Trollheart's Match of the Day Thread

[Trollheart]

Teams: Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Regions: London v West Midlands
Managers: Marco Silva v Gary Davies
Targets: Fulham were looking at a move into the top four, Wolves just trying to escape the basement
Expectation: Wolves have played some great football recently, but almost all of their matches have ended in draws, so you would think Fulham would have a game on their hands, but should win, especially being at home. Mind you, I said that about Man City, didn't I?
Ground: Craven Cottage
Respective current positions (Before match): 7 & 19
Respective current positions (After match): 10 & 17
Respective final positions: 9 & 17

Fulham came closest on the quarter-hour, but Jiminez's shot rapped off the bar, the next shot not reaching him but Iwobi put it into the net on 20 minutes, and it had been coming. What hadn't been coming was Wolves' equaliser, which came eleven minutes later, a fine goal, honours even at the break. And things got even better for the West Midlands strugglers eight minutes into the second half when they went ahead on a stunner from Gomes. Could Wolves hold on for the win? Well, they almost did themselves no favours a few minutes later, only the crossbar saving an own goal, then Cunha had a chance to score their second but it just scraped past the post.

Fulham weren't giving up though, especially in front of their home fans, and again hit the crossbar, before Cunha scored again, another spectacular strike to put Wolves in the driving seat and looking at a second win on the bounce. Wolves were great value for their win, and netted a fourth, surely for the first time in the season, in extra time.

Result: Fulham 1 - 4 Wolves
Scorer(s): Iwobi (FUL); Cunha (2), Gomes, Guedes (WOL)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Effects: Fulham slide to 10th, in danger of falling out of the top half of the table, but make up ground due to Newcastle's loss on Monday, ending at 9th, while Wolves make some small advances and are now above the relegation zone, though there's only a point in it.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Bournemouth v Brighton
Regions: Dorset v East Sussex
Managers: Andoni Iraola v Fabian Hurzeler
Targets: Brighton could get into the top four with a win, Bournemouth wanted to move just into the top half of the table
Expectation: I'd probably go for the Sussex team here.
Ground: The Vitality Stadium
Respective current positions (Before match): 12 & 6
Respective current positions (After match): 13 & 5
Respective final positions: 13 & 5

Bournemouth weren't hanging around, a shot on goal in the first minute, but it went wide of the post, Three minutes later it was Brighton who were on the attack, their shot finding the back of the net and giving them the lead. Evanilson almost levelled for the home side before the half-hour but straight at the keeper. A second shot went wide from Kluivert, Bournemouth doing all the running now, then they seemed to have been rewarded as Evanilson scored, but ruled offside.

Brighton went ahead four minutes into the second half, to give the home side a difficult task, though it looked to have become a little easier when the visitors had a man sent off for a second yellow. Brighton now in defensive posture with ten men, the home side pressed their advantage, coming close with ten minutes to go, but as extra time wound down 2-0 it remained, until Brooks scored to halve the deficit. Too little too late? Could the ten men hang on for a victory? Answer to both questions was yes, despite a last-second corner for Bournemouth, which rattled the bar.

Result: Bournemouth 0 - 2 Brighton
Scorer(s): Pedro, Mitoma (BHA)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Effects: Bournemouth lose a little ground, slipping to 13th while Brighton gain a little, advancing to 5th.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Leicester v Chelsea
Regions: Leicestershire v London
Managers: Steve Cooper v Enzo Maresca
Targets: Leicester need to move away from that dreaded dotted line, while Chelsea are still chasing the leaders.
Expectation: I would see this as a win for Chelsea
Ground: The King Power Stadium
Respective current positions (Before match): 15 & 3
Respective current positions (After match): 16 & 3
Respective final positions: 16 & 3

Chelsea had the early chances, but were unable to make anything of them, until Jackson netted on 15 minutes: it had been coming. The Foxes being hunted down now, Chelsea went close to a second on the half-hour, Leicester without a shot so far. McAteer sorted that, though he could not make the Chelsea net ripple. Palmer almost doubled the blues' lead in the second half, but actually hit it against his own player! Leicester living on their nerves though.

Fernandez did double their lead after Jackson's header had come back from the bar, and Chelsea were in command. The home side thought they might have won a penalty in the last ten minutes, but both the ref and VAR said no, and a second shout was cancelled out when the striker was offside. No luck for Steve Cooper's team this afternoon! Or was there? On closer inspection, Decordova-Reid was adjudged not to be offside, which meant VAR had to look at the penalty appeal, and with the offside dealt with, the decision was yes, it was a spot kick. Too late for the Foxes to get back into it though? It sure was, and Chelsea took the three points.

Result: Leicester 1 - 2 Chelsea
Scorer(s): Jackson, Fernandez (CHE); Ayew (LEI)
VAR decision(s), if any: Ndidi's challenge on Cole Palmer ruled NOT dangerous conduct, yellow card sufficient; last-minute offside ruled not to be, therefore penalty awarded
Effects: Leicester are pushed one place down to 16th, perhaps looking nervously down at that relegation line, while Chelsea remain where they are, level with Arsenal, in 3rd.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
Regions: Birmingham v London
Managers: Unai Emery v Oliver Glasner
Targets: Having tasted the heady heights of the top three, Villa wanted to get back there, while Palace just wanted to get out of the relegation zone.
Expectation: Got to go for my lads.
Ground: Villa Park
Respective current positions (Before match): 9 & 18
Respective current positions (After match): 8 & 18
Respective final positions: 8 & 19

Palace laid down a marker early, scoring in the fourth minute, and Villa, already on a four-goal losing streak, needed to hit back quickly. Watkins came close but the Palace keeper stopped his shot, then on the half-hour he got his goal to draw his team level. Bailey came close to putting them ahead just before the end of the first half, but then a penalty awarded in the last minute was saved. To make matters worse, Palace broke and scored down the other end, to go in 2-1 at the break.

A claim for a second penalty for Villa was turned down, and things were not looking good for the home side, until a corner allowed Barkley to level the game with 13 minutes to go. Palace came close twice in rapid succession to taking the lead again three minutes later, both shots off the post, bottom and top, (although one was later seen in the replay to have been a superb save by Martinez) leaving the points to be shared. A far better result for Villa than Palace.


Result: Aston Villa 2 - 2 Crystal Palace
Scorer(s): Sarr, Devenny (PAL);  Watkins, Barkley (AST)
VAR decision(s), if any: Penalty awarded to Villa in the first half, denied in the second
Effects: The draw is better for us, as we rise one place to 8th, while Palace remain in the relegation zone, and long may that continue.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Everton v Brentford
Regions: Merseyside v London
Managers: Sean Dyche v Thomas Frank
Targets: Brentford hoped to move into the top half of the table with a win, Everton just needed to move away from the lower half
Expectation: Don't know; could be a draw?
Ground: Goodison Park
Respective current positions (Before match): 16 & 11
Respective current positions (After match): 15 & 11
Respective final positions: 15 & 11

The home side were on the attack from the first minute, a corner in the fourth almost leading to the first goal, just saved by the Brentford keeper. The man between the posts had to be called into action again as Calvert-Lewin raced free, but nil-all it remained as Brentford went in search of the lead, Everton's keeper alive to the danger. Pickford in fact injured himself keeping out the next shot, VAR sending the ref to the monitor, which resulted in the sending off of one of Brentford's men, the second game today played out with ten men.

Everton came close again in the second half, but wide, then the ten men almost took the lead. A tense game as I imagine both teams were praying for the final whistle, which came with neither team scoring.

Result: Everton 0 - 0 Brentford
Scorer(s): None
VAR decision(s), if any: Brentford player sent off for what was deemed dangerous play on the Everton keeper.
Effects: Here too the draw helps Everton more, who climb one place while Brentford remain where they are.

[Trollheart]

Sunday November 24 2024
Southampton v Liverpool
Ipswich v Manchester United


Teams: Southampton v Liverpool
Regions: Hampshire v Merseyside
Managers: Russell Martin v Arne Slot
Targets: Southampton desperately need to claw their way out of the relegation zone, where they've been, it seems, for most of the season. Liverpool will remain top no matter what, but can widen the gap to 8 points with a win.
Expectation: Liverpool for the win.
Ground: St. Mary's
Respective current positions (Before match): 20 & 1
Respective current positions (After match): 20 & 1
Respective final positions: 20 & 1

To nobody's surprise it was the league leaders who had the first attempt, on six minutes, Salah only kept out by the man guarding the net for Southampton. They had their own shot but 21st minute saw Salah again have a chance to put his team ahead, again stopped by the keeper. A free halfway through the first 45 almost opened the scoring but Nunes fired into the keeper's arms. You couldn't imagine the home side were going to hold out against such unrelenting pressure though, nor did they: on the half-hour quality told and Liverpool were ahead, in fact through a mistake, the last thing struggling Southampton needed.

Two minutes later they went in search of an equaliser, shooting wide, then wasting a corner and then at least pulling a save out of Kelleher. Five minutes from time the Saints were handed a lifeline as they were awarded a penalty, but what would VAR say? They agreed, and so Armstrong stepped up to the spot. Kelleher saved brilliantly, but the Southampton man scored on the rebound to draw his team level.

Perhaps galvanised by that, it was the home team who applied all the pressure in the early part of the second half, and they duly got their reward just before the hour when Fernandes raced free and slotted the ball in beyond Kelleher to put the team currently sitting at the very bottom of the relegation zone in front. Not for long though as Salah slipped round the keeper and just watched the ball roll into the opposition net.

Nine minutes from time and Liverpool had the opportunity to wrap the game up as they were given a penalty. Does Salah ever miss those? Never in doubt. He had a chance to take Liverpool's fourth, and his hat trick near the end, but the ball came back off the post. A corner at the death could have got Southampton back into it, but it shot over the top and Liverpool win yet again.

Result: Southampton 2 - 3 Liverpool
Scorer(s): Szoboszlai, Salah (2) (LIV); Armstrong. Fernandes (SOU)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Effects: Liverpool go 8 points clear at the top, Southampton remain rooted to the opposite end of the table.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Ipswich v Manchester United
Regions: Suffolk v Manchester
Managers: Kieran McKenna v Ruben Amorim
Targets: Man United will want to impress the new manager, and surely against relegation-threatened Ipswich, they have a good chance? The home team just need to get out of the zone.
Expectation: You'd have to imagine, on balance, that United would do it.
Ground: Portman Road
Respective current positions (Before match): 19 & 12
Respective current positions (After match): 19 & 12
Respective final positions: 18 & 12

Cometh the hour, cometh the man? You might even say, Portugal, the Man? Manchester United have never seemed to recover from the loss of Alex Ferguson, with a succession of managers who have all failed to bring United back to the glory days they had been so used to. Ruben Amorim has quite a job on his hands, but having battered United's noisy neighbours in Europe last week, perhaps he is "the one". Certainly they made a great start, Rashford racing down the pitch to score United's first with only 2 minutes on the clock. By contrast, Ipswich's Szmodicks blasted over the bar. Ipswich kept the pressure up though, and their striker almost had the leveller, but the keeper saved it.

Garnacho then had a chance to put United two up before the break but shot wide, Delap nearly making them rue that miss as he shot at Onana. Then Hutchinson did, as he shot a lovely curler into the top corner with two minutes of the half to go. Garnacho was at it again from the kick-off as the second half began, but again wide, while Delap was again blocked, while Garnacho - whose commitment and effort you really couldn't fault; he seemed to be the only one taking shots at the Ipswich goal since Rashford had scored - was kept out from putting United ahead by a perfect tackle.

A real battle for the next goal between Garnacho and Delap, and you definitely got the feeling, with 15 minutes to go, that whoever won that battle would win the game for their team. In fact, it was Fernandez who almost settled it from a free, but it again went wide. Ipswich certainly weren't giving up though and could have won it four minutes from time, but a draw it ended.

Result: Ipswich 1 -1 Manchester United
Scorer(s): Rashford (MNU); Hutchinson (IPS)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Effects: Ipswich move up one place, though still in the relegation zone. Man United remain where they were.

[Trollheart]

Monday November 25 2024


Teams: Newcastle v West Ham
Regions: Tyne & Wear v London
Managers: Eddie Howe v Julian Lopetgui
Targets: West Ham need to move further away from the relegation zone; Newcastle can go fifth with a win.
Expectation: On balance, and being at home, you'd imagine the Magpies would take this.
Ground: St. James' Park
Respective current positions (Before match): 9 & 14
Respective current positions (After match): 10 & 14
Respective final positions: 10 & 14

Looks like struggling West Ham opened the scoring early, Soucek scoring on 10 minutes, but though I didn't see this, being a Monday night match, Newcastle don't seem to have had any reply and went in at the break one down. Of course, there could have been chances aplenty, but I'm just looking at the results, so that's all I can tell you. Soon after the restart the Hammers put the seal on it when Wan-Bissaka scored their second, and that was it for the match.

Result: Newcastle 0 - 2 West Ham
Scorer(s): Soucek, Wan-Bissaka (WHU)
VAR decision(s), if any: Unknown
Effects: Newcastle drop one place to 10th, while even the win isn't enough to move West Ham, who remain at 14th.

[Trollheart]

Meh of the Day: Again, thankfully, no match fit this criterion.

Scratch of the Day: Not really this time.

Player of the Day: I think, despite myself, I'd have to give this to Man United's Garnacho, who, though he didn't score, had the most attempts by his team and seemed the most up for it. He also made a perfect tackle to stop Ipswich scoring, which, had he mistimed it, would have given the home side a penalty.

Gasp of the Day: Man City being beaten at home, their fifth on the run, or Wolves' shock 4-1 defeat of Fulham

Goal of the Day: Hutchinson's curler into the Man United net for Ipswich's first goal.

Miss of the Day: Has to be Villa's penalty. For fuck's sake, Tielemans! Can't you beat a fucking keeper??

Save of the Day: Martinez's fingertips pawing away of the ball from Palace which would have given them the win at the death.

VARiations: A bad decision made by the men in the box during the game between Everton and Brentford, when dangerous play was the verdict, but nobody except them seemed to think it was. Ref too weak to hold his nerve and stand up to the tyranny of this stop-motion, freeze-frame, millimetre-calculating behemoth that is ruining our game. Boo.

Climb of the Day: Spurs move up 4 places from 10 to 6, and close to the top half of the table.

Drop of the Day: Fulham drop 3 places, from 7 to 10

Pass of the Day: Gravenberch's inch-perfect pass to Salah for Liverpool's second

Mirth of the Day: Banner held in the Manchester United end: "Rhymes with Amorim: will City ever win again?" A little precipitous, no? It's only Ipswich, after all.

Also: in the same game, the Ipswich keeper hitting the linesman with the ball and knocking his arm badge off. Hey, he saw the funny side of it.

Quote of the Day: Iwobi for Fulham in his interview after the match: "We always try to have these shoots in training day, then the gaffer come to me, he say please do this in the game, please help me!"

Pen of the Day: Have to give it to Southampton's Armstrong in the match against Liverpool. Not the greatest penalty, but for his awareness to be able to tuck it in when it came back off the rebound, I think he deserves it.

Score of the Day: Wolves 4-1 against Fulham was a hell of a shock, as was Spurs' 4-0 defeat of Man City

Cliche of the Day Nothing comes to mind.

We Wuz Robbed! Nope

Trollheart's Hates:

Arsenal: Annoyed to see them win, and easily, but then again it was against Forest, so hard to say how I feel. Overall, since Arsenal's win didn't move them any further up the table, and Forest's loss sends them down 2 places, I guess it's an acceptable result.

Crystal Palace Well for a long time it looked like we might be beaten by the bastards, which would have crushed me. Drawing with them in fact helped us more than them, allowing us to move up one place (for now) and leaving them mired in the relegation zone.

Manchester United I'd rather they had been beaten, but I'm glad they didn't walk all over Ipswich, who made it really hard for them, and they don't move anywhere, so I'll take that.

Nottingham Forest See above.


And now...


Of course, not every weekend will have anything worth reporting, but when it does, I'll note it here.

Managerial Mayhem




The big news this weekend was of course the arrival of Ruben Amorim from Sporting as he took over the manager's job at Manchester United for the first time, but on the other end of the scale, exiting a job he held for less than six months, Steve Cooper was fired by Leicester City. Though he did very well with his previous team, Nottingham Forest, bringing them back to the Premiership after almost 20 years outside the top division. But with Leicester in a similar position to how he left Forest (they're now 16th, Forest were 17th) he and the club parted company, and Leicester will now be looking to fill the position.

(Incidentally, if anyone knows where I can find, or wants to make, smaller arrows for me I'd appreciate it. These were the best I could find. They need to be a) one red, pointing to the left and one green pointing to the right and b) animated.)

[Trollheart]

And finally, before the table, let's have some


Football Fun!



To Beard or not to Beard?

I thought it might be of no particular interest but fun nevertheless to see how many of the current managers in the Premiership have beards, versus those who do not.

I count seven who are bearded (with three possibles) versus nine definitely not.

Definitely bearded:
Enzo Maresca (Chelsea)
Sean Dyche (Everton)
Pep Guardiola (Man City)
Ruben Amorim (Man United)
Nuno Espirito Santos (Forest)
Russell Martin (Southampton)
Ange Postecoglu (Spurs)

Possibly bearded:
Fabian Hurzeler (Brighton)
Gary O'Neil (Wolves)
Julian Lopetegui (West Ham)

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)

Note: I haven't included Steve Cooper,as he's been fired. Depends really now on who Leicester give the job to...

If you want to weigh in on the "possibly bearded" ones, let me know.

So at the moment it's 9-7 to the clean shaven, but with a possible 3 subs on the bench, which could turn the tide for facial hair. Could be all to play for!

[Trollheart]

[jimmy jazz]

A far better result for Villa than Palace.

Villa should be beating bottom half sides at home quite easily.

Another shit result.

8th place and 3 points off 4th is great considering we've won 1 game in 7.

Sort it out Unai ffs.

[Trollheart]

Yeah I know but what I mean is that we still climb one place to 8th whereas they are still drowning in the relegation zone. I know we should be doing better. How the living fuck could a striker like Tielemans MISS a penalty?? Christ scoring on the rebound in extra time in a must-win match! Like you say, get it together. If we don't sort it Juventus are going to piss all over us at home tomorrow.

[jimmy jazz]

It came up that he'd missed 3 of his last 5 before he took it.

McGinn should have had it ffs.

[Trollheart]

Could have given it to Watkins. Had we scored, that probably would have been it. Fucking Palace! How I hate them. Hope they go down.  And we were lucky not to be beaten: that save right at the death! Fuck's sake. Should not be relying on those.