Trollheart's Match of the Day Thread

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For those who prefer to shave while others don't need to, time for some



Football Fun!



To Beard or not to Beard?

As more managers come and go, how stand things now?

Now we have nine who are bearded versus eleven definitely not.

Definitely bearded:
Enzo Maresca (Chelsea)
Graham Potter (West Ham)
Pep Guardiola (Man City)
Ruben Amorim (Man United)
Nuno Espirito Santos (Forest)
Vitor Pereira (Wolves)
Ange Postecoglu (Spurs)
Ruud van Nistelrooy (Leicester)
Fabian Hurzeler (Brighton)




Clean shaven:
Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)
Unai Emery (Villa)
Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth)
Thomas Frank (Brentford)
Oliver Glasner (Palace)
Marco Silva (Fulham)
Kieran McKenna (Ipswich)
Arne Slot (Liverpool)
Eddie Howe (Newcastle)
Ivan Juric (Southampton)
David Moyes (Everton)


So at the moment it's 11-9 to the clean shaven, so still a win for those who can do Gilette adverts.

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Saturday January 25 2025
Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest
Manchester City v Chelsea
Liverpool v Ipswich Town
Southampton v Newcastle
Wolves v Arsenal
Brighton v Everton




Teams: Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest
Regions: Dorset v Nottinghamshire
Managers: Andoni Iraola v Nuno Espirito Santo
Targets: Bournemouth could go 4th win a win; Forest would love to overtake Arsenal and take 2nd place.
Expectation: Given the form each team is in, hard to say but I don't see Forest losing, even away.
Ground: The Vitality Stadium
Respective current positions (Before match): 7 & 3

As ever, Forest made a bright start and only sixty seconds had elapsed before they were in, only the keeper preventing them from scoring the first goal, however Bournemouth were not going to be denied at home and eight minutes later the hat-trick hero from last week was the one to open the scoring, Kluivert slamming the ball into the Forest net after a fine breakaway run. It was of course, as expected, an end to end game, with Yates going close for the visitors one minute later, then Gibbs-White had a go, but so far the Bournemouth net remained unbreached. The Cherries went close to doubling their lead but the Forest keeper was alive to the danger, and the home side went in one to the good at the break.

A free four minutes into the second half almost gave Forest the chance to equalise but it was tipped over the bar, and it was Bournemouth who took the second goal five minutes later and then a third - although this was checked for offside and ruled out. Still, the home side looking definitely the team in control, and on the hour it  was three, and surely all the points wrapped up for Andoni Iraola's side now. With ten minutes to go Forest tried again, but still unable to get past the keeper, then with three minutes left Outtara became the second Bournemouth player in two weeks to get a hat-trick, and the Cherries were cruising. Cruising indeed, as they came back with a fifth in extra time, Forest on the end of an unprecedented thrashing.


Result: Bournemouth 5 - 0 Nottingham Forest
Scorer(s): Kluivert, Outtara (3), Semenyo (BOU)
Penalties: None
VAR decision(s), if any: Third original Bournemouth goal ruled out for offside
Red Cards: None
Controversies: None
Respective current positions (After match): 7 & 3
Respective final positions: 7 & 3
Effects: Despite the huge score, Forest remain third, though they do lose the chance to remain level with Arsenal, who are now three points ahead of them. Bournemouth remain where they are, perhaps showing how congested it is at the top.

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Teams: Manchester City v Chelsea
Regions: Manchester v London
Managers: Pep Guardiola v Enzo Maresca
Targets: Both need to make ground on the leaders, two points and one place between them.
Expectation: I'll go for Chelsea, though City have come back impressively recently
Ground: The Etihad
Respective current positions (Before match): 5 & 4

The question was, which City team would show up today: the one who produced the biggest score in the Premier League last week, or the one that folded after leading 2-0 against PSG in Europe? The home side were on the attack two minutes in, but offside was the verdict, though the net did not bulge anyway. Chelsea then capitalised on a defensive error one minute later, to take the lead in the worst way for City to concede at home. They were almost two down six minutes later, but a bit too fancy and the defender was able to do his job and keep it out. Foden nearly put City level a minute after that, but it cracked off the post. That was how it stayed until almost the end of the half, when Gvardiol scored at the second time of asking, to grab the equaliser at a crucial time for the home team.

Six minutes into the second half and they could have been ahead, but Haaland shot straight at the keeper, City now making all the running and providing all the pressure, and when the Chelsea keeper came out and didn't get the ball the big Norwegian was there to lob him and take the lead for his team. With three minutes to go, Foden made it safe with City's third.

Result: Manchester City 3 - 1 Chelsea
Scorer(s): Madueke (CHE); Gvardiol, Haaland, Foden (MNC)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Red Cards: None
Controversies: None
Respective current positions (After match): 4 & 6
Respective final positions: 4 & 6
Effects: City and Chelsea almost swap places, Chelsea falling to 6th from 4th and City rising from 5th to 4th. City, in quite a fight back, are now only 3 points behind Forest, six behind Arsenal, but a massive 12 behind Liverpool.

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Teams: Wolves v Arsenal
Regions: West Midlands v London
Managers: Vitor Pereira v Mikel Arteta
Targets: Wolves are still in the relegation zone, while Arsenal are the polar opposites, looking to close the gap on leaders Liverpool.
Expectation: Has to be Arsenal doesn't it?
Ground: Molyneaux
Respective current positions (Before match): 17 & 2

With Forest losing Arsenal had a chance to pull away from them, go three points clear and also catch Liverpool, currently 6 points ahead, but Wolves fight hard at home. And they did fight, coming so close to opening the scoring after ten minutes, but high over the bar, while Arsenal scraped the post themselves a few minutes later. Havertz had a second chance but this time right at the keeper. As the half came to a close a somewhat bewildering red was produced and Arsenal were a man down before the break. It didn't stop them coming out attacking in the second half, but would the man advantage help Wolves at home? Havertz's third attempt went nowhere from a corner as Wolves surged forward and almost snatched a goal, somewhat against the run of play, but a corner was the result, from which the ball again went wide. Perhaps it just wouldn't be the home team's day, despite having an extra man.

Certainly not, as that advantage disappeared with the dismissal of a Wolves player for a second yellow, the game balanced out now, and you'd back Arsenal to win. Hell, you'd have backed them to win even with ten men! And with 16 minutes of normal time to go, the Gunners shot Wolves down, taking the first goal. Which, as it turned out, was the only goal in the match.

Result: Wolves 0 - 1 Arsenal
Scorer(s): Calafiori (ARS)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Red Cards: 2
Controversies: How was the first red card (for Arsenal) a sending-off offence?
Respective current positions (After match): 17 & 2
Respective final positions: 18 & 2
Effects: Arsenal maintain the pressure on Liverpool, Wolves slip deeper into the relegation zone.

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Teams: Liverpool v Ipswich Town
Regions: Merseyside v Suffolk
Managers: Arne Slot v Kieran McKenna
Targets: Liverpool want to extend their lead at the top, Ipswich just want to get out of the relegation zone
Expectation: Can't see Liverpool losing
Ground: Anfield
Respective current positions (Before match): 1 & 18

With Arsenal closing the gap on them, Liverpool needed to win, and a visit from the third-bottom team should not have caused them any concerns, indeed they were on the attack early, Gakpo going close but then Szoboszlai got the first goal with only eleven minutes gone. Likely to be a long afternoon for Ipswich, staggering after that 6-0 defeat to Manchester City last weekend. Sad to see an Ipswich player stretchered off the field as Burns departed the field of play, but just after the half-hour Salah notched up his 100th goal for Liverpool as he scored their second, and one minute before half-time Gakpo bundled in the rebound to send Liverpool in three ahead at the break.

Ipswich began to play a little more in the second half, but no way past the red wall, and when there was, Allison was there to stop the shot. Just after the hour Gakpo took his second, no way back for the visitors, if there ever had been. A fifth for Alexander-Arnold was only stopped by the post, then five minutes from time Ipswich again came close to at least getting one goal but Allison able to keep it out. He could do nothing about the corner in the final minute, Liverpool robbed of a clean sheet again, but the victory was theirs.


Result: Liverpool 4 - 1 Ipswich Town
Scorer(s): Szoboszlai, Salah, Gakpo (2) (LIV); Greaves (IPS)
VAR decision(s), if any: Gakpo's second goal (Liverpool's fourth) ruled onside
Red Cards: None
Controversies: None
Respective current positions (After match): 1 & 18
Respective final positions: 1 & 19
Effects: Liverpool maintain their six-point lead at the top while Ipswich slide down another place, one from the bottom.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Southampton v Newcastle United
Regions: Hampshire v Tyne & Wear
Managers: Ivan Juric v Eddie Howe
Targets: As ever, Southampton would love to be off the bottom of the table, though at this point they would need four victories to achieve this. Newcastle are up near the top and want to get back into the top four.
Expectation: You're kidding, right?
Ground: St. Marys
Respective current positions (Before match): 20 & 6

After losing ground to Bournemouth last weekend Newcastle should be out for revenge, and against bottom side Southampton you wouldn't bet against them would you? Ten minutes in though it was the Saints who went ahead, but Newcastle got a penalty on 26 minutes and Isak scored for his fifth game in a row to level up the score. Isak was at it again minutes later, but this time shot at the keeper. His next shot only took two minutes to find the back of the net though, Newcastle now ahead just after the half-hour mark. A matter of minutes later he was on the hunt for his hat-trick, only a desperate lunge from the Southampton keeper stopping him.

In the second half it was the Newcastle keeper who had to be alert as the Saints almost grabbed an equaliser, but in fact it was the visitors who took the next goal, Tonali making it three for the Magpies. Just before the hour Murphy could have made it four, but back off the post it came, the Southampton goal now under siege. Joelinton tried, blocked, then a poor pass by Newcastle let the Saints in for a second with only three minutes to go. A nervy end? Shouldn't have been, but then VAR stepped in to spoil the party and ruled the goal offside, Newcastle with an easier victory than it might have been.


Result: Southampton 1 - 3 Newcastle
Scorer(s): Bednarek (SOU); Isak (2) of which 1 (p), Tonali (NEW)
VAR decision(s), if any: Second Southampton goal ruled out for offside
Red Cards: None
Controversies: None
Respective current positions (After match): 20 & 5
Respective final positions: 20 & 5
Effects: Newcastle climb one place. You don't need to hear about Southampton, do you?

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Teams: Brighton & Hove Albion v Everton
Regions: East Sussex v Merseyside
Managers: Fabian Hurzeler v David Moyes
Targets: Brighton want to progress up the top half, Everton want to move away from the relegation zone
Expectation: I'd say Brighton will win this
Ground: The Amex
Respective current positions (Before match): 9 & 16

Could Everton keep up the momentum under their new/old manager? It didn't start well for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who looked to have done his hamstring early and had to be substituted almost before he'd had a kick of the ball. Bad omens at the Amex? When Pickford booted the ball long down field after the half-hour it looked like handball from the Brighton defender, and indeed a penalty was what resulted, Ndiye slotting it past the keeper to give Everton the lead before the break. Mitoma came close to levelling soon after the restart but shot wide, but on the hour Pickford came for the ball and didn't get it, a corner resulting to the Seagulls. No goal though, and they came close again with 20 minutes to go but 1-0 it remained and Everton recorded their second victory in a row under Moyes.


Result:  Brighton & Hove Albion 0 - 1 Everton
Scorer(s): Ndiye (p) (EVE)
VAR decision(s), if any: Handball against Brighton which resulted in a penalty to Everton
Red Cards: None
Controversies: None
Respective current positions (After match): 9 & 16
Respective final positions: 9 & 16
Effects: No move for either team.

[Trollheart]

Sunday January 26 2025

Aston Villa v West Ham United
Fulham v Manchester United
Crystal Palace v Brentford
Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City



Teams: Aston Villa v West Ham United
Regions: Birmingham v London
Managers: Unai Emery v Graham Potter
Targets: Villa want to move into the top 6 and regain their place there, West Ham just want to climb the bottom half of the table
Expectation: As ever, I'll go for Villa
Ground: Villa Park
Respective current positions (Before match): 8 & 14

Another clash of two teams in claret and blue, Potter's West Ham the team most in need of a win, but at home Villa can be unbeatable. Eight minutes in Unai Emery, banned from the touchline and watching from the stands, saw his team take the lead against a poor West Ham defence. Villa flooded forward again and just after the half-hour could have doubled their lead from a corner, but Watkins shot past the post. West Ham's only real attack came in the last minutes of extra time at the end of the first half, a free kick that went nowhere really, despite some pushing and shoving and a really unnecessary VAR check for serious foul play, of which it was nothing of the sort.

Into the break then, Villa leading but only by the one goal, always a tenuous situation to be in. Oh my god you could really hear Digne scream like a girl as he went down! That must have been painful: this is not a soft man! No action taken though and we played on, as West Ham had a chance to equalise but once again it was wide. Even when Martinez came for, and missed the ball thanks to colliding with his own defender, and the Hammers had a chance to take advantage and slot the ball home into an empty net, they came up short. They were certainly having more shots and chances in the second half than the home side though, and on 70 minutes they made that felt, as they finally drew level.

In the last minutes they pressed forward, confident of taking the match, and Villa didn't really seem to have any answer. In fact, West Ham could have taken it at the death, thanks, it has to be said, to another poor catch by Martinez, who again fumbled the ball and West Ham put it into the net, but offside. Lucky to even get a share of the points, a poor performance despite going ahead. You have to defend leads like this, and Villa did not do that.



Result: Aston Villa 1 - 1 West Ham
Scorer(s): Ramsey (AST); Emerson (WHU)
Penalties: None
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Red Cards: None
Controversies: Should Alvarez have been left on the field? Already on a yellow, he committed another foul but didn't get a second yellow, which would have had him walking.
Respective current positions (After match): 8 & 14
Respective final positions: 8 & 14
Effects: No move for either team.

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Teams: Crystal Palace v Brentford
Regions: London v London
Managers: Oliver Glasner v Thomas Frank
Targets: Brentford need to get back into the top half, Palace are slowly making ground towards this too, one place behind Brentford.
Expectation: Hard to say
Ground: Selhurst Park
Respective current positions (Before match): 12 & 11

A miserable downpour was the backdrop for Brentford's visit just down the road to Selhurst Park, Mateta going close early, then the visitors had a shot on goal just barely stopped by the Palace keeper. Halfway through the first half Mbeumo was upended and a free resulted in... nothing, and so into the second half with no goals scored by either side, and it could have gone either way. Then a free for the home side deflected off a Brentford player and could have gone anywhere, but luckily for the visiting team went the other side of the post. Back came Brentford, but still unable to get past the keeper, then a call for penalty, two in fact, one awarded. Mbeumo could have won it but smacked it off the post, then a check for encroachment in the box gave him another chance, which this time he took, putting his side ahead just after the hour. Schade then was the smooth operator (sorry) who doubled their lead with ten minutes to go, Brentford in complete control now at Selhurst Park.

Or were they? On came Esse in the last five minutes and almost immediately reduced the deficit, scoring with five minutes of normal time still to play. Could Palace equalise at this late stage? Brentford actually almost made it three in the final minute but the ball ricocheted back off the post, then in the seventh minute of extra time Palace got a free kick, but over the bar it went, and with it, surely, the home side's chances of taking anything from this match, despite a spirited fight back.



Result: Crystal Palace 1 - 2 Brentford
Scorer(s): Mbeumo (p), Schade (BRE); Esse (PAL)
Penalties: 1
VAR decision(s), if any: Penalty for Brentford had to be retaken due to encroachment in the box
Red Cards: None
Controversies: None
Respective current positions (After match): 13 & 11
Respective final positions: 13 & 11
Effects: Brentford remain where they are, Palace slide down one place.

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Teams: Fulham v Manchester United
Regions: London v Manchester
Managers: Marco Silva v Ruben Amorim
Targets: United still trying to get into the top half of the table, Fulham are just hanging on there.
Expectation: Depends; I would think Fulham might do it at home
Ground: Craven Cottage
Respective current positions (Before match): 10 & 13

After their new boss's lambasting of his team, calling them the worst Manchester United team ever, how would United respond? Smith Rowe had the first chance for the home side but blazed over the top, then another shot over the bar as the first half began to wind down, looking to be scoreless, and so it was. The second half saw United put together some proper attacks, their captain coming close from a free, but side netting as we headed for the hour mark. Fulham then had a chance to open the scoring but the shot far too high, collected by someone in Row Z.

With 12 minutes to go, the visitors took first blood, and maybe all three points. The Cottagers nearly responded immediately but the ball was cleared off the line from the corner as Fulham pushed for an equaliser. It was in the end Man United who took it in extra time, but the second goal was ruled offside. One goal was enough for the Manchester side to win the game, pretty lucky to do so, certainly not deserved.

Result: Fulham 0 - 1 Manchester United
Scorer(s): Martinez (MNU)
Penalties: None
VAR decision(s), if any: Second Man United goal ruled out for offside
Red Cards: None
Controversies: None
Respective current positions (After match): 10 & 12
Respective final positions: 10 & 12
Effects: United move up one place, Fulham remain where they were

[Trollheart]

Teams: Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City
Regions: London v Leicestershire
Managers: Ange Postecoglu v Ruud van Nistelrooy
Targets: Leicester need to get out of the relegation zone; Spurs need to get back into the top half
Expectation: Imagine Spurs will do it
Ground: The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Respective current positions (Before match): 15 & 19

Spurs had the first attack on goal 15 minutes in but the keeper was able to keep it out, then two minutes later they broke again to put Leiecester under pressure, unlucky not to open the scoring as Son shot marginally wide, the keeper tipping it around the side. Half an hour gone, no goals, but Tottenham making all the running, then a free could have given them the lead but again a great save by the man in the net. Leicester certainly weren't showing any fight, and it was surely a matter of time until Spurs scored, which they did just after the half-hour mark. A corner for Leicester in the last minutes nearly levelled the game, against the run of play, but the home side went in one to the good at the break.

Could they hold that lead though? That was the question, answered very emphatically in the negative as the Foxes took barely a single minute to equalise as the second half begun, all Tottenham's work undone in a matter of seconds. Now came the real test: hard enough for Spurs to keep their lead, now they needed not to go behind. Which was exactly what they did five minutes later, Leicester turning the game around completely. Kulusevski almost had a chance to restore parity just before the hour, but no goal, then off the bar from a free, still no way through for Spurs. In extra time they pushed for a share of the points, but despite a rather desperate flurry at the end they were unable to break through the Leicester defence, and the beleaguered Foxes take an important victory.

Result: Tottenham Hotspur 1 - 2 Leicester City
Scorer(s): Richarlison (TOT); Vardy, El Khannouss (LEI)
Penalties: None
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Red Cards: None
Controversies: None
Respective current positions (After match): 15 & 17
Respective final positions: 15 & 17
Effects: Spurs remain where they were, Leicester move one place above the drop zone.

[Trollheart]

Overview

Manchester City continue their revival, winning their match against Chelsea and climbing back up to 4th, while in a smaller way perhaps their red cousins also make headway, although their match against Fulham was really more a case of luck, but it still gets them up one place, if they do remain in the bottom half of the table. Spurs have hit a very sticky patch, beaten at home by at-the-time-second from bottom Leicester, who haul themselves out of the relegation zone. Palace fell to defeat, which drops them down a place, while there was a shock defeat - actually a battering - for third-placed Nottingham Forest, hit for five against Bournemouth, though ironically the result didn't change the position of either team.

Villa proved poor at home, losing a 1-0 lead to West Ham, about which they should be rightfully ashamed, Liverpool maintained their six-point lead at the top with a convincing win over Ipswich, and Newcastle made up for last weekend's loss by hammering out a result against a curiously resilient Southampton side. Arsenal keep the pressure up on Liverpool, though there was only a single goal in their match against Wolves. Ruben Amorim joked (possibly) about how being in charge of Manchester United has added ten years on to him, Ruud van Nistelrooy had his first win in a long time, and Ange must be looking worryingly around him and feeling the boardroom knives being sharpened.

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Saturday February 1 2025

Nottingham Forest v Brighton
Wolves V Aston Villa
Ipswich Town v Southampton
Newcastle v Fulham
Everton v Leicester
Bournemouth  V Liverpool




Teams: Nottingham Forest v Brighton & Hove Albion
Regions: Nottinghamshire v East Sussex
Managers: Nuno Espirito Santo v Fabian Hurzeler
Targets: Still 3rd, Forest will want to forget about that 5-0 thrashing and again try to close the gap on both Arsenal and Liverpool; Brighton could move up to 8th with a win.
Expectation: At home you'd have to back Forest
Ground: The City Ground
Respective current positions (Before match): 3 & 9

Anxious to put that embarrassing defeat from last weekend behind them, Forest were helped open the scoring by Louis Dunk's seventh career own goal, and so within 12 minutes the home side were ahead. Not how they would wanted to have done it, but they all count, and a few minutes later they were on the attack again, the ball just shaving the post. Unrelenting, back they came as the half reached the midway point, and took their second from a corner to put themselves very much in control of the game. Three minutes later, Brighton could have pulled one back but the keeper stopped it, then Williams shot past the post for what should have been Forest's third. Just after the half-hour it was three, and Wood had his fifteenth of the season. Surely no way back now for Brighton, although was it offside? No it wasn't, and Forest were three to the good , Wellbeck almost getting the ball over the line but the watch did not beep, and so 3-0 it remained to the home side at the break.

On the hour there was a penalty check for Brighton. The ref said no, so did VAR, and Forest promptly made it four as Wood scored again minutes after that decision. One more goal and they would have repeated last weekend's result, but reversed it. When they got a penalty after a corner, Wood took his hat-trick and the score was indeed 5-0, goal difference restored. In the final minute they put the finishing touches on it with their sixth, which looked like it should have been ruled out but wasn't, and then just to add insult to injury, in, literally, injury time, the home side scored their seventh.


Result: Nottingham Forest 7 - 0 Brighton
Scorer(s): Dunk (og), Gibbs-White, Wood (3) one of which (p), Williams, Silva (FOR)
Penalties: 1
VAR decision(s), if any: Possible offside for third goal ruled onside
Red Cards: None
Controversies: Not that it really mattered at that point, but should that sixth goal have stood?
Respective current positions (After match): 3 & 10
Respective final positions: 3 & 10
Effects: Forest wipe out that negative goal difference from last week, and remain third, level with Arsenal. Brighton slip one place.