Premier League: 10 Major Discussion Topics from the Latest Round of Action
The latest round of Premier League fixtures served up no shortage of drama, shock outcomes, and interesting subplots. Ranging from clashes between managers to star performances, we examine the primary discussions stemming from the encounters.
Calum McFarlane Holds His Own Versus Pep Guardiola
The Chelsea manager's unforeseen battle with the celebrated tactician evoked memories of past managerial mismatches. In the case of McFarlane, making his senior coaching bow, the mission was ending Chelsea's astonishingly bad recent record when playing Manchester City. An injury-time strike from the Argentine midfielder secured a valuable result, something former incumbents had found it tough to accomplish.
Arne Slot's Struggle to See Out Matches
Even with their big-money signing scoring the net, the Merseyside club finished aggrieved after surrendering a advantage slip away versus Marco Silva's side. The concern of failing to manage encounters when in the lead persists, with the team almost throwing away comparable leads in earlier outings. Until they learn the skill of killing off matches, the quest will remain a difficult one.
3. Rice Supports Gyökeres to Fire
Viktor Gyökeres is experiencing a lengthy goal drought from general play, but his midfield colleague Declan Rice is adamant the player is nevertheless immensely important. He pointed to his work off the ball and team-oriented contributions as integral to Arsenal's title charge. "The goals are bound to follow," was Rice's confident prediction for his struggling teammate.
4. Amorim Requires Benjamin Sesko to Improve
With the Red Devils lining up in a notably defensive manner, the onus fell on the forward pair to deliver. Whereas the Brazilian maintained his impressive form, the summer signing experienced another forgettable outing. The young striker has scored scarce since his high-profile transfer and missed a golden chance to win the contest. The new year presents a obvious requirement for him to find his form.
The Sunderland Star Puts Spurs in a State of Confusion
The Black Cats boss used the French midfielder in a unfamiliar role to start, before releasing him into advanced areas as the match progressed. The move turned out to be masterful, with the playmaker turning into the chief creator of the visitor's comeback for an equalizing goal. After glancing the upright, the midfielder supplied a sumptuous pass for the all-important goal. Having settled in to the pace of the Premier League, his campaign keeps improving.
The West Ham Manager Wastes Opportunity to Introduce New Signing
Amid an woeful performance for the Hammers, head coach the Portuguese coach decided not to use any of his permitted bench players. This meant January recruit the Brazilian striker, who remained unused even with his club's complete lack of threat. Nuno felt it would have been "unjust" to throw the new striker into the fray. However, with scoring at a dearth, the urgency to blood the youngster quickly is painfully clear.
The Teenager States A Further Huge Case
The 19-year-old produced another outstanding display whilst filling in in an unfamiliar role. The youngster was excellent in defence, set up the breakthrough, and raised the tone in a untidy match. Now that established defenders back, the dilemma for boss Eddie Howe is whether to accommodate the incredibly mature player in his best engine room position. "Coming Magpies line-ups will certainly be constructed on the lad," seems an a safe statement.
Could the Sean Dyche Impact Running Out at The City Ground?
The manager's early impact at Forest was notable, but doubts are beginning to surface about the squad's adaptability. Forest's counter-attacking ability is still there, but seems less potent without previous players. While well-organised when sitting back, Dyche's men have been exposed when forced to chase a game. Losing possession in those situations has proven punishing, a problem they must address immediately.
9. Thiago's Scoring Form Halts The Bees' Travel Woes
The West London club produced a showing that masked their dismal away record. Key to their impressive victory was the in-form form of forward the Brazilian. The striker's presence are giving a platform for the side to build on. Winger the German international even mentioned the lofty aspiration of European qualification as a possibility, emphasizing the growing confidence coursing through the team.
