[ad_1]
Unavailability of the weekend
After Liverpool's late victory in Newcastle, which earned them just 94 credible points, they are already more than all but two teams since three points for a win were introduced in 1981 (even more remarkable when you consider that 11 of those seasons were 40 or 42 games Jurgen Klopp was asked if he feared the worst in the final stages of the match.
"No, I was completely calm," he said, initially evoking that serenity to "fate," but that's also because he's already seen this movie. The winner of Divock Origi was his 24th goal. Liverpool has scored more than 75 minutes of play this season: no other Premier League team has more than 19 goals. These goals are worth 14 points.
Which is a neat encapsulation of their season as a whole really. Liverpool will continue until the end, whether it is enough or not.
– Ogden: Liverpool's triumph shows his fighting spirit
Mixed blessing of the weekend
In a strange way, the injuries of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino could be positive for Liverpool, in some conditions. Assuming neither one nor the other is fit for the lost cause / return match Tuesday against Barcelona, but that they're back for the last game of the season against the Wolves, in theory they will be better rested for a match that could be meaningful.
Miracles can happen, but realistically, even with their best players, they will probably not reverse Barcelona's 3-0 lead. Therefore, it may be advantageous for two-thirds of their dazzling front-row to be retained for the match that could still win them. the title.
Disturbing sign of the weekend
This is not a good sign when a team finishes a nine-man game and may consider themselves lucky to be so numerous. What is worrying for Tottenham about Son Heung-min's and Juan Foyth's shipments is that they were completely preventable, as was the fleeing tackle from behind by which Eric Dier fled first halftime.
This kind of confused thinking suggests a collection of tired minds, which is not a huge surprise considering their recent schedule and of course the lack of transfer recipes over the last two windows.
Mauricio Pochettino could consider as positive the fact that they have held good with nine men until the very last seconds, but what is more worrying is that they find a little more lucidity for Wednesday night against Ajax, and that this is due more to the inconsistencies of their peers that they seem almost sure to reach a top-four place. The spurs stumble rather than walk towards the summer.
Admission of the weekend
"The Europa League is probably the right place for us right now."
You could even say that, having not even managed to defeat the worst team in the division, even Manchester United's assessment by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a little generous.
– Dawson: The worst to come for Man Utd
– Man United Keep / Dump: Evaluation of the Solskjaer squad
Stat of the weekend
You probably know that the last time one of the top two lost points was March 3, just over two months ago. Since then, both have been relentless winners, but the situation has been different for the three lower teams.
At the same time, 99 points were awarded to Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and Manchester United. They took 42 of them. Less than half. If it was a team, extrapolated over a season of 38 games, this conglomerate of mediocrity would end around 48 points, which would be enough for the moment in 12th place.
At the very least, it provides practical ammunition to anyone who opposes the idea that the Premier League is unquestionably the largest in the world.
Disappointment of the weekend
But among these four players, Chelsea and Spurs have survived their opponents, the former being slightly less inconsistent in recent weeks and the last thanks to their beautiful balance of two thirds of the season.
So what about Arsenal? On the last day, they need a shot of eight goals – or "a miracle" as they are also called – to recast Tottenham, which means they will miss the top four for the third consecutive season.
You can certainly say that, like United, the Europa League is about as good as far as talent is concerned, but the Unai Emery team has also dropped so many neglected points in recent years. weeks that it is hard to believe that they have not underperformed. Sunday's draw against Brighton was the last to date, but it's finally defeat against Everton, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Leicester which cost them dearly.
Emery is two transfer windows in what will be at least a four-window job to bring back the Arsenal team, but the disappointment is huge that she has once again left the elite quartet. It's going to be a delicate summer.
Missed opportunities of the weekend?
The natural instinct would be to say that Cardiff was closer to survival than we might expect, that the tragedy of Emiliano Sala had interrupted his season in different ways and that in the end, his team was far to be enough to stay in the Premier League.
All that is true. But you still wonder if they could miss a few games, especially last weekend against Fulham already relegated, which could have tipped the scales. A pair of 0-0 draws with Huddersfield will be in the mind too, not least because the second was one of the last two of the last 25 Terrier games they have not lost.
All seasons have regrets like this one, but for Neil Warnock, who claims to have never had a "whip" chance in the Premier League, this could be his last chance.
Weekend relief
Brighton are safe, but let's hope that Chris Hughton and the club's other decision-makers will not think that means everything is fine. They have learned just how far recruitment in the Premier League is incredibly far from an exact science and, in general, you are more likely to make mistakes than to succeed.
While last season, they won gold by signing Pascal Gross for £ 3 million and was their player of the year. This quarter they spent 17 million pounds on Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who offered no goals and zero assists. All teams will make good and bad signatures, but a camp like Brighton lives or dies of the success of his transfers. To avoid a new wrestling season, their actions must be bigger than Jahanbakhsh this summer.
[ad_2]
Source link