Arsenal still hate playing away against Tony Pulis' sides, Jamie Vardy owes hot streak to team-mates and Kenedy was impressive for Chelsea - 10 THINGS WE LEARNED

  • Arsenal lost 2-1 at West Brom, managed by Tony Pulis, on Saturday
  • Cesar Azpilicueta might struggle to get place back after Kenedy display
  • Louis van Gaal has been working on short corner routines in training
  • Jamie Vardy says his goalscoring form is down to work done by his team

After an action-packed weekend in the Premier League and Football League, RALPH ELLIS sifted through the statistics. Here he shares what he has learned this weekend, from Arsenal to MK Dons.

 

1. Arsene Wenger must hate travelling to play a Tony Pulis team – even if they have mellowed in their feud dating back to when Arsenal’s manager called Stoke a 'rugby team'. In seven away trips against sides managed by Pulis, the Gunners boss has now lost four, drawn two and won only once, scoring just seven and conceding 12.

It’s a different matter at the Emirates, where his record over Pulis in games for Stoke, Crystal Palace and current club West Brom reads played eight, won eight, with 19 goals scored and just four conceded.

Arsenal's Nacho Monreal (left), Petr Cech (centre) and Mikel Arteta during their 2-1 defeat at West Brom

Arsenal's Nacho Monreal (left), Petr Cech (centre) and Mikel Arteta during their 2-1 defeat at West Brom

2. Cesar Azpilicueta had started every Premier League and Champions League game for Chelsea this season before the match with Norwich but could face a battle to get his place back after the brilliant full Premier League debut made by Kenedy.

The 19-year-old Brazilian, who cost what could turn out to be a bargain £6.5million from Fluminense, gave Chelsea an extra attacking edge in the badly needed 1-0 win. He set up two chances, and found a team-mate with 50 of 56 passes – 33 of them in the opposition half.

Kenedy impressed at left back during Chelsea's 1-0 victory over Norwich on Saturday

Kenedy impressed at left back during Chelsea's 1-0 victory over Norwich on Saturday

3. Louis van Gaal has been working on short-corner routines and his training-ground efforts paid off at Vicarage Road. 

Manchester United varied their set-piece approach with four of their 10 corners being played short rather than just pumped into the box. The Troy Deeney own goal that gave Van Gaal’s side their injury-time winner came after one of them.

Louis van Gaal has been working on short corner routines and his  efforts paid off against Watford

Louis van Gaal has been working on short corner routines and his efforts paid off against Watford

Watford keeper Heurelho Gomes couldn't stop Troy Deeney turning the ball into his own net

Watford keeper Heurelho Gomes couldn't stop Troy Deeney turning the ball into his own net

4. Victor Moses is finding life tough as Chelsea keep sending him out on loan – this season’s year-long stint at West Ham follows similar stays at first Liverpool then Stoke. The winger got subbed after 63 minutes of Hammers’ 4-1 thrashing at Tottenham – the seventh time in eight Premier League games that Slaven Bilic has hooked him. 

Moses couldn’t complain – he’d completed just 10 successful passes in that time, the fewest of any player on the pitch, and had given the ball away 17 times.

Victor Moses (left) in action against Kyle Walker during West Ham's 4-1 defeat at Tottenham on Sunday

Victor Moses (left) in action against Kyle Walker during West Ham's 4-1 defeat at Tottenham on Sunday

5. Paolo Di Canio walked out of Swindon in a huff back in 2013 when he claimed Matt Ritchie had been sold to Bournemouth 'behind his back'. It’s beginning to become clear why the volatile Italian got so angry about it as Scotland international Ritchie, 26, continues to blossom in the Premier League.

The goal he laid on for Dan Gosling in the 2-2 draw at Swansea was his 19th assist since the start of last season. In that time only Cesc Fabregas (20) has more assists in the top four tiers of English football.

Matt Ritchie (front) was impressive as Bournemouth drew 2-2 at Swansea on Saturday

Matt Ritchie (front) was impressive as Bournemouth drew 2-2 at Swansea on Saturday

6. Jamie Vardy says his goalscoring record is down to the work done by the rest of the team – and Leicester certainly aren’t afraid to get down to the nitty gritty of the game. 

Claudio Ranieri’s side won a remarkable 24 of 27 tackles in their 3-0 win at Newcastle – only Liverpool got stuck in more often over the weekend winning 27 out of 34.

Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring the opener in Leicester's 3-0 win against Newcastle at St James' Park

Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring the opener in Leicester's 3-0 win against Newcastle at St James' Park

7. Aston Villa fans have mostly given up booing Gareth Barry over the acrimonious way he left the club despite his 441 appearances in nearly 12 years, but there are still some who give him stick. 

Sadly for Villa they merely inspire the 34-year-old to produce his best – he ran eight miles in the 4-0 win for Everton, the most ground he’s covered all season and the furthest run by any player in Saturday’s Premier League matches. 

Barry’s record against his old club since he moved to Manchester City in 2009 is now eight wins from 10 matches.

Gareth Barry (right) battles with Aston Villa's Carles Gil during Everton's 4-0 win on Saturday

Gareth Barry (right) battles with Aston Villa's Carles Gil during Everton's 4-0 win on Saturday

8. One of the best things Bristol City did in the summer was persuade centre half Aden Flint to sign a new contract which will keep him at Ashton Gate until 2019. 

The 26-year-old, who started out in non-League playing for Alfreton while working laying tarmac for a roadworks firm, has stepped up superbly into the Championship. Flint hasn’t missed one minute of City’s 18 games in all competitions so far, and was excellent again as they held leaders Hull to a draw.

Defender Aden Flint has impressed for Bristol City so far in the Championship this season

Defender Aden Flint has impressed for Bristol City so far in the Championship this season

9. Milton Keynes Dons sold their two top scorers in the summer – not only losing 16-goal Dele Alli to Tottenham but also accepting a £900,000 fee from Wigan for Will Grigg who had scored 20 to help them to promotion. 

It’s made life in the Championship far too difficult for boss Karl Robinson – Dean Bowditch became their top scorer this season with just his third of the campaign in the 1-1 draw with Fulham. Only three sides in the division – Bolton, Forest and Preston – have scored fewer than Dons’ total of 15.

Dean Bowditch (centre) celebrates scoring for MK Dons against Fulham in the Championship on Saturday

Dean Bowditch (centre) celebrates scoring for MK Dons against Fulham in the Championship on Saturday

10. The official story behind John Sheridan’s departure from Plymouth in the summer a few weeks after losing the League Two play-off semi-final was ‘family reasons’. It was said that the 51-year-old, who had taken a lot of criticism locally for his team selection in the second leg against Wycombe, no longer wanted to work so far from his Yorkshire family home. 

Newport is still nearly 200 miles away – so the south Wales club did well to convince him that being 107 miles closer to home would make all the difference. Whatever they said it was worth it. After a disastrous start to the campaign, a 0-0 draw with Yeovil means Sheridan has now put together an unbeaten run of seven games.

John Sheridan has steered Newport County to a seven-game unbeaten run in League Two

John Sheridan has steered Newport County to a seven-game unbeaten run in League Two

 

 

 

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