Match Day 16 Top Performers - Strikers and Midfielders

Strikers

1. Peter Odemwingie -[West Bromwich Albion/Nigeria] fantastic performance capped with a spectacular winning goal in West Brom's 2-1 away win at Blackburn. WBA's equalizer by James Morrison (another cracker) had looked like a possible goal-of-the-week strike until Odemwingie cut back on the right side and delivered a left-footed driver to seal victory. That strike may have just called Steve Kean's taxi. I doubt the owners will wait till the second game to pack his bags.

2. Daniel Sturridge -[Chelsea/England] While his goal did not get Chelsea the three points they desperately needed to close the gap on league leaders Man City, Daniel Sturridge can be consoled with the fact that he continues to be Chelsea's best striking option week in week out. I'm still not sure what all the fuss is about Wayne Rooney when you have a hot Daniel Sturridge benching a world cup winner in Fernando Torres.

3. Demba Ba -[Newcastle/Senegal] He didn't score against Swansea, but boy, does he make you sit on the edge! Ba has taken the league by storm. He is unquestionably the hottest striker in the league behind Robin Van Persie, who is having a dream season. Ba is solid, strong and very skillful. A brilliant acquisition, especially when you factor in that he was signed on a free transfer.

4. Craig Bellamy -[Liverpool/Wales] A goal and an assist could easily qualify Bellamy in a week that had very few standout players. However, it's not the stats that gets Craig the nod, but his leadership on a team that is missing inspirational leaders in Gerrard and Carragher. Bellamy and fellow fireball Suarez, were a handful for the hapless Aston Villa players

5. Wayne Rooney -[Manchester United/England] There was really no one else to put in the top 5 spot this week. Besides he scored, so there you have it.


Midfielders


This week was really a midfielders week, especially in the attacking midfield category.

1. Bryan Ruiz -[Fulham/Costa Rica] Categorically criticized by all pundits after just a few games in the premiership. He was deemed to be too slow, too weak for the hustle and bustle of the premier league. They were wrong. Ruiz is slowly but surely stamping his print in the league with a fantastic display against Bolton.

2. Rafael Van der Vaart -[Tottenham/Netherlands] I still can't believe he was bought from Real Madrid for a panty 7 million pounds. Ridiculous! His play is clearly worth 20+ million pounds. He's actually the reason why strikers Jermaine Defoe and Roman Pavlyucenko find themselves on the bench, and why lanky poacher Peter Crouch was shipped to Stoke. Rafa's vision and pinpoint accurate passes were on display today against Sunderland.

3. Clint Dempsey -[Fulham/USA] Very underrated, massive over achiever. If there's anything this American has going for him, it's guts, heart and confidence in abundance. He's yet to see a mountain he can't climb in the league. Ask the big boys - Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. Dempsey scores against these clubs routinely. His headed goal off Bryan Ruiz's cross against Bolton, was a beauty.

4. Michael Carrick -[Manchester United/England] Yes, there was indeed a sighting of the forgotten Manchester United Man. It was certainly worth the wait, as Carrick stole the ball in midfield and engineered a solo run that ended in a sharp finish for United's second against QPR

5. Scott Parker -[Tottenham/England] Mr. Consistency. Hardly scores, but doesn't need to. He has Rafa Van Der Vaart and Adebayor to do that job. His is to ensure that the Spurs engine room stays warm and oiled. He's done that all season.

Towel-Gate: Stoke's ever potent weapon

During a game broadcast last season, Steve McManaman described the use of pitch side towels as 'foreign' objects on the field. Wenger fumed about the use of towels and time wasting, Aston Villa and Blackburn moved their advertising boards in field to reduce the runway to throw in the ball.


It all seemed like a joke until yesterday when Tottenham fell victim to towel-gate. Apparently, Stoke has added Ryan Shotton as another throw-in treat in addition to Rory Delap. They have also introduced carrying the 'foreign' object (towel) into the pitch. Shotton devised a way to wear the towel as a 'vest' inside his shirt. Genius! 


The article below from dailymail.co.uk sums it all up -

Drying game: Stoke facing probe into new tactic but won't throw in the towel

Stoke City have come out fighting in defence of their latest controversial ploy to make the most of their long-throw tactic.

Footage from the 2-1 win against Tottenham on Sunday showed Ryan Shotton drying the ball with a towel underneath his shirt before taking throw-ins.

The plan worked a treat as he caused havoc in the Spurs penalty area, but the novel idea was under scrutiny by the football authorities as Premier League rules state that both clubs must agree to using towels during a game. 

Spot the towel: Ryan Shotton dries the ball during the game with Tottenham

The FA are looking to establish whether Stoke’s tactic leaves them open to disciplinary procedures, although it is unclear whether jurisdiction rested with the FA or Premier League. Clarification is expected on Tuesday, but Stoke are adamant that their innovative method of ensuring Shotton was able to dry the ball was within the rules.

A club spokesman said: ‘It’s a towelling vest that is the same colour as the shirt. The only stipulation is that, as long as the undergarment is the same colour as the predominant colour of the shirt, then it’s not a problem. It does not stipulate what fabric it has to be.’ 

During the home defeat to Queens Park Rangers on November 19, opposing manager Neil Warnock demanded equal use of towels, as Stoke usually supply matchday ball boys with them to ensure the balls can be dried before throws are taken. 

Step 1: Hide

Step 2: Rub

Step 3: Polish

Warnock’s intervention is likely to have triggered the decision to supply Shotton with his own drying device rather than having towels on the touchline against Spurs.

Whether Stoke are cleared to continue with the ploy remains to be seen, but it illustrates how the club are determined to reap maximum benefit from the throws that have become a major feature of their game. Manager Tony Pulis has been keen to make the most of the freakish throws into the box from Rory Delap and, more recently, Shotton. 

Last season, Stoke’s pitch was one of the smallest in the top flight, measuring 100x64metres — the minimum dimensions permissible. That looked set to change this season after the club qualified for the Europa League, as pitches in UEFA  competition must measure 105x68m.

Tactic: Stoke's Rory Delap has made good use of his long throw

However, to ensure that the club continued to make the most of Delap and Shotton’s potent throws, they have marked out two pitches at the Britannia Stadium — one for domestic competition and another for European games.

Stoke’s reliance on long throws has been widely criticised. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been outspoken about the tactic and even suggested the idea of scrapping throw-ins altogether.

Speaking in 2008, he said: ‘(The rule I would change would be) maybe to play throw-ins by foot. Why not? I think it would make the game quicker.

‘For example at Stoke, for Rory Delap it is like kicking the ball. It is a little bit of an unfair advantage. He is using a strength that is usually not a strength in football.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2073311/Stoke-facing-probe-use-towels-v-Tottenham.html#ixzz1gNoUf5Lk

Manager Sack Index Update: McCarthy checks back into top 5

With Match Day 15 games almost completed, our Manager sack index reshuffles again

Alex McLeish exits the top 5, thanks to a hard fought victory over Bolton at the Reebok Stadium. Also leaving the pack (temporarily) is Martin Jol, despite losing to Swansea. 

Our old friend Mick McCarthy was not so lucky. Playing Manchester United at Old Trafford guaranteed his return to the Sack mix.

#1. Owen Coyle

Unfortunately for Owen Coyle, he was not able to deliver on a potential three points with Aston Villa visiting the Reebok Stadium. In fact, his team found a way to lose all three points at home to a team yet to win away from home. It's only a matter of days for Coyle.

#2. Steve Kean

Kean is almost certain to lose to a Martin O'Neill motivated Sunderland on Sunday. Unless Yakubu pulls another trick out of his old boots, the boo boys may well get their long away Christmas gift early

#3. Mick McCarthy

If you are wondering why Mick McCarthy is ahead of Wigan's  Martinez on the Sack index, it is because the white-haired Bart-looking Manager continues his tradition of giving points away to top teams on the road. 

McCarthy shamelessly makes no effort to win these games, choosing to focus on select home games to stay alive in the Premiership. That 'math' is not working so well this season as Wolves have dropped valuable points at home.

#4. Roberto Martinez

Last week, Martinez was a close second to Owen Coyle on the index, with the Bolton man looking more likely to win against Aston Villa vs. Martinez winning away at West Bromwich Albion.

We were wrong. Martinez won at West Brom and Coyle lost at home. While this victory was good, Martinez is still on this list as his team is rooted close to the drop zone at 17th.

#5. Roy Hodgson

'Woy' is our latest contender for the sack race after his team dropped all three points to Wigan at home.

The ex-Liverpool 'face-rubbing' Manager seems to specialize in taking promising teams and making them look as mediocre as possible on the field. 

Under Di Matteo, West Brom played very attractive football. Under Hodgson, they look lost.

Arsenal 1 Everton 0: Marvelous Van Persie makes 125th anniversary memorable

What better way to put the icing on the 125th anniversary cake than have the hottest striker in the league deliver a stunning volley to win the game?

That's exactly what Robin Van Persie did in the 70th minute with Arsenal legends of the past (Henry, Tony Adams et al) in attendance.


With RVP notching is 33rd goal of the calendar year, the touch has been clearly past from one Arsenal legend (Thierry Henry) to a future legend in the making.


No need to discuss the man of the match, we all know who it is.

Liverpool 1 Queen Park Rangers 0: Suarez ensures Reds victory

Luis Suarez made the right headlines for a change by scoring the winning goal at Anfield against Queen Park Rangers.

The controversial Uruguayan striker, facing a double FA charge for on field antics was his usual busy self in today's contest. However, he and the Reds were guilty of being wasteful in front of goal, as QPR held on to a goal deficit thanks to some good goalkeeping by Radek Cerny. The winner finally did come in the 47th minute via a Suarez header.


The game, and particularly the opening 45 minutes, gave a taster of why Kenny Dalglish's side have drawn so often this season and failed to secure more points at Anfield.

Liverpool dominated possession, won 10 corners, and created a reasonable number of chances - but rarely forced Cerny into serious action.

With 15 shots on target (vs. 2 shots by QRP), 57% possession and 17 corner kicks, Liverpool continues their low shots-to-goal conversion rate.

Of course, Radek Cerny was also at his very best (which Goalkeeper isn't these days at Anfield).

Man of the Match - Radek Cerny

Norwich City 4 Newcastle United 2: Magpies continue slide

Paul Lambert's 4-4-2 formation, with Grant Holt and Steve Morison both starting upfront, showed his full intent to take all three points from Newcastle United.


Both men repaid their manager's trust, scoring in their 4-2 victory over the Magpies. For Newcastle, their predicted decline from the top four spot continued, sliding to seventh place at the end of the day. However, they did not go down without a fight, tying the game before the break and attempting a comeback with ten men late. 

On a positive side for Newcastle, Demba Ba continued his hot streak scoring his 10th and 11th league goal of the season. He's tied for second with Wayne Rooney and Sergio Aguero at 11 goals. Arsenal's Robin Van Persie leads the pack with 15 league goals.

Swansea 2 Fulham 0: Swans enjoying home cooking

Swansea recorded an impressive seventh clean sheet in the league with a 2-0 home victory over visiting Fulham.


Dutch goalkeeper Michel Vorm, who had an excellent outing at Anfield Road when Swansea held Liverpool, produced another stellar performance to deny Fulham's Clint Dempsey from the penalty spot.

Second half goals from Scott Sinclair (56th) and Danny Graham (90+1) sealed the victory as Vorm stood between a Fulham team looking to add another feather to their Liverpool victory earlier in the week.


Swansea's good home  form continues. Manchester United is the only team to have won in South Wales this season.


Man of Match - Michel Vorm