1. A Tactical Coup: How Rogers and Emery Outfoxed United
Can results be misleading? One must ask. Aston Villa's winning streak persisted with a win over Manchester United, alongside the lingering concerns. They were the lesser team by several measures – fewer shots (12-15), a smaller share of the ball (43-57), a scarcity of clear opportunities (2-3). Once again, the victory was a slender one. Consistently, expected goals (xG) painted a different picture: reports suggest United edged it 1.31-1.02. Yet the reality is games are not won by xG. They are won by cohesive units, shrewd management and individual talent – and Villa have all three. Villa's emerging star could be considered their only star, but he’s delivering with festive regularity. The Villa manager is wily, experienced, five years ahead of the United boss. If Rogers profited from Leny Yoro’s naivety, this was almost certainly because the coach had detected that Yoro is not a right-back, and directed his attacker to begin on the flank, drive inside and cause him problems. Talent and management, in perfect harmony.
2. Persistent Problems for Amorim's United
When Manchester United beat Brighton 4-2 in late October, their fans felt optimism return. They managed three league games in a row for the maiden instance under Ruben Amorim. They had risen to fourth. And the wins were all good ones – over Brighton (a traditionally tricky opponent), Liverpool (on the road!) and Sunderland (at home, facing a team fresh from the Championship, but still – a comfortable clean sheet). The goalkeeper was reassuring, their forward line sparked and there was a positive mood. But then United slipped into a slump. In a run of eight matches, a mere pair of successes, six games without a win. In the recent fixture they were the better team without ever looking like winning. Yes, Matheus Cunha scored a good goal, but he also blazed over a simple chance. Yes, United were cursed by absentees (to key players), but they gave away cheap scores. Since his arrival in England, the coach continues to struggle with how to secure victories.
3. Below-Par Gunners Get on Their Grind
It was an 8pm kick-off on the holiday period but a glaring absence of finesse in the final third made for a drab affair. For Everton, the issue came as no surprise with creative forces absent, and Jack Grealish unable to spark an entire team single-handedly. In many respects it is astonishing that the Toffees were in fifth place in the table recently given they have played all term without a proven goalscorer. For Arsenal and their manager, while he enjoyed a merited victory and a return to the top of the table, the problem should be just as worrying given their title aspirations in the Premier League. Arteta insisted that winning margins will inevitably be more emphatic with hard work and perseverance. But it is somewhat premature in the season for a team that can start with international stars, while leaving talented players on the bench, to be relying on grinding out wins.
4. Pep's Christmas Weight Watch at City
On Christmas Day the City manager will check the weights to ensure his Manchester City players have not indulged too much. He explained the team wanted to enjoy a break after their latest win but he refused because they didn’t play good enough. So it's recovery, training for the squad players, and following a short break, then 48 hours of preparation for the upcoming match. Guardiola detailed how improvements can be made. “I excel at analyzing what happens in the game, where are the spaces – if the players were in the right areas, we could create more.” Pep also intends to enjoy a rest: “I'm taking a break with the family and champagne. I'll visit Barcelona – I recommend it, the food is superb.”
5. Liverpool's Joy Tempered by Isak Blow
Alexander Isak’s goal at Tottenham felt, for a glorious few seconds, like an arrival. This was the very purpose Liverpool splashed the cash for him to do, to break tight games with his clever positioning and composure, and the calmness with which he converted from an incisive ball boded superbly. So the sight of him departing immediately, due to a ill-judged tackle, was a huge concern for the Dutch coach and frustrating for fans who would like to see an extraordinary talent perform at his best again. Reports suggest Isak has sustained a fractured leg and he could be in for a long time on the sidelines. It would be a huge loss with Liverpool having quietly moved into the Champions League places, putting together a string of positive results featuring Isak’s maiden league strikes in their colours. Their prospects appear inextricably linked to those of their prize asset.
6. Did Chelsea Get Away with One?
Managers often lament controversial calls as a means of shifting the focus from matters they would prefer were not talked about. The 13 points Newcastle have squandered when ahead this season is a prime example. The Newcastle boss certainly did not seem overly keen to mention that unfortunate habit following his side’s inability to hold onto a 2-0 lead against Chelsea in a game they had to settle for a point in. Yet the Magpies' boss was surely right to question a decision made by the referee not to award his team a penalty following a obvious foul on their winger. With the score then 2-1, a penalty could have changed the narrative. Was the decision to offer the opposing player the doubt informed by the player's history for being expert at winning penalties and sometimes exaggerating? The take of a respected pundit was notable. “He anticipates the contact,” came the observation. “He's prepared for the impact and he braces for it. I think he’s ready to go down. But the nature of the contact there … it's more than just defending.”
7. A 99.17% Certainty
Brentford’s first away win this season spelled relief for Keith Andrews. Instead of reveling in the win, Andrews spoke kindly about Wolves, the club he came through at. “I spent nine years here,” he said. Wolves’ situation is truly alarming; data analysts state – possibly kindly – their probability of going down at overwhelmingly high, leaving only pride at stake beyond honour. A senior professional brutally spelled out|bluntly outlined|frankly
