Saturday, 26 November 2011 Barclays Premier League
Arsenal 1-1 Fulham
Bolton 0-2 Everton
Chelsea 3-0 Wolverhampton
Man Utd 1-1 Newcastle
Norwich 2-1 QPR
Sunderland 1-2 Wigan
West Brom 1-3 Tottenham
Strange late game at the Gunners. Vermaelen put them under pressure with an own goal that seemed to take them aback more than if Fulham had scored it. Eventually he put it right himself at the other end though. Not sure that Fulham expected the sort of game they got as it was a very un-Arsenal performance. Maybe all too much 'after the Lord Mayor's Show' after their European qualification in mid-week. The result still sees Fulham too far at the wrong end of the table.
Play the majority of the game with only 10 men & even a side that struggle to score will do so. That is what happened to Bolton here after only 20 minutes. One where the referee decided the game, whatever the rights & wrongs of the dismissal. Not looking good at all for 18th. place Bolton. I am sure that they thought they were guaranteed some points out of this game.
Everton slip into 8th. place just behind neighbours' Pool. Another year that is a testament to the managerial skills of David Moyes. After so long unable to buy a player I wonder if he will make good choices when the time finally arrives.
Game won before half time at a canter by Chelsea. Only regret might be that neither Drogba nor Torres could individually take advantage of the situation & find the back of the net. Mata continues to look a great acquisition & Sturridge looks a great long term prospect, if still a bit of work to do.
I think Wolves rather got what they expected....nothing. Their only real hope of avoiding the drop is that the teams around them at the bottom look even worse than they do..
Poor result for United. That Newcastle earned the draw with a very dubious penalty is not the point, neither was that the Newcastle man of the match was their goalkeeper, Krul. This is a poor United side, that lacks a midfield player with some class. Little wonder that, apparently, Wesley Sneijder is being discussed again!!
Newcastle continue to impress with their commitment. I will be one of the first to admit that I did not think the appointment of Alan Pardew was in any way a positive one for them. I was completely wrong. How long before the bubble does finally burst....not sure, but the team certainly do not seem willing to give up just yet!!
The clash between the two promote sides who have settled best, resulted in a home victory. Even after the loss, both sides are sitting very comfortably in mid table. This was just the sort of game that Norwich need to win if they are going to survive. QPR have already shown that they can go away from home & score goals & win.
Both sides try & play football but both often displayed a naivety that more established Premier clubs will punish.
These are dire times for Sunderland & manager Steve Bruce. To lose, at home, to the bottom side who couldn't buy a victory is not what the faithful expect. Christmas is coming & for the managers of disappointing Premier league sides that means more worry about the sack than the presents inside it!!
Takes Wigan off the bottom but they need a few more results like this (& quickly) to start progressing from the bottom..
West Brom got off to the best of possible starts & then allowed Spurs to get a gripe on the game. Far to much class in the Tottenham side once they were allowed to turn it into a football match. On loan Adebayor netted another couple, added by Defoe. Spurs ease into third spot, a game in hand & only 2 points behind second placed United. With the relative forms of the two sides Spurs could easily be in second place by the New Year. Just if they can maintain this sort of form to season end remains to be seen. Harry's teams have a woeful record of maintaining form towards the end of the season..
