Top Of The League
Leicester City moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League with a hard fought 1-0 win over Watford. This was by no means a vintage display from the Foxes, and large periods of the game were uneventful and uninspired from both teams, with Leicester carving out the better chances over 90 minutes and probably deserving of their win. They defended very well for large parts of the game, and only one or two individual errors threatened to cost them, although in the end Kasper Schmeichel had a solid, if mostly quiet game behind his back four. It was the usual story in midfield where the chronically underrated Kante and Drinkwater were exceptional, and although Albrighton and Okazaki were both subbed off at half time and Jamie Vardy had a game in which he struggled to make an impact, despite going close on a couple of occasions, it was Riyad Mahrez who stepped up, with a moment of sublime quality, shifting the ball delightfully onto his left foot and wrapping it delightfully into the top corner. It was a moment worthy of picking up all three points.
As for Watford, they offered little in truth, they had some half decent chances off set pieces but didn't create a lot from open play and really, they didn't need to. They aren't playing for a lot now Watford, with relegation from this stage basically impossible but a chance to charge for the top 6 or 7 realistically highly unlikely. And if you'd offered this Watford side a midtable finish at the start of the season, they'd have bitten your hand off, so I think that they're very happy with 12th, even if their season has curtailed a bit.
White Hart Pain For Gooners and Spuds
And in the North London Derby, things well and truly went Leicester's way, as Spurs and Arsenal played out an entertaining 2-2 draw, including some marvellous goals, a stupid red card and at least one very poor refereeing decision. Spurs dominated the first half, but were unable to create too much in the way of clear cut chances before Arsenal came to life in the final ten minutes of the half, having soaked up the pressure. Their opening goal was a truly sublime piece of football, the end result a delightful back-heel strike from Aaron Ramsey who had a very good game overall. And from there, Spurs looked slightly shell-shocked, but a moment of pure stupidity from Frances Coquelin shot the Gunners in the foot ten minutes into the second half, when he threw himself into a brainless challenge where there was little danger on and he was never going to win the ball. The end result was inevitable, a second yellow card and Arsenal down to ten. The following ten minutes were breathless from Spurs as they seized advantage. A superb save from Ospina kept Harry Kane at bay off a corner by a couple of inches if that, before Alderweireld scrambled home an equaliser and Kane put Spurs in complete control when he scored a filibuster of a strike from outside the box.
From there, the outcome looked inevitable, but Arsenal knew what they had to do. Hang in there, weather the storm and try to create one clear cut chance. If they could that, and of course take that chance, then they would be able to snatch something from the game. And that's exactly what happened, as Bellerin slipped in Alexis Sanchez and Arsenal's dangerman did the rest. From there, it was anyone's guess how it would finish, but a sensational performance from David Ospina, coupled with a huge slice of luck for Gabriel when he nearly volleyed into his own goal, meant that Spurs couldn't get back in front.
It was odd, as this was a derby where Spurs controlled the game, played very well and were the better side for large periods, whereas Arsenal played their tactical game absolutely perfectly in the first half and after Kane scored, and but for Coquelin's massive error, probably would have gone on to win the game, which seems like a striking contrast to the way these sides would usually go at it: with Spurs having to be smart tactically and Arsenal expecting to dominate the game. In any case, it was the perfect result for Leicester City, as Coquelin probably cost Arsenal the title today.
Best Of The Rest
And there was some stunning action in the rest of the Premier League today, albeit with no surprising results, as Manchester City put four past a hapless Aston Villa, with Aguero turning on the style despite a missed penalty, Everton managing to blow a 2-0 lead at home to West Ham in fine style, missing a penalty and going down to 10 men as they capitulated to lose 3-2 and Stoke and Chelsea had a real go as they drew 1-1. And down at the bottom of the table, two big bottom of the table clashes went as expected, with Bournemouth putting in a terrific display to see off a pretty abject Newcastle side, and Swansea inched out a Norwich side who at least defended better today. The only real surprise result of the day was Southampton's continued slide in form, as they drew 1-1 with a Sunderland side who will be gutted not to have put some ground between them and the strugglers below them, as it looks like a three-horse race to stay up between Newcastle, Norwich and Sunderland.
Some really stunning individual performances today, with the likes of Payet, Arnautovic, Aguero and Max Gradel all turning in top notch displays. And some sensational goals too. On top of the belters from Kane and Mahrez, there was a sensational strike from young Chelsea striker Bertrand Traore, filling in for the injured Diego Costa, as he cut in on his left foot and unleashed a beautiful curler past a helpless Jack Butland.
And overall, Chelsea v Stoke was a terrific game of football, played at a furious tempo by two sides that don't really have anything to lose. For Chelsea, their season has already been written off, so any subtle climbs up the league are an improvement and hopefully they can challenge for one of the lower European spots. And for Stoke, they've overachieved already this season, so the pressure is off them completely as they look to chase down West Ham and Man United ahead of them.
And both teams properly went for it, playing aggressive, open football that could have resulted in lots of goals had both sides had their finishing boots on. Chelsea were desperately unlucky not to get a penalty at 1-0 to kill the game when Oscar was rugby-tackled to the floor, but it was Stoke who created the better chances and looked like being frustrated for large periods by a combination of top goalkeeping from Courtois and poor finishing from Mame Biram Diouf.
But Diouf redeemed himself late on by putting himself in the right place at the right time as Chelsea were exposed time and again, the sloppiness of their offside trap beggaring belief at times. And Xherdan Shaqiri raced to the byline, clipped in a cross that Courtois failed miserably to deal with, and Diouf was there to head home into an empty net from ten yards or so.
A point doesn't really help either of these sides, and both teams will be frustrated by the opportunities wasted on the pitch, and seeing West Ham and City move further clear of them, with Liverpool and United hoping to do the same thing tomorrow.
The Hard and Fast Section
- Saints beat Sarries 20-15. Boom.
- Leamington also won 2-0 and are in the play-off spots.
- The Murray brothers also won, in straight sets.
- And Kenny and Armistead turned it on in the cycling.
- LFC tomorrow. Come on you Reds.
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