Talking points: Same old Spurs, the good and bad of Darwin Núñez and Newcastle belief
MOMENTUM: Newcastle United's Chris Wood celebrates scoring the opening goal with team mates during the Premier League match at the King Power Stadium.
In this, the early kick off, nothing had changed. Spurs came out looking sluggish, as per usual and Brentford came out playing direct football and were sharper all over the pitch. Stodgy defending gifted Brentford a goal to Vitaly Janelt. This was the ninth successive game where Spurs had conceded the first goal. The Bees were first to every ball and frankly bullied their opponents. They put pressure on via set pieces and were not afraid to play direct balls. After a poor first half in which Harry Kane was a peripheral figure, the idea that Spurs were a side in fourth seemed ludicrous. But then it always does. They are not capable of putting two halves of good football together.
As per usual, they came out for the second half, played the ball faster and were more effective. They might have had a penalty when Kane was wrestled to the ground but the ludicrous VAR isn’t there to give obvious decisions like that, it's there for the millimetre offside calls that drive everyone insane. But when Eric Dier shanked a ball out for a corner, the Spurs defended the corner terribly and Toney had his 11th league strike of the season.
Now was the time for Tottenham to wake up. Kane scored a lovely header to drag them back into the game, the way a bouncer drags a drunk out of a club. As per usual, they suddenly remembered how to play football. Spurs have picked up 13 points from losing positions this season and when Hojbjerg was inexplicably left unmarked in the box to equalise, it was no surprise. Brentford’s last victory over Spurs was on 20 March 1948 but have never lost a Premier League game when they score first. So even though Kane hit the bar with a header, and a minute later, Toney could’ve scored from six yards out, a draw seemed a likely outcome.
Brentford have mid-table safety written all over them. Spurs remain mysteriously and uniquely schizophrenic. After the game, when asked why this was, Conte simply didn't know.
For some reason Hugo Lloris was on the bench, but if he was fit enough to be on the bench, he was fit enough to play. If it was some sort of psychological issue having lost the World Cup, then he shouldn't have even been there at all. Maybe his eyesight is impaired because he’s still weeping French tears, but you’d have thought Antonio Conte would’ve told him to get his backside in gear and have shouted in his face so loud it would’ve blown any self-pity out of the Frenchman. It wasn’t an insignificant team selection. By playing Fraser Forster in what was likely to be one of his few appearances this season, he put pressure on the big 6’ 6” goalie. He’s not as good as Lloris by some measure. His distribution isn’t creative, he isn’t the most nimble at the best of times and when Ivan Toney ran around him to score an offside goal, he went down in instalments, falling to the ground like a felled mighty oak. It was a strange decision by Conte that did neither manager nor players any favours.
It’s not often that a club goes down to nine men with a third of the game to go but that was Crystal Palace’s situation. As a result, it wasn't surprising that Fulham ran out 3 - 0 winners but they had been the better side all afternoon, regardless. Mitrovic scored his tenth goal of the season and made life difficult for the Palace defence all afternoon. He’s such an impressive striker, very much out of the old school, appears to be forged from pig iron and will simply bully anyone who tries to compete with him. This was a poor afternoon for Patrick Vieira’s side who didn’t manage a single shot on target, while Fulham had 10.
Before the World Cup break, Everton were well beaten at Bournemouth and their fans were revolting, but taking an early lead against Wolves should’ve settled the nerves. However, this was one of those ‘they’ve scored too early’ goals and they didn’t look likely to hold onto the lead. Wolves had acquired just three points out of the last 33 but have a new, significant manager in Julen Lopetegui. Both clubs have something in common; an inability to score. Between them they have netted less than Leeds United. Everton’s Anthony Gordon, since being touted for a big money move to Chelsea in the summer (though how seriously remains in doubt) looks especially out of form, when last year he was their one guiding light. Both sides lack quality in the creativity department and that meant so many moves for both teams broke down in the final third. Everton created enough chances to win it but they do not have players who are confident enough in front of goal to get the job done. When Wolves nicked all three points in the dying embers of the game, with the Toffees defence all over the place, it was probably unfair, but who said football was fair? Frank Lampard looked almost physically sick at the final whistle. He knows he won’t get many more chances to lead this team up the table.
Newcastle demolished Leicester in the first half. In one part this was down to clinical finishing - they scored three from four shots on target - in another part down to Leicester’s inability to defend and in the third part, the fact that they played a very open game. This invited the Magpies’ to play through them when the Foxes lost possession, which they did with ease. Only two teams have conceded more goals this season than Leicester. Joelinton’s third, a header from seven yards out was illustrative of their awful defending, as the Brazilian simply out-jumped the defence to score easily from a corner. Worse yet, he didn’t even have to jump very high as his marker appeared glued to the grass. Why the Foxes can’t defend set pieces must be someone’s fault, but exactly who is hard to pinpoint. Brendan Rodgers doesn’t have any previous convictions for this as a coach. Is it possible that as a team, Leicester are just too stupid to be able to learn and remember how to do it? Whatever the reason, it will be the manager who pays the ultimate price for this persistent failure.
Their win at the King Power, amazingly put them into second in the league, at least until Manchester City plays. They’re a peculiar side. Not even a fan could say they’re a team of exceptional talents, but right now, they are massively confident, take their chances and play as a collective very effectively. When a game is open, it really plays to their strengths, especially in transition where they have pace and direct runners. The club is also undoubtedly benefitting from being underestimated by their opponents after years of mediocrity. How they fare against a side who keeps it tight and doesn’t allow them to play football will be very interesting indeed. Their win went against Newcastle’s long-term trend of 15 defeats in 23 Premier League Boxing Day games. Can they keep this up until May?
In midweek, Southampton beat third tier Lincoln City 2 - 1 in the League Cup, which looks to be their level right now. They are certainly struggling to be a top flight team. Nathan Jones replaced Ralph Hassenhutl last month. He remains very unproven at this level so it was an ambitious, imaginative choice to employ the former Luton boss. However, he takes charge of a team that makes too many poor choices. They get into good positions but then make an extra pass, shoot too early or too late, and when they do shoot, they’re not accurate, with 10 off target and only three on in this game. There’s lots of work for Jones to do to keep them in the division.
He should’ve scored in the first two minutes from a perfect Andy Robertson cross but inexplicably let the ball run. He was repeatedly caught offside, missed an unchallenged header and was clumsy in the box when subtlety was needed. He was a constant threat running in behind from left and right, got one-on-one with the keeper as the ball dropped out of the sky, but hit him with a first-time volley and he should’ve scored at least twice from other great positions. It’s all exciting stuff but he’s a frustrating striker who, despite being a proper physical specimen who can cause havoc in defences, keeps making poor choices at crucial moments.
He doesn’t anticipate or gamble enough. He had at least three one-on-one’s with the keeper and missed each one. Things happen when he’s on the pitch, sometimes good, sometimes bad. His hard running made the third Liverpool goal for the very young-looking teenager Stefan Bajcetic (almost as young-looking as Pool’s Ben Doaks) and it is only his third season in top flight football. But right now, you simply don’t trust him to score when in front of goal with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Their opening goal was a thing of pure artistry with a deliciously outrageous pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold and a first timer from Andy Robertson for Mo Salah to score, a pass which made the hard-eyed Glaswegian the best assist maker in the history of the Premier League with 58. Both had a tremendous game with TAA imperiously spraying the ball around and Robbo a constant threat down the left, looking meaner than a junkyard dog. They are an absolute phenomenon as a pairing and one with no equal in world football.
Ollie Watkins could and should have scored twice in the first 16 minutes and Leon Bailey had a great chance too. Despite there being a lot of menace to Liverpool’s attack, despite the Reds at times playing some of their best, thrillingly liquid football, Villa looked to have the quality to stay with them if, and it's a big if, they could be better in front of goal. Unai Emery needs his strikers to be clinical if they are to do any serious damage in the league. Watkins got on the score sheet in the second half, Villa looked threatening but never quite threatening enough. Unai Emery’s task is to get more goals into the team and tighten up a defence which never looks secure enough against pace.
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