The Dark Arts of Defending

How convenient that the week I am assigned to prime blogging duties is also the week in which an Aston Villa upset is one of the main story lines. With Chelsea continuing their early domination, a couple of exciting 2-2 draws, and a pair of 4-0 blowouts that may send the participating teams in opposite directions, it was just another week at the EPL office.

Aston Villa continued a recent trend of taking points from Liverpool at Anfield. In the past 4 season, we have managed 8 points in 4 games at Anfield, though I’ll casually omit the number of points won at home over that same span. This game showcased both focal points of the Villa team this year – solid defending and making our limited chances count. In the words of Arlo White, the defense was “hard-working, solid, and disciplined” and Gabby Agbonlahor scored the game’s only goal on Villa’s only shot on target. Liverpool had the significant possession advantage for most of the game, but the Reds attack struggled with so many Villa players always behind the ball. Balotelli still looked like he was settling in and the absence of Daniel Sturridge, who was hurt while on international leave for England, was certainly a factor. Liverpool are most likely on their way to another excellent season, but this game showed that they are probably not on the same level as the other top teams this season. I have a feeling that the new-look Chelsea would have managed at least one goal given the same 81 minutes.

A deeper dive into the early season success of Aston Villa, who moved up to second in the table, shows some disconcerting trends. Counting this game, we’ve allowed an average of 13 shots per game by opponents, but conceded just one goal. On the offensive side, we’ve scored 4 goals on a meager 6 shots on target. I know what you’re thinking – these trends are unsustainable and Aston Villa is heading for a harsh reality check in the near future. But the real secret to the team was unwittingly announced during this game. When newly acquired defender Philippe Senderos flat out tripped Mario Balotelli and got away with it (seen in this week's Youtubeable Moment), Graeme Le Saux mentioned that “We've just witnessed the dark arts of defending.” There can only be one possible explanation….

With He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named working behind the scenes, expect to see a lot more shots from opponents hit the woodwork and shots from Villans magically find their way into the back of the net. Having already earned 3 points from their tough five match stretch, even 4 straight losses wouldn’t put that much of a damper on this bright start.


The weekend kicked off with the highlight match between Arsenal and Manchester City. Arsenal came ready to play and looked like a league winning side for the first 25 minutes – except they couldn’t score. New loanee Danny Welbeck was gifted a chance from inside the box on a poor City back pass, but his chip hit the post. When City scored in the 28th minute off some slow defending, it felt like a classic Gunners storyline taking shape. But they came out strong in the second half and scored two excellent goals to take the lead, including Alexis Sanchez's excellent volley. City mounted a furious rally, equalizing in the 83rd minute and nearly taking the lead twice afterwards, but eventually settled for what feels like a well-deserved draw for both sides.

Tottenham were also close to securing 3 points until an own goal miscue cost them the 3 points. Spurs scored within the opening 3 minutes of each half – the first through Chadli on a clinical finish from a rebound and the second through Eriksen on an anything but clinical finish through another rebound. Adam Johnson got Sunderland level in the 4th minute as he dribbled past what felt like the entire Spurs team and had his shot sneak through everyone. Like Arsenal in the morning, Spurs could not hold on and gifted the Black Cats another equalizer in the 82nd minute that felt very undeserved. Tottenham looked the better side and had many threatening opportunities but had to settle for just a point on the road.

I’ll let the boss cover the……um……unpleasantness of one of the 4-0 matches:

Southampton 4 Newcastle 0 (barf)

Don't feel like saying too much about the match itself, except that the score is a very fair result.  Only Colback, Haidara and maybe Janmaat and Krul had anything close to a decent performance (ed note:except when Krul punched that guy in the face; let's not bicker and argue about who killed who).  The central defense was uncoordinated and the offense anemic.  I've said too much already.

But, while most on Tyneside will say the glass is 15/16ths empty, I will see the glass as 1/16th full.  Yes the Magpies sit at the bottom of the table with just two points in four games. I suggest that even if things were going well, they'd still have just four, maybe five points by now.  Man City was always going to be a loss and a draw at Aston Villa was not unexpected (btw, Newcastle is the only side not to lose to the Villans so far); Crystal Palace at home was probably projected as a win so there's an extra two points and maybe you could see a draw at Southampton though I wouldn't have put money on it.  Yes, the team has not gelled so far but given the influx of new players, we had every reason to expect some problems out of the gate.  De Jong's injury has not helped.  Yes, the Southampton outing was atrocious, but the effort in the other matches was at least determined and competitive.

I'm not saying this is right but my guess is that anything less than a win on Saturday at home versus Hull City is the end of the road for Alan Pardew.  Five games doesn't seem like much of a sample to see if this team can get its act together. Part of the frustration stems from the poor finish to last season but I would argue that is irrelevant to the discussion.  Their best player (Cabaye) was sold and not replaced and their most important scorer (Remy) was hurt or suspended for much of the second half.  This is simply a different team and last year doesn't matter.  What does matter is the question of whether we're seeing a team that is slow to gel or signs that the new players aren't as good as projected and/or management didn't go far enough in the rebuilding.  Let us remember that constant personnel turnover is not a bug but a design feature of this franchise right now. The approach is to sign talent cheap then sell when it gets too expensive.  It's not about winning, it's about staying in the first division. To decide that you know the answer and the manager is responsible after five games seems silly to me.  If there was reason to believe that sacking Pardew now would improve the likelihood that we would avoid relegation, I might be inclined to support the move.  But right now, the only thing I see improving our chances of staying up is a January transfer window that addresses the central defense and the finishing capabilities.


The other 4-0 drubbing belonged to newly rebuilt Manchester United, whose transfer signings showed up all over the pitch against a completely overmatched QPR side. Di Maria got things started in the 24th minute with a free kick that was both a pass and shot at the same time. If some else taps it in, it was a pass. If no one touches it and it goes in, it was a shot. Win-win. Ander Herrera kept the momentum going in the 36th minute with a 20 yard strike back across the goal. Old hat Wayne Rooney essentially ended the game in the 44th minute and Juan Mata added an easy insurance goal in the 58th. One dominating win does not cure all ills, but it might get them back on the right track. They obviously have the talent, but we’ll have to wait and see how it all mixes together.


The remaining games played out in mostly unsurprising fashion with Leicester and Everton picking up their first wins of the season at the expense of Stoke and West Brom respectively. Crystal palace and Burnley played a goalless draw to keep them tied at the edge of the relegation zone while West Ham and Hull played a more entertaining 2-2 draw to keep both of those sides in the currently crowded mid-table.

Looking forward to this weekend, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of excitement to go around until the very last game of the weekend: Chelsea visit the Etihad.  The next most interesting game is probably Aston Villa hosting Arsenal, which is bizarre.  Even more bizarre is that even if Villa lose, they remain ahead of Arsenal in the table.  What strange times we live in.  Manchester United try to stick to their winning ways against lowly Leichester, Tottenham hope to put away the struggling West Brom, while Swansea and Southampton battle for those speculative, early season Champions League spots.  A slew of mid-table versus mid-table fixtures round out another weekend of our favorite past time.  Don't forget Newcastle - Hull City at 10 am Saturday, where the visitor's strategy will likely be to get the St. James' Park crowd to turn on their manager and team.

Hey old guy, what's doing with the Union?

Join and Get Soaking Wet

The drenching Saturday afternoon rains pushed the start of the crucial Union-Red Bulls match back more than an hour.  For those of us drving, that meant we would miss the last 15 minutes (and it would have been worse had I not set the TV to record an extra 30 minutes).  Still my fate was probably better than that of loyal season ticket holders like Jeff K, Jeff H and Muscoe M, who had to wait in spacious (cough, cough) confines of the PPL concourse or sit outside and get soaked.  The match itself brought back memories of the US - Costa Rica snowbowl as the ball would sometimes simply stop moving as it hit a puddle. It will not be remembered as the highest quality football seen in these parts.  What will be remembered is that the Union rallied from an 0-2 deficit to salvage a draw which will keep them in the playoff picture.  Getting one point was likely less important than the Red Bulls not getting three.  I was fine with both PK calls.  White's transgression looked pretty clear to me; recall this blog's advice: if you don't want to get called, keep your hands off the attacker's upper body.  The Ribeiro call was tough but I thought he was kicked.

On Tuesday night many of this blog's readers were at PPL Park in Chester to witness the US Open Cup Final between the Union and Seattle.  The Sounders were more technically proficient but the Union work rate - especially Le Toux, Wenger, Noguiera and Gaddis - was critical in negating that advantage.  Seattle had some early chances but Edu's header goal off a Maidana corner in the 38th minute was not against the run of play.  Unfortunately the lead was shortlived as the Union surrendered a goal early in the second half.  Both sides had times of ascendancy but neither could score in regulation time.  For the Union there was Ribeiro's shot in the 88th minute stopped by Sounder's keeper Frei; the attempt needed more pace and/or to be aimed more at the near post.  Then Noguiera hit the post in stoppage time.  Of course we were going to rue those missed chances.  Sure enough, Dempsey put Seattle up in the 101st minute working a tidy give-and-go with Martins.  Martins later sealed the win with a goal in the second overtime period.  Our group felt MacMath was largely culpable in both instances, not protecting the near post on the first and making a poor decision to come out on the second.

The final score is misleading and the disappointment real given those late misses.  However, the overall experience was electric, even with less than a sellout crowd at PPL Park.


Champions League, Europa League and La Liga

We are well aware that other action is going on all around us but with a full-time staff of none, we can't keep track of it all.  Heard something about Atletico beating Real Madrid.  Also, as of Thursday, Bob K's Sheffield Wednesday is tied with Derby on points but is two behind in goal differential.