Arteta must be ruthless with Arsenal squad
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the clash between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal
A total of 717 passes and yet only three shots on target. Arsenal looked a shadow of the side that stormed into Premier League title contention against Nottingham Forest, their challenge finally ending with the look of a side who knew it was already over.
The nature of the performance – listless and lacking any purpose or imagination – raises further questions of their character when it comes to the crunch, but the focus for Mikel Arteta should be on strengthening the squad sufficiently this summer.
Arsenal never looked like taking anything from the game after Taiwo Awoniyi’s early goal, their key players physically and mentally fatigued after a season in which Arteta admits he has had to “squeeze everything” out of them in pursuit of glory.
His reliance on those players – chiefly Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard – comes down to a lack of depth which was summed up by the paucity of options on his bench at the City Ground. Kieran Tierney, Fabio Vieira and Eddie Nketiah were never likely to change it.
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Arteta’s carefully-configured team looked unstoppable when all of its components were functioning, but it only took injuries to William Saliba, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zinchenko for it to fall apart and a ruthless approach is required to ensure there is no repeat.
There is a need for greater depth in almost every area and some of those who have helped them get to this point will need to be moved on in order to ensure there is space for recruits who can take them to another level.
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This performance, after a run of only two wins from eight games at a crucial point in the season, should ram home that reality to Arteta and the club’s decision-makers.
Nick Wright
Cooper continuity helps maintain Forest’s upward trajectory
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Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper says his side showed character and togetherness after securing their Premier League status
It’s no secret that at stages during this season Steve Cooper’s position as Nottingham Forest head coach was seriously under threat. In October and April the club publicly backed him, such was the speculation about his position as Forest’s form dipped.
The club’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis even suggested on Sky Sports on Saturday that his decision to stick with Cooper at points in the campaign may have been influenced by there being no suitable alternative available at that moment.
But whatever the thinking behind it, standing by Cooper has paid off for Forest. The man who took the club from the bottom of the Championship to their long-awaited Premier League return last season has now delivered a guarantee of a second season in the top flight. It is an achievement which shouldn’t be underestimated.
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Speaking after the win over Arsenal, Cooper underlined his excitement that survival would allow the club to continue to build, to keep on with the project of upgrading across departments to compete at the top level on a regular basis.
“You have to suffer to get to where you want to be,” he said. Cooper has certainly suffered at times this season but he and his Nottingham Forest team have come through the other side of those challenges. Their reward right now is to celebrate in the sunshine and no doubt party into Saturday night.
It is also to use the continuity and stability of his position to work through the summer to build for a better season next year.
Peter Smith
Emery-ball completely nullifies Liverpool
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the clash between Liverpool and Aston Villa
Not many teams are able to restrict Liverpool in the way Aston Villa did at Anfield. Such was their defensive unity and organisation, they became the first team in the Jurgen Klopp era to stop Liverpool having a single shot on target in a first half at Anfield.
With the game approaching stoppage time, Liverpool had created an expected goal figure of just 0.42 – it was going to be their lowest Anfield total for over two years. That was until Roberto Firmino popped up with his farewell goal. He grabbed the headlines, of course, but this was a seriously mature and impressive performance from Aston Villa.
- Liverpool 1-1 Aston Villa – Match report & highlights
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But should we be surprised? This has been what Unai Emery has been consistently doing since he took the job. Villa have beaten Tottenham home and away, won at Brighton and Chelsea and taken three points off Newcastle and Manchester United. Only Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool have won more points than Aston Villa (46) since Emery’s first game in charge. And one more win over Brighton would guarantee them a spot in the Europa Conference League next season. What a job he is doing.
Lewis Jones
Where would Fulham be if Mitrovic wasn’t banned?
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the clash between Fulham and Crystal Palace
He has come back with a bang. Three goals in two matches since his return from suspension, Aleksandar Mitrovic returned like he had never been away.
It just goes to show: in what position would Fulham have been in had he not been suspended for eight games for man-handling a referee?
Mitrovic was a thorn in the centre-backs’ backsides once again as Crystal Palace visited Craven Cottage. His first goal was a routine penalty but his superb hold-up play to slip in Harry Wilson to win the penalty was the real reason why they’ve missed him.
As Marco Silva said after the game: “He doesn’t need to score to show that.”
Image: Aleksandar Mitrovic celebrates after scoring his second
“He was a big miss for us in that period. Our players handled it the best way we could, with Carlos Vinicius scoring important goals, Daniel James doing that role, Bobby paying as a striker.
“We tried to do that as best we could. Unfortunately he was out eight games, it was completely exaggerated if you compare with everything that has happened this season, we have to keep going. Completely exaggerated, and it took away our top goalscorers.”
The second showed why you cannot leave him alone in the box. A powerful header that should have been the matchwinner. But Fulham’s slack defending from a poor set piece let him down.
Next season, Fulham need to bring in more players like Willian to complement their main man up front.
Sam Blitz
Everyone loves Roy Hodgson!
Image: Roy Hodgson salutes the Fulham crowd
Fulham fans waited ten minutes to start singing “One Roy Hodgson”. Crystal Palace fans then did the same around half an hour later.
The 75-year-old has seen many things in football, but never two sets of fans chanting his own name.
“It was incredible, I’m humbled by that really,” he said after the game. “I can’t express how grateful I am as to have both sets of fans cheered my name.
“I had a wonderful here at Fulham and wonderful time at Palace over two spells. Two sets of fans recognising that is nice and giving you the accolade you can dream of or hope to get.
“A big day in my memory. I am honoured and flattered.”
The moment summed up the notion that Hodgson is English football’s ultimate gentleman and has a special place in this game.
Go on Roy, give us another year.
Sam Blitz
Man Utd prioritising results over performances
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the clash between Bournemouth and Manchester United in the Premier League
Erik ten Hag’s results during his first year at Old Trafford should not be underestimated, with the manager taking over a broken side and leading them to Carabao Cup glory and to the brink of a Champions League return at the first time of asking.
But the Dutchman will be under no illusions as to his side’s current performances, with United very much limping over the line as they close on the Champions League after one year away.
- Bournemouth 0-1 Man Utd – Report and highlights
- How the teams lined up | Match stats
United have won just three of their last six Premier League games, with that run of fixtures including a draw at Tottenham after throwing away a two-goal lead, plus defeats at West Ham and Brighton.
But Ten Hag’s side are grinding out results when they need them, seeing off Wolves and Bournemouth in back-to-back fixtures to keep Liverpool at bay.
Aside from the first 20 minutes, their performance at the Vitality Stadium was neither impressive nor pretty – but at this stage of the season, results are all that matter.
Joe Shread
Time for a reset as Spurs stung by Bees
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the clash between Tottenham and Brentford
They pumped the music to full blast at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but it still wasn’t loud enough to drown out the audible and very loud boos from the Spurs faithful, most of whom probably cannot wait for another forgettable season to be over.
It all started of so promisingly for the home side, with the lively quartet of Harry Kane, Heung Min-Son, Dejan Kulusevski and Arnaut Danjuma interchanging nicely throughout the first half.
Tottenham took the lead with a well-worked free-kick routine straight off the training ground, with Kulusevski back-heeling for Kane to thrash home from the best part of 30 yards. And Spurs could have had another couple in the first half in what looked like being a comfortable afternoon’s work in their final home game of the season.
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But Brentford had other ideas, with Yoane Wissa sealing a famous and unlikely win late on for the Bees after a second-half double from Bryan Mbeumo.
Brentford host Manchester City on the last day of the season, with qualification for European potentially up for grabs – and it could be at the expense of Tottenham, who are now down in eighth, leading the Bees by just a point.
Tottenham’s European hopes now very much hang in the balance, which will do nothing to do nothing to dampen speculation about the future of Kane, who took his tally to the season to 30 in all competitions with the opening goal.
The club also still need to recruit a director of football and a permanent head coach. A new start is needed. It’s time for a reset at Spurs.
Late-season defeats won’t take shine off O’Neil’s debut season
Image: Gary O'Neil has led Bournemouth to Premier League survival
Bournemouth’s season may be petering out slightly, with three defeats in a row once Premier League survival was secured, but it will not take the shine off the excellent work Gary O’Neil has done this season.
After taking over a team his predecessor had deemed unfit for top-flight survival, the rookie head coach led the Cherries to safety with plenty to spare.
O’Neil has also not been afraid to tweak his tactics this season, with the way in which Bournemouth switched from a 4-4-2 out of possession to a 3-4-3 in possession flummoxing United for large parts of their match-up.
Right-back Adam Smith converted into a wing-back when his team had the ball, while Lloyd Kelly tucked inside to become another centre-back on the opposite side of the pitch, and it allowed the hosts to regularly create overloads on their right side during the first half.
Jadon Sancho was either unable or unwilling to track Smith – something that summed up his ineffectual display – leaving Luke Shaw to deal with the danger by himself.
Bournemouth’s best work came down the right side and couple of excellent David De Gea saves should not hide the impressive tactical work O’Neil oversaw against United.
Joe Shread
Everton clearly have the fight to survive
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from the clash between Wolves and Everton
It has been quite the few weeks in Everton’s bid for Premier League survival. From a 5-1 win at Brighton to an impressive performance in defeat to Man City, the Toffees faced another Everest challenge on Saturday. They needed another big moment, another heroic effort.
But once again, they stood up to the task, snatching a late point against a Wolves side who – despite their own troubles this season – have done well at home this season.
You saw a side willing to fight for one another, for the club and for the fans, who were in strong voice throughout. They did not let their heads drop, even when Hee-Chan Hwang scored or Dominic Calvert-Lewin was injured once again.
- Wolves 1-1 Everton – Report and highlights
- How the teams lined up | Match stats
Manager Sean Dyche praised his side’s mentality too, telling Sky Sports: “Mentality is key and we’ve been building that. We’re four unbeaten away from home with a club that’s had a lot of noise around our away record, so that’s changing.
“We’ve had to make so many changes within the game, tactical changes and different ways of playing and the lads have taken it all on and just kept going. That relentless attitude paid us back.”
There were, of course, issues, Everton were the better side until Wolves’ goal and were unable to make it count. They were wasteful on set-pieces too, despite fine deliveries from Dwight McNeil and Demarai Gray.
But they also needed to be switched on at the other end. They rode their luck as Wolves too were guilty of wasting their chances – more on that below – while Jordan Pickford denied Matheus Nunes in injury time, just before Yerry Mina’s equaliser.
However, most importantly, they showed that they are in the zone for what is set to be a grandstand finish in the relegation battle on May 28. They have given themselves a fighting chance – now they have to finish the job, which they are capable of doing.
Charlotte Marsh
Wolves must improve in front of goal
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Julen Lopetegui insists he’s unsure as to why the match officials added on nine minutes of injury time
“I don’t have any complaints for the players, they deserved to win. It was a pity we suffered this late goal. If not, it was the fifth win at home so it was a pity for us.”
That was the view of Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui after a late 1-1 draw against Everton, as well as questioning the adding of nine added minutes at the end of the season half.
On reflection, a draw was probably a fair result given the balance of play – but Wolves could easily have won if they had taken their chances. A lack of cutting edge cost them what would have been the cherry on top of a fairly decent home record this season.
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Alongside already-relegated Southampton, Wolves have scored the fewest number of goals this season (31). Against Everton, they had a lower xG of 1.55, just five of their 13 shots were on target and they trailed their opponents for touches in the opposition box and final third entries.
Wolves often fired their efforts wide, with Jordan Pickford making four saves. Promising attacks often broke down at the last minutes.
It will be an area Lopetegui will want to address in the summer. With a number of the old guard expected to leave, now is the time for a rebuild at Wolves as they look to aim higher in the coming seasons.
Charlotte Marsh
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