1 Arsenal will need to be on Song
The injuries are starting to bite again for Arsenal. Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Debuchy, Mathieu Flamini and Abou Diaby are all long-term absentees; Aaron Ramsey has only just returned; Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s hamstring went against Manchester United; the similarly hamstrung Gabriel Paulista is unavailable to provide respite for the overused centre-backs; and Jack Wilshere’s still missing after having some bolts removed from his ankle.
The injuries are starting to bite again for Arsenal. Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Debuchy, Mathieu Flamini and Abou Diaby are all long-term absentees; Aaron Ramsey has only just returned; Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s hamstring went against Manchester United; the similarly hamstrung Gabriel Paulista is unavailable to provide respite for the overused centre-backs; and Jack Wilshere’s still missing after having some bolts removed from his ankle.
With the tempting prospect of an impossible Champions League comeback hanging over them on Tuesday at Monaco, can Arsène Wenger keep his players focused on the challenge at hand? One man who is certain to be fully concentrated on impressing at the Emirates is Alex Song. Song departed Arsenal for a miserable two years in Barcelona in 2012 and now returns to north London with a point to prove. Song was seemingly exactly the kind of player Wenger’s squad was crying out for in the summer, but even the prospect of a year’s loan was not enough to tempt Arsenal to offer him the return he so clearly wanted (“I would have liked to go back but they did not want to”). He will now face off in the midfield against Francis Coquelin but it’s the battle against his emotions that may be key to Song and West Ham’s hopes on the Cameroonian’s first return to the Emirates. “They are one part of my life and, because I went there when I was 17, I always say it is my family,” says Song. “I know this is a special game for me, but that is football and I have to take all the emotion out and just try to play my game, to play the best football I can to help the team to win.” Toby Moses
2 Time for Pardew to give Hennessey his chance in goal for Palace
“You can’t just point the finger at Jules [Speroni],” said Scott Dann when quizzed about the late goal that led to the subsequent defeat at Southampton. It is what a team-mate should say but it’s not necessarily true. The goal was almost entirely Speroni’s fault. It was a tame enough effort from James Ward-Prowse and the Crystal Palace goalkeeper should have
held on to it instead of fumbling it into the path of Sadio Mané. In fact, had Graziano Pellè been in better form, he would
have converted another, earlier spill from Speroni and Mané’s goal would merely have been the sugar on top of the Rice Krispies. But it is not just Speroni’s handling that is looking poor of late. He seems uncertain under crosses and routinely fails to come off his line and collect balls that should be his – a sure sign of a keeper who is not feeling as confident in his gloves as he once was.
“You can’t just point the finger at Jules [Speroni],” said Scott Dann when quizzed about the late goal that led to the subsequent defeat at Southampton. It is what a team-mate should say but it’s not necessarily true. The goal was almost entirely Speroni’s fault. It was a tame enough effort from James Ward-Prowse and the Crystal Palace goalkeeper should have
held on to it instead of fumbling it into the path of Sadio Mané. In fact, had Graziano Pellè been in better form, he would have converted another, earlier spill from Speroni and Mané’s goal would merely have been the sugar on top of the Rice Krispies. But it is not just Speroni’s handling that is looking poor of late. He seems uncertain under crosses and routinely fails to come off his line and collect balls that should be his – a sure sign of a keeper who is not feeling as confident in his gloves as he once was.
Only QPR have conceded more goals at home this season than Palace – and they have played two games more than Pardew’s men. The Eagles have now gone 10 Premier League matches at Selhurst Park without a clean sheet. Speroni clearly adores the club and will go down as a club legend but something needs to change. Palace are not yet safe and sentimentality cannot get in the way of Pardew’s thinking. It is time Speroni is given a rest and Wayne Hennessey is given a chance to show what he can do. Ian McCourt
3 Monk needs a less narrow-minded midfield for Liverpool
Rewatch Tottenham’s first goal against Swansea last week. A number of seconds before Danny Rose was fed the ball by Christian Eriksen, Nabil Bentaleb was pointing to the ample amount of space out wide on the left for the full-back to exploit. With the Swansea defence pushed back, the midfield tucked inside and with Gylfi Sigurdsson determined to keep his boots chalk free, Rose had enough time to write a 3,000 word essay on the Persian elements in Finnegans Wake before swinging in a perfect cross to help get his side off to the perfect start. Should Garry Monk persist with such a narrow-minded midfield against the speed and skills of Raheem Sterling and Alberto Moreno, he can give the three points a nice hug and a kiss on both cheeks before wishing them a safe journey on their way to Liverpool. Reverting from the diamond he employed at the start against Tottenham to a formation that affords his side more cover out wide would close up the space available to Liverpool to run into and would make Swansea a more stubborn side to break down. IMC
Rewatch Tottenham’s first goal against Swansea last week. A number of seconds before Danny Rose was fed the ball by Christian Eriksen, Nabil Bentaleb was pointing to the ample amount of space out wide on the left for the full-back to exploit. With the Swansea defence pushed back, the midfield tucked inside and with Gylfi Sigurdsson determined to keep his boots chalk free, Rose had enough time to write a 3,000 word essay on the Persian elements in Finnegans Wake before swinging in a perfect cross to help get his side off to the perfect start. Should Garry Monk persist with such a narrow-minded midfield against the speed and skills of Raheem Sterling and Alberto Moreno, he can give the three points a nice hug and a kiss on both cheeks before wishing them a safe journey on their way to Liverpool. Reverting from the diamond he employed at the start against Tottenham to a formation that affords his side more cover out wide would close up the space available to Liverpool to run into and would make Swansea a more stubborn side to break down. IMC
4 No sympathy for Pearson from either side
Leicester and Hull fans have something in common with each other coming into this weekend’s encounter. Not nagging doubts about relegation – although both certainly have reason to worry about that – but perhaps a mutual disdain for the man in the home dugout. One may have thought an ex-player, and a manager who earned promotion to the Premier League after 10 long years in the wilderness, would be a life-long legend. But an unapologetic fracas with fans, the throttling of a player who turned the club down in the summer, and a team that is rooted to the bottom of the table having scored less than a goal a game means that sympathy with Nigel Pearson is in short supply. How different it was three-and-a-half years ago. Pearson was in charge of Hull City in the Championship, one point off the play-off places, having taken over in Humberside after being unceremoniously ousted in his first spell at Leicester – with chairman Milan Mandaric showing another manager, Paulo Sousa, around the stadium while Pearson was still in charge. But in 2011 it was the Hull supporters who were furious with Pearson as, after just 18 months in charge, he opted to return to the King Power Stadium, to a side who were three places below them in the Championship. It is an act of disloyalty still not forgotten by Tigers fans.
Leicester and Hull fans have something in common with each other coming into this weekend’s encounter. Not nagging doubts about relegation – although both certainly have reason to worry about that – but perhaps a mutual disdain for the man in the home dugout. One may have thought an ex-player, and a manager who earned promotion to the Premier League after 10 long years in the wilderness, would be a life-long legend. But an unapologetic fracas with fans, the throttling of a player who turned the club down in the summer, and a team that is rooted to the bottom of the table having scored less than a goal a game means that sympathy with Nigel Pearson is in short supply. How different it was three-and-a-half years ago. Pearson was in charge of Hull City in the Championship, one point off the play-off places, having taken over in Humberside after being unceremoniously ousted in his first spell at Leicester – with chairman Milan Mandaric showing another manager, Paulo Sousa, around the stadium while Pearson was still in charge. But in 2011 it was the Hull supporters who were furious with Pearson as, after just 18 months in charge, he opted to return to the King Power Stadium, to a side who were three places below them in the Championship. It is an act of disloyalty still not forgotten by Tigers fans.
Both sets of supporters will be desperate for three points – Leicester need to get their survival bid back on track, while a win for Hull would help ease their lingering fears – but the manager may not receive a warm reception from any section of the ground. TM
5 Goodbye Valencia (Hello Rafael?)
Roy Keane called Antonio Valencia’s defensive display against Arsenal in the FA Cup defeat “disgraceful” and it’s hard to disagree. For the first goal, he was out of position, he failed to close down Mesut Özil and then, in an unforgivable act of defending cowardice, turned his back on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, allowing the winger to set up Arsenal’s first goal. His role in the second one was even worse and the Ecuadorian international was so embarrassed by his performance that he took to Instagram to say sorry. “I want to apologize to my team-mates and the fans of manchester united,” he wrote. Valencia has been a regular under Louis van Gaal – only David de Gea, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie have played more minutes than him – but those mistakes against Arsenal highlight what many feel about Valencia: he is not a natural right-back. Sitting on the bench that night there was a natural, and very capable (both in attacking and defending), right-back in Rafael da Silva. The Brazilian excelled for the club’s Under-21s during the week and, should he fail to start after Valencia’s poor showing, that sound you’ll hear will be many Manchester United fans banging their heads against a brick wall. IMC
Roy Keane called Antonio Valencia’s defensive display against Arsenal in the FA Cup defeat “disgraceful” and it’s hard to disagree. For the first goal, he was out of position, he failed to close down Mesut Özil and then, in an unforgivable act of defending cowardice, turned his back on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, allowing the winger to set up Arsenal’s first goal. His role in the second one was even worse and the Ecuadorian international was so embarrassed by his performance that he took to Instagram to say sorry. “I want to apologize to my team-mates and the fans of manchester united,” he wrote. Valencia has been a regular under Louis van Gaal – only David de Gea, Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie have played more minutes than him – but those mistakes against Arsenal highlight what many feel about Valencia: he is not a natural right-back. Sitting on the bench that night there was a natural, and very capable (both in attacking and defending), right-back in Rafael da Silva. The Brazilian excelled for the club’s Under-21s during the week and, should he fail to start after Valencia’s poor showing, that sound you’ll hear will be many Manchester United fans banging their heads against a brick wall. IMC
• So, Louis van Gaal, what exactly is your Man Utd ‘philosophy’?
6 Southampton can take advantage of Chelsea’s midfield misery
Taxes, death and Chelsea winning the Premier league this season. Those are the only three certainties in life. However, that title-taking will not be without its bumps and the visit of Southampton could well be one. Even before the 120 minutes of mentally and physically exhausting football against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea looked puffed out, especially in midfield. Cesc Fàbregas has lost his early-season swagger. His passing is still on point – he misplaced just six of 80 on Wednesday night – but too often they are sideways and he is failing to influence games and drive his side to victory. Ramires was similarly unimpressive against the French champions and were it not for that foul on Marco Verratti – a challenge that falls firmly in the seen-them-given category – you could have been forgiven for forgetting he was on the pitch. The only problem with the exhaustion excuse, however, is that it overlooks the fact that the Chelsea midfield were totally outclassed by the PSG one. Verratti, Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta were excellent throughout, working hard off the ball to shut down Chelsea and working intelligently when on it to expose their faults. In the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama, Southampton have the sort of the players that can combine skill and steel to cause Chelsea the same problems. With Diego Costa more concerned with working on getting his anger out rather than getting the goals in – he has not found the back of the net since the win over Swansea in mid-January – this could be a prime opportunity for a well-rested Southampton to inflict Chelsea’s first home league defeat of the season. IMC
6 Southampton can take advantage of Chelsea’s midfield misery
Taxes, death and Chelsea winning the Premier league this season. Those are the only three certainties in life. However, that title-taking will not be without its bumps and the visit of Southampton could well be one. Even before the 120 minutes of mentally and physically exhausting football against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea looked puffed out, especially in midfield. Cesc Fàbregas has lost his early-season swagger. His passing is still on point – he misplaced just six of 80 on Wednesday night – but too often they are sideways and he is failing to influence games and drive his side to victory. Ramires was similarly unimpressive against the French champions and were it not for that foul on Marco Verratti – a challenge that falls firmly in the seen-them-given category – you could have been forgiven for forgetting he was on the pitch. The only problem with the exhaustion excuse, however, is that it overlooks the fact that the Chelsea midfield were totally outclassed by the PSG one. Verratti, Blaise Matuidi and Thiago Motta were excellent throughout, working hard off the ball to shut down Chelsea and working intelligently when on it to expose their faults. In the likes of Morgan Schneiderlin and Victor Wanyama, Southampton have the sort of the players that can combine skill and steel to cause Chelsea the same problems. With Diego Costa more concerned with working on getting his anger out rather than getting the goals in – he has not found the back of the net since the win over Swansea in mid-January – this could be a prime opportunity for a well-rested Southampton to inflict Chelsea’s first home league defeat of the season. IMC
7 A change is going to have to come for Martínez. Or else
“When you are a football fan,” said Roberto Martínez after the loss to Stoke, “and you lose a game, it’s awful because there’s nothing you can do until the next game. As a manager, I have the big advantage of being able to see what went wrong, the things not working, how we can change it for the next game.”
“When you are a football fan,” said Roberto Martínez after the loss to Stoke, “and you lose a game, it’s awful because there’s nothing you can do until the next game. As a manager, I have the big advantage of being able to see what went wrong, the things not working, how we can change it for the next game.”
Here’s the thing, though. He isn’t changing it. One of the biggest problems for Everton this season is that teams have figured out how to play against them and Martínez is struggling to find a way for his side to get around that, be that from the start or from the bench.
The fans are certainly not happy and there is a grumble or two discharging from the dressing room but, crucially for the Everton manager, there is no indication that his hierarchy are ready to put the finger to the ejector button and send him hurtling into managerial orbit.
However, despite the patience of the board, the importance of the game and the need for a win against Newcastle cannot be overstated. They will be helped by Newcastle’s poor form on the road of late – they have won just one of their last eight Premier League away matches – but they would be helped even more if Martínez could find a solution to the rot enveloping the club’s form. Dropping the out-of-form Gareth Barry and Tim Howard would be a good start, as would getting more support to Romelu Lukaku, who seems to have spent most of the season doing a reasonable impersonation of Chuck Noland, only without the ball to keep him company. With all the money swarming around the Premier League, that board can only be so patient for so long. IMC
8 Can Sherwood win against a team not called West Brom?
Two ex-team-mates, managing two sides separated by just one point as they hover above the relegation zone. If QPR, Burnley and Leicester continue to put up such little resistance, then Tim Sherwood and Gus Poyet will save Aston Villa and Sunderland from the drop with a minimum of effort, or input – but neither can afford to rely on that contingency. At least their shared history at Tottenham should ensure there are no fireworks on the touchline, with Poyet especially in need of a more relaxed touchline demeanour following his embarrassing spat against Hull. In contrast, Sherwood is a manager who seems to rely on the pyrotechnics to inspire his charges. A poor start at Villa Park has turned around after two successive wins against Tony Pulis’s local rivals, but he still has to prove he can get the team geed up for a non-derby game, and one away from home. There’s little intrinsic reason for the Villa players or fans to go in to a match on Wearside particularly fired up – there’s no animus between the sides – so Sherwood needs to demonstrate some motivational skills beyond the stereotypical blood-and-thunder tactics he seems to specialise in. Four goals in two games is a huge improvement on the club’s recent goalscoring record, and there are signs that both Gabriel Agbonlahor and Scott Sinclair can rediscover some form to keep their team in the division. But Sherwood will have to win games against teams not called West Brom if he’s to keep the Villa Park bandwagon rolling. TM
Two ex-team-mates, managing two sides separated by just one point as they hover above the relegation zone. If QPR, Burnley and Leicester continue to put up such little resistance, then Tim Sherwood and Gus Poyet will save Aston Villa and Sunderland from the drop with a minimum of effort, or input – but neither can afford to rely on that contingency. At least their shared history at Tottenham should ensure there are no fireworks on the touchline, with Poyet especially in need of a more relaxed touchline demeanour following his embarrassing spat against Hull. In contrast, Sherwood is a manager who seems to rely on the pyrotechnics to inspire his charges. A poor start at Villa Park has turned around after two successive wins against Tony Pulis’s local rivals, but he still has to prove he can get the team geed up for a non-derby game, and one away from home. There’s little intrinsic reason for the Villa players or fans to go in to a match on Wearside particularly fired up – there’s no animus between the sides – so Sherwood needs to demonstrate some motivational skills beyond the stereotypical blood-and-thunder tactics he seems to specialise in. Four goals in two games is a huge improvement on the club’s recent goalscoring record, and there are signs that both Gabriel Agbonlahor and Scott Sinclair can rediscover some form to keep their team in the division. But Sherwood will have to win games against teams not called West Brom if he’s to keep the Villa Park bandwagon rolling. TM
9 A test for Berahino and a test for the Stoke defence
Saido Berahino turned up to watch a football match the other day. That must, of course, be a sign that he is joining that team. Ridiculous stuff, but it is the sort of ridiculous stuff a player has written about them when they are in the sort of form that Berahino is in. He has three goals in his last four league games or, if you prefer to look at it another way, 18 goals in 35 games (in all competitions). For a 21-year-old playing in a side battling against relegation and hardly jam-packed with playmakers, those scoring stats border on the phenomenal and it will be intriguing to see how Stoke cope with him. The Potters’ back four tend to stutter and suffer at the feet of fast-paced, torso-twisting attackers, blessed with intelligent movement, players like Berahino. It will be intriguing too to see how Berahino – not the biggest nor the strongest attacker in the league – copes with the power of Stoke’s robust defence. There are reports that Ryan Shawcross will have recovered from injury in time for this game and as Stoke’s best defender, they well need him. Otherwise their good run of form away to West Brom – Stoke have won six and lost none of their last seven league visits to The Hawthorns – could be at an end. IMC
Saido Berahino turned up to watch a football match the other day. That must, of course, be a sign that he is joining that team. Ridiculous stuff, but it is the sort of ridiculous stuff a player has written about them when they are in the sort of form that Berahino is in. He has three goals in his last four league games or, if you prefer to look at it another way, 18 goals in 35 games (in all competitions). For a 21-year-old playing in a side battling against relegation and hardly jam-packed with playmakers, those scoring stats border on the phenomenal and it will be intriguing to see how Stoke cope with him. The Potters’ back four tend to stutter and suffer at the feet of fast-paced, torso-twisting attackers, blessed with intelligent movement, players like Berahino. It will be intriguing too to see how Berahino – not the biggest nor the strongest attacker in the league – copes with the power of Stoke’s robust defence. There are reports that Ryan Shawcross will have recovered from injury in time for this game and as Stoke’s best defender, they well need him. Otherwise their good run of form away to West Brom – Stoke have won six and lost none of their last seven league visits to The Hawthorns – could be at an end. IMC
10 Tough team choices await Pellegrini for trip to Burnley
If this were a regular Premier League weekend, one without a trip to Barcelona on the horizon, Manuel Pellegrini would send out his strongest Manchester City side against Burnley and not give it a second thought. However, because of that trip, the Chilean might well be tempted to try his luck and have the likes of David Silva, Yaya Touré and Sergio Agüero watching from the bench or even the comfort of their couch. That would be as foolish as Ashanti or sticking your wet finger in a socket. Whatever others might say or believe, Pellegrini cannot allow his side to think that the league has slipped from their grasp and playing a weaker side when there is an opportunity to close the gap on Chelsea would be a tacit admission that his thoughts and ambitions lie elsewhere. Besides that, Burnley have already shown Pellegrini that they can fight back and given the paucity of teams around them, they are not dead and buried just yet. IMC
If this were a regular Premier League weekend, one without a trip to Barcelona on the horizon, Manuel Pellegrini would send out his strongest Manchester City side against Burnley and not give it a second thought. However, because of that trip, the Chilean might well be tempted to try his luck and have the likes of David Silva, Yaya Touré and Sergio Agüero watching from the bench or even the comfort of their couch. That would be as foolish as Ashanti or sticking your wet finger in a socket. Whatever others might say or believe, Pellegrini cannot allow his side to think that the league has slipped from their grasp and playing a weaker side when there is an opportunity to close the gap on Chelsea would be a tacit admission that his thoughts and ambitions lie elsewhere. Besides that, Burnley have already shown Pellegrini that they can fight back and given the paucity of teams around them, they are not dead and buried just yet. IMC
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