Emery produces Management Masterclass
Losing your best player and January selection framework for losing the seasonal injuries? Faced with a slick attacking outfit in Bournemouth? No problem for Unai Emery.
This was a classic Emery version that stamped his status rubber as one of the best managers you want at this end of the season in your corner. This was a tactical master class.
The forward line of Villa was weakened by injuries to Marcus Rashford – and more recent Youri Tielemans. The Belgian has kept the keys to unlock defenses, so that Emery Shut Up Shop.
Victory in Bournemouth saw Villa register their lowest possession numbers for a competition in two years. They also made it a stop -start game to deny the cherries any form of power -this competition saw 21 cards about the two games, the most for a fixture in a single campaign in the Premier League history.
No wonder that Bournemouth could only produce 1.1 in expected goals in the course of the two games – by far the lowest they have managed this period against each team.
In the Battle of Basque managers, Emery has another about Andoni Iraola. With two large 'Cup Finals' in Villa's search for Champions League football, Emery expects he will continue to deliver. Sam Blitz
Wieffer's Wolves Redemption for Brighton
Mats Wieffer underwent one of the most uncomfortable moments of his career in Brighton in the reverse match against Wolves in October, so that the possession was given in a five-to-one situation only leaves to see Matheus Cunha rise and score an equalizer.
This was revenge of species. It was Wieffer's urgent that Cunha took off before he pulled an error from the striker and won the penalty from which Danny Welbeck Brighton shot ahead. The seagulls then won 2-0 – this time kept this advantage.
Wieffer made nine tackles in the game, more than anyone on the field and three times as much as one of his teammates from Brighton. The Dutchman is a natural midfielder but excelled on right back. And now has better memories of playing against wolves.Adam Bate
Drawing that life beyond Mbeumo can be just as fertile for bees
Christian Norgaard told Sky Sports this week that Bryan Mbeumo will probably leave Brentford in the summer in the midst of unbridled rumors about the immediate future of the 25-year-old.
There is no underestimating performance of MBeumo: 18 goals this campaign and eight assists – of which the last one has set up the winner of Kevin Schade on Ipswich – tell the story of what Mbeumo is worth for the bees.
In the same breath, however, Brentford is the only team that has three players in double digits for goals this campaign. Schade's Header was Doel No. 11 for the German, while Yoane Wissa Mbeumo's return matched 18 in the competition.
Their collective output has answered questions about whether they could replace the influence of the delay Ivan Toney. Asked for his forward line, said Brentford -Baas Thomas Frank: “We always create goal scorers.”
The departure of Mbeumo would leave huge shoes to fill, but on the basis of the current evidence, Brentford has what is needed to fill them, whether it is from their current team or by trusting their fruitful recruitment. William Bitibiri
Saints spoil Haaland Return and Blow Cl Race Wide Open
It was not the return that there was Haaland. The attacker made his first start since March 30 in St Mary's Stadium, but was limited to only 17 touches throughout the afternoon, five of which arrived in the first half.
City struggled to create something against the bottom of the Southampton table, but had new impulse when Omar Marmoush stepped on the field in the 84th minute.
Marmoush doubled more than the expected goals of Haaland in the afternoon in a fraction of time and with even more pressure now stacked during the last games of the season against Bournemouth and Fulham, a serious question about who leads the line for the city.
City cannot afford any other slip-up in the race for the top five.
The same old story costs Fulham
Start quickly, score early and implod – it was the same old story for Fulham against Everton.
Their European expectations are in doors after they cannot benefit from another lead. Fulham has now dropped 28 points of winning positions this season, the joint-mast in the Premier League with Southampton.
Marco Silva pointed out that his side achieved 18 points while finding out, but it is their inability to finish teams or to win ugly who cost them.
Fulham left Everton back in the game before the break, despite the domination of the first 30 minutes. When their fast pace starts to fade, they miss control and resilience. It was comparable in the second half, because she donated Everton a double.
If Fulham cherishes serious ambitions of European football next season, they must find a way to manage games more effectively. Flashes of sparkle and early dominance counts for little without the grit to keep control and see results.
Silva has done excellent to restore Fulham in the Premier League and this season will be seen as another over performance, albeit defined by what could be there. David Richardson
Bournemouth must add fraud to their powerful game
Bournemouth is on track for a record-breaking season under Andoni Iraola in terms of won points and they are an exciting team to watch. If they can, they are daring and brave with the ball. However, there are clear signs in their performance statistics that they mark the run-in, especially at home.
Bournemouth has only won one of their last seven Premier League matches and the underlying numbers were followed in terms of decline. Teams have found a blueprint to stop Iraola-Ball, by limiting that high turnover that Bournemouth likes to make and allowing them to have more of the ball. This is an area where Iraola has to develop its team and that was shown against Aston Villa.
They must be better in creating opportunities of open play against well -drilled defenses. The team is full of powerful, fast players, but those with not a lot of deception and football information in forward areas. That profile of the player must be at the top of their summer shopping list. Lewis Jones
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