Week 6 results!

We turned up at White Hart Lane today for an interesting matchup between title favourites Spurs, and the ever improving Aston Villa side.

The match started with Spurs on the front foot, and Eden Hazard causing problems for the Villa defence and he opened the scoring on 7 minutes after a lovely one two with Bale set him in one on one and he finished with aplomb. At this point, it looked like it might turn into another rout for Spurs, who seemed to have Villa rattled, and Guidetti missed a big chance on 15 minutes to send them two goals up. But then as the first half went on, Aston Villa seemed to grow into the game a little more and were at least stifling whatever Spurs were throwing at them. So with the teams going in at 1-0 at half time, Villa had reason to be encouraged.

The second half, started a bit like how the first ended, Spurs struggling to break Villa down, however this time, Villa looked more threatening in attack. Demba Ba seemed to be causing problems for the Spurs defence, and he made the break through on 57 minutes, after good play down the flank from Weiss, who set up Ba from 8 yards out to slot into the Spurs net. This was a much deserved equaliser for Villa. The game then set into a pattern, of which Villa struggled to get anything going in attack again, and this meant wave after wave of Spurs attacks. Makoun was brought on to help the midfield, however he couldn't stop that man Hazard playing a world class ball through for young John Guidetti to score the winner on 87 minutes to send the Spurs fans into delirium. And this was the sucker punch, as Spurs saw out the game for a hard fought win.

The Expert's Opinion (By Gary Neville)

Villa set out very well today, and worked extremely hard. Spurs looked a little off colour and maybe injuries hurt them a little. Villa should take huge heart from the performance, however it is Spurs who just go marching on.

How the votes were spread
3-2-0

Spurs 2-1 Aston Villa
Hazard, Guidetti; Ba

Stamford Bridge was pretty much full for the visit of the flying Swans from Wales on a lovely summers day.

Swansea set there stall out early with 2 strikers up front in Bendtner and Adebayor. And it was working well for Swansea early on in this affair when Adebayor had his shot turned away by Cech after 14 minutes, in what was a warning sign for the Chelsea players that the Swans were here for all three points. However Chelsea slowly started to see more of the ball, with the extra man in midfield, and Howard had to save smartly from a Mata snapshot on 25 minutes. As the half went on, Chelsea carried on with more of the ball, and they took the lead on 41 minutes through talisman Higuain, who scored with a pretty easy tap in from a Mata cross. This was it for the first half and the question going into the dressing room was how would the Swans react?

Well the answer to that question was that they reacted with real venom, and seemed to be able to get the ball out wide and Junior Hoilett nearly scored a 25 yard screamer on 51 minutes. Unfortunately Chelsea did not heed these warning signs and Pablo Hernandez made an impact on debut, when he turned Lopez inside out, and put it on a plate for Adebayor to score on 63 minutes. This only bought the game to life. After this goal, both teams seemed to go all out for the win, and both missed guilt edged chances in an extradinary period of play on 74 minutes, as Bendtner hit the post from 8 yards out at one end, then Chelsea went straight up the other end and Gourcuff contrived to miss from 6 yards out when it looked easier to score. But Chelsea then took over the game, with the extra midfield man, but Swansea put up a resolute effort, until on 91 minutes Chelsea got a corner from which Gary Cahill scored the winner to send the home fans into raptures and secure a win for Chelsea.

The Expert's Opinion (By John Hartson)

What a breathless game of football. Swansea so nearly got a point, but they can be proud of there efforts against a Chelsea side that needs to improve to win the title. The decision to play Gourcuff out wide was a strange one. However the 3 points is what matters and Chelsea got it in the end.

How the votes were spread
4-1-1

Chelsea 2-1 Swansea
Higuain, Cahill; Adebayor

The Madejski was rocking for the visit of Fulham, in a crucial clash for both sides.

The game started off slowly, with neither side really hitting there stride early on. Fulham's attacking players started to find there feet however later in the second half, when Berbatov hit the bar with a header on 31 minutes. Reading offered little in attack, as Fulham had made it clear they were marking Drogba out the game, however it was Drogba who managed to find some room to put a half chance wide on 39 minutes as we went into the half wondering how so many attacking players could produce so little shots.

The second half however was a completely mental affair. Reading started off the better, and it was them who took the lead on 61 minutes after a mazy run from Jimmy Kebe resulted in him smashing home a thunderbolt from 22 yards out, a real goal to remember for the Malian. But then Fulham's attacking players woke up and smelled to coffee. It was Clint Dempsey who got the equaliser on 72 minutes, when he profited from some bad defending by Gallas allowed him to drift into the box to score from 14 yards out. By this point Fulham were completely bossing the game, with Drogba and Cole having little success for Reading. And this meant that Michu was able to play in a wonder through ball for the poacher Jermain Defoe to score a tidy finish on 89 minutes to send the travelling fans home happy.

The Expert's Opinion (By Andy Gray)

Today was a good win for a Fulham side who have a lot of attacking flair. However Reading seemed to be devoid of tactical instructions, and didnt really get going all game. Fulham looked good going forward, but may need to play a little more defensively against the bigger teams.

How the votes were spread
0-2-4

Reading 1-2 Fulham
Kebe; Defoe, Dempsey

We turned up at Old Trafford for what should be an entertaining game between United and Everton.

The game started off at a high tempo with Everton settling far quicker than Man Utd, however the prolific Nikica Jelavic squandered a golden opportunity on 14 minutes when he missed a one on one with De Gea, putting it past the post. This seemed to wake Utd up, as they started to take control of possession, and Welbeck headed into Vorm's hands from 7 yards out on 29 minutes. And it was Utd who took the lead on 37 minutes through talisman Wayne Rooney, who hit a 30 yard thunderbolt into the top corner, nothing Vorm could do about it. That was that for the 1st half.

The second half started with a lot of tension around Old Trafford as the United player looked a tad off form, especially Kevin Strootman who looked confused as to who to mark. And Everton started to take over the game, with Lennon causing all sorts of problems down the right. And it was Lennon who made the break through on 62 minutes for Everton, as he waltzed past Evra, and finished nicely to make it 1-1. This seemed to stun the United fans, who wanted a reaction from there team, and nearly got one, but Rooney blazed over from 10 yards on 77 minutes. Everton then had a golden opportunity to win, with the sub Ziegler putting it seemingly on a plate for Jelavic, who just headed tamely into De Gea's hand from 5 yards out. This was the last action, as the match petered out into a draw.

The Expert's Opinion (By Lee Dixon)

Man Utd were just not at the races today, poor tactically from them. A good result for Everton, and a lot of credit has to go to them for nearly getting all three points here today.

How the votes were spread
3-1-2

Man Utd 1-1 Everton
Rooney; Lennon

Anfield waited in anticipation for the visit of West Brom, on a rainy afternoon on Merseyside.

The first half started off well for Liverpool, as Luis Suarez, the culprit for missing so many chances in previous weeks made amends by scoring on 5 minutes after poor defending from Ridgewell. West Brom looked half asleep at the back again, as Vlaar nearly sold Fulop short with a backpass on 19 minutes. The Liverpool fans sensed blood, however West Brom after not looking like scoring, got the equaliser on the stroke of half time, with Peter Odemwingie scoring from penalty spot after Pienaar was brought down by Toure. This sent the team in level at the half.

The second half started with a sense of anxiety around Anfield as West Brom grew into the game. Graham Dorrans had a 20 yard strike clip the top of the bar on the way over on 66 minutes, and this seemed to wake the Liverpool team up. West Brom brought on Alves for his debut, and he made a heroic block on the line after Suarez had rounded Fulop and looked certain to score. Liverpool fans wondered if it would be there day. West Brom defended like trojans, however were powerless to resist when Rossi unleashed a 28 yard thunderbolt into the top corner on 87 minutes to send Anfield into pandemonium. And that was how the scoreline finished.

The Expert's Opinion (By Mark Lawrenson)

West Brom and Liverpool set up similar today, and West Brom nearly nicked something at Anfield, however Liverpool's quality just managed to get them over the line.

How the votes were spread
3-2-1

Liverpool 2-1 West Brom
Suarez, Rossi; Odemwingie

Arsenal wanted to continue their title challenge, while Norwich were looking to move further away from danger in this clash. Norwich’s gameplan was evident from the start, utilising Holt and Morison up front to try and bully Vermaelen and Koscielny, and it almost got them off to a good start, as Holt teed off Hoolahan to drive a shot which Szczesny did well to parry away from goal. Arsenal were frequently finding time and space on the flanks though, and they took the lead in a somewhat fortunate way, Gibbs overlapping on the left, and his cross looped right over Ruddy and in to hand Arsenal an opener. Norwich didn’t let the setback unsettle them however, and continued to compete hard in midfield, although Arsenal still edged the play they were limited to long shots, none of which worried Ruddy.

Halftime came and went and Arsenal continued to control the game, again finding freedom out wide, but not able to produce any crosses of real quality. Norwich continued to battle, but as tiredness took its toll, they made their first real mistake, Fox dawdling in midfield and dispossessed by Cazorla who exchanged passes with Van Persie before sliding home past Ruddy. Norwich then had to come out a little more, and almost immediate gave themselves a glimmer of a revival, Morison’s knockdown collected by Snodgrass who feinted to shoot before skipping past Koscielny, who proceeded to bring him down, giving the ref no choice but to point to the spot. Snodgrass picked himself up, steadied himself before sending Szczcesny the wrong way. With 10 miinutes left Norwich then proceeded to go for broke, Holt crashing a header against the crossbar, before Morison smashed the rebound right at Szczesny. However in injury time, controversy followed, a long ball knocked down by Holt, seemingly onto the hand of Vermaelen. However, the ref didn’t award anything, and Arsenal were able to clear and seal victory.

Expert Opinion (Jamie Redknapp)
Norwich set out to stifle Arsenal, and for 70 minutes they had success, and if there were any wide service to Holt and Morison they may have got something. Arsenal found going through the middle really tough today, but the fullbacks overlapped to good effect out wide.

Norwich 1-2 Arsenal
Snodgrass pen ’78; Gibbs ’18, Cazorla ‘73

How the Votes were spread
1-2-3

On paper this match didn’t seem one for the neutral, as 2 teams not adverse to grafting clashed at the Britannia. West Ham got their first point of the season last week, and that positivity spread to the pitch early on, as they used their wide players to exploit the space Stoke left and try and feed Long. This approach almost paid dividends early on as Kranjcar found room outside before coming infield and playing a through ball from Long, however he was forced wide and Begovic got his angles right at the near post. Stoke went to their talisman in response however, Young eluding the attention of Diarra, before clipping a ball in for Crouch who headed over under pressure from Tomkins. It proved to be a scrappy match in midfield and chances were at a premium. However Stoke managed to craft one, Young peeling out wide to cross for Crouch who gave Green no chance from 7 yards.

West Ham might’ve gone into their shell under the previous regime, but they came out fighting after the break, and managed to restore parity, Alonso overlapping down the left drew the attentions of the FB, and Kranjcar drove into the area before crossing across the face of goal to a waiting Long who slotted it home. Both teams showed plenty of endeavour after the break, but too often it broke down in midfield as neither team could establish an advantage in that area. As time winded down, both teams could feel they could’ve nicked it, first Long’s shot from the edge of the box hitting the outside of the post before going out, and Owen working room to force Green into a smart near post save, but eventually both sets of fans had to concede a draw was the right result.

Expert Opinion (Iain Dowie):
Both teams really cancelled each other out with the number of players in the middle, and it didn’t make for a pretty spectacle. West Ham had space out wide, but too often the wide players chose to come inside rather than exploit the space. Stoke need to find ways to get Young on the ball, West Ham marshalled him pretty well today.

Stoke 1-1 West Ham
Crouch 41’; Long ‘51

How the votes were spread
2-2-1