Matchday 14 - Quick Round Up

Match Day 14 Round Up



Tuesday 2nd December


Bournemouth 0-1 Everton

Bournemouth's defensive weaknesses and lack of squad depth are being badly exposed at the moment and their form is disintegrating. After the way the vultures ripped apart their squad in the summer, people were forecasting they would struggle badly this season, but Iraola has made them forget about that by managing to get off to a great start. They are now at the level expected of them. Everton are also pretty much as expected, much improved on recent years but lacking in the firepower to challenge higher up the table. They also lack tactical ambition far too often, which stops them having any real chance of doing much more than steadying the ship this season.

Starmen:
Semenyo - looking a bit more like the player we know he can be.
Iroegbunam - has been struggling at times but played really well in this match.
Garner - always looks comfortable at full-back.
Grealish - got the goal.

Flops:
Adams - lacks the technical ability to be top level.
Kluivert - looking a bit off the pace after returning from injury recently.


Fulham 4-5 Manchester City

It is very rare Man City go 3-0 up and don't comfortably see out the match. Even more rare for them to get to 5-1 and still end up in a position where the match is in the balance with well over 10 minutes plus added time to go. You have to praise Fulham for keeping on going and nearly pulling off a massive result for them. There are questions to be asked about City though, who have really struggled this season to maintain any kind of consistency and do not seem to have the solidity defensively that they used to have. That is not all down to missing Rodri, the team is changing style and the change in goalkeeping style is causing major issues at times. They now have a keeper who is rooted to his line and does not want to come out for crosses, as well as being poor with the ball at his feet. It is a massive change that is required and you do wonder if it is a long term thing or if Donnarumma was just a stop gap until they can find a genuine Ederson replacement after Trafford's horror shows made it clear he was not the answer.

Starmen:
Chukwueze - came off the bench at half-time and notched two goals.
Haaland - his improvement this season is incredible and shows the value of a player working on his game and having a professional mindset and lifestyle. Two assists and a goal to set a new record as the fastest player to score 100 goals in the Premier League. He is now head and shoulders above any other striker in the league, with no case to be made for anyone else being better.
Foden - a couple of goals for the England man.

Flops:
Leno - shipped five goals, it was a disaster for him.
Andersen - his error cost Fulham a goal.
Berge - lacks the quality to be much use in a game like this. And he scored an own goal.
Donnarumma - has to be more decisive. He is a decent shot stopper, but not good enough at that to make up for all his deficiencies.


Newcastle United 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur

Before the match kicked off, I had a feeling it would be some car crash TV and that is exactly what it turned out to be. The score suggests an exciting game, but it was anything but. Two horrible teams, in poor form, playing terrible football falling apart at the seams. It was entertaining in a way, but not if you are a fan of either team as they were both abysmal. It was certainly not a match for the purists, with two teams playing a way that would bring a tear to Tony Pulis's eye. It is long ball stuff and looking for set pieces, added to lots of play acting and whining to the officials. The fact these two teams are 11th and 12th reflects badly on the Premier League, as neither are playing anywhere near well enough to deserve to be doing anything other than battling relegation. Spurs have the look of a team that has no interest in playing for their coach.

Starmen:
Nobody - no one played well at all. Romero got a high rating for scoring two, but he was his usual rash, wild and constantly out of position self defensively. Not one player can truly claim they deserve to be given any accolades.

Flops:
Ramsdale - a surprise selection which proved to be a mistake. His inability to concentrate is well known.
Murphy - his end product is so wasteful.
Sarr - too weak for this match.
Udogie - once again looked a mile off the pace.
Johnson - too unwilling to work back.



Wednesday 3rd December

Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-1 Nottingham Forest

For Wolves, there were some signs of improvement, though it was still poor and they never really looked like getting a result despite Forest being a long way off their best. Is it too late for Wolves to rescue their status in the Premier League? It is certainly going to be a tough ask, but at least they now look like they are improving under Edwards. For Forest, this was all about the result, as the constant grind of games is taking its toll on the squad. They are moving in the right direction now under Dyche, if they carry on like this, they should be well clear of the relegation battle by the New Year.

Starmen:
Morato - I have to include him, after some disastrous appearances early on, particularly at left-back, he is now settling in well as a back up centre-back. He is nowhere near Murillo's level, but he is solid enough to be reliable now.
Hutchinson - looked like he has a future with this team.
Jesus - scored the winner, apparently he does like crosses... Sorry, that was terrible!

Flops:
Johnstone - should have done much better on the goal.
Wolves attack - completely and utterly toothless. Is that not a little ironic?


Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

Despite having almost an entirely back up defence, apart from Raya in goal, Arsenal strolled through this game. It was always a likely result, both teams have similar strengths and tactical set ups, but Arsenal are just better all round. Their back ups would walk into the Bees' side in most positions and it showed. They could really have racked up a bigger score if they had gone for it, but they were content to continue to maintain their cautious approach, which has stood them in such good stead so far this season. Brentford also rotated heavily, but were just nowhere near good enough to give the Gunners a proper test.

Starmen:
Merino - makeshift though he is, games like this are perfect to allow Gyokeres more time to return to full fitness by playing him. Another goal and assist for him.
White - looked like a player champing at the bit to get back into the team.

Flops:
Martinelli - had a chance to really lay down a marker but failed to impress at all.
Ajer - way off the level required against a team as good as Arsenal.
Kelleher - made a mistake on one of the goals.


Brighton & Hove Albion 3-4 Aston Villa

This seemed to be the week for big scores, with this game another goal fest. BHA still look a long way off last season to me, though a fair portion of that is down to Baleba having been injured and struggling to regain his form and fitness. Now that he is getting both back, they are looking a better team all round and like a team with genuine European ambitions. Villa have turned around a slow start, and now that Watkins has scored a brace, they will be hoping they launches him on a run of goals, as he does tend to be a streaky scorer. You have to give big credit to Emery, who just works with what he has and, even if it is not always the most open and exciting watch, he gets results. Once again, he has Villa looking like a top four challenger.

Starmen:
Van Hecke - the centre-back picked up a brace and at times you could see the confidence flooding through him.
Minteh - wildy inconsistent winger on one of his irregular good days.
Watkins - could this pair of goals kick off his season? He has been really struggling, clearly low in confidence and really needed this.
Rogers - not always involved enough, but he is a touch of class when he has the ball.

Flops:
Dunk - a very weak link at the back for the Seagulls.
Kadioglu - had a bit of a mare.
Bizot - late replacement for Martinez and looked like he had just been dragged out of the crowd to fill in.


Burnley 0-1 Crystal Palace

The Clarets are in free fall right now and are only going one way, back down to the Championship. Too negative and lacking quality, it is a terrible combination added to a manager who really has no clue how to change things. Palace look tired but had for too much for Burnley. They do look like they are punching above their weight so far this season though and it is beginning to take its toll.

Starmen:
Esteve - has been Burnley's standout player this season.
Munoz - another goal for the wing-back, who bombs forward so well.
Guehi - has responded so well to the disappointment of missing out on a summer move.

Flops:
Tachaouna - made little impression on the game.
Foster - works hard but needs better service.


Leeds United 3-1 Chelsea

A shock result as Farke finally let his team off the leash and they repaid him with a win over Chelsea, who suffered badly due to Maresca's rotation system. Leeds took full advantage of every bit of weakness as they overran Chelsea and smothered them, using Chelsea's disorganisation at the back to create chances. It was a fully deserved victory for the home side, who were by far the better team. Maresca seemed to have no idea how to deal with Leeds' set up, which clearly wrong footed him from the kick off. That was not helped by picking a centre-back partnership that seems completely at odds with each other.

Starmen:
Tanaka - beautiful finish and always full of energy and desire.
Bijol - looked very good in that backline.
Farke - showed some ambition and was rewarded, now he needs to do this in away games.

Flops:
Estevao - struggled to make an impact and could possibly have seen red for kicking out. Chelsea's disciplinary record is something that should be causing worry, a lack of discipline can often be the difference when it comes to lifting league titles.
Adarabioyo - still seems a strange signing and looks well below the level required.
Badiashile - makes Adarabioyo look like prime Maldini.
Sanchez - he looks a much better keeper this season, but he had a poor game.


Liverpool 1-1 Sunderland

Another slow, lumbering performance from Liverpool, who spend far too much time just slowly rolling the ball around with no urgency. It is clearly not working, but Slot shows no sign of moving away from it back to what did work. Win, lose or draw, Liverpool are simply not an entertaining team to watch under the Dutchman and it shows in the apathy of the crowd, who struggle to raise themselves, probably because the turgid football has lulled most of them to sleep! Sunderland are the complete opposite, though far too happy to time waste for my liking, their football is all-action, high pace and full of urgency and pace. It is highly unlikely they finish the season in their current position, but they have fully deserved to be where they are.

Starmen:
Chiesa - once again he popped up to rescue Slot's team, this team by chasing back half the length of the pitch after Sunderland broke from a corner, to make block almost on the line.
Alderete - for once he overshadowed his defensive partner Ballard.
Mandava - you can see he played for Simeone, he is quite happy to stop his opponent by any means necessary, fair means or foul.

Flops:
van Dijk - a horror show from Liverpool's captain, who gave the ball away and then lazily turned his back on the resulting shot, only for it to deflect in off his backside. His attitude has been terrible this season, which is seeping into the rest of the team.
Robertson - has had a rest but looks like he is towing a caravan. It is clear that he is just no longer top level and it is not fatigue holding him back.
Isak - how can he still not be anywhere near fit in December? There is something seriously wrong at Liverpool, none of the players look fully fit.
Konate - tried his best to help Sunderland score, but was lucky that Brobbey is terrible.
Brobbey - works hard but lacks any quality.



Thursday 4th December

Manchester United 1-1 West Ham United

It seemed like Man Utd were going to coast to victory as the Hammers are so poor, especially lacking any outlet with Soucek playing, as he just tends to give the ball away. But Man Utd's inability to add a second, in large part due to heroic defending by former United defender Wan-Bissaka, kept hope alive for the Londoners. Amorim's substitutions always give opponents a chance, as his choices are bizarre and usually involve defensive changes which mess with the organisation at the back.

Starmen:
Fernandes - he is at the heart of everything Man Utd do.
Magassa - showed great energy and drive, plus scored the equaliser.
Wan-Bissaka - his last ditch tackles are astounding at times, just when a player thinks he is away suddenly a leg slides in and hooks the ball away. Multiple times Wan-Bissaka was there to do that.

Flops:
Shaw - looked leggy.
Zirkzee - does not do enough, far too languid at times.
Soucek - tries his best but he is simply not good enough and has all the mobility of a 90 year old man on a zimmer frame.

Written by Tris Burke December 06 2025 10:38:33