A win for the whites saw us jump up an impressive eight places on Saturday evening. A nice cross from both left and right backs helped Dempsey bag a brace and stop a poor run of form we’ve found ourselves in. With Bairdy getting a deserved run in the first team and Salcido looking more and more dangerous on the left, we were fully in control of the game. And with the return of Murphy and Davies in midfield, if it were not for some sloppy finishing, it could have been won by a much wider margin. Most surprisingly, this was Wigan’s first defeat on the road this season.
Now I don’t want to take credit for picking up the three points (I do) but my blog on Thursday may have reminded my friend Jon into carrying out all of his lucky superstitions. I’m not saying it’s all down to me that we won, but, y’know…
Man City succumbed to a shock defeat against Wolves, who clocked up their first win since the beginning of the season. Though the big winner was the spectators who got to see Adebayor and Kompany have a little spat over not a lot.
After throwing everything at Robert Greens goal for 88 minutes, Arsenal managed to beat West Ham 1-0 through a Song goal. This result continued the run for the 35th match in a row that a team managed by Avram Grant has been in the relegation places.
Chelsea came from behind to beat Blackburn at their gaff. Ivanovic heading home the winner. Big Sam was philosophical and it’s the sign of a big man who knows when to accept you’ve been beaten by a better team:
“Of course, the golden chance came for us to go to 2-1 and we missed that and then within a space of a few minutes they get the winner. That’s the cruelty of the Premier League, and that’s why they are on top and why we are struggling at the bottom”
After a shaky start Everton are now unbeaten in five league games, Yakubu’s strike was enough to see off the Potters at Goodison.
A bit of sweet creamy justice was dished out in the evening game on Saturday. Spuds, the team which keep on giving, gave us yet another excuse to laugh in their direction with candidate for ‘Comedy Goal of The Season’.
Our ‘Arry said:
“I’ve always thought Mark Clattenburg was a good referee – and he is a good referee – but he made a mess of the situation.”
“When I got up Alex said, ‘I don’t know what happened, do you know?’, and I said, ‘Yeah, it was a handball’. He hadn’t seen it.”
“There was no whistle but everyone saw him handle it. It’s a free-kick but he hasn’t given anything,
He also said,
“I don’t go around blaming referees. If we get beaten I blame myself and the players, I don’t blame refs”
Control + C, Control + V. And wait…
Wasn’t Sunday a day of contrasts? As I believe is journalistic code there must be at least one Halloween reference in all pieces written this weekend, so: The second City derby turned out to be a horror show of tedium. I’ve watched many boring things (I used to watch our away games on teletext) but the scoreless draw in the midlands will take some beating. A decent defencive performence from the blues and Emile Heskey’s inability to score saw this match finish level.
Villa visit the Cottage next Saturday with Houllier not a massive fan of Ireland at present.
“Ireland needs to work harder. He played against Chelsea and did well, he played against Sunderland and was not good enough to me – simple as that. If you say ‘he is a good player but he doesn’t defend, he doesn’t run back, he loses too many balls in crucial areas’, then that is difficult.
Still, when young Stephen decorates his house like this you think his form of the football pitch must be the least of his worries…
And with the midlands side having gone 344 minutes since hitting the back of the net they wont have the firepower of Agbonlahor for their trip south:
“I don’t think he will be in the plans for Fulham. After Fulham, who knows?”
While up in the North East it was hells a poppin’ at ‘the other’ St James’ Park. Nine yellow cards, a red one and six goals in the Tyne-Wear derby. Bramble off on his return to Newcastle, Nolan got to do his weird chicken goal celebration three times (the first time a hat trick has been scored in this fixture since Beardo did it 25 years ago) and a twitter apology to their fans from Darren Bent helped banish paper talk of Chris Hughton being sacked. Well, for a week or so I’d imagine.
While opposite number Bruce, a born and bred Geordie, sounded well and truly down in the dumps post match:
“But I’m not going to try and make excuses; we were well and truly beaten. But we have to take it on the chin and take our medicine.”
“It will be the most difficult 24, 48 hours to take, but we have to recover as a group and come out fighting against Stoke next weekend.
While at the Reebok, if you saw the reaction of the fans after the goal was scored you may have wrongly assumed Liverpool had just won the Champions League. Nope, they’d just scored a last gasp winner against Bolton. Although Bolton gaffer Owen Coyle is yet another person upset at the officials:
“I am loathe to sit here and moan about decisions…They say they are supposed to even themselves out. If that is the case we are probably due about 20 decisions between now and Christmas.”
One person I always wonder how they spend their days in the BBC Sport office on days Spurs aren’t playing is Garth Crooks. Obviously so busy he had to assemble his Premier League team of the weekend last night, before 10% of the leagues teams have played. Now, while you can tell it’s a European football week when Blackpool V Baggies is Monday Night Football on Sky, it may be fair to at lease give them a chance to achieve the ultimate level of praise from the former Spud.
There was a strong Fulham feel to his team of the week though, with Bairdy, Salcido and Dempsey in the team, with former white Zat ‘Bambi on Ice’ Knight also getting the call. Well done boys!
And as mentioned above, tonight its Blackpool V Baggies. One person not looking forward to it is Di Mateo. He’s not too keen of having to come in on his day off:
“Monday is my day off usually. It’s my day off to take my wife for lunch and then in the evening watch some television.
While Tangerines boss and fella everybody (except me) seems to love, Ian Holloway, appears to be only a heart beat away from asking the Italian out to the cinema and a bite to eat at Frankie & Bennys after the game:
“I think he (Di Matteo) and (assistant) Eddie (Newton) are fantastic. They look like you want to play for them yourself,
“He’s (Di Matteo) a great fellow. I didn’t really know him until the game up here last year and probably spent nearly 20 minutes talking to him, absolutely top man.
He went on:
“He’s got a very calm way about him and I think he’s going to do very well.
“He’s enjoyed his football career and….I’m delighted for him.
And finally, a big get well soon to the broadcasting legend Danny Baker who has recently announced that he has been diagnosed with cancer. Here’s a speedy recovery and your return to the radio, which is already less for the Candyman’s absence.
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