Saturday 19 October 2013

Barclays Premier League Review

Newcastle 2 2 Liverpool

Milestone: Gerrard celebrates with his team-mates after scoring his 100th Premier League goal

Newcastle fought for a valid home point as they held Liverpool to a dramatic draw despite being numerically disadvantaged. Yohan Cabaye started the goal fest thanks to a stunning strike from about 30 yrds. It was his second goal of the season following a very turbulent summer for the Frenchman where he wanted out of the Tyneside club.

Liverpool were given a lifeline minutes before halftime as they were awarded a penalty which earned Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa a red card for fouling Luis Suarez in the box. Up stepped Steven Gerrard who cooly converted the spot kick to score his 100th goal in the Barclays Premier League. Despite being a man down, Newcastle went ahead again through Dummet. Cabaye fired in a free kick just before the hour mark, Liverpool failed to clear their lines as the substitute ghosted in at the back post to slot in. It was the the 14th consecutive EPL goal scored by a French man for Newcastle.

No Sturridge no party? The English man nodded home from close range after Moses combined well with Suaraez down left, with the later clipping the ball into the 6 yard area for Sturridge to score his 7th league goal of the season.. Highest Goal Scorer!

Chelsea 4 - 1 Cardiff City

Level: Eden Hazard netted the equaliser for the hosts

Most decorated African player Samuel Eto'o scored his first Barclays Premier League goal as Chelsea came from behind to defeat Cardiff City 4-1 at Stamford Bridge.

The 32-year-old striker – who joined Chelsea on a free transfer from Anji Makhachkala in August – had failed to score in his four previous top-flight appearances but picked an ideal time to break his duck today.

Jordon Mutch had made the most of a defensive lapse by David Luiz to put Cardiff in front after 10 minutes before Eden Hazard levelled in unusual circumstances.

Eto'o put Chelsea in front in the 66th minute and his strike eased the tension, with Oscar and Hazard putting gloss on the win – that lifted them to second on the Premier League table – with late goals to the delight of manager Jose Mourinho, who was sent to the stands for dissent.

The talking point of the game has to be the unusual circumstances! Cardiff's goalie David Marshall was bouncing the ball in preparation for a routing kick, before Samuel Eto latched into the ball to set up Hazard for the equaliser. That goal shouldn't have stood and controversial referee Anthony Taylor was having none of the 12th commandment of FIFA;

'When a goalkeeper has gained possession of the ball with his hands, he cannot be challenged by an opponent.

'A goalkeeper is considered to be in control of the ball while the ball is between his hands and any surface (e.g. ground) and while in the act of bouncing it on the ground.'

Arsenal 4 1 Norwich

Level: Eden Hazard netted the equaliser for the hosts

Arsenal were back to winning ways as they easily dispatched Norwich City four goals to one at the Emirates. It was a Mesut Ozil show as the record signing helped himself with a brace to send Arsenal to the top of the Premier League. To be honest, this game was one of the most boring FIVE goal match i have ever seen, as Arsenal paraded too many midfielders on show.

Cazorla was playing his first game since the Mesut Ozil arrival, he was joined by the German maestro himself, young Jack Wilshere, Mikael Arteta and Mathieu Flamini, even when the French man among them was forced off the pitch in the first half, he was replaced by another Welsh midfielder. So all the Gunners just did was to pass and pass and pass the ball again. But the first goal of the game and possibly the goal of the day had exquisiteness oozing all over it, Giroud and Wilshere found each other with a beautiful one two with the outside of their foot till the English man scored his second goal in as many matches. Ozil then scored his first league goal for Arsenal after Giroud turned provider yet again as the German nodded home.

Norwich pulled one back through Jonathan Howson after a miscued clearance from Per Mertesacker. But Ramsey restored the two goal cushion with a GOAL OF LIFE! The current Barclays Premier league player of the month just ghosted past the Norwich defenders as if they weren't there. The Welshman turned provider almost immediately as he handed Ozil his brace.

Manchester United 1 - 1 Southampton

Despondent: David Moyes leaves the pitch looking glum after a late equaliser for Southampton

David Moyes's Manchester United suffered another setback to their premier league defence as they played out a draw against Southampton at Old Trafford. Robin van Persie had struck in the 26th minute to end Southampton's run of not conceding in their past five matches in all competitions, Lallana provided a late riposte to send James Ward-Prowse's 89th-minute corner over the line and extend his side's unbeaten Barclays Premier League run to five matches.

It means United have won only three times from their eight league games so far and the gap to pace-setters Arsenal has now widened to an imposing eight points.

West Ham 1 3 Manchester City

On target: Sergio Aguero celebrates after scoring the opening goal for Manchester City

Sergio Aguero scored twice to help Manchester City beat West Ham United 3-1 and claim their first Barclays Premier League away win of the season. City had one point to show from their first three road trips of the campaign but reversed that trend with a professional performance at Upton Park that lifted them to fourth in the table.

Aguero opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a cool finish and his second-half header looked to have sealed three points for Manuel Pellegrini's side. Ricardo Vaz Te pulled a goal back for West Ham with a bicycle kick, but it was not enough as David Silva wrapped up the points for City late on.

The result means that City have won 29 of the 31 Barclays Premier League matches in which Aguero has scored, with the other two ending in draws.

Everton 2 1 Hull City

Kevin Mirallas helped get Everton back to winning ways with a long range

Everton secured a third straight home win as they overcame a dogged Hull City 2-1 at Goodison Park.

Kevin Mirallas gave the hosts the lead in the first half with a low shot that beat an unsighted Allan McGregor, but Yannick Sagbo hit back to equalise before half-time. Steven Pienaar scored the winner just 10 seconds after being introduced as a second-half substitute to send Roberto Martinez's side into the top six.

Swansea 4 0 Sunderland

Rise above: Angel Rangel won the decisive header for Swansea's first, but it was credited to Phillip Bardsley

Three goals in seven minutes contributed to a nightmare start for Gus Poyet as Sunderland manager in a 4-0 defeat at Swansea City.

The visitors had turned in a disciplined defensive display in the opening 45 minutes, but a Phil Bardsley own goal was swiftly followed by a superb Jonathan de Guzman finish and a Wilfried Bony spot-kick after the break. Another own goal, this time by Steven Fletcher, gave Swansea their first win over Sunderland since 1982 and a first at home since March, leaving Poyet’s men rooted to the bottom of the Barclays Premier League.

Stoke City 0 0 West Brom

Spot of bother: Youssuf Mulumbu holds his boot in frustration after being denied a penalty during the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion at the Britannia Stadium

West Bromwich Albion earned a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Stoke City to set a new club record unbeaten streak in the Barclays Premier League.

The West Midlands side had the lion's share of the chances at the Britannia Stadium but after being unable to break the deadlock, they picked up a point that extends their undefeated run to five top-flight matches.

The home side will also be happy with a result that ends a run of three straight league losses that had left them languishing towards the bottom of the table.

6 comments:

  1. Common You Gunners!

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  2. Hehehe 12th commandment of FIFA... Na u be Moses abi

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  3. #Moyes Out #Asap

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  4. tot i was the only one who noticed, that Arsenal game was just too boring.. too many players in Red who loved to do their thin outside the box. buh who cares, Job done for the d n White troops of London

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  5. Ramsey for World best? But criousli at this rate, this guy will make history.. COYG

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  6. Congrats Steven G!

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