Man City’s Erling Haaland misfires again while Chelsea still learning Enzo Maresca’s ways – Premier League hits and misses | Football News happymamay

Haaland’s struggles in front of goal reflect City’s faltering form

In many ways, Erling Haaland’s recent struggles in front of goal with Manchester City mirror those of the team itself, which was initially thought to be just a bump that they would both climb out of in no time, yet we are still waiting for it to happen.

Haaland, like the Premier League champion himself, got out of the trap quickly to start the season, scoring 10 goals in his first five league games, but when City started to waver, so did the Norway international.

In fact, last season’s Premier League top scorer only scored three goals in his last 13 games, coinciding with City’s decline in form, while his performance was lower than the team’s xG performance with a total of 5.2 goals at the league level in that time (3). vs. 8.2×G).

Nothing sums up Haaland’s recent woes more than his missed penalty kick against Everton 1-1, with Jordan Pickford guessing correctly to turn away his weak shot, the first time the striker has seen a goalkeeper save one of his 16 in the Premier League. . Penalty kicks.

Pep Guardiola’s struggling title holders need their main man back to his best as soon as possible, otherwise their long barren run could continue until 2025.
Rich Morgan

Chelsea have a lot to learn under Maresca

Enzo Maresca continued to point to Chelsea’s failure to manage the match against Fulham as a reason for losing at home to their west London rival for the first time since 1979. He said that the first 15 minutes of the second half, in particular, cost his team.

There was a moment before the hour mark, when the score was 1-0, which demonstrated exactly what Maresca would have wanted. Cole Palmer picked up the ball as Chelsea broke and the Blue Shirts surged forward. Palmer disappointed them by deliberately slowing the game down.

Chelsea’s voices in the crowd couldn’t hide their annoyance. Mariska was alone in praising the perceived negative action. These are the moments he wants to see more of from his side. Fulham came looking for turnovers, and wanted to get rid of them.

Maresca ideally wants his team to move up the pitch as a unit to avoid leaving gaps for the opposition to expose – “Before you attack, you have to pass, pass, pass until we are together,” said the Chelsea manager – even if it is at the expense of excitement.

At times, Leicester fans grew tired of their former coach’s methods last season, even though he led them to comfortable promotion as Championship winners. Obviously, Mariska’s philosophy takes some time to adapt to. Not everyone at Chelsea understands it yet.

Maybe that’s why he has repeatedly said that Chelsea are not ready to challenge for the title yet. The results were impressive, and this was the team’s first defeat in the league since losing to Liverpool in October, but he knows that the team is still learning how to play their way.
Zane Boswell

Fulham are impressive in their rise under Silva

At the start of this season, if you told Fulham fans that they would return home on Boxing Day with their team level on points with reigning Premier League champions Manchester City, they wouldn’t have believed you. But while City have declined, Fulham are on the rise under Marco Silva. The first win at Stamford Bridge since 1979 is confirmation of that.

Perhaps most impressive is that this was a historic win achieved without Emile Smith-Roy or Sander Berge, two of the best performers this season. Harrison Reed is also absent from a depleted midfield, while regulars Kenny Tete and Reiss Nelson are also in the treatment room.

But Fulham have found a way to take points from Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham this season, and with a change in formation here, they have dealt a blow to their neighbors Chelsea. It’s a result they’ll enjoy. But with Silva at the helm and this talented group finding ways to win in different ways, their prospects for 2025 look bright.
Peter Smith

Onuachu sums up the Southampton striker’s problems

Paul Onuachu touched the ball 12 times in the West Ham penalty area. Eight of them were shots, seven of which were headed. Although all of this represents 0.57 of expected goals, all of them failed to find the back of the net.

In one match, the 6ft 7in striker showed new coach Ivan Juric the exact difficulties he faces at Southampton – a significant lack of goals.

The Saints have scored just 11 Premier League goals from 17 matches. Even more worrying is that they have just seven goals in eight home games.

This is a team that has spent £75m on Onuachu, Kamaluddin Slimana, Cameron Archer, Ben Brereton Diaz and Matheus Fernandes in the last 18 months – they have five Premier League goals between them. There are too many attackers, and too little of a finished product.

Intention was much better than Juric’s Southampton on Boxing Day. A more direct style brought an attacking verve that rattled West Ham in the first half, while full-backs Yukinari Sugawara and Kyle Walker-Peters provided plenty for Onuachu and company.

But unless Southampton find their scoring touch, they won’t be able to climb off the bottom of the table anytime soon.
Sam Blitz

Centurion Bowen is the difference again for the Hammers

More often than not, Jarrod Bowen is the man who makes the difference for West Ham.

His last three goals for the club were match-winning ones. After his penalty effectively ended Erik ten Hag’s tenure as Manchester United manager, it was his remarkable finish in the recent win over Wolves that pushed Gary O’Neill closer to Wolves’ trap door.

On Boxing Day, Ivan Juric’s first match for Southampton ended in defeat thanks to Bowen’s predatory instincts.

The 28-year-old was in the right place to score his 48th Premier League goal from a pass from Niklas Fulkrug, moving him into second place on West Ham’s top Premier League scorers list, with only Michail Antonio now scoring more (68). This was also his 100th Premier League goal in the top four levels of football.

“It was very important to win,” Bowen said afterwards. “This is our fourth game unbeaten but it was important to win again. The ambition of this club is to qualify for Europe every year, so it wasn’t at stake today but we have some catching up to do.”

This was a hard-fought victory made all the more impressive by the way Julen Lopetegui had to absorb injuries to Lukasz Fabianski and Max Kilman in the first half against a Southampton side desperate to impress their new coach. And whenever Bowen is by your side, there’s always stardust to turn one point into three.
Penn Grounds

The midfield leads Newcastle to the top of the table

There is no more active, energetic and classy midfield trio in the Premier League than Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali when they play behind the roar of the St James’ Park fans.

Yes, I would include the Liverpool trio in that discussion.

This Toon trio is brilliant and he showed the Reds that a few weeks ago in a tornado-like 3-3 draw with Arne Slott’s side. They are the bedrock of everything Newcastle does good. When they work, the team works. This explains why there has been a huge uptick in recent form under Eddie Howe as these three have returned to their best. Villa were completely outplayed and outplayed in that area of ​​the pitch, even before the red card.

Newcastle to fifth place. And it moves well.
Lewis Jones

From bad to worse for Tottenham

“He hurt his ankle and said he couldn’t continue. We’ll see,” Postecoglou said after Radu Dragosin went off in the loss to Forest.

After a short injury update and explaining how “frustrating” it was to walk away from the City Ground empty-handed, Postecoglou was nowhere to be seen in the press room.

It only took 150 seconds for the Tottenham manager to exit the building and it was clear he was not keen to answer many questions.

An injury to the only centre-back remaining in the matchday squad, and a red card for Spence, who has shown promise over the last three matches and his side still languish in the bottom half.

The situation for Spurs is getting bleaker by the day, and the next match against Wolves, which is just three days away, looks like a must-win game.
Patrick Rowe

Man Mountain Murillo helps Forest to victory

Forest got three points and a clean sheet to face Tottenham – but they couldn’t do it without Murillo.

As Postecoglou rightly pointed out, his side were a threat in the final third but were ultimately unable to capitalise. This is because there is a forest man mountain in the back.

His final numbers came with nine ball clearances, three blocked shots, three tackles, and he won five confrontations.

When there was space, he would close it. When there was a ball to be won, there was no competition.

The home crowd sang along to him throughout the entire match. He is a fan favorite and it is clear to see why, as the partnership formed with Nikola Milinkovic is the foundation on which this historic season for the club has been built.
Patrick Rowe

Huijsen shines again in Bournemouth’s defence

Dean Huijsen is seizing his opportunity at the heart of Bournemouth’s defense and is quickly becoming one of the best young defenders in the Premier League.

The 19-year-old centre-back, who signed for Bournemouth on a six-year contract from Juventus in the summer, has impressed after starting the last five league games, scoring twice and helping to keep three clean sheets.

Howesen stood the test of Crystal Palace’s diverse attacking line – the power of Jean-Philippe Mateta coupled with the speed and deception of Ismaila Sarr and Eberechi Eze.

He won the most duels of any player, made the most tackles, and had the highest pass completion rate. Huijsen’s only mistake was a cynical foul on Sarr which resulted in a yellow card. Bournemouth have a gem.
David Richardson