Brighton provide perfect response, Everton are embarrassed, Liverpool have concerns beyond defence and Rafael Benítez sees progress from afarEddie Howe has worked wonders in overseeing Bournemouth’s exhilarating rise but his present task looks rather less attractive. They have yet to win a point and, while a defeat at the Emirates Stadium is not cause for concern on its own, the warning signs are stacking up. On Saturday they lacked initiative, invention, power and presence; it was a non-event of a display and it clearly bothered Howe, whose team have looked flat in all bar the late reverse against Manchester City. “I’m worried by the performance,” he said. “The four performances we’ve had, I’d accept one of them. I won’t accept...
Every team he has managed have a strong identity and mirror his philosophy and, as a player and budding coach, I admire thatMatch day four of our debut Premier League season at Brighton and on Saturday we’re up against what is widely known in football as a “Tony Pulis team”. For some that reference to West Bromwich Albion and their manager is not a positive one. For me, however, it’s about as great an accolade as it gets for a football coach.Why? Last week I discussed teams changing system and identity from game to game and the lack of consistency in terms of performance you risk from that. It’s something you can never level at a “Tony Pulis team”. Related:...
West Brom, even without Jonny Evans, give a masterclass in defending again; Newcastle underpowered in attack; Sadio Mané shows his importance to LiverpoolNathaniel Chalobah had an eventful match for Watford on Saturday. By dummying the ball at the suggestion of Bournemouth’s Harry Arter he inadvertently reminded the world of the subclause to Law 12 which states a player should be cautioned if he “verbally distracts an opponent during play”. The England Under-21s midfielder missed two good chances to score; a header and a one-on-one. He gave the ball away several times. But in only his second Premier League start Chalobah also led the match in both tackles and dribbles. It was his breakaway sprint that proved to be the catalyst...
Liverpool’s defensive frailties, Wayne Rooney’s nous in both boxes, an unwanted headache for Paul Clement and Manchester United’s unsung heroesSo, why was it that Chelsea decided they could afford to let Nemanja Matic join Manchester United and willingly pass over one of the more brilliantly effective midfield players of the modern game to a major rival? When that question was posed to José Mourinho after Manchester United’s biggest league win since he took over as manager he made it sound as if he was slightly bewildered, too. “It depends on what is happening, or what was happening, behind doors and we don’t know,” he said. “The only thing I know is that, with Chelsea’s money, I brought him to Stamford...
All eyes will be on Poland for a fortnight from 16 June when many of the continent’s most talented young players will contest the 12-team competitionDeemed not good enough for West Bromwich Albion by Tony Pulis less than two years ago, Gnabry’s move to Bayern Munich last week after he activated a clause in his contract with Werder Bremen showed that Arsenal may have been hasty in their decision to let him to leave. The 21-year-old scored 11 times in the Bundesliga last season and will be a major threat in attack for a German side missing the injured defender Jonathan Tah. Borussia Dortmund’s new signing Mo Dahoud will provide thrust from midfield, while the Mainz winger Levin Öztunali is...