Premier League Report: Demolition Derby
Three local derbys were always likely to be the key talking points of this weekend’s football, and with an explosive fixture on Merseyside and a well made case of tide-turning in North London, we never expected to Go West when reviewing the trio of turf-wars. Nevertheless, it was indeed Fulham’s tie with QPR that provides an unlikely point of focus when casting an eye back at the latest installment of Premier League pandemonium.
Fulham, who have started slowly under new boss Martin Jol so far this season gave their fans an eyeful of what might be to come as they lashed six past Rangers keeper Paddy Kenny, without reply. Most notably, Andy Johnson netted a hat-trick for the Cottagers, in what was an unforgiving display of attacking football, and the former Crystal Palace frontman will be pleased to be scoring goals after what was a long layout last season. Returning to West London, after a midweek Europa League tie in Denmark, the emphatic win is an even more surprising result. Incidentally, Johnson claimed a brace in that fixture, and Fulham secured a win. A good week for Jol & Co then. For Neil Warnock however, this result is just another example of a lack of consistency from his squad who look top-half material one week, and distinctly below-par the next. It’s premature to suggest, but a 6-0 drubbing by the likes of Fulham will not be something Warnock refers to as he rests on his knees, begging the money bag bosses at Loftus Road to keep his job in a few months time. He refuses to blame his team however, and instead points towards key injuries and a bad build up as reason for the heavy defeat. A bad build up? Two days to recover from a Thursday night fixture in Copenhagen is closer to what you’d describe as a bad build up, Neil.
Aside from this, Arsenal were indeed turned over by North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur today, and it was the first time the bookies had this as the most likely outcome in Premier League history, they weren’t half right either. No dramatics from Adebayor, mind. Instead, it was a professional Spurs display that simply outplayed their rivals in a close fixture, with Kyle Walker nicking the winner late on. Surely, it’s not just the defeat that is the spectacle of this particular match that Wenger must be questioning, it is instead how weak his side looked on paper, comparatively, how that transpired on the pitch, and ultimately how little most of the Arsenal faithful appeared surprised. This should be outrageous shouldn’t it? Shocking? For Tottenham fans however, it’s bloody brilliant.
The other derby of the weekend was between Liverpool and Everton. The game provided three points for Liverpool as they ran out winners with a goal each for Suarez and Carroll, the latter showing signs of improvement at Anfield. Unfortunately the game was probably determined by hapless Dr. Dismissal, Martin Atkinson, who made himself the talking point of this game, and as referee, this is a sign of a bad decision or two. Indeed it was and young Everton starlet Jack Rodwell was the victim, seeing red for a perfectly innocent and completely ball-loving tackle on Luis Suárez, the Uruguayan demonstrating Oscar-winning dramatics in the process. It was nonetheless a well-played game by the Toffees for large amounts of the game, even with 10 men, but Liverpool’s superiority, both numerically and in quality, eventually shone through.
Elsewhere this weekend, Bolton were given a 5-1 drubbing by Reebok revelers Chelsea, with stand-in keeper Ádám Bogdán suffering an absolute nightmare between the sticks. Swansea secured a well-earned win against Stoke City at the Liberty Stadium, a European hangover on full display from the Potters, whilst Saturday’s fixtures gave wins to Aston Villa and Newcastle who both continue unexpected but strong starts to the season. Both sides of Manchester recorded victories, City doing well to forget their Tévez troubles, and Sunderland fought back to record a draw against West Brom, in an equally difficult week for the club after Titus Bramble’s arrest and subsequent suspension by the Black Cats.
Ben Whisson
Cross the Line 