6) Elneny gives Coquelin an ally in midfield
To the statisticians the most notable element of Francis Coquelin’s performance at Goodison Park on Saturday was the fact he equalled a Premier League record by making 12 interceptions. In the context of a team, however, the most pertinent part was that he had a like-minded ally. Instead of being handed all the defensive duties in midfield, Coquelin had an energetic sidekick in the shape of the exuberant Mohamed Elneny. Together they made Arsenal look more solid and more streetwise. Everton possessed a physically powerful central midfield duo of their own in James McCarthy and Muhamed Besic but Arsenal dominated to such an extent that the Bosnian was removed and the shape changed at half-time. There could be a significance to their embryonic partnership. Coquelin and Elneny had started only one previous league game together, when Arsenal were leading 1-0 at White Hart Lane, until the Frenchman was sent off in what proved to be a 2-2 draw. If they can prove as effective again, it will reduce Arsenal’s reliance on both Coquelin and the injured Santi Cazorla. Since the start of last season Arsenal’s fortunes have depended on having the Frenchman and the Spaniard together. When they were paired, they took 64 points from 30 league games, an average of 2.13. Various other combinations of Coquelin, Cazorla, Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere yielded 62 from 36, an average of 1.72. One is title-winning form, the other the sort of record that tends to result in a team dropping out of the top four.
7) West Ham look to tie down linchpin Lanzini
Dimitri Payet was at it again for West Ham United on Saturday, creating Andy Carroll’s goal with a lovely pass, deceiving the Chelsea defenders by looking one way and sending the ball in the opposite direction, an assist that came straight out of the Ronaldinho playbook. Yet his excellence should not obscure Manuel Lanzini’s contribution. For all the praise that has rightly been lavished on Payet, who steals headlines with isolated but defining moments of brilliance, Lanzini is the player who gives West Ham balance in midfield, linking the play with his shuffling running style, technical ability and ease on the ball. The scorer of a sumptuous opening goal at Stamford Bridge, a curling shot from 25 yards that gave Thibaut Courtois no chance, the little Argentinian has been one of the finds of the season and it is no surprise that West Ham intend to sign the on-loan midfielder on a permanent basis from Al Jazira. “I would be lying if I said that I was thinking when we got him that he would play like this, so consistent on a high level,” Slaven Bilic said. “On the other hand, he has got that potential. He was my target when I was at Besiktas. He was playing for River and, when a club like River Plate gives you the number eight when you are the age of 18, they give you that for a reason, that you can also take the responsibility and cope with the pressure. So he had it all the time. That’s why we got him, but he clicked straight away, which was also a surprise for me because he is a young lad, 22.”
8) It is hard to say how but Swansea are safe
Swansea, by hook or by crook, have all but secured their Premier League status for another season. Quite how is something of a mystery, given they have been so uncharacteristically poor for so much of this troubled campaign. They looked doomed after losing at home to Sunderland in January but 17 points from the next 10 games has lifted them well clear of the drop zone. Yet much better results have not been a product of much better performances. Ashley Williams offered a brutally honest assessment of their season after Saturday’s 1-0 home win over Aston Villa, when Swansea were woeful. Williams, the Swansea captain, said that desperately poor display against the Premier League’s bottom club summed up their campaign, which he described as a “grind” and “not enjoyable”. Swansea, without question, need to make major changes in the summer to get back on track. Francesco Guidolin will surely depart and a new manager come in, but the first-team squad also needs a complete overhaul. A proven goalscorer should be a priority, with Bafetimbi Gomis certain to leave and Alberto Paloschi the only other frontline striker among their ranks, and just about every other department needs strengthening – in particular the attacking wide positions and at full-back. There was a feeling at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday night that Swansea have got away with it to an extent this season (it should be said that Alan Curtis deserves a huge pat on the back for his part in their survival), but some serious investment needs to go into the playing squad this summer or it will be another tough campaign for the Welsh club.
9) Norwich are united in battle against the drop
At 34 Alex Neil is young enough not to know everything, and old enough to understand as much. So the Norwich City manager showed the good grace and common sense to invite his players to have their say when they went away on a bonding trip recently and was gratified to hear his squad’s views were not so different from his own. The technical input has triggered slight tactical tweaks in how they defend – basically asking the far-sided full-back to tuck in alongside the centre-halves - but more important was the ownership that he shared with the players. “We had a discussion about our best style of play, how we go about things, certain games we need to adapt for,” he said after a victory at West Bromwich Albion built on a second clean sheet markedly increased their chances of staying up. “It’s to make them feel invested in it too. Success is going to be much more likely if you’ve got everybody buying into what you’re trying to do. That’s the important thing. We’ve got a group buying into what we do and we’re confident. I’ve got a clear vision about how I want us to play. If I’m being honest they didn’t disagree with anything so it made the meeting really easy. It’s just about trying to get the players involved in it, making sure they have a clear idea of what we’re doing.” There is a humility about Norwich, who responded to their last relegation with an immediate return to the Premier League, that serves them well as they enter the final run-in, even if their depth of quality is questionable. “That’s the one benefit we’ve got over other teams about us,” the Premier League’s youngest manager said. “Our players have never turned against each other. The squad has always been solid with one goal. We’ll take strength from that.”
10) Watford need to evolve as upward mobility stalls
Putting Leicester to one side for a moment, Watford spent the first half of the season rivalling Crystal Palace as standard bearers for the lower order’s upwards mobility but their home defeat by Stoke brought up a statistic not a million miles from the miserable slump endured by Alan Pardew’s side. This was their third league defeat in a row, and they have won only twice in their last 13. There is little danger of being sucked into the relegation battle and there is, for the next few weeks, the pleasant distraction of an FA Cup semi-final clash of the movable objects against – yes – Palace. But you get the impression that Watford, all but seven of whose goals have come from the strikers Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney, will need to evolve if they are to cement themselves as a top-flight mainstay. Ighalo has not scored in the league since 23 January and Deeney’s consolation on Saturday was only his third in that time. It is due to a mixture of wayward finishing – particularly in Ighalo’s case – and restricted supply lines but perhaps the pair are entitled to expect more movement around them. Watford’s midfield has looked rather flat and pragmatic of late, although José Jurado – who returned against Stoke – does add some threat between the lines. The prospect of a famous achievement at Wembley lies within reach but Quique Sánchez Flores could do worse than look at the variety instilled by Mark Hughes at Stoke when he and the Pozzo family work on their summer recruitment.
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário