No way to sugar coat this one truthers. Due to a couple of weekend committments -- namely a college football game and a playoff softball game -- there was no way to curl up on the couch and dig into the Premier League this weekend. Damn. Sounds like I missed some serious goings-on -- including a Hayley's Comet-like Michael Carrick goal.
Hopefully this brief time away helps me take a deep breath of perspective, because when I looked at the table Sunday afternoon it looked like at least 10 teams could find themselves in the relegation fight by the end of the season. It's not going to be like last year where teams could win one or two matches in a row and exhale. This is going to be like a prison riot, and the last men standing will survive. (Bring your own shanks.)
Watching the highlights here are the nuggets I was able to ingest.
* Stoke City is channeling its inner-high school team with Rory Delap's lazer-beam throw-ins. Yes, they are a rarity in the top-flight leagues of the world, but Arsenal looked like a deer in headlights when Delap unloaded the two throws that led to two goals. (The first barely got a touch or would have been illegal.) Why aren't other teams trying this? Shouldn't world class players know this is coming?
The biggest question, can the Potters survive the season using only this tactic? (Why isn't Delap in Giovanni Trapattoni's Republic of Ireland squad?)
Here's a nice collection of Delap's 'handy' work, including quotes of dumbfounded managers and players. (Let me know when the League shuts it down.)
* On the Arsenal side, the first away hiccup of the season at rainy Stoke. Considering everyone loves rash predictions, let's just say the Gunners ought to keep their seats warm in the Champions League, again, because they aren't muscling past the rest of the Big Four this season barring a stunning January transfer window scenario. Long term, does Aston Villa have enough juice to edge out Arsenal for the Champions League spot?
Oh right, Arsenal hosts Manchester United Saturday. Could possibly be a big match, right below Wigan/Stoke.
* After the weekend's result's Middlesbrough (14) is as Arsenal (20) is to first place Chelsea and Liverpool (26).
* What a good job by Hull City in a 4-3 loss at Old Trafford. Down goals three times, they came back to answer. Perhaps Manchester United's indifference was due to the glare off Wayne Rooney's re-shaved head done by Rio Ferdinand. According to a source, "Wayne was fed up with all the mickey taking he was getting. He's sensitive about losing his hair - just like any lad of his age." A better alternative, Rio shed some of his cornrows and let Rooney paste them on.
* Most-needed wins of the weekend, Everton and Wigan.
* Chelsea 5, Sunderland 0. Predictable, right? The Blues now boast a whopping +23 goal difference. So far this season Chelsea have already posted league wins of 4-0, 5-0, 3-0 and 5-0. Since the Liverpool loss last weekend they've scored eight, let in zero. Yeah, they might be around in May.
* Finally, Tottenham 2, Liverpool 1. Weird, wild and wet stuff.
* Champions League, eh, Manchester City? Those teams don't usually lose 2-0 to Bolton. Tenth place seems about right for the standings now, and by the end of the season.
Even with the win, coupled with the amazing Arsenal draw, with Spurs be able to continue the magic under Harry Redknapp all season, or is this just the honeymoon sex period? (Wait, sex and 'Arry are barred under the Geneva Convention to be written in the same sentence.) Suffice to say, Roman Pavlychenko built some good will at White Hart Lane.
Spurs are still in last place, but with a bullet! Consider them the '30 Rock' of the Prem right now.
I'll leave the Liverpool scenario to my good pal Ace Cowboy, who emailed me this was an "awesome weekend" even in spite of the Reds loss.
* Erik Kriebel's Oldenballs netted 75 points (30 from Ronaldo) to take weekly high score in the Premier League fantasy challange-a-roni.
In closing, check out this interview with Kevin Garnett talking about how he follows the game. Sounds, probably, like a lot of us.
Hopefully this brief time away helps me take a deep breath of perspective, because when I looked at the table Sunday afternoon it looked like at least 10 teams could find themselves in the relegation fight by the end of the season. It's not going to be like last year where teams could win one or two matches in a row and exhale. This is going to be like a prison riot, and the last men standing will survive. (Bring your own shanks.)
Watching the highlights here are the nuggets I was able to ingest.
* Stoke City is channeling its inner-high school team with Rory Delap's lazer-beam throw-ins. Yes, they are a rarity in the top-flight leagues of the world, but Arsenal looked like a deer in headlights when Delap unloaded the two throws that led to two goals. (The first barely got a touch or would have been illegal.) Why aren't other teams trying this? Shouldn't world class players know this is coming?
The biggest question, can the Potters survive the season using only this tactic? (Why isn't Delap in Giovanni Trapattoni's Republic of Ireland squad?)
Here's a nice collection of Delap's 'handy' work, including quotes of dumbfounded managers and players. (Let me know when the League shuts it down.)
* On the Arsenal side, the first away hiccup of the season at rainy Stoke. Considering everyone loves rash predictions, let's just say the Gunners ought to keep their seats warm in the Champions League, again, because they aren't muscling past the rest of the Big Four this season barring a stunning January transfer window scenario. Long term, does Aston Villa have enough juice to edge out Arsenal for the Champions League spot?
Oh right, Arsenal hosts Manchester United Saturday. Could possibly be a big match, right below Wigan/Stoke.
* After the weekend's result's Middlesbrough (14) is as Arsenal (20) is to first place Chelsea and Liverpool (26).
* What a good job by Hull City in a 4-3 loss at Old Trafford. Down goals three times, they came back to answer. Perhaps Manchester United's indifference was due to the glare off Wayne Rooney's re-shaved head done by Rio Ferdinand. According to a source, "Wayne was fed up with all the mickey taking he was getting. He's sensitive about losing his hair - just like any lad of his age." A better alternative, Rio shed some of his cornrows and let Rooney paste them on.
* Most-needed wins of the weekend, Everton and Wigan.
* Chelsea 5, Sunderland 0. Predictable, right? The Blues now boast a whopping +23 goal difference. So far this season Chelsea have already posted league wins of 4-0, 5-0, 3-0 and 5-0. Since the Liverpool loss last weekend they've scored eight, let in zero. Yeah, they might be around in May.
* Finally, Tottenham 2, Liverpool 1. Weird, wild and wet stuff.
* Champions League, eh, Manchester City? Those teams don't usually lose 2-0 to Bolton. Tenth place seems about right for the standings now, and by the end of the season.
Even with the win, coupled with the amazing Arsenal draw, with Spurs be able to continue the magic under Harry Redknapp all season, or is this just the honeymoon sex period? (Wait, sex and 'Arry are barred under the Geneva Convention to be written in the same sentence.) Suffice to say, Roman Pavlychenko built some good will at White Hart Lane.
Spurs are still in last place, but with a bullet! Consider them the '30 Rock' of the Prem right now.
I'll leave the Liverpool scenario to my good pal Ace Cowboy, who emailed me this was an "awesome weekend" even in spite of the Reds loss.
"Losing a 1-0 halftime lead to a rejuvenated Spurs at WHL isn't exactly how most Liverpool supporters envisioned Saturday playing out, but the loss isn't exactly the shit hitting the fan. The Reds, having just wrangled 15 points from a difficult six-match run, still maintain a share of the league lead and welcome West Brom at the weekend (with Bolton and Fulham coming up behind the Baggies). If you told me they'd have 26 points from a possible 33 with three winnable matches on the horizon, most supporters would be wondering whether Shankly were once again roaming the sidelines. And would have thunk that Kuyt would go from dog shit to hot shit so quickly? Maybe rafa knew what he was doing with him all along. Rocky Road for all!
The fact remains, Liverpool's downfall is the typical sputtering, draw-heavy start, and they are very far ahead of their usual pace at this point. There's talent all over the pitch for a change, in almost every position (even out wide!) and Rafa seems to have the squad and the tactics all figured out. This loss wasn't helpful in any way, but we're far from a falling sky over Merseyside. I'd rate it more an aberration than the norm this year, and when Torres re-inserts himself into this lineup, you'll have Nino, Stevie, Keane, Kuyt and Babel all able to hit the net with able prowess. Despite their loss to Liverpool at the Birdge, Chelsea still seems to be the most dangerous club in England, but Liverpool will absolutely be in the title hunt until the last few weekends. It's tough to get down on this team after their hot start, and I'd question anyone who says this loss derails any hopes of Title Number 19."
* Erik Kriebel's Oldenballs netted 75 points (30 from Ronaldo) to take weekly high score in the Premier League fantasy challange-a-roni.
In closing, check out this interview with Kevin Garnett talking about how he follows the game. Sounds, probably, like a lot of us.
Labels: Monday recaps, Premier League, Soccer
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