Barclays Premier League Round-up, 5th & 6th Nov 2011

By Raghavan,

Dominating the headlines before the start of the week were two teams, two neighbors in the table, one of who could be described as an unexpected newcomer. If you haven't guessed the two, it is Newcastle United and Chelsea occupying 3rd and 4th respectively. While all the headlines that talk about the magpies would be a delight to their own ears, it's quite the opposite to the team from London. 

Newcastle kicked off this weeks BPL action looking to extend their, quite unbelievable to say the least, unbeaten run 10 matches into this BPL season. And they traveled to Goodison Park taking alot of confidence from a 3-1 victory at the Brittania, where even the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United have failed to take 3 points. Newcastle were however deprived of the services of midfield workhorse Chiok Tiote, whose timely tracking back has been vital to their miserly record so far. Everton on the other hand were looking to get something out of this game given that they were below mid table. However it's the magpies who continued to their epic run with another 3 points, despite playmaker Yohan Cabaye being taken off with an injury inside the first half. A John Heitinga own goal from a floated cross by Simpson gave the visitors the lead before another spectacular curling and dipping volley from Ryan Taylor doubled the advantage. Loius Saha hit the post, but it was Jack Rodwell who headed in Osman's corner on the stroke of half time. Special mention to Jonas Gutierrez who did a spectacular job at the back, switching places with Ryan Taylor at will and even found sometime on the right nullyfying anything that Drenthe tried. Newcastle went 6 clear of  Chelsea!!

Chelsea needed a win and nothing but that. They were frustrated by Genk in midweek, they were frustrated by Blackburn too! Almost! Malouda started  in place of Torres, who came on in the second half for Malouda as Chelsea barely managed to produce anything in the first 45. However it was a telling inch perfect cross from the right by Ivanovic that (who else?) Frank Lampard stooped low and met with his head to get that vital goal. Chelsea survived a couple of scares, especially one when Yakubu broke through and had only cech to beat. Cech, who earlier suffered a broken bleedy nose, saved with his legs. Fernando Torres was offered a nice juicy patient cross from Ashley Cole, was under no pressure, but amazingly only ended up kneeing it skywards. A scratchy performance and Chelsea scratched 3 points.

And own goals galore again when former Man Utd defender Wes Brown headed in Nani's corner, in a game that produced nothing much else, and yeah, Rooney started in midfield again.

However it was one save after another as Swansea held Liverpool to a goalless draw. Swans stopper Michel Vorm was flying all over the place pulling some miraculous saves, as many as 8 in total by count. However it came down to one defining moment when Stewart Downing found the big Andy Carroll unmarked in front of goal and squared it up for Carroll nicely. Carroll, who had to just place it anywhere but straight ahead to Vorm, lashed at it, and hit the underside of the crossbar. Jose Enrique was repeatedly outrun by  Nathan Dyer and once Dyer only had to make a simple pass into the box after cutting past Enrique into the box and find Graham, but the final ball was poorly straight to Pepe Reina. It was the closing stages that provided maximum intensity. Suarez unleashed a powerful right foot from just outside the box and was quite surely headed into the top corner in a flash, but Vorm produced another spectacular flying save to secure a point for Swansea.

Aston Villa and Norwich City engaged in a tightly fought 3-2 encounter at Villa park. Gabriel Agbonlahor was the architect of all three goals. Agbonlahor made a brisk run down the left and produced a low flat and sharp cross for Darren Bent to tap in and equalise after Anthony Pilkington's freekick found the top right corner of Shay Given's net. Agbonlahor lost his marker and lashed onto a long clearance by Given and had only Ruddy to beat, who he deftly went past and found the open net. Bent gave a 2 goal cushion after once again Agbonlahor, this time from the right crossed in the ball that arrived at a very nice height for Bent to put his foot through. Morison headed in Grant Holt's diagonal ball, but Villa managed to hold onto 3 points.

Big news at the Emirates was that Tomas Vermaelan started once again. And he managed to get on the scoresheet too. West Brom were rarely in the game, and Robin van Persie found goal #11 in BPL after nodding in Walcott's cut in. It was RvP's layoff sometime later which gave Arsenal their second after Vermaelan did the honours with it. Substitute in the 2nd half, Yossi Benayoun passed to RvP stationed in the box, as RvP fed it to the path of the approaching Mikel Arteta who finished for his first goal at home, and 2nd in BPL for Arsenal. Easy Peasy 3 points, and Arsenal are now playing as they are expected to.

League leaders City, traveled to Loftus Road. Just two weeks back QPR shocked Chelsea to a win. City were without suspended skipper Vincent Kompany, and Savic got his first start of the season. At one point it did seem to be another shock result after Bothroyd, last week's scorer, headed in Barton's precise corner. However minutes before half time, Edin Dzeko, cut inside from the left and drilled home the equaliser. Dzeko was involved later in the second half when he crossed low into the box. A masterly piece of control from David Silva who lost Ferdinand and finished to give City the lead. More surprises in store as Helguson's headed effort got another equaliser for QPR, but it was Yaya Toure's head that minutes later that met Kolarov's cross from the left to give City all 3 points. Business as usual, no slip up this time that Fulham were lucky to have earlier this season.

Are Stoke City losing their way? Last week their home fortress was breached by Newcastle. But bigger horror was in store for them as they suffered to a 5-0 defeat by - BOLTON! Owen Coyle finally breathes. the first goal was one for the funny store as Bolton appealed for a free kick inside the box as Begovic was adjudged to have handled a back pass. Begovic found out he had no time to argue as Klasnic took the free kick quickly before Begovic could take notice and left it for Kevin Davies to find the open net. Begovic's nightmare continued as he hurled a very poor clearance to straight to Chris Eagles who scored a wonderful goal finishing at a narrow angle from outside the area. It was another goal for Eagles and a brace for Ivan Klasnic that completed the rout.

Ben Watson had a penalty saved at the Molineux before scoring from the ensuing scramble. That was the equaliser to O'Hara's opener. Edwards and Ward scored a couple of scrappy goals in the second half to win it 3-1 for Wolves.

Tottenham Hotspur traveled to Craven Cottage to complete the week's fixtures. Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon, who had a very good game, positioned Spurs in a winning 2-0 at half time. The second half was all Fulham tough, only they were unlucky not to win. Shots from range from Dembele and Dempsey, telling crosses into the box, Brad Friedel was the busiest person of the day, once even pulling a double save. A Younus Kaboul own goal, going in off the back of Brede Hangeland's head made things very tight, and it remained so until the 95th minute when Adebayor swirled beautifully and passed back from near the out line for substitute Jermaine Defoe to finish the game in style. Yup! One of those rare days that Spurs score 3 and van der Vaart doesn't.

So the winners of the week: Newcastle- for extending their run through injury woes; Bolton- big winner both by scoreline and the relief that the result gives; Chelsea -  they just badly needed that win; Arsenal - on top gear now surely; Man City - a tough place to go to they said, but nothing is tough for City; Wolverhampton- Good win to move out of the drop zone; Swansea- into the top half now, a point at Anfield is always something to treasure.

And the losers: Stoke City- big time loss, both by score and also their once nurtured ambition for a top 8 finishes gets bleaker with two uncharacteristic ill-disciplined performances in a row; Liverpool- Vorm's heroics aside its their second draw at home in a row, and second in row to a promoted side; Wigan - 8 losses in 8, need I say more?; Man Utd- Perhaps time for Rooney to play forward again, United won the game but never really showed anything worthwhile, and had to ride on an own goal;