The
Holiday Period
01/01/03 | by Mike Shaw
Two Premiership Reviews for the price of one this week. Click here to go down to Mike's Boxing Day review.
New Year's Day: The Dust Settles
So after three games in less than
a week, things finally calm down in the Premiership. After it all
Arsenal are still top, West Ham still bottom and Liverpool still
searching desperately for form. Man United still look
threatening, Leeds are improving as are Sunderland, but Fulham
and Villa look vulnerable. As if all this wasn’t enough, the
transfer window is open again and so we await the frenzy...it's
been a long week!
Liverpool have slipped well and truly out of the title race now.
Defeat at Newcastle, by a goal to nil, has they not sitting in
7th, below Southampton of all teams and with Man City a mere
three points behind. This coming after a blatant dive by Francis
Jeffers robbed they of a win at Highbury. A penalty from Danny
Murphy had earlier given them the lead after Sol Campbell’s
ill-advised lunge at El Hadji Diouf had gifted Liverpool a
penalty. That said defeat would have been rough on Arsenal who
had dominated but failed to find a way past Chris Kirkland.
Arsenal rounded off a tough weekend with a 3-2 home win over
Chelsea. Desailly’s own goal put Arsenal 1 up and then goals
from van Bronkhorst, a sweet 20 yard drive and Henry, with one
that Carlo Cudicini would want back, the game look well and truly
over. But Chelsea looked like fighting back as Stanic and then
Petit, against his old club, hit back, only for Arsenal to hang
on and claim the points.
United now look Arsenal’s closest challengers, albeit 5
points back. They beat Sunderland 2-1, but left things late after
Juan Veron’s rush of blood had given Sunderland an early
lead as he headed beyond his own keeper. But United, with Roy
Keane back in the midfield began to dominate and only Jurgen
Macho in the Sunderland net kept his side in the game, before
Beckham and then Paul Scholes won the game late for United. Tough
justice on Macho but in fairness United could have had a sackful.
It rounded off a good week for them after a 2-0 home win over
Birmingham earlier in the week, remembered best for David
Beckham’s awesome and beautifully arrogant lob, Forlan got
the other.
Chelsea are also challenging but a Champions League spot looks
the most likely goal for them, especially after at Leeds and
Arsenal. Leeds are getting back on track, goals from Jonny
Woodgate and James ‘The New Boy Wonder’ Milner sunk the
Blues. Milner looks a heck of a talent and his goal was one to
savour. Leeds followed this up with another 2-0 home win, again
against the Blues, Birmingham this time. Rumours are Steve Bruce
wants Christhophe Dugarry to bolster his attack, but with several
centre-backs out as well Birmingham are struggling. Erik Bakke
put Leeds ahead after good work by Mark Viduka and the Aussie
added number 2 in the 2nd half heading home from Gary
Kelly’s cross.
As Leeds soar Fulham sink. Tigana’s men are injury-ravaged
and a 1-0 home defeat against an improving Man City side thanks
to a late Nic Anelka goal means they sit 16th, but still 5 points
out of the relegation berths.
Man City meanwhile have climbed away from trouble and they
claimed a good point 2-2 at Everton. Steve Watson fired home
Wayne Rooney’s pass to give Everton an early lead only for
Anelka to pull City level after a Richard Wright error. Marc Foe
then put City 2-1 up, his 6th goal in the last 6 games,
converting Sun Jihai’s cross. But Everton grabbed a late
share of the spoils with Tomas Radzinkski heading in a cross from
Li Tie, in a game (allegedly) viewed by 300 million chinese
fans…what I hear you gasp, they weren’t watching
United?!
In relegation matter West Ham are still in trouble, they drew 2-2
(Duff and Cole for Rovers, a Martin Taylor OG and Defoe’s
late equaliser for West Ham) away at Ewood Park in their only
game (the other falling victim to the weather, against Charlton).
Charlton did the Hammers a huge favour downing West Brom 1-0,
thanks to Kevin Lisbie’s early goal.
Bolton sit just outside the relegation places, a 0-0 draw at
Everton followed by a 2-0 defeat a Villa. Villa won 2 straight,
beating Boro 1-0 at home, thanks to a Dion Dublin goal. Against
Bolton Dublin struck again and Vassell killed off Bolton late on
after robbing Gudni Bergsson and firing past Jaaskelainen.
Boro are another going backwards. They slipped to 2 straight
defeats with a 2nd 1-0 reverse, this time away to Blackburn.
Dwight Yorke got the only goal.
As Boro slide north-east rivals Newcastle continue to rise. They
beat Liverpool 1-0 thanks to a deflected shot from Laurent
Robert. On a pitch that resembled a ploughed field more than a
football pitch Pool also had Salif Diao red carded for 2
bookings. Newcastle have won 9 in a row at home, and Spurs were
also victims 2 days earlier thanks to Gary Speed and Alan
Shearer’s goals. They hung on to record a 2-1 win despite
Nicos Dabizas artful own goal, as he dived to head beyond a
stunned Shay Given. Own goal of the season without a doubt!
Spurs then went down 1-0 at Southampton, the Saints are doing
good things and sit 6th, James Beattie struck again, dancing
through a static Spurs defence before firing in goal 13 of the
season beyond Kasey Keller. Southampton had earlier beaten
Sunderland 2-1, the Saints home record saw them lose just twice
at home all year last year, and goals from Beattie (who else?)
and then Jo Tessem’s late late winner game either side of a
Tore Andre Flo goal.
So what does 2003 hold? Liverpool will hope a revival. Arsenal
will hope a title. Southampton are well in the hunt for a
European spot. Steve Bruce and his Birmingham side would quite
like a fit centre-back or 2. West Ham need a home win, West Brom
need a win of any sort! Chelsea want consistency, Newcastle want
more home games! Boro need a resurgence, as do Fulham, Leeds need
to keep up the good work. Sunderland need goals! Charlton and
Villa need to steer clear of the relegation quicksand, Blackburn,
Spurs and Man City want a European spot, Bolton just want to stay
up. Man U want to challenge Arsenal, Everton want to stay in the
hunt…yup its still all to play for!
A rarity is Boxing Day, one of
only two days during the year when all 20 teams play on the one
day (the other being the last day of the season). As usual it
brought goals (Bolton vs Newcastle), controversy (Wayne Rooney
blotting his copybook) and shocks (Leeds winning!).
Man United’s recent run has them back in the title picture
but they went down 3-1 at the Riverside, Boro boast an unbeaten
home record and goals from Alen Boksic, Szilard (Joe) Nemeth, and
Joseph Job getting Boro’s goal, Ryan Giggs getting the
United’s.
As a result Arsenal go four points clear at the top. They beat
West Brom but had to fight hard for the points. Danny Dichio gave
the Baggies the lead just four minutes in before poor defending
let Francis Jeffers in to level the score. Thierry Henry then got
the winner after another defensive lapse.
Chelsea slip back after a 0-0 draw with Southampton, Zola going
as close as anyone but his goal drought continues as he ringed
the post as it looked easier to score.
Liverpool’s terrible run continues, no win in over two
months now as they were held 1-1 by Blackburn at Anfield. Jon
Arne Riise’s deflected shot gave ‘Pool the lead before
Andy Cole, who might have had a hat-trick on another day, scored
a blinding 30-yard volley to grab Rovers a point and earn himself
the ‘Goal of the Week’ award. Liverpool still might
have won it had Michael Owen not shot straight at Brad Friedel
from eight yards.
Everton sit 4th, above Liverpool, They drew 1-1 away at
Birmingham. Tomas Radzinski gave Everton the lead before Jovan
Kirovski pulled Birmingham level within a minute. Odds on an
American and a Canadian scoring in the same game are quite long,
possibly even longer than England’s latest boy wonder, Wayne
Rooney, being sent off. His two-footed lunge at Steve Vickers was
one of those tackles that can result in either a yellow or red
card, depending on the ref, the weather, the stars, or that
evening's lottery numbers. Obviously Rooney picked the wrong
night as he saw red, perhaps harshly, certainly harshly in David
Moyes' eyes who will now lose his services for three games.
At the bottom West Ham got a point against Fulham but are still
bottom. Sava gave Fulham the lead before a Trev Sinclair spot
kick earned the Hammers a point. They might have had more, Defoe
hitting a post and Hutchinson going close, while Fulham almost
won it, David James making a fantastic save to deny Malbranque.
Thomas “The Sunday League Centre-Back” Repka was sent
off late on for West Ham for repeated dissent, much to the
disgust of Glenn Roeder…still it might be a blessing in
disguise…!
Leeds beat Sunderland in the battle of the underachievers.
Michael Proctor gave Wilko’s men the lead before James
Milner scored to break Wayne Rooney’s record and become the
youngest Premiership goal scorer ever, still shy of this 17th
birthday. Robbie Fowler then converted a penalty to earn El Tel a
valuable win and move to the lofty heights of 13th!
One side slipping are Villa, they lost 3-1 to Man City, with Ali
Benarbia making pass of the season to supply Foe for City’s
3rd. Foe had earlier given City the lead only for Dion Dublin to
tap home an equaliser. Benarbia came off the bench to inspire
City to a win, heading in the go-ahead goal and then allowing Foe
to round off the win.
Bolton have begun to climb out of trouble, they beat Newcastle
4-3 in a thriller at the Reebok. Jay-Jay Okocha and Ricardo
Gardner goals either side of an Alan Shearer strike inside the
1st 10 minutes gave Bolton a 2-1 lead and further goals, both
from a rejuvenated Michael Ricketts put them 4-1 up. Ameobi and
then a trademark Shearer free-kick made it 4-3 but Bolton hung on
for all 3 points.
And finally in a London mid-table derby Charlton blew a 2-0 lead
against Spurs. Jason Euell got both Charlton goals inside 20
minutes only for Robbie Keane and then Stefan Iversen to get
Spurs level. Iversen’s overhead kick almost won it for Spurs
only for Richard Rufus to clear it off the line. Christian Ziege
then saw red for the 2nd time in a week for 2 bookings.
Ahh, Boxing Day, football like it used to be...