Arsenal have proven they’ve one other gear this season as West Ham unravel in opposition to Wolves – Premier League hits and misses

West Ham unravel at Molineux

Such is the pessimism of supporters that these of each membership may have feared for a while that they might be the membership to offer Wolves with their first win. It appears becoming that it was West Ham. A group taking part in with even much less confidence than the underside membership.

Wolves had solely led in three of their earlier 19 video games this season and by no means by multiple purpose – profitable none of them. That West Ham contrived to go in three down on the break exhibits simply how abject they have been, failing to win duels or monitor runners. Terrible.

The away followers began chanting about their very own relegation early on. They joined in with the songs that have been mocking their very own group. Even booed their very own participant Max Kilman. It was the Wolves followers singing Nuno’s title not them. Jeered at half-time and full-time.

The dearth of a significant response after the interval was nearly as damning. Wolves had not saved a clear sheet previous to this both however West Ham did not drive a save from Jose Sa. Requested to chase the sport within the second half, they’d nothing attacking to supply.

Not like Wolves, there may be time for West Ham to salvage their Premier League standing. However that recreation at residence to Forest has taken on better significance now. Lose that and they are going to be seven factors from security. The temper should change very quick if they’re to cease it.
Adam Bate

Arsenal present but once more they’ve one other gear

Arsenal win in a recreation when final season they might have dropped factors. It looks like that has been mentioned loads this time period.

This was not a classic Gunners show however they bought the job accomplished. The wheels threatened to fall off early on as Gabriel gave bogey group Bournemouth the lead. However two issues stand out.

First, Arsenal’s bouncebackability. Gabriel hurdled the problematic begin to degree the sport himself in one more instance of an Arsenal participant bouncing again after a mistake to attain. Gabriel additionally did it in opposition to Fulham in 2022 and Bukayo Saka did it in a separate recreation in opposition to the Cottagers 12 months later.

And the opposite key characteristic of Arsenal’s present type is their potential to go up a gear within the second half. Declan Rice’s first in opposition to Bournemouth was the tenth purpose Arsenal have scored within the first 10 minutes of the second half. They’ve additionally scored 12 occasions within the first quarter-hour of the second interval. When issues get difficult, this Arsenal group can now go up a gear or two.

Their final 4 league video games have seen them beat Everton away, Wolves and Brighton at residence and now Bournemouth away. They did not win any of these video games final season, now they’ve gained all of them.

With an enormous squad obtainable – Eberechi Eze has not come off the bench within the final 4 league video games – how a lot will they win come Might?
Sam Blitz

Huge few weeks forward for Burnley – and Parker

There was strain on Scott Parker for some time and derision – together with from the X account of his former membership, Fulham – of the repeated assertion that solely tremendous margins are separating Burnley from higher occasions this season.

However even the Clarets boss himself couldn’t sustain that line after a limp defeat at Brighton. Particularly when defender Hjalmar Ekdal had simply labelled their efficiency on the Amex “weak” and “embarrassing”.

Burnley have deserved greater than they have on many events this season however their incapability to string collectively a constant efficiency over 90 minutes, plus toothless attacking build-up which has dogged Parker for a lot of his managerial profession, has often held them again.

That also doesn’t go far sufficient to excuse a 10-game winless streak, however the method of their eleventh recreation with no victory will likely be all of the extra regarding.

They didn’t lay a glove on a Brighton facet themselves winless in six for effectively over an hour, and bar a short rally when Marcus Edwards and Loum Tchaouna got here off the bench they weren’t a lot better after half-time.

Burnley spent extra in the summertime than Leeds however have solely been in a position to watch on whereas Daniel Farke has discovered a profitable formulation to take his facet seven factors away from the drop.

That simply rubs salt within the wound for Parker – and with out following go well with, the Burnley hierarchy could surprise ultimately whether or not one other supervisor might be able to emulate Farke to get a tune out of this facet too.
Ron Walker

Dyche has taken passivity to excessive

Nottingham Forest have a serious downside scoring targets and whereas that continues to be the case, their league place will undergo. When Sean Dyche was requested if seventeenth place was a fear following the 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa, his spiky response spoke to the strain he’s underneath: “It’s better than when we got here,” he mentioned.

Dyche has collected 13 factors since his arrival in October however regression seems to have set in after a powerful preliminary bounce. Assertion wins over Liverpool and Tottenham helped to place credit score within the financial institution and Dyche ought to have used that perception to assist construct belief in attacking phases of play. It was evident in opposition to Villa he has not accomplished that. Throughout the course of the final 4 defeats, Forest have scored twice from an xG worth of three.66 and likelihood creation has dipped dangerously low.

No group has failed to attain in additional video games (10) this season, and solely Wolves have a decrease scoring high scorer. A number of the issues have been inherited and for that Dyche can level to failings of earlier managers however his most necessary drive now needs to be to encourage some creativity and impetus amongst his misfiring ahead line. A counter-attacking construction solely works if you’re truly keen to assault in transition moments.

To be so passive for thus lengthy in video games is inviting hassle, and if the “whole game plan” is solely to “frustrate them”, as Dyche admitted afterwards, then ambition has certainly already been misplaced.
Laura Hunter

Tielemans will get Villa ticking once more

Youri Tielemans’ title was not on the scoresheet however his fingerprints have been throughout an necessary victory for Aston Villa.

The Belgium midfielder made 32 line-breaking passes within the 3-1 win, together with the help for John McGinn’s second purpose of the sport to seal the victory, which was essentially the most of any participant within the Premier League this season.

From dropping deep to propel his group ahead, to linking play collectively within the remaining third. Every part and something constructive for Villa ran by way of their midfield maestro, who was at his best in the course of the well-needed win following the misplaced to Arsenal.

He led the group in touches, profitable passes and passes into the third in addition to the beforehand famous statistic.

Ollie Watkins’ stunner and McGinn’s double will seize the headlines – however with out Tielemans, that efficiency at Villa Park would have seemed very completely different.
Patrick Rowe

Bournemouth are entertaining, however not environment friendly

One of the best ticket on the town is at Bournemouth this season. Excessive-pressing, high-risk soccer underneath Andoni Iraola has led to 69 targets being scored in Cherries matches, greater than some other group.

The one downside? Bournemouth will not be benefiting from it.

Out of these 69 targets, 38 have ended up within the Bournemouth internet. The defensive lapses in focus are letting down a reasonably sturdy attacking outfit.

Bournemouth performed brilliantly in opposition to Arsenal and Chelsea however conceded 5 targets in these two video games. Eight targets have been evenly shared with Manchester United at Outdated Trafford. There was additionally the 3-3 draw with Crystal Palace and the 4-2 opening weekend loss at Liverpool.

The issue for Bournemouth is they’re now set to lose a key attacker in Antoine Semenyo. In the event that they can’t be dependable defensively, and are blunted in assault – how are they anticipated to interrupt their 11-game winless run?
Sam Blitz