I managed to watch four Premiership matches this weekend, each of them entertaining in different ways, all of them showing me that the Premiership is essentially the same as last year…
Spurs 2 BlueNoses 1…Tottenhma should have won this by half-time and how McCleish can claim his side deserved something is beyond me. They did have a decent final fifteen minutes and could have scored a winner I suppose before Lennon’s winner for Spurs in the 94th minute, but it would have been a terrible injustice if they had. Tottenham looked very good at times and maintain their 100% record but with Modric out for several weeks I expect them to slip a little and still do not see them finishing a top four team as some would have you believe – the B.B.C. for one…
Man U 2 Arsenal 1… Now this was an unjust result with the Gooners dominating the first forty-five which should have seen them a couple of goals clear. They had a clear penalty denied them when Fletcher committed his umpeenth foul to upend Arshavin but moments later the little Russian sent a thunderbolt into the top corner via the weak hand of a static Foster in the Man U goal. With Fletcher and Carrick fouling at will and not gettting carded Man U came back into the game in the second half but were still fortunate when Rooney initaiated contact with Alumnia to gain a penalty as the ball hurtled unretrievably into the Stretford End. The maturing Boy Wayne put his head down, concentrated hard, and dutifully put the ball in the back of the n. Soon after there followed an inexplicable moment of madness from the otherwise superb Diaby when he headed calmly past his own ‘keeper and Man U ran our winners as Wenger was run out of the ground fololowing a riduclous red card from an extremely over-officious fourth ref. The Arsenal manager has been moaning ever since and for once I agree with him…Man U drew first blood in the first Big Four battle of the season but I fully expect Arsenal to bounce back strongly and challenge all the way…
Everton 2 Wigan 1…I was surprised with Everton’s overall poor display and yet they deserved to win. Wigan boss, Martinez, claims his team deserved something but not really and it seems that it’s only a matter of time before every manager’s job description will include instructions to claim that every defeat was unfair. Why can’t it be that you were beaten by a better side as is far more often than not the actual reason you lost? 2-1 was fair, Everton are not what they were, Wigan aren’t either – they are worse…
Villa 2 Fulham 0…Villa aren’t that good either at this point. A fairly dull affair saw them coast to victory over a tired and uninspired Fulham side. Villa’s five man midfield never let the Cottagers settle and whilst Ashley Young continues to irritate with his complaints and soft falls to the ground, he caused the Fulham defense numerous problems. Agbonlahor scored a fine goal but remains very raw and naive, the back four were solid for the first time this year, and although the game was not a sellout, the fans seemed to be behind the team all the way – amazing what an own goal in the third minute can do eh?
