Paying the penalty - Premcorrespondent

x

As I feared, the Tangerines could not build on their stunning first game with an away win at the Emirates. At 1-0 down I hoped to see how well Blackpool dug in. But then a man sent off made a farce of the test.

x

Not to take anything away from Arsenal you understand. Wallcott showed that there are few players more dangerous when given the ball in the middle of the opposition half. Begs the question why he plays on the wing. If the move to the middle worked for old Terry Henry, why not young Theo who looked unstoppable when he got the ball in a striker’s position.

x

Of course the real unstoppable force in the English League is Chelsea’s Didier Drogba. He inspired a six-nil win last weekend by scoring a hatrick. He inspired another this weekend without hitting the net. His command of the opposition half rivals that of Charlton and Greaves back in the day. He doesn’t even need to flounce around on the floor like a pansy when he’s firing like this.

x

Not that Wigan offered any opposition. They crumbled like freshly backed cookie again. Following four and six goal drubbings they must fear travelling to the scene of last season’s 9-1 debacle next week. The odds of a repeat are only long because the away goal seems implausible.

x

With all of that said, two top sides putting minnows to the sword on Saturday was somewhat outshone by a further 6-0 on Sunday. Aston Villa against Newcastle should never have been a classic. Newcastle’s aim this season is to finish 17^th. Villa’s aim is to finish 7th.

x

What a delight then to see Houghton’s Magpies play like masters. Some questioned whether Chris could manage in the Premier League and suggested a bigger name should replace him. Hopefully this will silence such whispers; for a week or two at least.

x

Thankfully 6-0 is not the norm. Closer scores are more exciting; and none more so than Manchester United’s glorious late win at, oh wait, Fulham’s last gasp recovery at home.

x

Scholes showed that old boys can still rule the roost. His strike separated the sides before Davies equalised. That goal made the game frenetic. Fulham and Man U drove hard at each other and there were chances galore.

x

The breakthrough came with seven minutes to play. The corner flew in and Hangeland couldn’t help but turn it past his own keeper. Two minutes later and it was all over. A penalty that went against the spirit of the rules put United 3-1 up. Except it didn’t. With Giggs on the pitch, and Berbatov too, they let Nani strike it. And the keeper saved well.

x

And so it was game on. The United fans fell silent. The Fulham crowd rose and screamed and shouted for something, anything, to get them a well earned point. On the stroke of full time, a corner came across, Vidic lost Hangeland, and he made amends for the own goal his excellent performance hadn’t deserved.

x

Last minute excitement was the order of the day at Stoke too. Spurs took a depleted side to a ground where men have to be men to withstand the physical battering laid on. They coped well and were worthy winners, but Stoke could still feel aggrieved at losing. The ref, like most pundits and camera angles, couldn’t quite confirm that a 90^th minute scrambled effort was cleared off the line, or from just behind it, triggering endless chatter in TV studios.

x

And in games few noticed, West Ham lost 3-1 to Bolton Wanderers, Everton drew with Wolves, Manchestarabia beat Liverpool, and West Brom beat Sunderland 1-0.

x

Which leaves one last honourable mention; that of Michael Oliver, the 25 year old referee who took charge of Birmingham v Blackburn. The result was the epitome of mid-table insignificance. But his handling of a tough match was surprisingly strong despite his inexperience. He didn’t even wimp out of awarding a perfectly just penalty.