How City have adapted to once again dominate the Premier League

Following their victory over Everton tonight, City moved 10 points clear after 17 straight wins in all competitions, with bookies ready to pay out on a league win such is their dominance. This is quite the incredible turnaround from a team struggling to score while detached from the leaders at the end of November.

What followed that barren run has been a spectacular upturn with just 3 goals conceded in their last 15 Games previous, compounded by a return to their free scoring best. Ruben Dias, a £61m summer signing from Benfica has been imperious forging a partnership at centre back with the reinvigorated John Stones. An embarrassment of riches in this position leaving the returning Aymeric Laporte on the bench or at full back.

But while the defence has been outstanding, it is the tactical change, focussed on full back Joao Cancelo, that is most fascinating. Early in the season City set up with two holding midfielders often including Rhodri and Fernandinho, which in relative terms led to a slower tempo and the attack looking more predictable than ever before. Cancelo has been used as a full back on both sides and regardless of the side he plays, he has lately been tasked with a dual position. While out of possession, he plays at full back creating a bank of four with Rhodri protecting in front. What is remarkable is that when City gain possession, he drifts straight into a central midfield position alongside Rhodri, with the closest centre back spreading wider to create a back 3 and the other central midfielder pushing forwards.

In the Above Image you can see the transition in Manchester City’s shape from out of possession to in possession. In the above image Cancelo is the number 2, his moving into a central area allows Gundogan (Number 7) to join the attack providing 5 attacking players in the attacking third with the two pivot midfielders an option to bounce the ball off.

This causes the opposition all types of issues. The man asked to mark Cancelo would be the wide midfielder. He must either follow Cancelo centrally, exposing his flank and in turn encouraging an overload on the defending full back, or must leave him to drift centrally unattended. By leaving him, City then have an instant free pass to Cancelo into the centre of the pitch where they can outnumber the opposition and always have an extra man as an option. The central midfielder that starts alongside Rodri is usually Ikay Gundogan. The movement of Cancelo into the central position, while in possession, unleashes him to push forward and make late runs into the box unmarked supporting the 4 other attacking players. Ikay Gundogan has scored 8 goals in his past 7 games, having scored less than 20 in his previous 100 City appearances. This stat illustrates the freedom this tactical adjustment has allowed him, and how much more effective he has become as a result. The front 5 players in the City team can then maraud forwards knowing there are 2 centre midfielders to sit and bounce the ball off using this extra man. This enables a City team who almost always enjoy a huge advantage in possession, even more control of the game making it difficult for the opposition to regain possession and relieve pressure.

The increase in quality at centre back coupled with Cancelo adding numbers centrally has created more trust in the structure, so that the in form attacking midfielders including Gundogen and Phil Foden have more licence to attack. With their two best attacking players Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero returning imminently to fitness, the flexibility and defensive resilience of this City team suggests that in this form they should win the league at a canter.

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Do Horror Injuries always result from Horror Tackles?

In Saturday’s pulsating Merseyside Derby, Liverpool superstar Virgil Van Dijk suffered a horrific ACL injury which may rule him out for the remainder of the season. The injury was as a result of an extremely reckless tackle by Everton and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who bizarrely managed to escape punishment due to the Liverpool man being in an offside position. The incident has been met with outrage by both the media and rival fans alike, with calls for Pickford to face an extended ban and even death threats having been received. This begs the question as to whether people are judging the tackle itself, or is a worrying lack of understanding of the game leading people to instead react purely on the resultant injury and the profile of the player it has happened to?

Van Dijk is heralded as the best defender on the planet and is integral to Liverpool’s trophy laden past two years. The fact that he has such a long term injury is huge news in that it is a major blow to the Premier League favourites, and he plays for a club who receive colossal levels of interest with lots of the modern sports media having Liverpool allegiances. Liverpool have asked for a review of the VAR conduct following the game, and rightly so after the failure to send Pickford off and other questionable decisions. The fact that the referees have not sent him off has only heightened the outrage; one would have to question whether there would be such coverage if the red card would have been issued.

Pickford’s tackle was extremely reckless but there were no clear signs of malice or intent. He approached Van Dijk at pace and was extremely clumsy in going over the top of the ball, his momentum following through Van Dijk’s knee. The correct decision was clearly to issue the red card, and him receive a 3 match ban for a straight red. Now, while the tackle was extremely reckless, it was the severity of injury which separates the incident from other similar reckless tackles that take place in the Premier League.

On the left is Pickfords tackle which went unpunished with VVD suffering a terrible injury, a similar tackle made on the right by Lewis Dunk on Gary Cahil resulted in a red card but no injury

Just the following day a similar tackle took place in the Crystal Palace vs Brighton derby. In the dying minutes of the game, Brighton captain Lewis Dunk lunged off of his feet over the ball and impacted Gary Cahill low down on his shin. This tackle was very similar in that the player was both out of control and off his feet, while being over eager to spread his body towards the ball. The referee correctly sent the player off and he will receive a 3 match ban. Cahill was struggling until the final whistle but was lucky enough not to suffer a serious injury as Van Dijk had, and as a result of this and the fact he was correctly sent off, there was no outrage in the media at the recklessness of the tackle.

On Sky Sports Graeme Souness described Pickford’s tackle by claiming: “That was an assault, that wasn’t a tackle. That was an assault.”, while on TalkSport Mark Bosnich has called for a punishment in which Pickford should not be allowed to play again until Van Dijk is fit again. These two statements together with the rumoured petition from Liverpool fans to make the FA take retrospective action against Pickford, illustrate the outrage but also how crazily over the top some of the reactions have been about the incident. Both as a standalone incident and in comparison, to others. It also demonstrates why such refereeing inconsistencies are creating a problem with the game.

A tackle should be analysed independent of the resultant injury. There is a tendency that people analyse how bad a tackle is purely by how severely a player has been injured from the tackle. The reality is that an injury depends on not just the tackle itself but also the momentum involved, the pace at which it happens together with the balance and landing of the fouled player. Football is a free flowing game played at a high pace, when slowed down by the cameras a tackle will always look worse than it is in real time.

The player making the bad tackle is not in control over what the resultant injury may be, which is why it is important that reckless tackles that do not fully connect or manage to injure a player, must be punished with the same severity as those that connect. There is a major inconsistency with how this is refereed at present and this certainly contributes to how tackles are perceived.

Gomes screamed in agony as players from both teams ended in tears and praying for his welfare on the pitch

The intent to injure someone should always be taken into consideration in addition to whether they have endangered another players welfare. Andre Gomes suffered a horrendous ankle break and dislocation in November 2019, the severity of the injury left players in tears and praying for him on the pitch. The tackle was a clumsy late trip by Son which while ill-timed, looked fairly innocuous with no intent to injure. The clip led to Gomes getting his ankle stuck underneath him and colliding with Serge Aurier, subsequently snapping his ankle in an incident which visibly sickened the players on the pitch. The referee brandished a yellow card which was probably the correct decision for the offence of the trip, this was however upgraded to a red by VAR due to the severity of the injury. This was harsh as it was the landing that determined the severity of the injury and not the tackle itself. Son was bombarded with abuse for the tackle when in reality it was the collision with Aurier and the twist of the ankle that caused the damage. It is another example of how wrongly the severity of an injury has determined the reaction rather than the intent and the tackle itself.

Gomes stumbles as he approaches Aurier and his ankle cracks underneath him as he impacts into the tackle. Son had tripped him sending him off balance initially.

There are far worse tackles that are premeditated with the intent to injure or at least stop a player forcefully whether out of malice or frustration. From the evidence I have mentioned, the problem with current decision making and coverage is that if these tackles do not result in an injury the outrage is far less. In recent weeks, Tottenham defeated Manchester United 6-1 with Luke Shaw committing a disgraceful premeditated kick on Lucas Moura. The fact that Moura did not land badly or suffer an injury subsequently led somehow to him not being cautioned. This paired with the fact that unlike with the Pickford incident, the decision did not affect the final result led to no further action. A similar situation occurred when Giovani Lo Celso trod on Cesar Azplicueta’s shin but escaped punishment in February, Chelsea winning comfortably lessened the subsequent coverage.

The left image shows Luke Shaw’s premeditated swipe at Lucas who was running at speed away from him, the horrified reaction of staff from both teams in the right picture illustrates the severity of the tackle

The Premier League is loved for its high pace and intensity, particularly in derby fixtures. The pace of the game lends itself to the occasional rash tackle which will always look worse when slowed down. There is however absolutely no disputing that Pickford’s tackle was reckless and he deserves to receive a ban. A premeditated tackle such as Shaw’s however, should not be ignored due to the lack of severe injury caused, just as Pickford should not be hounded purely due to the unfortunate injury caused. We football fans beg for fire and emotion from the players and sometimes unfortunate events will occur and should be punished accordingly, the tackles we must eradicate are those that are premeditated not mis timed tackles which can be a bi product of our game. The referee must be calm enough to judge a decision based on the incident and be able to remove emotion from the decision; whether a player is lucky enough to escape injury doesn’t affect the severity of the tackle.

Emotionally drained? The VAR debate

Spurs progressed to the quarter finals of the Carabao Cup with a thrilling penalty shootout victory over fierce London rivals Chelsea at White Hart Lane. The derby was full of fight and emotion from the players and mass celebration at its conclusion, with the only negative being that the fans couldn’t be present to create the fiery atmosphere a game of this magnitude deserves. It was however not the lack of fans that made the biggest impact on my experience but rather the lack of the use of the video assistant referee (VAR).

The Carabao Cup does not use VAR in its earlier rounds, and as a Spurs fan celebrating a late Erik Lamela equaliser, it dawned on me that I had not felt such positive emotion in response to a goal in a long time. While obviously there can be many comical reasons regarding Spurs form to explain this, the truth is that is was the first goal I remember being scored whereas I wasn’t waiting to see if VAR disallowed it before celebrating.

VAR has been brought in to better the game by improving officiating and to ensure that correct decisions are made, but it cannot possibly be instant or perfect. Football is a game universally loved for the emotional rollercoaster its fans embark on throughout a match, and its ability to continue to affect their emotions for the days that follow. For some, football is not just a game, it’s a passion and a belonging, and the outpour of emotion that follows a goal from your team can be unrivalled. With VAR being introduced last season this emotion gradually diminished. Early in the season fans celebrated wildly at the sight of a goal, hugging other fans while jumpng up and down, only to then see it reviewed and subsequently disallowed due to an unseen infringement minutes later. After the third or fourth time that you have celebrated a goal that doesn’t then count, you begin to stop celebrating the goal and instead wait until any checks are complete. By the time this has happened the game instantly kicks off and the moment and emotion that you could have experienced has passed.

The use of VAR means that when a goal is scored there is a hopeful cheer as many fans pause, or refuse to celebrate with vigour once seen, at the risk of being ridiculed or subsequently feeling that they have made a fool of themselves if the goal is disallowed. Football is about emotion. When you attend a football match the emotion enjoyed when the ball hits the back of the net is the moment that you’ve paid your money to experience, that sense of group delight and belonging, without which you might as well be watching at home. Even those supporters at home are hoping it is a goal rather than feeling that uncontrollable joy football can bring, so why lose all of this emotion?

A sport well known as the beautiful game; football is far more than a game in the modern world, it is a business. While sport is a test of athletic ability and skill which provides entertainment to the masses, the painful truth is that football is such big business that the financial rewards now massively outweigh those of sporting fulfilment. With this taken into account, the consequence of incorrect officiating decisions can no longer be met with the old adage that it evens itself up over the season, and are instead met with the threat of lawyers and lawsuits.

Maradona scores controversial goal with his hand not seen by the officials

Football has a history littered with injustice notably Maradona’s ‘hand of God’ to eliminate England from the World Cup, and Frank Lampard’s ‘goal that never was’, despite the fact it bounced yards over the line. The introduction of VAR and goal line technology would have eradicated both mistakes and England’s international history could have been very different.

As individual games of football have become so much more financially profitable, the level of scrutiny of officiating, and the importance of each individual game has risen to exceptional levels. In the current climate therefore, it is of paramount importance that the right decision should be made at all times. With the financial implications, owners and clubs demand this to be the case and we now live in a world where money outranks the fans.

Its introduction should lead to a world in which referees are no longer vilified for each decision they make as they have less individual power over the game. If another top level referee who is looking at replays as the game progresses doesn’t agree with their decision, the decisions gets reviewed. The hope would be that by using such methods, the players will be programmed to play within the confines of the rules due to the fear of punishment following review, whereas pre VAR they would push the boundaries of the rules, using the ‘dark arts’ to escape detection and therefore punishment.

The principle idea of VAR to make the game fairer of course is correct. Memories of sporting injustice still haunt fans all over the world and certain clubs have had their own futures negatively impacted due to incorrect decisions. It is about balance and the experience for the fan needs to be considered just as the financial implication for the owners must. To use the Premier League as an example, much of the financial gain for those clubs in this league is from TV money of companies that bank on the popularity of fans wanting to view what is thought to be the most exciting league in the world. With the lessening of positive emotion attached to football since the introduction of VAR, this will only negatively affect the viewing figures and therefore be counterproductive.

It is rare that anything other than controversy over decisions made by VAR dominate the after match analysis currently. VAR is unlike goal line technology which, other than in one technical failure, gives a 100% correct conclusion. Due to the subjective nature of many rules in football and their interpretation possibilities, we can still get decisions made by both on-field and video assistant referees that they believe are correct, but most football experts don’t agree with. It has not stopped people criticising referees and if anything has encouraged more ill feeling as fans feel they still receive the wrong decisions even with the technology. As a viewer it takes away a lot of the excitement and the negative emotion from what fans feel are unjust decisions, outweigh the positive ones that are lessened by the technology and its delays.

Of course, in modern football we must use the technology available to ensure the highest standards and the correct decisions, but in its present unperfected form, questions must be asked as to whether the positives in doing so take away the raw emotion that made us all fall in love with the game. The Carabao cup has provided a telling reminder of what we once had and the risk we are taking in making the game more robotic.

A Falling Star- Dele Alli

Gasps filled the media suite, and if reports are to be believed also the Spurs Dressing room, as Jose named his squad for Southampton, omitting Dele for the second time in a week. A player that started Jose’s reign on fire scoring 5 in 8 games, the player branded the real Dele after months of jokes suggesting he had been imitated by Dele’s brother, has now found himself frozen out from the squad. More worryingly for Dele is the apparent lack of explanation from the manager. Popular docuseries All or Nothing recently featured a similar situation in which Danny Rose was seen asking Jose for clarity of why he wasn’t starting games, having been dropped without explanation.

All indications suggested he was key to Mourinho’s plans this term, impressing in preseason and gaining high praise from his manager and teammates alike. Alli looked fully fit and hungry to prove himself. After just 45 minutes of Spurs’ opener against Everton, Dele was replaced following a dreadful team performance, and hasn’t set foot on the pitch since. The consensus being that the struggling starlet may look to depart this month, reports even suggesting he’s been offered to clubs. Questions must be asked as to how a phenomenal young player who has already achieved so much can find himself at a career crossroads, and why Mourinho may be willing to let him depart.

The year is 2017, The season has just ended with a resounding 7-1 victory away at Hull and Tottenham have secured a Premier League high 2^nd position. Spurs have unearthed a generational talent in Dele who picked up his second consecutive PFA young Player of the year award, recording 18 league goals and 7 assists from midfield; in doing so surpassing goal and assist stats at the same age of Gerrard, Scholes and Lampard combined. Another impressive season followed as Spurs made camp at Wembley. With 9 league goals and 10 assists together with an outstanding performance in the dismantling of reigning Champions League Holders Real Madrid, Dele had become a household name and a key man for his country moving in to the 2018 World Cup.

Dele Wins PFA Young Player of the Year in successive seasons

Since the World Cup the Spurs star has struggled to reach his previous heights, coinciding with Tottenham’s gradual fall from contention, and the departures from the first team of midfield mainstays Dembele and Wanyama. Dele always enjoyed a great on field connection with Harry Kane; they have combined for 16 goals in the premier league putting them 8^th on the all time assist-goal combinations up to May 2020.

It is however Harry Kane’s adaptation of his own game, in addition to Son’s emergence as a key player at Tottenham, that I believe has been detrimental to Dele’s role in the Spurs team. Kane has suffered numerous ankle injuries in recent seasons before a substantial hamstring tear caused him to miss much of the last campaign, these injuries have resulted in him losing a yard of pace. This extra yard prevents him from making bursts to the front post to convert crosses and play on the last man. In order to adapt his game and utilise his outstanding passing attribute, Kane often can be seen dropping into a deeper role than that he enjoyed earlier in his career.

3 Spain Defenders have pushed up to halfway unsure if to follow Kane

The Southampton centre back Jack Stephens has been dragged out of position by Kane dropping deep, leaving a hole for Son or Lamela to run in to

In both of the above images, Kane has dropped into the space between the centre backs and the midfield. He then encourages the wide attackers to make runs beyond him for him to play them in. The first image was months after the World Cup for England, against Spain in the Nations League, ,and is in the build up to a Sterling goal. By dropping deep he creates space for the runners to get in behind the back line as the centre backs are sucked up the pitch into a higher line wondering if to follow Kane. The pace of Rashford and Sterling can then be exploited over the top or down the channels.

In the second picture Kane has again dropped deeper to receive the ball, this time in Sunday’s Tottenham victory at Southampton. Kane has dropped into the channel between the defence and midfield and has pulled the centre back high up the pitch. This left a hole behind the centre back which Son drifts into from the left and exploits this space to receive and score one of his four goals assisted by Kane in the game.

Alli has occupied the number 10 role for Spurs in recent years in a 4-2-3-1 system, and this space that Kane is dropping into in the above examples is one you’d expect a number 10 to occupy. That lack of space impacts on Deles ability to be involved in the build-up and leaves him needing to either play deeper than he is comfortable, or further forward almost as a striker making him far easier to mark than if he were making late runs into the box.

At Alli’s peak he used to drift in from the left, rather like Son now does; timing his run to perfection to get in behind as Kane, in a higher starting point, occupied the centre backs. Spurs at this point were playing a wing back system in which Kane played up front with two of Eriksen, Son or Dele playing off of him and the wing backs providing the width.

Dele is aware that Eriksen is about to receive the ball, and looks to time his run into the box to arrive and meet the cross.

5 seconds after the still above, Dele has drifted to the back of the box behind the centre backs as Eriksen released the cross

In the top image you can see that Kane is playing high against the centre backs, making his run between them to occupy both centre backs as Eriksen receives the ball. In the next image, Dele has used Kane’s occupancy of the centre backs to drift in behind the back of them and free himself to eventually score the header.

Kane occupies both Centre Backs, Dele steals a march on right back and receives the ball unchallenged

In the above picture, once again Dele has made his run drifting from the left into the gap as Kane is occupying the two centre backs playing high up the pitch. He receives the long ball on his chest before slotting into the net after escaping the attention of the defender. With Son now playing from the left for Spurs, his ability to do this is again now limited by another player using the space he once occupied. The roles in which Dele occupied in Pochettino’s successful team are no longer as prominent in Mourinho’s system which could lead to Mourinho seeing a him as surplus to requirements.

Mourinho was non-committal on the subject on Sunday stating an imbalanced squad and the inability to fit all his attacking options on the bench as reasoning for his absence; he stated that a team is a puzzle and you cannot name 4 wingers or 3 wingers and a number 10 on the bench. He did mention however that Dele could be included in a balanced squad and that he didn’t “need” to be sacrificed, however having raved about his preseason just weeks ago one suspects we don’t know the whole story.

Spurs delighted their fans bringing home global superstar Gareth Bale just a day before the Southampton game, another world class option to add to a vast attacking pool of talent now at the club. Jose often refers to wanting 2 players for each position for a balanced squad and with the addition of Bale they have 6 players for 3 spots. With the mouth-watering prospect of Bale, Son and Kane lining up as a front 3, Jose must decide whether a number 10 of the Dele ilk suits his system moving forward. This could certainly be a reason Jose is more willing to listen to offers for the former MK Dons man. Tanguy Ndombele and Lo Celso were brought in last summer to provide creativity from the centre of the park and following Hjojberg’s arrival earlier in the window, a 433 formation seems likely to be Jose’s chosen system. This begs the question to what Dele’s best position is in that system, and whether his lack of compatibility and high sell on value make his position in the squad vulnerable.

Played as a wide forward he could use his great movement and ghost into the box with late runs to score as he has proved in the past. You would have to question however whether Dele has the pace or dribbling ability to play in that position; while being a very skilful player Dele has always relied on instinct and timing. When given lots of space and time, he tends to be lethargic and not move the ball quickly enough often turning over possession. He could also play in this system as one of a 3 in midfield. To do so, the young midfielder would need to be more tactically disciplined and comfortable taking the ball deeper, before making late runs into the box.

Dele is at his best when playing off of Harry Kane, he used Kane’s movement as a decoy to find space and make late runs into the penalty box. In addition to this, Dele was far more suited to Pochettino’s high press than the counter attack style currently employed by Mourinho. By Spurs wi,nning the ball high up the pitch there was more space and less players back to drive at in the attack. For a player who acts on instincts such as Alli, having less time to think often benefits his game.

The next two weeks will tell us whether the omission of Dele was one to prove he is not needed, or merely a Mourinho mind game used to challenge the player to rediscover his best form. It is clear that an adaptation will be needed for Alli to fit into Jose’s system and become the player once described as the best player in the world of his age, but great players to not become bad players overnight and I would not put it past the Spurs star to flourish once again.

A Rude Awakening- Spurs 0 Everton 1

Following a season in which everything possible seemed to go wrong for Tottenham, as illustrated by popular Amazon docuseries All or Nothing, Spurs fans welcomed Sunday’s opener with a refreshed sense of hope for a return to form. Much improved results following the lockdown period suggested that Mourinho’s methods were beginning to be absorbed and together with some smart premier league experienced signings, called for renewed optimism and expectation in Jose’s first full season.

These feelings were extinguished by 6:30 on Sunday evening as a dark cloud of realisation began to resonate, with the same issues remaining that had dogged the team last year. Tottenham looked lethargic and short of creativity from the off and still look lightyears from the tenacious, free flowing side which lit up the league under Pochettino’s stewardship.

While one should not take away from an impressive performance from a visiting Everton side boasting 3 new signings in midfield, the result will have been a nasty shock to all associated within the club. Worse was to follow the final whistle with a noticeable lack of interest from top players and defeatist body language aplenty. In addition to this, Mourinho’s press conference was particularly scathing in which he questioned the “lazy press”, commitment and desire of the players in just their first league game, making sure also to cite a lack of preseason as an excuse.

It is particularly worrying that a team facing a possible 8 games in 20 days would look so short of energy and cohesion; the early morale hit certainly will provide further challenge to Mourinho. One positive that so many games in quick succession will bring however, is opportunities for those on the fringes of the first team to stake their claim, and to build their own match fitness which may prove vital when creating competition for places currently lacking.

This brings me to the game itself; most fans and pundits will have guessed the starting XI with the only question marks being whether new signings came straight into the side. Doherty and Hoijberg both started in a side that, pre-game, fans seemed happy to see. Doherty took over from Aurier in a marauding right back come right winger role, aiming to get forward and often occupying the left back. In the opening half, though he found himself caught out defensively too far up the pitch on occasion, he looked more incisive in forward positions than Aurier and perhaps should have opened the scoring following a beautiful lofted Kane pass. Hoijberg brought good energy and made 9 interceptions amongst various ball recoveries, illustrating some traits that attracted the club to the signing. He was however slightly wasteful in possession and found himself often as the more advanced of the central midfield two alongside Winks. This was indicative of Spurs problems first half as in possession they struggled to move to ball forward with any tempo, looking more dangerous on the counter attack as the two midfielders passed sideways and backwards rather than looking for penetrative forward passes.

Though they didn’t dominate possession, Tottenham managed to look dangerous when in transition. Dele while losing the ball on occasion was occupying good pockets of space, offering an option between the lines which in turn created room for Son and Lucas. One particular counter attack led to Son playing Dele in on goal, when perhaps Kane was the better option, with Dele bringing a good save from Pickford. The lack of defensive cover offered by the impressive James Rodriguez from Everton also gave Son an opportunity to often find himself one on one with Everton right back Coleman, whipping in one particular great cross that Kane was mere centre meters away connecting with.

Though Spurs weren’t at their best, the first half was pretty even with Spurs making the better chances. The turning point came at half time, and in particular with the substitution and subsequent system change Mourinho opted for. He made the change to bring Sissoko on for Dele, in turn moving Lucas central with Sissoko taking Lucas place on the right of midfield. Jose stated afterwards that it was in order to add creativity around Everton defensive midfielder Allan, and implied that Lucas was in good condition to play there following a strong preseason. I found this quite baffling for a number of reasons. Firstly Dele, as mentioned by Jose in recent interviews, has been in great form in Pre-Season and has played each match looking fit in doing so. This begs the question as to why Lucas was preferred to move central if fitness was a contributory factor.

Secondly, Dele while far from his best was taking up good positions and finding space in front of the Everton defence, his intelligent runs had Allan being pulled around the pitch creating space for others. He did not deserve to be replaced and I can only see this having a negative impact on his confidence moving forwards. Lucas while workmanlike was having a poor game in comparison, often struggling to keep hold of the ball under pressure.

Finally, the idea to move Lucas to a position off of the striker is not one that suits his skillset. One thing evident yesterday was that Lucas first touch is not his strong point, with many passes bouncing away from him. This can be dealt with while playing wide in a 1v1 duel; when playing as a number 10, a loose first touch will take place in a congested part of the pitch and each time it occurs possession will be lost due to sheer numbers. In addition, Sissoko as a wide player does not have the end product to create for others or any goal threat, so if anything, Spurs found themselves less of a threat following the substitution.

So, it proved as Spurs barely managed a sustained attack throughout the second half. As a result of Lucas being a wide player who mostly runs straight lines with predictable movement, Allan was freed up to help cover other areas of the pitch and always found himself as the free man. This enabled him to take control of the game, winning tackles and spraying the ball around, and subsequently winning man of the match. As is often the case, Spurs conceded from a set piece with Alderweireld allowing Calvert-Lewin to rise higher, to power in a header for the winning goal. On the balance of play in the second half Everton’s win was certainly deserved.

Spurs brought on Bergwyn and later Ndombele to try to change the game in their favour but while they enjoyed much possession, their play was lethargic and predictable. The lack of Lo Celso, or a match fit Ndombele in central midfield was strongly felt as they lacked penetration with their passing and a ball carrier.

Sundays opening day defeat was a rude awakening for Jose Mourinho and his Spurs side as a team they have regularly finished above comfortably, managed to defeat them without having to be at their best. A remedy for a lack of creativity and cohesion will be on the agenda in the three weeks approaching the end of the transfer window and, while it’s far too early to read too much into this result, it is clear that at present they are a long way behind rivalling those that finished above them last season.

Dina Asher Smith: Britain’s Great New hope

On Saturday 4^th August 2012 Britain rejoiced at one of the nation’s greatest ever sporting evenings, ‘Super Saturday’ was born as the hosts secured 3 track and field gold medals within an hour. The poster girl for the Olympics was Dame Jessica Ennis. Carrying the hopes of an entire nation on her shoulders she thrived under the pressure, leaving all of her opponents in her wake to power to the gold to contribute to the historic night. A bright eyed 16 year old was left astounded by the emotion in the crowd that night, as she volunteered as a kit carrier for the event. Little did this young aspiring athlete Dina Asher Smith know, she one day would hold the hopes of a nation.

This week in Doha, British track and field’s brightest star looks to carry those same hopes that Ennis once did and to start to write her own legacy.

Back in 2012 Asher Smith was already an outstanding young athlete, going on to win junior gold at the 2014 World Championships. As she transitioned to a senior athlete, she continued to succeed becoming the fastest British woman of all time and treble European champion, this together with the 3 world level relay medals she has achieved, illustrates her journey to compete at the top level.

In the last 2 seasons as an individual athlete, Asher Smith has become a household name on the circuit at the world level. With her beautiful natural running style combined with a determination unrivalled in the sport, and illustrated by her dual onslaught on athletics and a history degree, she continues to improve every month. Just last month she won the overall Diamond League title in the 100m to display her consistency over the course of the season. The women’s 100m is littered with global stars, and there is a plethora of athletes capable of victory, this said Dina Asher Smith certainly finds herself one of the favourites.

The favourite for the 100m will be the Jamaican superstar Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce. The two time Olympic and 3 time World 100m champion is simply a legend of the sport and were in not for time off to have to have a child in the last few years, she surely would be even more decorated. A 10.73 clocking in the 100m this season has proved that she is back to her best and if she is able to repeat such a performance in the final it is unlikely many will be able to live with her.

One athlete capable of challenging Fraser Pryce is her international teammate Elaine Thompson. Reigning Olympic champion Thompson has also clocked 10.73 this season, and if the time needed to win the final approaches 10.70 Thompson is the only other athlete to have achieved such a performance in the field.

While the two Jamaican athletes have fantastic pedigree and have run times which Asher Smith has yet to achieve, the Briton has started to stamp her authority on the world stage. She achieved the fastest time in the world in 2018 and this season has beat both Thompson and more recently Fraser Pryce in high level competition. Asher Smith has been very consistent and in 100m competition has run under 11 seconds on 7 of 8 occasions this season. Her triumph in the grand final of the Diamond League in a world class field which included Fraser Pryce will have her full of confidence that she is peaking just in time for the World Championships.

The other main threats to the trio above include two talented Ivory Coast athletes, Marie-Josie Ta-Lou and Murielle Ahoure. These two athletes have been in the mix for medals at global championships for a number of years. While Ahoure is capable at her best of achieving a medal, in recent times it is Ta Lou who has been performing as a major challenger to the gold. The fast starter is certainly one to watch and together with Asher Smith will represent the main challengers to the Jamaicans.

The final line up should also include reigning American World champion Tori Bowie, the Dutch past 200m champion Daphne Schippers and a selection of other American athletes which include English Gardner, Teahna Daniels and Morolake Akinosun. While all talented athletes, none are in the kind of form which would encourage one to think they are likely challenge for medals.

All eyes will be on the young British athlete Asher Smith to begin to realise her potential in Doha this week, with the 100m final on Sunday being her first chance to do so. Since watching the young Asher Smith break the British 100m record in 2015, British athletics fans have been waiting for her moment to arrive. Come Sunday evening we will find out whether she can become the first British female 100m global champion.

 

Sprint Kings: Who will replace Bolt in athletics blue ribbon events?

Usain Bolt was without question the greatest sprinter in the history of track and field, having run a full tenth of a second faster than anyone else in both the 100 and 200 meters. It wasn’t only his on track efforts that made him special as he transcended his sport in a time that doping had cast a shadow over athletics, bringing it back into spotlight while becoming one of the world most famous and popular athletes.

The World Championships in Doha this week marks the first global event since Bolt retired and an opportunity for a new superstar to take the reigns and the king of sprinting. Since the Jamaican hung up his spikes, the Jamaican dominance has ended and an influx of young American athletes look set to dominate.

Christian Coleman burst onto the scene in 2017 and transferred his incredible collegiate form to the professional circuit; he ran a personal best 9.82 to win in Eugene to announce himself on the world stage in the lead up to the World Championships in London. At the championships he collected the silver medal behind veteran Justin Gatlin, notably defeating the great Usain Bolt in what would be the legend’s last ever individual race.

Though he didn’t capture the gold that night, the passing of the torch from one era to the next metaphorically took place as Coleman had the world at his feet at the tender age of just 21 years old.

The 9.82 that Coleman ran earlier that year proved to be the fastest time run of the season, an accolade he has held every year since the 2016 Olympics and including this year, improving his personal best to an impressive 9.79 in the process.

In addition to his impressive performance on the Diamond League circuit, Coleman broke a historic World Record, running 6.34 seconds in the 60m on route to World Championship indoor gold, early in 2018. This record had been held by multiple World and Olympic Champion Maurice Green for 20 years, and was recognised as one of the best in all of track and field further proving the young athlete’s incredible pedigree.

This season Coleman has encountered problems off the track as it is alleged that he missed 3 drug tests within 12 months, which under doping rules, if the athlete is found guilty would result in a 2 year ban. The young athlete has successfully appealed the decision on a technicality over the dates of the tests, and defiantly pleads his innocence pointing out that never has he tested positive for any performance enhancing substance, nor does he take supplements of any kind be them legal or illegal.

On the track this season Coleman has been impressive clocking 9.82 and performing well in the Diamond League circuit, he will enter the 100m as hot favourite to claim his first world outdoor title. Coleman has been defeated just once over the distance in the last 15 months, this by new American sprint sensation Noah Lyles. Lyles has chosen not to run the 100m in Doha and instead will focus on his specialist 200m discipline, further cementing Coleman’s role as favourite.

It could be argued that Noah Lyles is the most similar athlete to Usain Bolt in recent memory. He is not 6 foot 7, nor Jamaican, however what he does share is the larger than life personality to radiate his enjoyment while racing, and gain popularity without even having to run. He is an exceptional talent and in just his first professional season is already a world class athlete, and heavy favourite to become 200m World champion. While his early performances had already caught many an eye in the field of athletics, Lyles stormed into the forefront of all sports fan’s minds with a blistering 19.50 in Lausanne in July, becoming the 4^th fastest man in history at the age of just 21 years old at the time. It is clear that there is more to come from the young superstar who has also run 9.86 in the 100m putting him 2^nd only to Coleman in his less favoured event.

Much Like Usain Bolt, the 200m is Lyles’ preferred event, however while avoiding participation in both events at these championships, it seems only a matter of time before he attempts to recreate the achievements of Bolt by winning the double in the future. While Coleman will be favourite to win the 100m this year, Lyles has shown glimpses that he has the charisma and athletic ability to take on the mantle of being Bolt’s successor, carrying the sport forward and attracting new fans while also challenging his predecessor’s World Records.

In the past 4 years, US collegiate athletes such as Noah Lyles, Christian Coleman and before that former World bronze medallist Troy Bromell, have illuminated the USA back into the limelight after a decade or more of Jamaican sprinting dominance. In addition to Lyles, there has been another global superstar unearthed this year from the US collegiate system, that being 21 year old Michael Norman of the USA.

Norman announced himself to the world by running a breath taking 43.45 seconds 400m in April, the 4^th fastest time ever. He is a specialist 400m runner but has also dazzled in the shorter distance of the 200m, becoming the 2^nd fastest in the world this year only to Lyles when running 19.70 in a race in which he former was defeated. Like Lyles he has decided to run in only his specialist distance robbing us of an exciting clash of the two young Americans this year, however it is likely we will see them compete on the big stage in the none too distant future. Like Lyles he has the potential to become a household name not only in track and field but in all of sport.

Norman will battle for the gold in the 400m with 24 year old American teammate Fred Kearley and the Bahamian Kevin Gardiner, also 24, in what promises to be one of the races of the Championships, the two Americans having already run under 43.65 this season to take their place in the top 7 of all time.

The 400m sprint has been one of the most exciting events in recent years as Wayde Van Niekerk did the seemingly impossible, breaking the legendary Michael Johnson’s 400m World Record from lane 8, at the Rio 2016 Olympic Final. Following such a feat, huge things were expected of the young South African and many felt he would become the face of athletics, having also run great times in the 200m. At the 2017 World Championships Van Niekerk won gold in the 400m making him reigning World and Olympic champion, he did however look a tired shadow of his best when coming up short to only medal in the 200m final at the same event. A career threatening injury has since robbed us of the opportunity to see him on track, and a further setback this year ended his chance to defend his crown in Doha. While he had the talent to be the long term successor to Bolt, and has already written his name in the history books as a World and Olympic Champion and World record holder, time will tell whether he will ever be able to return to the athlete he once was and fulfil his unlimited potential.

To further demonstrate the dominance in modern sprinting of the US Collegiate system, to become this year’s NCAA double champion Nigerian Divine Oduduru set blistering marks of 9.86 and 19.73 to put him 3^rd fastest in the world in both events. The 22 year old has struggled to match such performances so far on the professional circuit as yet so while unlikely to medal this year is a potential star of the future.

Outside of the sprinting newcomers, Adrian De Grasse of Canada was tipped by Bolt to be the long term heir to his throne following his achievements of a Silver and a Bronze in the 200m and 100m at the Rio Olympics 2016. De Grasse was injured just days before the 2017 World Championships having been expected to challenge for honours and has struggled with injuries ever since. In recent months the sprinter, still just 24 years of age has shown some encouraging form setting seasons best in both events and will be hoping to peak at the perfect time for the championships.

De Grasse at his best is capable of reaching the podium or even winning and will need to start well to challenge Coleman. The speed of Coleman’s start which is illustrated in his superb 60m performances usually gives him an early lead in races, with those athletes also specialising in 200m, with greater strength endurance challenging him late on. The South African Akani Simbine, Chinese athletes Su and Xie together with the British pair Zarnell Hughes and Adam Gemili could all challenge form the podium places if Coleman struggles late on.

While the above athletes may prove to be the future of sprinting, there are experienced world class athletes who have the chance to challenge them to be its present.

Experienced reigning World champion Justin Gatlin has even at 37 managed to run 9.87 this season and brings a wealth of success and experience in championship finals. If in the 100m the younger stars feel the pressure, Gatlin is very capable of defending his crown. To a lesser degree the second fastest man in history both in the 100m and 200m Yohan Blake can also be considered, however injuries seem to have robbed him of the ability to compete at the very pinnacle. In the 200m reigning World Champion Ramil Guliyev and Colombian Alex Quinonez in addition to those mentioned will also look to challenge after establishing themselves as strong championship performers.

As we search for a successor to Usain Bolt, Doha should be the platform to finally create new superstars as sprinting attempts to escape the great man’s shadow. Young stars such as Coleman, Lyles and Norman should thrive, with warm conditions good times should be run and as always, a few surprises may occur. One thing is for sure however and that is the new era of sprinting starts in Doha.

 

Has the FA Cup lost it’s magic?

On Saturday, Manchester City secured their place in the FA Cup Final, defeating Brighton in a game watched by a disappointing 71,521 in a stadium that seats 90,000. While a low attendance in this game would hardly be seen as the end of the world, it has epitomised the drop in interest in the competition in recent seasons. In this seasons competition two of the top four clubs currently in the Premier League, Tottenham and Liverpool played considerably weakened teams against other Premier League opposition, and crashed out subsequently in the early rounds. Both of these sides have a rich history in the competition and would be aiming for silverware each season, more notably both sides are also still competing in the latter rounds of the prestigious UEFA Champions League.

The FA Cup is written in Football folklore, it was once the most watched domestic competition in the world and was truly a competition for fairytale storylines. In modern times it is often stated that the “magic” of the cup has disappeared but what does this mean?

The FA cup was formed in the 1871-72 season, and since its emergence, cup final day was always a special day in the English calendar. When fictional stories were written about football, winning the FA cup was often the pinnacle; the star power and interest that its exuded even led to cup final songs being recorded, and these managing to top the music charts.

The Premier League was formed in 1992 in association with Sky Sports in a deal which changed football forever. This deal separated the Premier League from the football league and the FA Cup has suffered ever since. Football being shown on pay tv meant that football was suddenly more accessible at home to the masses, and live league games were shown at a frequency never seen before.

The greatest impact on the game was obviously the extra commercial rewards for the Premier League clubs. In the 26 years since the Premiership began, the disparity between the money earned in the top division in England, in comparison to those in the divisions below, has continued to grow. To illustrate the worth of being in the Premiership at present you need only to consider how much Premier League clubs were paid last season for television rights alone. Each club earned over £38million from domestic television rights and over £40million from the overseas television rights and this is in addition to any facilities fees and prize money for a clubs final league position. The Premier League is financially far bigger pull than merely winning a cup filled with nostalgia, those clubs lucky enough to be in the Premier League are desperate to stay in it while the extra funds it generates have made the disparity between the clubs greater not only in commercial terms, but also in the quality of their players. With games between the clubs best XI’s less competitive than ever their are less shock results which reduces the FA Cup’s appeal.

Players have always talked of glory and having medals to remember their careers by when the time comes to hang up their boots. Outside of sentimentality however, football is now big business and with the huge sums of money involved in the modern game, clubs can’t afford to get relegated from the Premier League. In the past we have seen huge great clubs disappear from relevance notably Leeds United but also Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Norwich. These were all quite recently established top sides in the Premier League who once relegated initially, failed to ever establish themselves as a mainstay in the top division again. The drop out of the league can bankrupt teams. The risk for a bottom half of the league club, having their chances of remaining in the Premier League even slightly hindered by the effect of the FA cup on their players, can often be too big to take. For this reason we often see teams littered with reserve or younger players blooded in the FA cup, as while they still would love to strive for the fairy-tale by playing their strongest team in each tie, the low odds of winning the cup combined with the effect on the squad emotionally and physically is logically enough to prioritise league survival.

Both Portsmouth in 2010, and Wigan Athletic in 2013, upset the odds to reach the final of the FA Cup despite their struggles in the Premier League in the respective year. Wigan won the FA Cup in 2013 in a shocking victory over Manchester City, they were also relegated from the Premier League that same season, highlighting suggestions that the exertion of winning the cup affected their league form and led to relegation. While Portsmouth finished 8th in the league the season they were crowned champions in 2008, two years later they lost in the 2010 final to Chelsea and were also relegated that season. While the teams have secured their place in history and the players and fans alike, were able to celebrate the best days in many of their sporting lives, the reality is that both clubs have since been as low as the third tier of English football with neither any where near a return to the Premier League. This once again led to suggestions that their fight to remain in the Premier League was heavily hindered by their participation to the final of the FA Cup. These two examples in recent times illustrate the predicament for bottom half teams choosing to fully commit to the FA Cup.

In much he same way, any Championship sides who are involved in a promotion race may see the FA Cup as a distraction which will only hinder their chances of reaching the promised land of the Premier League. While they may take a few scalps in earlier rounds, these clubs may see their chances of winning the cup as very low, due to the level of the top Premier League clubs involved, and therefore choose to prioritise the league. The financial rewards for reaching the Premier League in comparison to winning the cup are too great to ignore.

Tottenham announced a world record profit last week for the past calendar year, a large portion of this revenue was due to the success they have enjoyed in the Champions League. Liverpool also made huge profit which again owed much to their appearance in and run to the Champions League Final. While clubs are able to receive huge sums from Champions League revenue, television rights and sponsorship, they are most certainly going to prioritize this competition over the FA Cup.

With the competitive and commercial reasons that I have listed as to why the FA Cup is not prioritised by many clubs in English football any longer, what can be done to change this?

One suggestion that is widely touted is to reward the winner of the FA Cup win with a Champions league qualification. While this would certainly lead to a more positive outlook from the top clubs that are desperate to qualify for the prestigious and financially rewarding competition, one must also realise that the standard of this competition could lead to embarrassment and the countries coefficient. Poor performance by lesser English clubs would subsequently decreasing the co-efficient, damaging the English leagues by reducing our amount of potential qualifiers in European competition.

An example of this was when a Europa League qualification was given to recently relegated Wigan following them winning the FA Cup. The club pulled off a fairy tale victory but were relegated after their poor performance all season. They were not equipped to play in a high standard Europa League and registered a single victory in the competition crashing out bottom of a poor group. The Champions League is a level above the Europa league which suggests that were a place in this competition to be given to the winner, teams may struggle to do themselves or their country’s league justice.

With many teams choosing not to prioritise the FA Cup over the other competitions that they are involved each season, for a plethora of different reasons as suggested above, it was only a matter of time before the fans would follow suit. One may point to Saturdays low attendance as being an isolated incident which is influenced by Manchester City being involved in, or having won, all 4 competitions they entered this season. When investigated on a larger scale however the fact is that attendances are dropping in terms of how full stadiums are for FA Cup games each season. This can be attributed to a lack of interest in the competition, but also the increase in live televised games has led to many fans preferring to watch from home when taking into account the cost difference in attending such games. For all the reasons listed it must be suggested that something needs to be done to change the outlook of this historic competition if it is to return to it’s former place at the pinnacle of domestic competition. With the growth of the European game and escalating commercial opportunities of the Premier league however, the chance of its comeback appear bleak.

Is a lack of leadership costing Tottenham when it matters most?

On Sunday afternoon, Tottenham continued to plummet in their race to achieve Champions League qualification, losing 2-1 to a late winner from league leaders Liverpool.  While there is no disgrace in losing away to a team as talented as Liverpool, Tottenham were once again their own worst enemy, gifting Liverpool a winner after a superb second half fightback in which they had the chances to have won the game. Spurs captain Hugo Lloris made a terrible mistake in the final minute to hand Liverpool victory in scenes which are becoming all too familiar from the French captain.

The individual errors and late implosion in big games is not a new trait for Tottenham sides. Tottenham have become renowned for ‘bottling it’, following multiple poor results in semi-finals and poor end of season form leading to them failing to achieve when it matters. Just what is it that makes Tottenham lose their cool on the biggest stage, and in the most pressurised games?

People may point fingers at the manager, the lack of depth, player quality or the lack of spending but when investigating a team’s ability to win big games and succeed in a title race, many experts would tell you that a team needs leaders. The leader of this Spurs team under the tutelage of Mauricio Pochettino is Hugo Lloris. The mild-mannered Frenchman is not your stereotypical vocal leader on the pitch, he falls under the bracket of captains who like to lead by example.

An interesting graphic appeared as the BBC Match of the Day team analysed Sunday’s game; the graphic displayed that since August 2016 the Tottenham goalkeeper has been directly at fault for 8 goals. Goalkeepers are often likened to cats in that they have sharp reflexes, but one begins to wonder whether Lloris is perhaps more like a cat in that he has enjoyed a proverbial 9 lives as Spurs captain, and even perhaps in keeping his place in the team. For a goalkeeper of Lloris reputation the amount of errors is staggering, worse still 6 of these goals have been against top 6 clubs. With the loyalty that Pochettino has shown to his players, it may be that Lloris will be given his final life until the end of the season, but questions must be asked as to how long Tottenham should persevere with the French captain as they continually fail to make the last step in truly challenging for major honours.

Pochettino often refers to mentality in his interviews and focusses on the lack of winning mentality in his young team as a major reason as to why they are not title contenders. With Hugo Lloris making mistakes against Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City on more than one occasion and also PSV in the Champions League in recent times alone, should questions not be asked as to whether the team is actually reflecting the mentality of their captain in failing in the pressurised games? For a captain that relies on his performance to lead by example, rather than a warrior spirit, to be performing so poorly on the big stage and directly causing his team to fail often begs the question as to whether his leadership hinders the team. They will not be fully trusting in their captain in the key moments which is when a captain is relied upon to step up and lead.

The use of a goalkeeper as a captain is a debate which has split opinion for many years but to have a relatively quiet goalkeeper as a captain is certainly unusual. The great figures of Peter Schmeichel and Oliver Kahn enjoyed spells as captain of their respective clubs; what they lacked by not being in the thick of the action in the centre of the pitch they more than made up for with their vocal instructions and passion. Both were imposing figures who demanded respect and exuded confidence into their troops, Lloris on the other hand relies on his experience and calm exterior to keep his players not panic and leads by example with his performance. Hugo Lloris has certainly shown himself to be a successful captain lifting the World Cup with France, and performances such as that recently away to Borussia Dortmund and in the last gasp penalty save against Arsenal illustrate that when at the peak of his powers, Lloris is outstanding.

In recent years however, Lloris has struggled with consistency. Thought to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world in the not too distant past, it must be said that he has dropped below the level needed to be a part of such company in the current game. More alarmingly, the Spurs captain has made big mistakes in many of the most important games in recent seasons, suggesting that his example as a captain is becoming a negative one and that the team may struggle to break the bottling label under his lead

Tottenham possess the England captain Harry Kane in their ranks. This is a player who is consistently at the top of his game and performs fantastically on the biggest stages. He exudes confidence and is becoming more vocal as he gains experience in addition to being a player who has a huge affinity for the club having progressed through the youth ranks. If Tottenham are to begin to win trophies and live up to their undoubted potential, something needs to change in their mentality. It may be time that Tottenham let Lloris focus on his own performance and begin a fresh journey under the leadership of their talisman Harry Kane.

After the battle at the Etihad, what does this mean for the War for the title?

The contest between Manchester City and Liverpool was everything we expected it to be, two aggressive high pressing teams playing high tempo sumptuous football. The best two sides in the premiership did battle in an exhilarating game which could have gone either way but was probably won by the superior team on the night. Neither team emerges from the fixture showing weakness which further illustrates the outstanding level of competition we can look forward to until the end of the season.

Liverpool came up short on the evening but if anything, only further cemented their place, so close to the summit of English football. The defence limited City to a handful of chances exemplifying the growth since last seasons 5-0 demolition at the Etihad. Klopp’s side pressed high up the pitch and were penetrative and incisive in their attacking play, upon scoring the equaliser they looked the more likely victors only for a moment of magic from Leroy Sane to take the tie away from them. Left out of the starting line-up, questionably in some cases, were new signings Fabinho, Keita and Shaqiri with Gomez also missing and the quality of Sturridge and Lallana still journeying back to their best after injury. The options available to Klopp this season are worlds apart from that which secured 4th place and a Champions League runner up medal last season and the backing from the board must be commended.
Even in defeat there were a few contentious decisions which on another day could have resulted in a positive result for Liverpool. A questionable tackle from Vincent Kompany on another day could have resulted in City playing over an hour with 10 men while John Stones managed to clear the ball off the line with just 11mm of the ball not over the line when the game was still goalless. It is these tiny margins which can be the difference between champions and runners up. While they may have felt unlucky to be on the receiving end of these decisions on this occasion, they should have lost their unbeaten record back in October when City’s Riyad Mahrez blazed his penalty over the bar in injury time to leave the scores 0-0, while a Pickford blunder and clear penalty not given against Liverpool in injury time against Spurs both resulted in wins, they could of on another day failed to register.
Liverpool have everything that is required to become champions of England and were it not for possibly the best team ever to grace the Premier League in Manchester City challenging them, backed up by Tottenham’s best ever Premiership start, it is likely the league title would be sown up already such bas been the level of their performance. For a team not to have lost a game before the first week of January yet there be only 6 points between the top three clubs, demonstrates the level of consistency now required to become champions.
While nobody is questioning the quality of Liverpool’s squad and their capacity to finally register their inaugural Premier League trophy, it is of paramount importance that Liverpool return to winning ways next week against Brighton if they are to end the league title drought. Liverpool have operated with an air of invincibility this season which has now disappeared following their first defeat. Manchester City lost for the first time last season just a week later than Liverpool have this season. While the challengers were not as close as Liverpool find their opponents, and subsequently it could be argued that there was less pressure on City, it was their reaction to their first loss in winning 7 of their next 8 games which cemented them as champions. Klopp has improved the team’s mentality unquestionably this season, but following their first defeat the next month will be their toughest test and will go a long way to determining whether they have what it takes to wrestle the title away from City.

The last month will have been a chastening experience for Manchester City having lost 3 times in December, more times than in the entire season last year. Before these defeats City were mirroring their form from their record-breaking points tally last season and were huge favourites to be the champions. The victory against Liverpool will have reignited the confidence that was somewhat lacking during that period and a return to fitness of star man Kevin De Bruyne, key tactical enforcer Fernandinho and the leadership of club captain Vincent Kompany will stand them in good stead moving forward.
Many will speculate that City have now endured their rocky spell and key men have enjoyed a rest, albeit through injury following a tumultuous schedule since the beginning of last season in which most of their players had very little rest after reaching the latter stages of the World Cup. Pep Guardiola’s side illustrated their unmatchable quality by defeating Liverpool without both first-choice full backs and their star man Kevin De Bruyne while boasting a huge squad full of proven matchwinners. They proved last season that they have the quality to go on a run of straight victories that could secure them the title, they also have proven that they have the mentality to complete the job and win the Championship and enjoy a squad full of players that now boast multiple honours.

The fact that City have a squad full of players who have experienced a successful title race could be pivotal; In contrast Liverpool do not have a player in their starting XI who has won one of the five major leagues (other than Milner who was a fringe player at Manchester City in a title winning season). If the title race is competitive in the final stages of the season it would have to be considered that Manchester City will hold an advantage in knowing what it takes to win titles whereas Liverpool have perennially come up short, most recently in the Europa League Final 2016 and the Champions League Final 2018. In addition to this Liverpool have often drifted off the pace late in the season, albeit sometimes while placing higher importance on European competition, to such an extent that Klopp has failed to achieve above 4th place in a Premier League season yet.
While City hold an advantage in experience, Liverpool certainly hold an advantage over City, and also Spurs the next nearest challenger, in player fatigue and the number of games their players have played since the beginning of last season. Both Spurs and Manchester City had at least 10 players that reached the final week of the world cup and in doing so hadn’t returned to preseason training before the week on the season starting. In essence these teams had no preseason and have not had adequate rest, this would suggest a burn out in these players could be possible and performances may suffer. In contrast to this Liverpool had no first team players outside of the sparingly used Jordan Henderson that reached the later stages of the world cup and as a result had a full pre-season to work on shape and mistakes from the preceding season. All of their players have had a full preseason and this could count in the latter stages of the season.
The season is far from over and there is much football to be played but what is clear is that this years Premier League has the potential to be a mouth-watering contest which may be decided by the smallest of margins. Outside factors such as injuries to key players and progress in other competitions are sure to have a huge influence on proceedings especially while both squads are among the top 5 in world football. With the gap reduced to 4 points I would slightly favour a Manchester City side who have experienced title winning seasons and possess a narrowly more talented first eleven, however Liverpool have exceeded all expectations thus far and if they manage to keep Virgil Van Dijk fit, they could easily finally break their Premier League duck.