Jonathan Wilson's Blog, page 40

Aston Villa have upended the Premier League’s paradigm

Under Unai Emery, could the club turn the league title into a four-way race?

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These are heady days for Aston Villa. Everybody suspected they were underperforming under former coach Steven Gerrard, but nobody perhaps quite expected the lift-off that has happened under Unai Emery. It’s not just that they sit third in the table, two points off the top, it’s the fact that in their past two games they have beaten last season’s top two.

The assumption is that, at some point, they will stumble, and talk of them being in a title race is always delivered in tones that acknowledge that, but whether that happens or not, the performance in beating Manchester City last Wednesday was one of the most striking the Premier League has ever known. It may only have finished 1-0, but Villa battered City – xG models had the hosts up 2.33 to City’s 0.86. This wasn’t about being clever and picking off their opponents on the break, or surviving a sustained spell of pressure: for all but about 15 minutes just after half-time (in which period City didn’t have a shot), Villa overwhelmed them. Nobody has ever dominated City to that extent in a Premier League match.

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Manchester City’s quickfire double seals comeback win at Luton

Just above the goal at the Domino’s Oak Stand at Luton, above the advert for Noble Solicitors and below the scoreboard, is a blue sign on which is written in white: “History is Made in Luton.” Which, frankly, at kick-off seemed an improbable, almost inexplicable, claim. As it did by the final whistle. But for about half an hour between Elijah Adebayo giving Luton the lead and Bernardo Silva equalising, it did seem Kenilworth Road might be witnessing something very significant indeed.

As it was, Manchester City, while being nowhere near their best, battled back to win and are just four points off the top. Whatever this is they are going through – blip, correction, all-out collapse – has at least been temporarily arrested and, with a relatively kind fixture list to come either side of the Club World Cup, they remain title favourites with their spring surge still to come.

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Threads weaving Puskas with Postecoglou make coach perfect fit at Tottenham | Jonathan Wilson

Spurs coach played for the Hungarian great at South Melbourne in the 90s while picking up his attacking ethos on the way

Ange Postecoglou turned to his father. “Get off the pitch,” he said, “you’re going to get arrested.” It was 1991 and South Melbourne had just beaten Melbourne Croatia to win the NSL Grand Final. It had been an exhausting, ridiculous game. Melbourne Croatia had finished top of the regular-season table, had been the better side on the day, had taken the lead, had seemed to be on their way to the title, only to concede in the 88th minute. South Melbourne had missed three penalties in the shootout.

Melbourne Croatia twice had kicks for the match. Postecoglou had to convert the fifth penalty to keep his side in it. And in sudden death, South Melbourne had won it.

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Guardiola likens City to pampered cat; Hodgson ‘felt like booing’ himself: football news – as it happened

The Premier League press conference carousel took some interesting turns, as the fixtures come thick and fast

How about this … 10 things to look out for in the Premier League this weekend:

The Arsenal head coach, Mikel Arteta, was also asked if he will potentially celebrate up in the stand at Villa Park tomorrow:

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Postecoglou has a ‘lot of work to do’ at Spurs, City bid to stop rot: football news – live

Premier League team news and more before busy weekendGet in touch! Email Dominic with your thoughts

How about this … 10 things to look out for in the Premier League this weekend:

The Arsenal head coach, Mikel Arteta, was also asked if he will potentially celebrate up in the stand at Villa Park tomorrow:

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If Sunderland are more than a project club where’s the proven centre-forward? | Jonathan Wilson

Team have four new signings up front and none have scored, leaving a young, exciting squad lacking edge – and a manager

A talk-in between the Sunderland club hierarchy and members of the Red and White Army Supporters’ Trust in the newly refurbished Montgomery Suite at the Stadium of Light. Fans could ask questions by writing them on a slip of paper, adding their name and handing them to volunteers. Frankie, the compere, took one from the pile. It was for Kristjaan Speakman, Sunderland’s sporting director.

“Why,” it asked, “have we not got a proven centre-forward?” Speakman, half-joking, sighed, looked visibly deflated. It’s a question he’s been asked probably hundreds of times this year. There was no name on the slip of paper. Looking across the audience, he asked who had written the question, wanting to address them directly. One hand went up. Then another. Then another and another. Soon, as the spirit of Spartacus took hold, everybody in the room had their hand in the air.

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Manchester City are vulnerable in ways they haven’t been for years | Jonathan Wilson

City have conceded more goals a game than in each of the last three seasons. Is it just one of those things, or cause for anxiety?

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In some ways it was a freak. Manchester City won the xG 2.6-0.5. The goal that made it 3-3 was only the second Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski has ever scored in his professional career with his head (in reality, his shoulder). City hit the woodwork twice. They might have nicked a very late winner had the referee, Simon Hooper, not blown for a foul on Erling Haaland when Jack Grealish was clean through on goal – a non‑advantage over which Pep Guardiola was commendably restrained in his post-match comments. It was 3-3 but it was a game City had dominated; there really should be nothing for the champions to worry about.

And yet, this keeps happening. City have drawn their last three Premier League games. The three equalisers they have conceded came after 95 minutes, after 80 minutes and after 90 minutes. Last Wednesday, they beat RB Leipzig 3-2, but only after going 2-0 down. So much for those who dismiss City’s evident brilliance as risk-free and bloodless.

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Goals galore on a thrilling weekend in the Premier League – Football Weekly

Robyn Cowen is joined by Jonathan Wilson, Lucy Ward, and Barney Ronay to discuss all the weekend’s Premier League action

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On the podcast today: Robyn Cowen sits in for Max Rushden as the panel reviews all the weekend’s Premier League action including Sunday afternoon’s 3-3 draw between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur. Is Barney Ronay the latest Ange Postecoglou convert?

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Odsonne Édouard cancels out West Ham’s early lead against Crystal Palace

There are some games in which, you suspect, the two managers could have shaken hands on a draw before kick-off and nobody would much have minded.

From the moment Odsonne Édouard levelled eight minutes after half-time, this felt sure to finish level, and all that was left was to go through the motions so as to fulfil the contract to provide 90 minutes for the Sky cameras. The growing number of empty seats on a dank, raw afternoon in east London suggested few who had paid for tickets felt a similar obligation.

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Even if Aston Villa slip off the title pace, Unai Emery has shown his true worth | Jonathan Wilson

After the unhappy spell at Arsenal, the Spaniard’s reputation in England has been rehabilitated – the right club at the right time

Some players are better than others. Some managers are better than others. But a lot of the time, success is a matter of contingency, of being the right person for the right job at the right time. It was four years ago last Wednesday that Unai Emery was sacked by Arsenal. As he returned to Spain, there was a widespread feeling that his methods didn’t travel and he was probably best off staying there.

It wasn’t at all an absurd thing to think. He had been sacked by Spartak Moscow in 2012 after a 5-1 home defeat to Dinamo that left them seventh. His time at Paris Saint-Germain had seemed unremarkable, most notable for him being asked to cut the cake two days into Neymar’s extended birthday party – which seemed a clear indication that the egos in the squad still ruled, a situation that culminated in his departure in 2018.

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