Match Of The Day a few quick thoughts
Dan Tracey
March 6, 2016
1,836 Views
- Tottenham vs Arsenal has been covered at length and you can read about that here
http://realfootballman.com/2016/03/06/tottenham-vs-arsenal-a-few-quick-thoughts-2/
- If the North London Derby was a Draw then the real winners were obviously Leicester
- They knew a win at Vicarage Road would see them extend their lead at the top and they duly obliged with Riyad Mahrez getting the only goal in a 1-0 win
- The Premier League is Leicester’s to lose now, it’s been written by us all at length but now we approach the final quarter of the season the question on everyone’s lips is can they go the distance or will The Foxes get hunted down by either of the North London clubs
- As for Watford you would imagine they just want the season to end, 3 games without a goal. They aren’t quite safe yet but you would imagine one more win would see them over the line
- You can’t rule out Manchester City just yet though, a routine win over basement side Aston Villa sees them gain some ground on both Tottenham and Arsenal. It was never going to be anything less than 3 points for City yesterday in all fairness
- Sergio Aguero will be disappointed his spurned the opportunity to get a hat trick after missing a late Penalty but apart from that it was back to business as normal for Manuel Pellegrini’s side after a run of 3 straight defeats
- As for Aston Villa, although it’s mathematically possible that they can still stay up. On the basis of these performances as of late they don’t have a chance. They’ve shipped 13 goals in 3 games, The Championship awaits but you have to start asking whether Remi Garde is going to be the man to try and get them out of there.
- West Ham kept their hopes of European Football very much alive with a fantastic comeback at Goodison Park Yesterday
- Even though The Hammers had a numerical advantage for much of the game they still found themselves 2-0 down thanks to goals from Romelu Lukaku an Aaron Lennon. It should have game over when they awarded a Penalty but Lukaku’s tame effort was easily saved by Adrian
- Again you have to point at poor game management by Roberto Martinez. Questions will have to be asked as to how they have failed to close out a game again this season. That must be the 3rd time they have thrown away a win late on this season due to being inept at the back. Draws at Bournemouth and Chelsea spring to mind
- Everton find themselves in 11th still and if they stay there then maybe Roberto Martinez won’t be the man to spend the promised transfer warchest in the Summer
- As for West Ham they move up to 5th for at least 24 hours, if they can keep this run of form then there’s absolutely no reason why a Europa League place can’t be a Champions League one come the end of the season
- One side that would love a Europa League spot right now is Newcastle, they now find themselves second bottom and could the writing be on the wall for Steve McClaren after a home defeat to Bournemouth yesterday
- That’s now 3 straight defeats which has seen them slip into the drop zone and overtaken by their local rivals Sunderland. At what point does Mike Ashley feel he has to twist as if he sticks with McClaren then their January Transfer splurge may be a gamble that doesn’t pay off
- As for Bournemouth a second win in a row and 3 games unbeaten, this result is a huge one in terms of guaranteeing Premier League survival in their debut season. A couple more of these and it will be very much job done for Eddie Howe’s side
- It was almost job done as St Mary’s for Sam Allardyce, a point was enough to see them move out of the bottom three but it could have very well been all 3 where it not for a late Virgil Van Dijk leveller. They sit 18th for now but costly could those 2 dropped points come the end of the season
- As for Southampton after going 7 without defeat and not conceding a goal it’s now 3 without a win, they continue to blow hot and cold this season. It looks like a top half finish will now be the main objective for Ronald Koeman.
- Swansea had to do without hospitilised Francesco Guidolin but it didn’t matter all that much as Alan Curtis masterminded a crucial win over struggling Norwich. Their second win in a row has now seen them pull 9 points clear of the drop zone, it’s not quite job done but they can certainly breath a bit easier down in South Wales
- Norwich though are in big trouble their form has let them down at the worst possible part of the season. 9 games without a win and picking up just a solitary point during that torrid run. For all the money that Alex Neil spent in January it doesn’t seem like it’s bearing any fruit. They are going to have a real struggle on their hands if they are to beat the drop
- Chelsea are still unbeaten under Guus Hiddink in the Premier League since he returned as Interim Manager. Although he will probably be frustrated that Stoke managed to get back into the game and snatch a point late on.
- Chelsea stay 10th while Stoke stay 7th. Both teams losing ground in the race for a improbable but not impossible Europa League spot for next season.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Real Football Man All of the Football, All of the time
