Arsène Wenger overcomes resistance to change, Aitor Karanka wants fighters more than Stewart Downing, and José Mourinho has more pressing concerns than getting revenge at ChelseaOne of the many criticisms routinely directed at Arsène Wenger concerns his tactical conservatism and it is fair to say that he has seldom deviated from his preferred and predictable 4-2-3-1 in recent years. But on the back of a crucial drop in form Wenger has actually started the last two games with a new plan, playing 4-3-3 against Bayern Munich and Lincoln to address the malfunctioning midfield by adding an extra man. He thinks some of his midfielders, namely Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, benefit from being in a three and perhaps it is...
Millwall and Lincoln are in the mood for further upsets, José Mourinho has a tactical teaser at Chelsea and Rangers at risk of Old Firm derby embarrassmentThe FA Cup quarter-final at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday is a fitting way for Neil Harris to celebrate two years in charge of the club he loves. Regardless of the result, the club have been upwardly mobile under Harris, the club’s all-time record goalscorer. Harris initially took caretaker charge on 10 March 2015 before assuming the full-time position a month later. Their start to this season was tricky – at the end of September they had 12 points from 10 games – but now Harris’s side are only six points off the automatic promotion...
West Ham were outnumbered, ground down and eclipsed by a dynamic team that is leaving the rest of the Premier League far behindThis was the kind of result to drain any lingering optimism from the chasing pack. A victory to drum in the reality that, for all Antonio Conte’s protestations to the contrary, Chelsea’s pursuit of the title has taken on the feel of a procession. They weathered some turbulence at times here, their backline heaving to stay intact, but were pierced so deep into stoppage time that the concession hardly even registered with a dwindling home support. The lead over second place gapes at 10 points again. There is no stopping this side and no hope at all for...
Moving to a new stadium can play havoc with a team’s form as West Ham and Tottenham have found out to their cost this seasonWhat’s in a football stadium? Essentially the stands and the pitch. You could add the fans, of course, and inedible burgers, but they are transportable. However, there seems to be some mysterious process by which the fans interact with the stadium to create what is widely known as the “atmosphere”.Hence, although the West Ham fans attending the London Stadium in Stratford are largely the same as the those who attended the Boleyn Ground last season (except there’s more of them now), the atmosphere by general consent has not been conducive to winning. Or not losing. Related:...
Four years after he last played for his country, the West Ham forward’s swashbuckling presence makes him an irresistible choice for Gareth SouthgateThere was a genuine tremor of excitement this week at the news Gareth Southgate is planning to go to the London Stadium on Saturday to take a first-hand look at the irresistible, intoxicating Andy Carroll. England have a double-header against Germany and Slovakia coming up in March. Carroll last played for England four years ago. He is – cautiously, baby‑steps – in a rich goalscoring seam. And for all the injuries, the lost years, the sense of talent unexpressed, he remains a strangely compelling and persuasive presence.On Thursday Slaven Bilic slipped his own neutral gear briefly, lowering his...