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Five Spices

"One accusation you can't throw at me is that I've always done my best." (Alan Shearer) And our Chairman Damon can never be said to be one to make unfair criticisms.

Harsh, but fair, our Chairman dispenses his trenchant, pithy post match analysis of the overpaid heroes and goats that make up the “Happy Band” of Euro 2008. 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 tournament unwinds.

Previous Analysis :

Week 8.... Week 7.... Week 6.... Week 5.... Week 4.... Week 3

 

Will it/can it/should it finally be Liverpool's year?

 

Blackburn Rovers 1 - Middlesbrough 1

A late Benni McCarthy header salvaged a point for Blackburn as Boro again came unstuck at the death. Middlesbrough, looking to recover from last week's drubbing by Chelsea, started positively and saw an overhead effort from Tuncay Sanli wrongly disallowed for offside and Jeremie Aliadiere crash a shot off the bar when he should have done better. Roque Santa Cruz struck a post for the hosts and forced keeper Russ Turnbull into a couple of fine saves, but it was the visitors who took the lead with fifteen minutes remaining when Alfonso Alves smashed a shot past Paul Robinson. The goal looked to have sealed the game until McCarthy got up to head home Brett Emerton's corner with only seconds left on the clock.

 

Chelsea 0 - Liverpool 1

Chelsea's four and a half year unbeaten home record came to an end after eighty-six games as a committed Liverpool held out for the win. Xabi Alonso gave Liverpool the lead in the tenth minute when his poorly-hit effort caught a deflection off Jose Bosingwa which wrong-footed Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal. The home side dominated possession from there on in but were unable to carve out any clear-cut chances as the visiting team defended manfully and carried an intermittent threat on the break, themselves. Chelsea's best chance to level fell to Ashley Cole with a quarter of an hour remaining but the full-back skied his effort to sum up the Londoners' day. Liverpool move clear at the top of the table and, showing the resilience they have so far this term, may prove hard to shift.

 

Everton 1 - Manchester United 1

Struggling Everton pulled a second-half performance out of the bag to hold the reigning champions at Goodison. United had dominated the second half and went ahead through Darren Fletcher's classy finish on twenty-two minutes, though some Tim Howard heroics ensured it was the only goal that separated the two sides going into the break. The second half saw Everton step up their combative nature quite considerably to get themselves back in the game and their approach paid off when Marounane Fellaini headed home Phil Neville's cross with just under half an hour to go. They could well have gone on to win but Ayegbini Yakubu saw his effort pushed onto the post by Edwin van der Sar after a Rio Ferdinand mistake had let him in. On balance, the draw was probably a fair result.

 

Manchester City 3 - Stoke City 0

In the take of two Cities, a Robinho hat-trick helped the Mancunians on their way to a comfortable victory against the side from the Potteries. The Brazilian opened his account a quarter of an hour in, after being found by Ched Evans in the area and doubled his tally just after the break after Dean Sturridge's excellent run and through ball left him clear with only the keeper to beat. The hat-trick was brought up with twenty minutes to go when he was able to convert a simple chance after the impressive Sturridge set him up again. Man City are still blowing hot and cold but when they're on form they can be a match for anyone, whilst Stoke are finding they need more than an admirable team spirit and fighting ethic to pick up regular points in the Premier League, no matter how difficult they can make life for the opposition.

 

Portsmouth 1 - Fulham 1

Portsmouth initially made light work of losing their manager just before the week-end, only to come a cropper to a late Clint Dempsey equaliser at Fratton Park. Both sides had made lively starts to the game but it was Portsmouth who looked the better outfit for much of the match. They finally took the lead an hour in, Jermaine Defoe making the most of some hesitant defending to play in strike partner Peter Crouch to finish well from twelve yards, and it looked at that stage as if they;d done enough to take all three points. Dempsey had other ideas, though, and stole in unmarked at the far post to head home Erik Nevland's cross with just three minutes remaining. In truth, the draw does little for either side but Fulham will certainly consider this a point gained.

 

Sunderland 2 - Newcastle United 1

The Wearsiders rack up their first home win in this fixture since before their match-winner was born. A typically fiery derby game, played in a gale, saw the Black Cats start the stronger with Djibril Cisse and El Hadji Diouf causing the still-fragile Magpies defence all sorts of problems in the early stages. It was Cisse who gave Sunderland the lead on twenty minutes, sticking out a boot to direct Steed Malbranque's woefully wayward effort into the net. Newcastle have rediscovered their resilience in recent days, however, and fought their way back into the game, drawing level when Shola Ameobi climbed highest to head home Geremi Njitap's free-kick. Sunderland weren't to be denied, though, and Kieran Richardson stepped up to unleash a rocket of a free-kick with fifteen minutes left to ensure a good weekend for the home support.

 

Tottenham Hotspur 2 - Bolton Wanderers 0

Tottenham finally get a win at the ninth time of asking, the day after showing Juande Ramos the White Hart Lane exit door. Looking a sight more determined than in recent months, Spurs started well and took a deserved lead on seventeen minutes when Roman Pavlyuchenko headed his first league goal for them from David Bentley's measured cross. Still looking shaky at the back despite the presence of Ledley King, the home side were coming under pressure with Bolton sticking a lot of high balls into the box before finally getting the rub of the green ten minutes into the second half when Joey O'Brien got his marching orders with a second yellow for a late challenge on Tom Huddlestone. After that, it was a much more comfortable afternoon for the Tottenham faithful, with Darren Bent making the points safe from the penalty spot after a collision with Juusi Jaaskelainen. Could this be the start of the recovery?

 

West Bromwich Albion 0 - Hull City 3

It just gets better for the long-suffering fans of Hull City, as they wake up Monday morning with their side sitting third in the table. It was the Baggies who started the better, though, and they should have taken the lead when Boaz Myhill could only parry Borja Valero's effort into the air, only for Jonas Olsson to head the rebound against the bar, Roman Bednar unable to turn the losse ball in. Soon after the break, though, the visitors took the lead when Kamil Zayette volleyed home Dean Marney's corner and they weathered the brief fightback before making the game safe with two goals in four minutes just after the hour - Geovanni diving to head in Marlon King's fantastic flicked cross and then King finishing emphatically after a missed defensive clearance. Half way to safety after just nine games ... with Chelsea and Man United up next.

 

West Ham United 0 - Arsenal 2

Arsenal win to stay in touch with the leaders after Julian Faubert's own goal gets them on their way. The game looked to be destined to finish in a stalemate, with West Ham largely containing Arsenal and content to attack on the counter. When Arsenal did get through, they found Robert Green in great form, so it was no surprise when Arsene Wenger brought on Emmanuel Adebayor on sixty-four minutes to try and force the issue. As things turned out, Faubert ended up breaking the deadlock with a poorly-judged lunge at the Togo striker's scuffed, corner-flag-destined effort, deflecting the ball past his helpless keeper. Adebayor finally got on the scoresheet right at the death, running from the half-way line onto Nicklas Bendtner's pass and there was still time for Carlton Cole to be shown a very harsh red card for a mis-timed sliding tackle on Song. When it's not your day, it's just not your day.

 

Wigan Athletic 0 - Aston Villa 4

Villa kick into gear as Wigan continue to under-accrue points. The Midlanders started this game slightly better, though it was Wigan who had the better of the early chances, only to see them go begging. They were made to pay for their profligacy on twenty two minutes when Titus Bramble was adjudged to have brought down Gabriel Agbonlahor for a penalty, despite the striker being headed away from goal at the time. Gareth Barry converted confidently but Wigan came back impressibly, without getting anything for their efforts. Barry was substituted ten minutes after half time with John Carew being let out of the dog-house and the big Norwegian's first touch allowed Agbonlahor to bundle the ball home from close range. Five minutes later and Carew got on the scoresheet himself when heading home Agbonlahor's cross and Steve Sidwell made it four just before the end to give the scoreline a rather flattering look.