Trollheart's Match of the Day Thread

[Trollheart]

Teams: Ipswich v Bournemouth
Regions: Suffolk v Dorset
Managers: Kieran McKenna v Andoni Iraola
Targets: Ipswich are still struggling down the bottom, Bournemouth can move into the top half of the table with a win.
Expectation: You wouldn't give Ipswich a hope really, would you?
Ground: Portman Road
Respective current positions (Before match): 18 & 13

A long shot on 8 minutes did not get the finish it should have to give Bournemouth the lead, while Ipswich were as wasteful in front of goal, 20 minutes gone and still scoreless. A long throw from DeLap then gave Town the first goal one minute later. A corner shortly afterwards resulted in Ipswich's second, until it was chalked off for a free kick against the man who had provided the throw for the first goal, and DeLap was adjudged to have been impeding the keeper. Just before the half-hour the Cherries could have drawn level but the ball came back off the post and away.

Bournemouth had a penalty shout but it looked like the man had not been touched, so no deal. The visitors came close in the second half, then Ipswich could have doubled their lead but 1-0 it remained as the game began to wind down in the final minutes, till the Ipswich keeper came for the ball, missed it and let Bournemouth in to equalise three minutes from time. In the fifth minute of extra time the visitors took it to break Ipswich hearts and leave them floundering in the relegation zone for another week.

Result: Ipswich Town 1 - 2 Bournemouth
 Scorer(s): Chaplin (IPS); Unal, Ouattara (BOU)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Respective current positions (After match): 18 & 8
Respective final positions: 18 & 8
Effects: Bournemouth move up into the top half of the table; Ipswich remain in the zone.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Leicester City v Brighton
Regions: Leicestershire v East Sussex
Managers: Ruud van Nistelroy v Fabian Hurzeler
Targets: Leicester will be on a high after their first win in ages during the week, but Brighton are fighting for their place in the top four.
Expectation: I would think maybe Brighton might edge it
Ground: The King Power Stadium
Respective current positions (Before match): 16 & 5

14 minutes in and Brighton could have opened the scoring but Pedro shot wide, then a second shot six minutes later was this time pawed away by the keeper, the Seagulls making all the chances in the early part of the half. Surely it could only be a matter of time, as Mitoma shot high and wide, three shots on targets versus none for the home side. And still they came: on 37 minutes the visitors got their reward, Leicester seeming only to get up the opposition half just before the end of the first period, and at least forcing a save out of the Brighton keeper.

The Foxes began the fight back in the second half, at least attacking the Brighton goal, though they continued to fail to get anything for their efforts, Vardy shooting over the bar. Into the last ten minutes and Brighton made it two, surely taking all three points from Leicester and handing the new manager his first defeat, in his first match at home. But hold on! Four minutes from the end their talisman came good, Vardy tapping it in to give the Foxes a chance, and in injury time they did it, equalising to take a point from a match they looked destined to lose.

Result: Leicester City 2 - 2 Brighton
Scorer(s): Lamptey, Minteh (BHA); Vardy, De Cordova-Reid (LEI)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Respective current positions (After match): 16 & 7
Respective final positions: 16 & 7
Effects: Leicester remain where they are, Brighton drop two places.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea
Regions: London v London
Managers: Ange Postecoglu v Enzo Maresca
Targets: Spurs want to move back up the top half of the table, while Chelsea want to also put pressure on Liverpool and hopefully capitalise on their cancelled game.
Expectation: I could see Chelsea taking this.
Ground: The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Respective current positions (Before match): 8 & 2

Chelsea literally slipped up when Cucharilla slid on the slippery grass and let Spurs in, Solanke scoring with the game only five minutes old. Unbelievably, he did it again, the Chelsea man slipping and this time letting in Kulusevski on 11! No wonder he ran off immediately to change his boots! Sancho went about restoring order on 17 as he halved the deficit against his team, then a strong challenge could have led to a red for Spurs, but yellow was the verdict, VAR not seeing fit to overturn it, though it looked very bad. Spurs nearly re-established their two-goal lead late in the half from a corner, but the ball came off the crossbar.

The second half saw Sancho almost get his second to level the game, but the Spurs keeper was able to stop it, then Chelsea got a stonewall penalty and equalised through Palmer on the hour. That was the first penalty in any match this weekend, which I think is unusual. Seven minutes later Son could have put Spurs back ahead but shot wide, keeper no chance but past him it went. 17 minutes from time Chelsea went in front for the first time in the match, and the Blues made it certain with ten minutes to go as they got their second penalty, again converted by Palmer to take the game. Even a late goal deep in injury time for Spurs couldn't save them.

Result: Tottenham Hotspur 3 - 4 Chelsea
Scorer(s): Solanke, Kulusevski, Son (TOT); Sancho, Palmer (2) (p) (p), Fernandez (CHE)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Respective current positions (After match): 11 & 2
Respective final positions: 11 & 2
Effects: Spurs drop into the bottom half of the table; Chelsea move away from parity with Arsenal and narrow the gap between them and Liverpool to 4 points.

[Trollheart]

Monday December 9 2024


Teams: West Ham v Wolves
Regions: London v West Midlands 
Managers:  Julen Lopetegui v Gary O'Neil
Targets: Wolves need to try climb back out of the relegation zone; West Ham need to move away from it.
Expectation: I really don't know but I would back Wolves, just for tenacity.
Ground: The London Ground
Respective current positions (Before match): 19 & 14

Wolves had the early chance, missing a sitter in the first half, but the game remained scoreless at the break, a game surely that had to be a must-win for both teams. Nine minutes into the restart the home side were ahead as Soucek netted to send the London Ground into raptures, mere seconds after applause had rung out around the stadium for the injured Antonio. And it looked to have gotten even better for the Hammers as Kudus scored their second on the hour, but a marginal offside decision meant VAR spoiled the party.

Even worse then for the home side, Wolves drew level as Doherty scored to silence the home fans, but soon afterwards Bowen made sure the Hammers had all three points, holding up Antonio's shirt in a tribute as he celebrated the goal that gives West Ham a vital win.

Result: West Ham 2 - 1 Wolves
Scorer(s): Soucek, Bowen (WHU); Doherty (WOL)
VAR decision(s), if any: Second West Ham goal disallowed for offside
Respective current positions (After match): 19 & 14
Respective final positions: 19 & 14
Effects: Although the win is a welcome one for West Ham, it doesn't allow them to move and they remain where they are, as do Wolves, another week spent in the relegation zone for them.

[Trollheart]

Meh of the Day: Nope

Scratch of the Day: How did Brighton lose against Leicester? 2-0 up almost at the death, and ended up drawing the match, and could have lost it!

Player of the Day: Can't say, but again, reverse player of the day has to be that man who "slipped up" twice. Sorry Cucharilla!

Goal of the Day: Good goals but nothing spectacular

Miss of the Day: Son shooting wide at the end of the match against Chelsea; had he scored they would have won.

Save of the Day: Forest keeper against Bruno Fernandez for what would have been Man United's second goal

VARiations: Really very little; hardly any decisions and no controversial ones for once.

Climb of the Day: Bournemouth are the highest movers, climbing 5 places to 8th.

Drop of the Day: Spurs drop 3 places and back down into the bottom half of the table.

Howler of the Day: Got to be Chelsea's Cucharilla, who slipped twice and allowed Tottenham to score on both occasions. Surely something of a record?

Mirth of the Day: Poor Cucharilla for Chelsea, slipping twice and giving away two goals, and then running off to change his boots! Funny too his post later, showing the offending boots in the bin! Also funny, as Leicester lined up for a free in extra time, from which, had they scored, they would have won a match they looked like losing, some steward had his back to the action, doing something with the hoarding. Obviously not that much of a fan!

Quote of the Day: Nope

Pen of the Day: Palmer's second for Chelsea. Straight down the middle, cool as you like.

Score of the Day: Can't say anything really stands out
 
Cliche of the Day Nah

Keeper Kapers:

The Good: Brentford's Flecken kept out a shot by Newcastle's Isak which would have put the Magpies 2-1 up, foiling the striker by managing to grab the ball almost literally from under his feet when he had looked a cert to score.

The Bad: Man United's Onana had a very bad day, letting in a goal he should have saved and messing up a late kick out in injury time. Ipswich's keeper coming for the ball in the dying moments and completely misjudging its flight, allowing Bournemouth to score and level the game.

We Wuz Robbed! Not really

Trollheart's Hates:

Arsenal

Good to see them forced to settle for a draw.



Crystal Palace

Held Man City to a draw, so I guess that's okay. Doesn't really help them get away from the relegation zone.



Nottingham Forest

They won, which is annoying, but then, they won against Man United, which isn't. So sort of a result I'll accept.

Manchester United

Delighted to see them lose, and so poorly.

[Trollheart]

Man United sporting director Dan Ashworth left the club "by mutual agreement" after the defeat to Forest, but you'd have to imagine it was more by agreement of the board than by him. Fired, basically. Looks like the board don't have a scooby what they're doing and are just lashing out. But, in the final analysis, fuck them and their team. May they all be fired.

Michel Antonio was involved in a car accident and is under observation; we wish him a speedy recovery. His team certainly needs him.

[Trollheart]

[Trollheart]

Saturday December 14 2024
Liverpool v Fulham
Wolves v Ipswich
Newcastle v Leicester
Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa




Teams: Liverpool v Fulham
Regions: Merseyside v London
Managers: Arne Slot v Marco Silva
Targets: After their game last week was cancelled due to the storm, Liverpool will want to widen the gap as much as possible between them and Chelsea. Fulham need to move up into the top half of the table.
Expectation: Have to see this as being Liverpool's
Ground: Anfield
Respective current positions (Before match): 1 & 10

The home side were applying the pressure from the first minute, but it was Fulham who took a shock lead on 11 minutes, and could have been two ahead had it not been cleared off the line. Things got bad for Liverpool though as Andy Robertson got a red card and Slot's team were down to ten men with most of the match to play. They saw out the rest of the first half without conceding further, but also without scoring, then two minutes into the second they equalised through Cody Gakpo.

A corner resulted in a Liverpool attack but Salah shot wide, and it was Fulham who retook the lead on 76, Liverpool with 14 minutes of normal time to equalise again, never mind take the match. Eight minutes from time Elliott nearly levelled but there was too much bend on the shot and it drifted wide of the far post. Two minutes later the home side had their second goal and were back on terms. In extra time they could have taken it, but in the end a draw had to do, but for ten men for most of the match, you'd have to say that was a good result. Points dropped though for the first time in ages.

Result: Liverpool 2 - 2 Fulham
Scorer(s): Pereira, Muniz (FUL); Gakpo, Jota (LIV)
VAR decision(s), if any: Andy Robertson sent off; although the ref had already made that decision, VAR checked to see if the attempt had been offside. Had it been, the Liverpool man would not have been walking, but it was not, and he was.
Respective current positions (After match): 1 & 8
Respective final positions: 1 & 8
Effects: Liverpool miss the chance to go five clear of Chelsea; Fulham move up two places.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Wolves v Ipswich Town
Regions: West Midlands v Suffolk
Managers: Gary O'Neil v Kieran McKenna
Targets: As ever, for both teams it's a matter of who can get out of the relegation zone
Expectation: I have no idea
Ground: Molyneaux
Respective current positions (Before match): 19 & 18

Neither team were getting out of the zone with a win, but three points would certain help them get closer to being on the better side of the dotted line. A historic meeting, as this was the first time the two teams had ever faced each other in the Premier League. It started badly for the home team, with Doherty forced into an own goal after 15 minutes to put Ipswich ahead. But then the Tractor Boys gave the ball away in their own box, Wolves unable to make them pay. In extra time at the end of the half Ipswich got a free, but 1-0 it remained until 18 minutes from the end, when Ipswich, having squandered two or three opportunities to widen their lead, found themselves pegged back as Cuhna scored for the home side.

As the match wound down to the final minutes, Wolves had two chances to take all three points, Strand-Larsen missing a total sitter for the second, the goalscorer also having two shots, neither rippling the net, Wolves applying all the pressure. But a late corner for the visitors broke hearts in the Black Country as Ipswich were the ones to take the game at the death, only their second victory since being promoted.

Result: Wolves 1 - 2 Ipswich Town
Scorer(s): Doherty (og), Taylor (IPS); Cunha (WOL)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Respective current positions (After match): 19 & 18
Respective final positions: 19 & 18
Effects: Both teams remain where they were, both still mired in the relegation dogfight for survival.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Newcastle United v Leicester City
Regions: Tyne & Wear v Leicestershire
Managers: Eddie Howe v Ruud van Nistelroy
Targets: Both teams need to move up the table; Newcastle can get into the top half with a win.
Expectation: I think Newcastle might take this
Ground: St. James Park
Respective current positions (Before match): 12 & 16

Newcastle were on the front foot from the start, Gordon's shot on 8 minutes just saved and resulting in a corner for the home side, the shot then going over the top. Gordon was in among the defenders again ten minutes later, still no goal though,then Joelinton saw his shot blocked, but the Magpies doing all the pressing. Surely their tenacity would bear fruit? And so it did, after yet another corner on the half-hour, Murphy rocketing the ball into the far corner. Isak could have made it two a moment later, but shot straight at the Leicester keeper.

The Foxes changed goalkeepers at the break, and he found himself under pressure almost immediately as Newcastle got a free, and he proved unequal to the task as the Magpies helped themselves to their second. And it wasn't long before it was three, fifty minutes gone as Isak headed them into what must be an unassailable lead. Murphy could have had his second, in fact, and Newcastle's fourth, but shot high over the bar.

He made up for that on the hour as the home team went four to the good, Leicester's defence AWOL. They hadn't even had a shot on goal, watching helplessly as Barnes almost made it five, but it was still a rout for the Foxes, hunted off the park again by the Magpies.

Result: Newcastle 4 - 0 Leicester City
Scorer(s): Murphy (2), Guimaraes, Isak (NEW)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Respective current positions (After match): 12 & 17
Respective final positions: 12 & 17
Effects: Other results mean Newcastle remain where they are, despite a big victory like this. Leicester slip one place down, nearing the relegation zone.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa
Regions: Nottinghamshire v Birmingham
Managers: Nuno Espirito Santos v Unai Emery
Targets: Both teams want to get into the top four, and either can do that with a win today.
Expectation: I'll always go for Villa
Ground: The City Ground
Respective current positions (Before match): 5 & 6

Nothing to separate the teams in the first half, despite decent chances for both, a penalty denied Villa which probably would have been soft anyway, and Wood almost opening the scoring for his team. A corner minutes into the restart could have given Forest the lead but for an incredible save by Martinez, just clawing the ball away before it crossed the line. Just after the hour that save became even more important as Duran scored to put Villa ahead.

Back came Forest, and would have been level had it not been for another fantastic save by the Villa keeper. Then Wood did what Wood does, levelling the match except it was ruled offside. Three minutes from time though and the home side got a corner which ended up in the Villa net, all square.  Until a Villa free in the Forest box was not given, and Elanga zipped in to score the winning goal. Villa had, to be fair, passed lazily and allowed the opposition in, when all they had to do was clear the ball. In the dying seconds, too.


Result: Nottingham Forest 2 - 1 Aston Villa
Scorer(s): Duran (AST); Milenkovic, Elanga (FOR)
VAR decision(s), if any: Chris Wood's goal ruled offside
Respective current positions (After match): 4 & 6
Respective final positions: 4 & 7
Effects: Forest go 4th while Villa remain 6th, but Bournemouth push them down to 7th after tonight.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Arsenal v Everton
Regions: London v Merseyside
Managers: Mikel Arteta v Sean Dyche
Targets: Arsenal want to close in on both Chelsea and Liverpool; Everton just want to move up the bottom half of the table
Expectation: Arsenal all day
Ground: The Emirates
Respective current positions (Before match): 3 & 15

Six minutes in saw Everton on the attack, but the shot went high and wide, after which Arsenal did more or less the same thing, but you would have to imagine the home side were more likely to convert one of their chances than were the visitors. Nevertheless, mostly due to some fine goalkeeping from Pickford, scoreless it remained as the half-time whistle blew. The Everton keeper was on form again as Arsenal launched an early attack in the second half, no way past for the Gunners.

As we moved into the final quarter-hour of the match, Everton were looking much the happier team, even if they were hanging on. And hang on they did, to hold Arsenal to a nil-all draw at home, quite an achievement.


Result: Arsenal 0 - 0 Everton
Scorer(s): None
VAR decision(s), if any: Penalty check cleared; no spot kick for Arsenal
Respective current positions (After match): 3 & 16
Respective final positions: 3 & 16
Effects: No help to either team. Everton in fact slip one place further down, the relegation zone pulling them like the gravitational pull of a black hole.

[Trollheart]

Sunday December 15 2024
Manchester City v Manchester United
Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur
Chelsea v Brentford
Brighton v Crystal Palace



Teams: Manchester City v Manchester United
Regions: Manchester v Manchester
Managers: Pep Guardiola v Ruben Amorim
Targets: City need to try to stay near to the chasing pack, even though their title bid seems to be fading now. United just want to get back into the top half.
Expectation: Hard to say. Manchester derbies are always tricky. You'd imagine City would take it, but with the current run of bad results, who knows?
Ground: The Etithad
Respective current positions (Before match): 4 & 13

Time was when a Manchester derby was a chance for the blue half of the city to pray for an unlikely result against their high-flying rivals, then it became a case of teams matched, and either could win. In recent years, United have become the poor relation, City expected to win. Now it seems that dominance is being challenged, but not due to a resurgence at Old Trafford; quite the reverse in fact. United, currently struggling to get out of the bottom half of the table, have problems a-plenty, while City are turning into the architects of their own downfall.

So this time, it really could go either way, and the first half saw City press the attack without much reward until 9 minutes from the break when Gvardiol nodded the ball into the United net from a corner to take the lead for Pep's team. The visitors came close from a free but the ball went wide, Foden almost doubling City's lead in extra time.

United went on the attack and almost levelled on the hour, but Ederson was agile and alive to push the ball away, then the team in red thought they should have had a penalty but no dice; VAR cleared it. Fernandes then got clear through with 15 minutes to go but scuffed the shot. City then let them in with a ridiculous backpass that ended up in a desperate lunge and resulted in a penalty for the visitors, who took full advantage as Fernandes scored to equalise with 2 minutes of normal time to go.

A shot squeezed in at the corner at a tight angle in the end won it as United broke through and, against the run of play, scored to take all three points. City only have themselves to blame. As I said before the match, the architects of their own downfall. Their title bid is over now.

Result: Manchester City 1 - 2 Manchester United
Scorer(s): Gvardiol (MNC); Fernandes (p), Diallo (MNU)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Respective current positions (After match): 5 & 13
Respective final positions: 5 & 13
Effects: No help for United, who remain at 13, outside the top half of the table, though psychologically I guess beating the old rivals always helps. City slip to 5th, vainly clutching and screaming "Our title bid! Nooooo!" Possibly.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Brighton v Crystal Palace
Regions: East Sussex v London
Managers: Fabian Hurzeler v Oliver Glasner
Targets: Brighton want to reclaim fourth place, Palace need to get out of the relegation zone
Expectation: I'd hope for a victory for Brighton, but Palace can be tricky buggers.
Ground: The Amex
Respective current positions (Before match): 7 & 17

Brighton were in early but straight at the keeper, then Palace shot wide but got a corner, which missed, but resulted in a second one, this one ending in the Brighton net, Palace ahead just before the half-hour. A minute later it could have been two, but some pinball in the box kept the ball out. A minute after that they got a free halfway up the pitch, and very quickly were indeed two up. Ten minutes into the second half it was the Seagulls who got a free kick, the shot just kept out by the Palace keeper.

Brighton kept pressing and again came close, the Palace keeper the only one preventing the deficit being halved, then the visitors thought they had tripled their lead, but the goal was chalked off for offside. Eight minutes from time and it was three, Palace taking all the points. An own goal in the last minute gave the home side their only goal, a mere consolation as Palace spurned the chance to make it four, but still ran out comfortable winners.

Result: Brighton 1 - 3 Crystal Palace
Scorer(s): Chalobah, Saar (PAL); Guehi (og) (BHA)
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Respective current positions (After match): 9 & 15
Respective final positions: 9 & 15
Effects: Brighton slip close to the bottom half of the table, Crystal Palace haul themselves up out of the relegation zone, clear daylight now between them and the dotted line.

[Trollheart]

Teams: Chelsea v Brentford
Regions: London v London
Managers: Enzo Maresca v Thomas Frank
Targets: Chelsea want to make up ground on Liverpool, and can close the gap to 2 points with a win. Brentford want to move up into the top six.
Expectation: I'd hope Chelsea would lose, but I can't see it.
Ground: Stamford Bridge
Respective current positions (Before match): 2 & 9

Chelsea knew this was a must-win for them, if they wanted to narrow the gap between themselves and Liverpool, and they were on the attack in the 11th minute, Palmer coming closest but the Brentford keeper able to knock it away. A bad pass from the keeper then could have let the home side in, but he was able to atone for his error and keep the ball out. In the last minutes of the half, Cucurella opened the scoring, to send Chelsea in one to the good at the break.

Brentford didn't seem to be able to get near the ball, Chelsea pressing again in the second half, Jackson sending it over the bar, a real sitter. You're always vulnerable at 1-0 and Brentford began to play, having two shots stopped as Chelsea went in search of another goal to make the cushion more comfortable. Jackson shot from distance but was unable to convert with 15 minutes to go. The Bees almost equalised soon after, the ball bounced against the bar but did not cross the line. Ten minutes from time and it was third time lucky for Jackson as he scored to put Chelsea two up, and surely take all three points. Even a last-gasp goal for the visitors couldn't change the outcome, as Chelsea move to within two points of the leaders.

Result: Chelsea 2 - 1 Brentford
Scorer(s): Cucurella, Jackson (CHE); Mbuemo
VAR decision(s), if any: None
Respective current positions (After match): 2 & 11
Respective final positions: 2 & 11
Effects: Chelsea remain second and are now only two points behind Liverpool. Brentford slip out of the top half of the table. Again.