Guardian writers 

Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s action

Man Utd contemplate Europa League ordeal, Gus Poyet out-thinks Alan Pardew and Andy Carroll is conned in dismissal
  
  

Talking points composite
Both David Moyes and Alan Pardew (pictured above) had weekends to forget. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action, John Sibley/Action, Chris Brunskill/Getty, Ian Walton/Getty, Adam Davy/PA Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action, John Sibley/Action, Chris Brunskill/Getty, Ian Walton/Getty, Adam Davy/PA

1) Manchester United's stock is falling fast

Forget defending the title, the conversation for David Moyes has become about whether Manchester United can qualify for the Champions League. At the moment, anyway. Another loss like the one suffered at Stoke City on Saturday and the Scot can expect to start fielding inquiries about the Europa League and whether, actually, having to traipse around the continent on Thursday evenings will hinder next season's campaign to regain European Cup football. This is how fast the 20-times champions of England's stock falls and the strong sense is that United's fortunes this season will become even poorer before any true redeeming light is to be viewed. Jamie Jackson

• Stoke City 2-1 Manchester United
• Moyes blames misfortune after latest loss

2) Philosophy matters in north-east derby

Alan Pardew acknowledges he has an ego but says he is "not egotistical" about Newcastle United's style. On Saturday's evidence he should be. Newcastle began in the manner of a team fired up by their manager but lacking a coherent plan other than to aim to hit Shola Ameobi with long early balls. In contrast Sunderland exuded control – something that extended to restrained goal celebrations – and as a consequence passed Pardew's side off the park during the course of a 3-0 win. If Newcastle's manager has become increasingly pragmatic over the years, Sunderland's Gus Poyet is an ideologically driven purist big on a possession-based passing game. Implementing this philosophy has taken time and progress has been incremental but, like Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool, he is beginning to reap the benefits of having a defined vision. With a key disciple in Liam Bridcutt, newly arrived from Brighton, around to help him implement his ideas, Poyet's team looked poised to pull well clear of relegation waters. Pardew could do worse than remember his much more purist past at Reading and challenge his players to prove they really can still pass and move fluently - even without the departed Yohan Cabaye. Principles matter; moreover if Newcastle's manager sticks to them Hatem Ben Arfa will surely become re-invigorated in broadly the same manner that Adam Johnson has been re-born under Poyet's blueprint. Louise Taylor

• Match report: Newcastle 0-3 Sunderland

3) Respect for Chamakh

Plenty of Arsenal supporters rose up from their seats and the ovation for the substituted player was hearty. It was not for one of their own but Crystal Palace's Marouane Chamakh, the former Arsenal striker, who had generally been a source of frustration during his time at Emirates Stadium. Chamakh rarely tasted such adulation but it was a nice touch from Arsenal's fans and it might also have recognised his strength of character. Having been at the lowest of career ebbs, Chamakh hardly sought the easy option in signing up for Palace's relegation battle. But he has rediscovered his touch and self-belief and, even in defeat, he showed encouraging flashes against Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker, Arsenal's in-form central defenders. David Hytner

• Match report: Arsenal 2-0 Crystal Palace
• Wenger says deadline forced his hand on Kallstrom
• David Hytner: Kallstrom move is bizarre

4) Will the window come back to haunt Liverpool?

Brendan Rodgers is an erudite man and he knows better than to air any grievances he may or may not have about what went on in the transfer window in public - a point the Liverpool manager was quick to make on the back of the 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, after he was asked whether he was worried that Friday's failed pursuit of Yevhen Konoplyanka was not the first time that a deal had gone a long way down the road without being concluded. The Liverpool manager paid tribute to everyone at the club for trying to make the transfer happen and insisted that money was not the issue. Rodgers could, though, be forgiven for feeling that Liverpool missed a trick last month. They have enjoyed an excellent season and sit in fourth place with 14 matches remaining, yet one of the chief concerns about their ability to stay the course is their strength in depth. When Albion got back into the game after Kolo Toure's calamitous mistake, there was still plenty of time for Liverpool to turn things around. Rodgers, arguably, needed to be able to call on some star quality from the bench to shift the match back in their favour. Yet looking through the list of Liverpool substitutes it was hard to see an authentic game-changer - someone who could come on and have a real impact - among them. In the end Rodgers replaced Philippe Coutinho with Joe Allen and Jon Flanagan with Martin Kelly. Stuart James

• Match report: West Brom 1-1 Liverpool
• Touré rues 'terrible' error as Liverpool draw

5) Chico: a cheat prospers

As cheating goes, it rivalled that special moment at the 2002 World Cup when Rivaldo pretended he had been hit in the face by the ball and got Turkey's Hakan Unsal sent off. Andy Carroll did not hit Chico Flores in the face on Saturday, he brushed the top of his head with his arm and there is an argument that he was regaining his balance after being fouled by the Swansea City defender. But Chico, an embarrassing piece of work, threw himself to the floor and rolled around clutching his face, convincing Howard Webb to show Carroll a red card. West Ham United, deep in the relegation mire, will now lose the striker for their matches against Aston Villa, Norwich and Southampton – but if there is any justice, the Football Association will overturn the decision. Even Michael Laudrup, Swansea's manager, thought it was harsh and he did not seem particularly bothered about defending Chico's antics. Wouldn't it be good if the authorities had the power to hand out retrospective punishments to players who think it is acceptable to cheat their fellow professionals? Jacob Steinberg

• Match report: West Ham United 2-0 Swansea City

6) Fulham's hopes could rest with Heitinga

Most eyes were on Kostas Mitroglou, the Greece striker Fulham have just paid £11m to sign from Olympiakos, prior to kick-off at Craven Cottage on Saturday but it was perhaps the man in the black bomber jacket who was beside him during a walk around the pitch that the home fans should have taken a keener interest in. Johnny Heitinga may lack the glamour of a high-priced striker with Champions League pedigree but he is an experienced defender and that, clearly, is a must right now.

Fulham have conceded 53 goals in 24 leagues games this season, failed to keep a clean sheet since early December and, as was further evident in their 3-0 defeat to Southampton, have serious defensive problems. The hosts were far too open at times, easily pulled apart at the back on other occasions and, rooted to bottom place with games against Manchester United and Liverpool to come, look doomed to relegation unless they can manage to stop the defensive rot.

Heitinga may not be the player of old but he has 87 caps for the Netherlands to his name and, as such, can only enhance the London side, most likely coming in for Dan Burn, a highly regarded young defender but, as he showed against Southampton, a player currently suffering from a serious bout of high-level nerves. It can also only help Fulham that Heitinga has played with goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg at international level, most notably in the 2010 World Cup final. Even with Heitinga's arrival there remains a major obstacle to Fulham's hopes of becoming tighter defensively – their manager. "I still think attacking and possession is the best way to defend," said Rene Meulensteen, having seeing his side ripped open by Southampton at the weekend. Pragmatism may soon have to take over. Sachin Nakrani

• Match report: Fulham 0-3 Southampton

7) Villa and Benteke miss Agbonlahor's influence

Aston Villa were on the front foot, fast, creative and penetrating when they came to Merseyside for a 2-2 draw at Liverpool a fortnight ago. The key that day was Gabriel Agbonlahor, and it was no coincidence Villa's two-goal lead disappeared once he fell over an advertising hoarding and suffered the ankle injury that forced his withdrawal early in the second half. Agbonlahor was again absent for the 2-1 defeat at Goodison Park, where the contrast in the Villa approach and the performance of Christian Benteke could not have been more marked. Paul Lambert's team were content to sit back against Everton and play the long ball towards the Belgium international but, despite his physical presence, the striker's influence was minimal. Lambert's argument that Everton had few clear-cut chances was legitimate. But his team did not do enough to win. Andy Hunter

• Match report: Everton 2-1 Aston Villa

8) Livermore boosts chances of long-term Hull deal

Tottenham Hotspur's abundance of midfielders means that the sale of Jake Livermore to Hull City in the summer remains a distinct possibility. Rumours surfaced hours before the transfer window shut that the one-cap England international was being recalled to White Hart Lane but the head coach, Tim Sherwood, sanctioned his stay in East Yorkshire for the rest of the season. "I'd have knocked him out if he'd have taken him back," chuckled the Hull manager Steve Bruce. "Well I'd have tried! He's a bit too young for me now. Seriously though it's suited everyone concerned. Jake has gone from being a bit-part player in the team to playing every week. He has benefited from that and it can only benefit Spurs. If there is a possibility in the summer that we can bring him here then I will do anything I possibly can to make it permanent because he has done so well for us." Livermore's partnership with his former Tottenham team-mate Tom Huddlestone at the core of Hull's team was a feature of their impressive form in the first half of the 2013-14 season. Richard Gibson

• Match report: Hull City 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur

9) Zaha sparkles on debut, Fábio flounders

Cardiff City fans will undoubtedly be happy with their business in the January transfer window but, despite this win over fellow strugglers Norwich that lifts them off the bottom of the table, it was very much a mixed bag from the three debutants in the team. Wilfried Zaha came off the bench and reminded us why he was, just six months ago, the shining hope for the fickle future of English football with two assists. Fellow newbie Kenwyne Jones will also have brought Bluebirds fans euphoria with his winner, but it was a far less convincing performance from Fábio at right-back. The man who just two and a half years ago started the Champions League final was deemed a defensive liability and allowed to leave by David Moyes – a man whose side is hardly a beacon of defensive stability anyway – and was at fault for Robert Snodgrass's opener here. He allowed Martin Olsson to get behind him and cross far too easily and it was left to his fellow United outcast to bail his side out. Dan Lucas

• Match report: Cardiff City 2-1 Norwich City
• Video: 'Cardiff aiming for the top 15', says Solskjaer

10) Has Martínez made a transfer window mistake?

Hull City fans can be well pleased with their transfer deadline day capture of Nikica Jelavić, but Everton may be wondering whether or not he could have been more adequately replaced. Aston Villa are a side that a supposedly Champions League-chasing team should be beating with ease but, in the absence of the injured Romelu Lukaku, they required a 30-yard wonder strike from a set piece to be scored by an out-of-position makeshift striker to secure the late win. Kevin Mirallas is a fine player, but the fact he started ahead of Steven Naismith suggests that Roberto Martínez lacks faith in his second choice strikers. Given that loan signing Lacina Traoré is largely unproven at the top level, might Everton have wanted to secure a better-recognised replacement for Jelavić? DL

• Match report: Everton 2-1 Aston Villa
• Video: Villa win was best of season, says Martínez

 

Leave a Comment

Required fields are marked *

*

*