Liverpool still needs a follow -up plan – despite success
At 86 minutes the reasons were why Virgil van Dijk might not be worth his threatening new contract. A third controversial error in three games showed the emerging weaknesses at the 33-year-old.
Three minutes later, the reasons were why the Liverpool captain was back. His impressive header, response to a setback and the willingness to never give up, has summarized this title costs for Liverpool.
It summarized the pattern of a difficult game for Liverpool. In the first half you saw the benefits of Mohamed Salah who received his new contract – he showed the self -assured verve of the best player of the competition, with his glorious help in cementing one of, if not the best, individual season ever.
The second half, however, Salah only touched the ball six times – and emphasized how they should not always rely on his output, no matter how Mercurial a talent he is.
Liverpool will be champion on a comfortable fashion, with two of their three important players they have almost lost.
But just like the right back, left back and possibly defensive midfield areas-all because there is success on the field and on the contract negotiating table, this does not mean that no follow-up plan is needed. Sam Blitz
Sancho ends Doel Dries But Palmer and Jackson Frustrations that cost Chelsea
After fourteen days of the sun, the rain finally fell in West London on Sunday just before Jadon Sancho celebrated the end of his own drought in what he says is one of the best goals of his career to save a point for Chelsea to relegation-threatened Ipswich. It was his first strike since the beginning of December and he took it brilliant.
But the waiting continues with the key to Chelsea, Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson – they are now 14 games without a goal for Palmer and 11 for Jackson. They had 11 shots between them here without success – a lot during the dominant start of the home team of the game.
But they did not succeed in the initiative, Ipswich struck twice during the break and finally Clauted Chelsea. They eventually dropped valuable points in the race for the Champions League spots.
Chelsea may have finished two goals in their name – Axel Tuanzebe also changed to his own goal from the cross of Noni Madueke – but it is now 55 shots that have been taken over their last two Premier League matches and a lack of cutting tun and trust in the last third she is poor.
Palmer and Jackson were the driving force for Chelsea in the first half of this season, but they are now bone and Chelsea suffers from that. Peter Smith
Spurs deteriorates under Ange for Crunch El Qf Second Been
The gloomy season of Spurs reached a new low point in Molineux with errors after error in the 4-2 defeat at Wolves.
A 17th League defeat of the season is unacceptable and the 15th traces placed are now running a real danger to their lowest Premier League finish (15th in 1994).
Only the current lower three clubs – Southampton (26), Leicester (22) and Ipswich (19) – have lost more Premier League matches this season than Tottenham.
It actually deteriorated under Baas Ange Postecoglou, whose future is certainly based on the Europa League quart final second stage on Thursday in Eintracht Frankfurt.
His team selection at Wolves, who saw him six changes, was a reflection of the importance of the game in Germany.
Spurs will have to reduce the terrible mistakes that cost them in the West Midlands if they have the chance to keep their Europa League dream alive.
The date of Postecoglou with Destiny awaits on Thursday in Deutsche Bank Park. Declan Olly
Livramento is the real deal
When the news broke that Lewis Hall was excluded from the season, it looked like one of those irreplaceable situations. Hall's Rampages runs along the left flank and his chemistry with Anthony Gordon had been one of the best attacking weapons in Newcastle.
But nobody has to worry. Newcastle may have a better player in that position, based on how Tino Livramento has dragged from right back.
Since the switch has, the tone has won all four games, including the Carabao Cup final about Liverpool, and Livramento has offered them such security and competence on the ball.
He was again working on this victory over Manchester United, moved to such dangerous positions with the ball, and it was his interruption of the line that the pre-assisted for the goal of Harvey Barnes offered that Newcastle placed 2-1 up.
Livramento shows what a special talent he is. Lewis Jones
Sympathetic ippswich is short again
There was a lot of fun about the performance of Ipswich on Chelsea on Sunday – but maybe this was something of a snapshot of their season. Ipswich has lost more points of winning positions (27) than any other side in the Premier League and after they went 2-0 on Stamford Bridge, they will feel that they have missed the chance to land a special result.
George Hirst was excellent instead of the injured Liam Delap for the first 70 minutes and played a role in both goals. Julio Enciso and Ben Johnson combined – with the help of a good game from Jack Clarke – to hurt Chelsea. In the meantime, Alex Palmer drew several excellent rescues at the back.
But despite all their efforts, Ipswich got a little short and eventually lacked the quality to get the result over the line. With the gap to wolves of the fourth soil that open even further, relegation is an almost certainty. Survival, such as trying to do this period double over Chelsea, is a bridge too far. Peter Smith
Fierce issue for West Ham falls on versus Liverpool
You were worried about West Ham after the first half. Mohamed Salah checked the game and it seemed that Liverpool would cruise for victory and score several in the process.
After the restart, however, different teams emerged. West Ham were the ones who asked questions about the defense in Anfield and the hosts were the team that kept half the line away.
There is only one piece missing from the puzzle for West Ham. If it was not in the concentration between Andy Robertson and Virgil van Dijk, they would not have scored this afternoon.
That emphasizes their problems for the goal. It is still early in Graham Potter's reign, but the first area that he has to tackle in the transfer window this summer is very clear. Patrick Rowe
Pereira feels love at Wolves
Vitor Pereira will not win the Premier League Manager of the Year Award, but if he had arrived at Wolves in the summer instead of just before Christmas, who knows then? Nine points of 16 games when he arrived, delivered the next 16 26 points.
In other words, if Wolves had done this well in the previous period, they would be in the race for Champions League qualification. As it is, the supporters can satisfy themselves in the top division for the first time since 1972 with four wins in a row.
The Pereira team had too much for Tottenham and earned 4-2 winners at Molineux. The Portuguese are so much right since he entered, so wolves changed a much more physical and aggressive outfit, thrive in the 3-4-2-1 formation that he promotes.
Rayan Ait-Nouri, the player of the game against Spurs, is back in his desired Wing-back role. Matt Doherty has been reused as a right -sided middle back and the signing of Emmanuel Aggbadou has transformed the whole sense of the defense of Wolves.
For them, Andre and Joao Gomes are in midfield and the attackers work hard for them. This week Pereira even got the management – holding on the side that had delivered instead of retraining Matheus Cunha.
Managing the Brazilian has not been easy. Forbidden when he arrived, another suspension has since followed, a contract signing and continued to talk about a summer exit. Even this week, Cunha became involved in an unnecessary online spit with supporters.
Pereira held him cunningly on the couch, introduced him to cheers, saw him score the fourth goal and then praised the player after the game in the press conference. “Like everyone, like me, he needs the energy of love,” explained the colorful coach.
His wolves no longer look behind them at those in the relegation places, but for them and may end in 13th place if they maintain this form between now and the end of the season. Love at Molineux is now entirely for Pereira.
Comments