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Five Spices From Chairman Damon

Log on to this page after each round of games for the lowdown on how each team fared. He’s harsh, but fair and you won’t find anything quite like it elsewhere. Enjoy our Chairman’s pithy post match analysis of the overpaid heroes and goats that make up the “Happy Band” of the EPL. If you're in the prawn sandwich and skim latte club, or part of the "Dippy Darling" brigade this column is not for you!!

Who's hot? Who's not? Who's left their bottle at home? Watch this space carefully as the season unwinds.

Who was hot before?  Visit Damon's 2008/09 season archives to find out!

Previous Analysis:

Round Twenty.... Round Nineteen.... Round Eighteen.... Round Seventeen.... Round Sixteen.... Round Fifteen

Games Coming Thick And Fast

 

Birmingham City 0 - Arsenal 3

Arsenal pick up a good win at St. Andrew's to keep the pressure on the Manchester sides at the top. The Gunners were back to full strength and took the lead just before the quarter-hour when Robin van Persie took a dive on the edge of the area before finding the net with the subsequent free-kick via Lee Bowyer's midriff. The Dutchman was living a charmed life and got away with a handball in the area referee Peter Walton inexplicably missed but the Londoners were the better side and doubled their lead just before the hour. Samir Nasri, enjoying his best season since his move to England, exchanged passes with Cesc Fabregas before tucking a finish past Ben Foster. The two linked up again with twenty-five minutes left, with Fabregas this time sent through. Though the midfielder's effort was parried by Foster, the ball came back off Scott Dann, struck his defensive partner Roger Johnson and ended up in the net. Cuty drop into the bottom three.

 

Chelsea 3 - Aston Villa 3

Chelsea and Aston Villa play out a remarkable draw at Stamford Bridge. Having finally got back to winning ways against Bolton, the Blues could have expected to push on against a struggling Villa but found their visitors, boosted by the return to first-team action of a number of experienced players, in combatitive mood. The home side neverthleless took the lead when James Collins climbed all over Florent Malouda on twenty-three minutes and the fit-again Frank Lampard despatched the penalty. The Villans' effort had deserved more and they drew level through a spot-kick of their own four minutes before the break, after Michael Essien had ploughed through Nigel Reo Coker in the box. Ashley Young crashed home the kick. The Londoners then found themselves behind two minutes after the restart, as Emile Heskey outjumped debutant Jeffrey Bruma to head in Stuart Downing's cross, but reacted well and started to ratchet up the pressure as the half wore on. They were rewarded with six minutes left when Brad Friedel, who'd already pulled off a remarkable save to deny Lampard, did magnificently to deny Salomon Kalou, only to see Didier Drogba pick up the loose ball and fire home through a crowd of players. With a minute left, the home side were ahead, after another great stop from the American to keep out Drogba's flashing header finished at the feet of John Terry to steer home. The drama wasn't done with, though, and a minute into extra time, Ciaran Clark made the most of some sleepy defending to ghost onto Marc Albrighton's cross and nod past Petr Cech. There was still time for Drogba to go close with a near-post volley but the Midlanders had deserved a point and duly got it.

 

Liverpool 2 - Bolton Wanderers 1

Liverpool nick a controversial late goal as they come from behind to beat Bolton at Anfield. The Reds started quite brightly, looking to put their midweek reverse against Wolves behind them, but it was Bolton, travelling with a party of just fifteen players, who took the lead just before half-time. Rodrigo Moreno was fouled by Fabio Aurelio on the right and when Matt Taylor swung in the free-kick, Kevin Davies outjumped his marker to head home. Lucas Leiva should have brought his side level almost immediately afterward but scuffed his effort wide from four yards. The Liverpudlians were level just four minutes into the second half, as Fernando Torres made the most of a slick first-time ball from Steven Gerrard to send a side-footed half-volley into the roof of the net. The home side then pushed hard for a winner that looked as if it was going to prove elusive until Maxi Rodriguez and Johan Elmander jumped for a Gerrard cross in the box. Rodriguez's touch appeared to take the ball away from goal but a deflection back off Elmander saw the ball drop to the offside Joe Cole, who stabbed home. Offside in my book but not according to referee Kevin Friend and what could yet prove to be a crucial goal for Roy Hodgson's side was allowed to stand.

 

Manchester City 1 - Blackpool 0

City make hard work of seeing off Blackpool to stay in touch with their neighbours at the top of the table. Carlos Tevez passed up a good chance to give his side another flying start, when he could only drag his shot wide after being inadvertantly put in by Charlie Adam. It was to prove one of those days for the Argentine but not for his side and, just before the half hour, Adam Johnson's hopeful drive from distance clipped of Stephen Crainey and past Richard Kingson. It should have been two within two minutes but Tevez struck a poor penalty wide after Yaya Toure had been bundled over by Luke Varney. Tangerines' boss Ian Holloway responded at half time by bringing on Matt Phillips and the youngster helped galvanise his side into taking the game to their hosts, to the extent City were largely on the back foot for the last ten or fifteen minutes. That said, it could have been a more comfortable afternoon for the Sky Blues had Tevez had his shooting boots on - the striker's otherwise impressive display marred by some wayward finishing throughout. Still, we're beyond the season's half-way point and the Citizens are still up there and in with a definite shout.

 

Stoke City 2 - Everton 0

Stoke climb back into the top half of the table after a hard-fought home win against Everton. Unbeaten in their previous eight away matches, the Toffees clearly weren't lacking in confidence and largely bossed possession as their hosts concentrated on trying to deny time and space. Ryan Shawcross's mistimed hack at Luis Saha just outside the box aside - a foul missed by referee Andre Marriner - the defence succeeded and the visitors found it difficult to break through. The Potters having lost their previous two home games, the tactic was perhaps understandable and it certainly paid off when Kenwyne Jones rose to head Matt Etherington's cross beyond Tim Howard in the twenty-third minute. The Merseysiders were unable to claw their way back and they were two down with twenty minutes remaining, after Phil Jagielka miscontrolled a Jones nod-on under pressure from Ricardo Fuller and scooped the ball over his own keeper.

 

Sunderland 3 - Blackburn Rovers 0

Sunderland move back up to sixth after a comfortable home win against Blackburn. After having had more than thirty attempts on goal against Blackpool without finding the net, the Black Cats came up trumps with their first two shots against Rovers. With eleven minutes on the clock, the in-form Danny Wellbeck latched onto Ryan Nelsen's half-clearance with a snapshot that caught a deflection off the centre-back on its way past Mark Bunn. Eight minutes later and Darren Bent was able to bring an end to his recent goal drought when he got a glancing header to Mohamed Elmohamady's cross that the debutant keeper couldn't get near. Blackburn had hardly been in the match during the first half but the introduction of Benjani Mwauwari at half time injected more purpose into them but it also opened up space at the back and Asamoah Gyan was able to run onto Jordan Henderson's through ball a minute before time, before curling the ball round Brett Emerton and Bunn for a classy third.

 

Tottenham Hotspur 1 - Fulham 0

Spurs extend their good recent run with a derby win against Fulham at White Hart Lane. In truth, the Lillywhites struggled during a poor first half in which the Cottagers harried and worked to blunt the North Londoners' attacking flair. With the opening period looking to finish goalless, Gareth Bale got his head to Rafael van der Vaart's free-kick to guide in the opener three minutes before the break. Fulham threatened intermittently on the break and enjoyed a bried spell of superiority mid-way through the second period which saw Michael Dawson forced into a goal line clearance as Andrew Johnson's half-blocked effort almost reached Clint Dempsey. The home side were otherwise comfortably, however, and held on to extend their unbeaten run to eight games and leapfrog Chelsea into fourth place.

 

West Bromwich Albion 1 - Manchester United 2

United ride their luck at the Hawthorns to book a win that keeps them top. Wayne Rooney headed an opener from Patrice Evra's cross after just three minutes but the Baggies were looking much the better side and were deservedly level on the quarter-hour through James Morrison's glorious strike. The league leaders were then given a let-off when Chris Foy failed to award a penalty and send off Gary Neville after the veteran full-back's clumsy foul in the area on Graham Dorrans. Albion started the second period as they'd finished the first and should have been ahead mid-way through the half after Rio Ferdinand's trip on Jerome Thomas in the area. Peter Odomwingie, however, scuffed an awful penalty a couple of yards wide and his team paid the price with fifteen minutes left. Foy had again missed a clear penalty, with Thomas using his left arm to bunt a Rafael da Silva cross out of play, but this time the referee's failure didn't have any lasting consequences, with Javier Hernandez heading home from the corner that eventually ensued. Again, West Brom pushed for another goal but their luck was out and United were able to hold on.

 

West Ham United 2 - Wolverhampton Wanderers 0

West Ham climb out of the relegation zone for the first time this season with what could prove to be a massive win over Wolves. Wanderers started slightly the brighter but the Hammers, looking to extend their good Christmas run, slowly worked their way into the game and Freddie Sears' close-range effort was cleared off the line by Richard Steadman to ensure a fairly nervous first half ended goalless. The visitors came out strongly after the interval and Robert Green had to be at his best to pull off a succession of saves before Frederic Piquionne found space down the right as the home side hit on the counter. Carlton Cole air-kicked as his team-mate's low cross zipped across the area and Ronald Zubar, running back after having lost the striker, couldn't get out of the way as the ball struck him and ended up in the net. The game opened up and Wolves nearly drew level as Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's drive crashed back off the crossbar but another breakaway saw Sears put the game safe when tucking away Tal Ben Haim's cross. Wanderers replace United at the bottom.

 

Wigan Athletic 0 - Newcastle United 1

Newcastle recover from their holiday period setbacks with a win at under-par Wigan. In the absence of the injured Andy Carroll, Shola Ameobi led the Newcastle line and should have put his side ahead after just three minutes, only to put his header over the bar from four yards. The Latics briefly threatened, with Tom Cleverley forcing a good stop from fit-again Steve Harper before skying a volley and then Gary Caldwell hitting the bar, but the Magpies were looking the more dangerous and took the lead on twenty minutes when Ameobi followed up after Peter Lovenkrands had rolled an effort against the post. The visitors then had opportunities to increase their lead but with Lovenkrands out of luck in front of goal and Fabricio Coloccini seeing a header come back off the bar, they had to be content with taking their single-goal lead into the break. Wigan again enjoyed a short period of dominance at the beginning of the second half but were generally wasteful in possession and unable to create chances to test Harper in the Newcastle goal. The best two chances of the half again fell to the away side, with Steven Taylor's header hitiing the bar and Leon Best overrunning the ball in the area when it looked as if he might break through.