1. Scoring brilliant goals is easy
(At least, Oscar certainly makes it look that way.)
There are times in football when fans berate their side’s players for failing to score simple tap-ins by forcefully suggesting that they could do better themselves. We seem constantly to be screaming: “MY NAN COULD HAVE SCORED THAT” at our television screens as some feckless millionaire with a stupid haircut (usually Fernando Torres) blazes another sitter over the bar.
If such a thing exists, then Oscar’s goal against QPR on Saturday was the absolute opposite of that cliché. In what was a fairly sub-standard and ugly Chelsea performance, a flash of smart link-up play between Cesc Fabregas (who else?) and Diego Costa was met with one of the most perfect strikes seen this season by the diminutive Brazilian.
It’s goals like this that remind football fans why we pay to watch this stuff. There is literally no way, in a hundred years of trying, that a single person in the stands at Stamford Bridge on Saturday could have done what Oscar managed to do so effortlessly and nonchalantly. Rob Green said in his post-match interview that the only thing he could do was “applaud [the goal] as it went in.” He wasn’t the only one.
2. Referees still hate Swansea
It’s difficult not to feel some empathy for Gary Monk’s exasperation at the seeming conspiracy held by officials against Swansea City this season.
All managers like to let off a bit of steam about frustrating decisions going against them, but Gary Monk has had particular cause to complain in recent weeks. His bad fortune culminated in an almost comical (for anyone other than Swansea fans) lack of awareness on referee Kevin Friend’s part in Saturday’s goalless draw against Everton.
Following a low Jonjo Shelvey shot in the first half, Everton’s Antolin Alcaraz dived dramatically to his left to block the oncoming ball… with his left arm. The ball, having lost momentum thanks to Alcaraz’s heroics, ricocheted into the grateful clutch of Tim Howard. Monk‘s blood pressure was clearly up following the decision, and if refereeing displays like this keep holding Swansea back, it will show no signs of easing. Let’s hope the Swans have a decent doctor.
3. Alan Pardew resurrects Newcastle
We all know how fickle football fans can be, but Newcastle’s three-game winning steak under the inspired leadership of Alan Pardew has left a large portion of the Toon Army with egg on their Geordie faces.
Those were calling for his resignation a few weeks ago now have three choices: 1) Graciously apologise for getting carried away in the moment; 2) Back track and try to make out that you were only trying to shake things up; 3) Insist he’s still not the right man for job.
Of course, if you were convinced he was the wrong man at the start of the season, the temptation of nine points isn’t going to be enough to change your mind (even if one of those wins was against Manchester City). Pardew might be “back from the dead” as one Halloween-inspired banner read, but he’s not out of the woods just yet.
4. Michael Oliver doesn’t like giving penalties
Gary Monk wasn’t the only manager this week with a reason to begrudge the officials. Judging by Michael Oliver’s refereeing performance in the Manchester derby on Sunday, it looked like nothing short of a war crime would have been enough to make him award a spot kick.
Oliver failed to notice not one but three stonewall Manchester City penalties, although Manuel Pellegrini was somewhat more charitable than most would have been in his assessment of the situation, suggesting only that “one-and-a-half” penalties should have been awarded for his side.
The game itself was an exciting clash which City probably deserved to win on the balance of things. Chris Smalling’s comical sending off was further proof of why United’s – and England’s – defence is in trouble. His constant harrying of Joe Hart over a meaningless goal kick was nothing short of foolish and pointless, and the challenge that finally caused Oliver to pull the trigger could have been a straight red in itself.
5. Buffoon of the Week: Liverpool’s Alberto Moreno
Another week, another disappointing Liverpool performance. After huffing and puffing for 75 minutes against a lazy Liverpool side, the Reds’ defender Alberto Moreno crucially failed to make a routine clearance when the ball fell to him following a goalmouth scramble, allowing Perez Gutierrez to leap in and slot home from close range.
Moreno was also at fault for what should have been a second goal for the Magpies. Remy Cabella pounced after the defender again gave the ball away carelessly high up the field. Only Cabella’s poor shot saved Liverpool and the hapless Spaniard from further embarrassment.
It would be unfair to lay the blame for Liverpool’s poor performance squarely at Moreno’s door, but he is representative of the far greater problems at Liverpool. At times, Moreno looked confused and lost on Saturday. Sadly, he isn’t the only man in red to have looked that way this season.
Connor Pierce & Alex Andrews
Filed under: Sport
