Set-piece fighting angering coaches – the hot topic this week

The hot topic this week has been football managers, fans and officials calling for the current set-piece chaos to be solved by the Football Association. Holding, fighting, pushing, kicking, waving arms are all part of the current set-piece problems which referees seem unable to sort out. Goals galore are being scored but are they fair? […]

The hot topic this week has been football managers, fans and officials calling for the current set-piece chaos to be solved by the Football Association.

Holding, fighting, pushing, kicking, waving arms are all part of the current set-piece problems which referees seem unable to sort out. Goals galore are being scored but are they fair? Several managers have risked big fines from the FA by speaking out.

Most Premier League teams now employ set-piece coaches and they are very good at what they teach players with most allowing them to wrestle inside the box. Arsenal in particular have been accused over and again of committing acts of what has become known as the “dark arts”. They have scored more goals in the Premier League from set-pieces than any other club.

In several club case studies there have been as many as 14 players inside the penalty area, goalkeepers are prevented from making saves and the situation is a nightmare for officials.

I witnessed the Arsenal vs Chelsea game and could not believe what was happening in front of both goals when corners were being taken. In my view and that of many colleagues in the press box, Chelsea should have been awarded a penalty for the grappling and holding by Arsenal’s William Saliba on Chelsea’s Joao Pedro. Then there was Declan Rice, who wasn’t even facing the direction of the ball when he was tightly holding Jorrel Hato and Jurrien Timber had his arms clearly obstructing Trevoh Chalobah. The referee did nothing. What a chaotic mess.

But these scenes are going on around so many of the Premier League stadiums this season. David Moyes, Everton’s seasoned and experienced manager said this week, “You get the feeling that referees really don’t want to get involved in any of it. It is really poor that they are not dealing with the problem. Attackers crowd the goalkeeper hoping to restrict his movement and effectiveness. Defenders, meanwhile, try to block attacking runs and seem more focused on looking at where opponents are than watching the ball in so many cases.”

 

Woltemade thinking about return to the Bundesliga

I am picking up news from St James Park that Nick Woltemade is unhappy at Newcastle and would welcome a return to the German Bundesliga.

Woltemade joined Newcastle in August last year for £65million but many in Germany, including his ex-club chairman, said the 24-year-old is not worth that much and would struggle in the Premier League.

Last weekend for instance, coach Eddie Howe placed him in midfield, then moved him to striker and finally took him off after 56 minutes when he had made only 14 touches of the ball.

Supporters and club officials seem to be divided about Woltemade.

 

Tudor says Spurs players are not fit enough

It may sound amazing but there are discussions inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that unless results dramatically turn around newly installed coach Igor Tudor could be shown the door after only three or four games. He came with a reputation of being a “firefighter” who got instant results but has found the Premier League and Tottenham a tough nut to crack.

His normal style is high pressing, high energy football but he claimed that his Tottenham players are not fit enough or good enough to use that approach. Criticising the players by saying they are not good enough has not pleased the Tottenham fans or the players themselves and there is tension during training.

Tudor said this week, “Physically we are not in an amazing situation. The players have played a lot of games without lots of players available and the physical condition has dropped. So, we need a quiet period to put some petrol in the engine.” Many players are surprised that Tudor has made long and exhausting runs part of daily training.

He justified that by saying, “I have only 14 fully fit senior players and we need to up the physical side.”

 

Arteta believes Gyokeres has found his goal scoring touch

Mikel Arteta says he still has complete faith in Viktor Gyokeres and he is always impressed in the way he gives his teammates a hard time in training. Gyokeres is starting to rediscover his goal scoring touch after a dynamic season with Sporting Lisbon which prompted the Gunners to buy him.

Arsenal faithful fans haven’t given up on him and regularly chant his name and he has responded with two goals in each of the two recent games. Arteta said there is plenty more to come and he will start the striker regularly. He said this week, “For our club as much as you play against the best teams in the whole of history, you learn and improve, and you are better in the future.”

 

Defending Salah after goals prove difficult

Defending Mo Salah is not something I expected to be writing about this season but after visiting Anfield earlier in the week, I am pleased to report that Arne Slot is still relying on his right winger despite Mo suffering from a recent goal drought.

There is still excitement and expectation every time Mo gets the ball and his football brain and upfront energy is obvious but though he rarely tracks back to defend, he is still able to make assists and piecing runs down the right even if the goals are not going in as they used to. Liverpool lost to Wolves on Tuesday night but at least Mo did score a rare goal.

 

Rashford pushes for permanent Barca move

Marcus Rashford has made an appeal to Manchester United to meet with Barcelona officials so that he can convert his loan arrangement to a permanent deal for £26million.

The 28-year-old has found a rich vein of form striking 10 goals in 35 appearances and has become a crowd favourite at the volatile Nou Camp Stadium where, like Real Madrid crowds, they either love or hate their stars and make their feelings loudly heard.

United officials originally held talks with Barca sporting director Deco to arrange a long-term deal but nothing has moved on since then and Rashford is getting frustrated. It must be said that United would welcome removing Rashford from their wage structure although this season the Spanish giants have been paying his £325k a week salary.

 

Liverpool justify spending £450million

Liverpool have set out the reasons why they feel justified spending £450million last summer when the Reds broke the Premier League record twice by signing £116million Florian Wirtz and £125million Alexander Isak. Arne Slot has retaliated against negative comments, “I have tried 450 times to say we also sold players for £350million and that is never mentioned when people talk about the money we spent. In general I only ever see ‘£450m spent, 450, 450, 450’ and no one looks at the circumstances which are that the £450million was very well spent.”

Slot also reminded everyone that he hasn’t been able to use many of the new signings due to injuries which include Alexander Isak breaking a leg. Jeremie Frimpong has missed several games, Giovanni Leoni is out for the rest of the season and Florian Wirtz has been in and out of the team.