italian Cups, two Italian Super Cups and three league titles with Inter Milan between 2005 and 2008, making him the most successful Inter manager for 30 years. He was less successful at the European level. Should we feel sorry for Hughes? Probably not, given the size of his payoff - of double-B (Banker’s Bonus) proportions, we hear. What about City’s squad? We will see what Mancini does with them, although the next three are relatively soft league games for City. But if you are not a City supporter which, if any, of them would you want in your team? Tevez? Bellamy? Not Adebayor, surely, who has done what Mr Wenger suspected he would - played as if on fire for a few matches, then put his feet up. Sylvinho looks a little past his best, Wright-Phillips is a fine player, but never commanding. Maybe they would do better in other teams, but this squad, for all its cost, is (in Your Ear’s opinion) unlikely to lift much silverware.

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