Swansea 2-1 Arsenal
Analysis with Stats Zone
It's a pretty good time to plug this again.
This game took its time to get going, but three goals (one of which an outstanding direct free-kick), a come-from-behind victory and yet more defensive woes for Arsenal made this slow burner from the Liberty Stadium worth watching.
Eventually. The first half really was pitiful in South Wales as both sides played out pointless tiki-taka; Swansea guiltier than their visitors of keeping the ball in their own half and doing little with it. There were signs the game would improve as we reached half-time, but it was Arsenal who looked likelier to make something happen.
And after a turgid hour's football they did when a perfectly executed counter-attack ended with Alexis Sanchez netting his seventh goal in six games. But it wouldn't last, and we should have known better that the Gunners could hold onto the lead after their Champions League collapse against Anderlecht in midweek.
When Gylfi Sigurdsson lashed home an unstoppable beauty on 75 minutes, it was game on. Within three it was game over thanks to substitute Bafetimbi Gomis, who rose highest to meet a Jefferson Montero cross and secure Garry Monk's men all three points; Arsenal's chance to leapfrog West Ham into fourth blown.
Instead it was the Swans who soared above Arsenal in the table, though it hadn't looked like they'd be capable of doing so in a first half where they were guilty of lacking initiative. Their mind-numbing possession had only carved out one useful chance for Marvin Emnes – although it's not like their opponents had been much better. Welbeck and Sanchez both went close before the break.
And then Arsenal finally woke up. It took them an hour, but their opening goal in Wales was the result of an incisive breakway gleefully finished off by Sanchez. It started with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain bursting forward into the Swansea half and laying off to Santi Cazorla, who threaded Welbeck out wide. But rather than go alone, the England man unselfishly cut back for the Gunners' main man to convert.
Then Swansea decided to have a go – they had to, after all. Recent history has proven that Arsenal's makeshift back four are there to be got at, and once again Wenger's men crumbled under the pressure.
There wasn't a huge amount they could do about the equaliser, bar not giving away the free-kick that former Tottenham man Sigurdsson thumped into the top corner from 25 yards, but the winner highlighted exactly why Laurent Koscielny's return can't come sooner.
When Jefferson Montero, a brilliant performer for the Swans throughout, floated in a cross towards former Lyon man Gomis, the inevitability of a goal was high.
Nacho Monreal playing at centre-back is always cause to press the panic button, and the Spaniard had zero chance of denying his French opponent in the air when the time came.
Even in a drab first half, Ecuadorian winger Montero was one Swan who looked capable of cutting open the Gunners. He had the beating of poor Calum Chambers – largely unguarded to grave consequences, and booked for the sixth time in eight league games – on almost each occasion he tried, and it was another run past the England hopeful that teed up Gomis' winner.
Wenger's wish to head into the season with six defenders has backfired. Same old Arsenal? You bet.
"Small details win games," noted Jamie Carragher in the post-match drawl. "And they almost always end up costing Arsenal."
Facts
- Arsenal have won 4 Premier League matches this season, and those have come against teams currently in the bottom 7 of the table.
- Arsenal's 2 lowest points totals after 11 games under Wenger have come in the past 3 seasons (16 in 2012/13, 17 this season).
- Arsenal have conceded 6 headed goals in the Premier League this season; only bottom side Burnley (8) have let in more.
- Arsenal have lost more points from a winning position than any other Premier League team this season.
- Swansea had not gained a single point from a losing position in the Premier League this season, before today’s game.
- Gylfi Sigurdsson has been involved in 9 goals (2 goals, 7 assists) in 11 league appearances this season.
- Calum Chambers has been booked in 6 of his 8 Premier League starts for Arsenal.
- Alexis Sanchez has scored 6 goals in his last 4 Premier League games.
- There were 9 yellow cards in this game. Only 1 match this season (Burnley vs Hull yesterday, with 10) has seen more.
- Swansea had a season-high 6 corners in this game, having only won 19 in their previous 10 league matches this season.
Sunderland 1-1 Everton
It's been a good week for Sunderland. Beating Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday was enough to take them out of the bottom three, but another solid display to earn a point against Everton will have surely pleased Gus Poyet.
The Uruguayan will probably be more miffed his side didn't hang on for all three points after Seb Larsson's excellent free-kick had put them ahead after 67 minutes. But Connor Wickham's challenge on Seamus Coleman – one both managers agreed should have been a red card – allowed Leighton Baines to fire home from the spot with 15 minutes remaining.
Both teams suffered casualties; Patrick van Aanholt requires shoulder surgery and will be out for "two-and-a-half to three months", while Gareth Barry was stretchered off early but doesn't have the broken leg that was first feared.
James McCarthy also picked up a hamstring injury. "It is a concern," said Toffees chief Roberto Martinez. "He needs assessing and hopefully it is just fatigue."
Martinez discussed his side's control post-match, and it's hard to deny that the Toffees were comfortable for large parts.
Everton were playing the ball with around 90% accuracy in the first half without causing huge problems, having directed only 3 of their 11 efforts on target before half-time. Both sides enjoyed opportunities as the first half dragged, with Costel Pantilimon tipping a Romelu Lukaku effort onto the post.
Everton's direct style hadn't reaped its rewards. Despite Sunderland allowing the Toffees most of the ball, the Black Cats defended well and often denied Everton's persistent dribble attempts around the box. Ross Barkley was at the vanguard of them, having completed 4 of his 7 take-ons in the first half; Aiden McGeady 1 of his 4.
When Barry was hauled off in the first half, on came Darron Gibson in his place. "It's important to have Darron, who is still working his way back to full match fitness," said Martinez later. "Him and Besic give good competition." There wasn't a huge amount more Gibson could do on Wearside after diligently keeping possession for Everton (81/86 passes completed) and distributing to his more creative team-mates.
Everton came on strong immediately after the interval as they set about finding the opener – note the average position of Baines' touches. But it wasn't enough, and it was the home side that stole a march instead via the deadly boot of Larsson – the Swede's first from a direct-free-kick since November 2011.
Martinez's men continued to fire efforts at Pantilimon's goal, mainly via the trigger-happy Lukaku and Barkley, who attempted 9 between them before the equaliser.
But it was from 12 yards that they finally made their breakthrough after Wickham hauled down Coleman without punishment, despite it being a clear goalscoring opportunity.
But ultimately the Toffees didn't do enough to steal a win from the Stadium of Light, thanks in part to some resolute defending all too rare for Poyet's side. "I think you need to take the point when you try and analyse football in a fair way," chimed the Sunderland chief. "I think we created enough to win it but Everton also had their chances so overall I think it was one of them games – it was so tight that it could go either way."
Facts
- Everton have lost just 2 of their last 11 Premier League away matches (W6 D3 L2).
- The Black Cats have won just 1 of their last 7 Premier League matches at the Stadium of Light (W1 D4 L2).
- Seb Larsson’s goal was the 23,000th scored in Premier League history.
- Larsson’s strike was his first from a direct-free-kick since November 2011.
- Despite that, Larsson has 4 direct free-kick goals since the start of 2011/12; only Suarez and Rooney (5 each) have netted more than that in that period (Larsson 1 of 8 players with 4).
- Leighton Baines scored his 15th Premier League penalty from 16 taken.
- 11 of Everton’s 16 shots in this game came in the first half.
- Sunderland have drawn 6 Premier League games this season, more than any other side.
Tottenham 1-2 Stoke
Read Gregg Davies' full analysis from the White Hart Lane press box
Eek, this wasn't supposed to happen to Tottenham. Harry Kane was in the starting line-up for the first time this Premier League season, Spurs were confident after winning late at Villa last weekend, and it was time to get backsides in gear.
Only they didn't, and will have to wait until after the international break to sort themselves out after falling two goals behind inside 33 minutes and getting booed off at half-time. Nacer Chadli's superb volley gave hope with 13 minutes remaining, but Kyle Naughton was shown a straight red for hauling down Victor Moses with five minutes left, and Stoke hung on for victory.
The hosts' passing was unproductive as they huffed and puffed their way through a disastrous first half, and Stoke's lead ultimately became a relatively comfortable one. Once Bojan had bustled through the Spurs backline and fired home from outside the box for his first-ever Premier League goal, there was no turning back for Mauricio Pochettino's troops. By that point Stoke had completed only 1 pass in the attacking third, but what did they care?
Asmir Begovic was booked for time wasting after 23 minutes. Three later, Mark Hughes was forced into his second defensive substitution as Marc Muniesa replaced Marc Wilson, having already brought on Geoff Cameron for Phil Bardsley after just nine minutes.
Tottenham's approach was lethargic; plenty of possession in safe areas, but denied where it mattered when their U-shaped passing scheme reached the sharp end. "Shawcross for England!" cried the away end, but the Stoke centre-back was scarcely troubled by Kane & Co. on the ground.
The Potters doubled their lead on 33 minutes. Jon Walters, playing down the right, met a cross from striker Mame Diouf and converted with a simple finish past Hugo Lloris. It was all too easy.
"Spurs booed off," tweeted FFT's Gregg Davies at half-time from White Hart Lane. "Two shots on target each, but Stoke have made theirs count."
The north Londoners at least started the second half brighter, after making a double substitution at the break – off went Christian Eriksen and Andros Townsend for Mousa Dembele and Erik Lamela. And, after Younes Kaboul threatened to start a war after his reckless lunge on Walters, and sub Lamela saw a free-kick saved, Spurs did find a way back into the game via Chadli's terrific volley at the back post.
But even in their moment of success Spurs managed to cause distress. "The mentality of this Spurs team," started FFT's James Maw. "When he scored, Chadli ran to the corner flag rather than the halfway line."
And that was that – Spurs failed to hit the target with any of their remaining 3 efforts (Kane feebly hitting another late free-kick at the wall) and ended the game with 10 men.
It's now 4 defeats in 5 league games at White Hart Lane this season, only one of them coming against a team who finished in the top eight last season.
Facts
- Tottenham have conceded 5 goals in the first 15 minutes of matches this season, the joint-most with Hull.
- Spurs have conceded 2 or more goals in consecutive home games for the first time since December 2013, after which Andre Villas-Boas was sacked.
- Spurs have lost 4 Premier League home matches in 5 for the first time since May-October 2008 (Juande Ramos’ last 5 home league games as manager).
- Nacer Chadli has scored 6 Premier League goals in 10 appearances this season – he found the net once in 24 appearances last term.
- Kyle Naughton became the first player to be sent off twice in the Premier League this season.
- Tottenham players have received 6 red cards in the Premier League in 2014, more than any other team.
- 6 of the 13 Premier League games between these teams have ended in a 2-1 scoreline (3 wins apiece).
- Jonathan Walters scored his first Premier League goal against Spurs, in his eighth appearance against them.
West Brom 0-2 Newcastle
Newcastle rise to eighth (!) after this comfortable win at The Hawthorns in which Alan Pardew's men took their rare chances with aplomb. The Magpies' fourth Premier League win on the spin was ignited by Ayoze Perez's third goal in as many games on the stroke of half-time, before skipper Fabricio Coloccini thumped home a header on the hour mark to seal the points.
West Brom created little of their own in this subdued affair and were made to pay for failing to make either of their 2 efforts on target count. That Newcastle mustered only as many and walked away 2-0 winners tells you where Pardew's in-form side got it right. There was to be no fourth consecutive home goal for England call-up Saido Berahino, meanwhile, who was kept quiet and restricted to one strike from the edge of the box dealt with (just about) by Tim Krul.
Man of the match went to fellow Dutchman Daryl Janmaat, though, who grabbed both assists from right-back and was a constant threat with his impressive running.
The first half was particularly quiet, if open; Sammy Ameobi hit the bar for Newcastle before Berahino's effort was tipped over.
West Brom were causing few problems with the majority of possession, and fell behind in the 45th minute through the ghost-like Perez, whose clever flick was his only contribution of note in the first half.
The Spaniard signed from Tenerife in the summer made only 2 passes, failed with all 3 of his attempted dribbles and lost both of his aerial duels in the first half, but was perfectly placed to notch his third goal in as many games.
The second goal didn't take too long after the break, and it was captain Coloccini who earned the adulation of the travelling Toon Army with a clinical header from Janmaat's perfectly guided cross from the right. The Netherlands international provided goals with both of the chances he created, but also finished the game with 5/7 tackles won, 5 interceptions and 3/4 successful take-ons.
Victory leaves the Magpies within touching distance of a European place going into the international break. Amazing what three weeks can do, isn't it?
Facts
- Newcastle have won their last 4 Premier League games, after winning 1 of the preceding 15.
- The Magpies have won consecutive away games in the Premier League for the first time since December 2013.
- Newcastle have scored 6 goals in their last 3 Premier League away games – their previous 8 on the road produced 1 goal.
- West Brom have won 3 of their 17 Premier League clashes with the Magpies (D4 L10).
- Newcastle won all 4 of their Premier League games in November last season and have won both so far this month.
- The Magpies scored with their first 2 shots on target.
- West Brom have conceded at least twice in their last 7 Premier League home defeats.
- The Baggies have not won any of the last 24 Premier League home games that they have conceded a goal in.
