For the third week in a row, the big sides played some disappointing stuff in the Premier League, but that doesn’t mean Saturday’s games lacked for entertainment. The mid- and lower-table sides are playing some great stuff right now, so start skipping the big teams and watching sides like Bournemouth.
Saturday Premier League scores, Week 3: Manchester United slow, Bournemouth anything but
There are goals out there, you just have to go looking for them.
Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images
Saturday’s scores
Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata are painfully slow
Mata is heaps behind Silva and Özil, technically superb but lacks that clinical pace. Also doesn't help that Rooney's not as quick.
— Liam (@OffsideLiam) August 22, 2015 Rooney struggling, but not helped by playing with Mata, who's too slow and ineffective. Rooney needs pace around him.
— Mark Ogden (@MOgdenTelegraph) August 22, 2015 NOT SURE HOW ANY UTD FAN CAN HE HAPPY WITH ROONEY AND MATA HAVING TO PLAY THE BALL SQUARE EVERYTIME A DEFENDER IS IN FRONT OF THEM
— NEO (@THE_FOODIE_GUY) August 22, 2015 It’s not that either of them is a bad player, it’s just that they’re so incredibly redundant. They’re both very useful when they’re in the hole, surrounded by fast players. But when Mata’s on the right and Rooney’s up top, in the same team? They kill attacks, repeatedly. This was Manchester United’s biggest problem against Newcastle.
Adama Traore is really, really fast
Aston Villa lost to Crystal Palace and are struggling a bit so far this year, but they have reasons to be optimistic. Chief among them is Adama Traore, who they signed from Barcelona B. His run ahead of inducing an own-goal was spectacular, and Villa are going to feel like they’ll stay up with a winger who can do things like that.
Dele Alli should get some more opportunities with Spurs
This isn’t working. Let’s sub on somebody. ANYBODY. (But don’t sub off Kane.)
— Cartilage Free Capt. (@cartilagefree) August 22, 2015 Harry Kane is sooooooooo good. Imagine if he had decent service behind him.
— Cartilage Free Capt. (@cartilagefree) August 22, 2015 So, Dele Alli is good and tries stuff. Let’s play him more.
— Cartilage Free Capt. (@cartilagefree) August 22, 2015 Christian Eriksen picked up a knee injury this week, so Tottenham Hotspur started an attacking band of three of Nacer Chadli, Erik Lamela and Mousa Dembele. It was an unmitigated disaster, but Deli Alli scored his first goal in Spurs shirt after he came on for Lamela. He did more positive things in 25 minutes than Lamela did in 65, and probably deserves some more playing time.
Jack Butland put on a show
There was a pattern on Stoke’s Twitter feed during the second half.
50- Jerome finds space between Cameron and Muniesa in the area, but flicks the ball wide as Butland came bursting out #NCFC 1-1 #SCFC
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) August 22, 2015 53- Butland does brilliantly to tip Dorrans' low effort around the post #NCFC 1-1 #SCFC
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) August 22, 2015 62- WHAT A SAVE! Butland keeps Stoke level after tipping Redmond's low drive heading for the corner wide #NCFC 1-1 #SCFC
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) August 22, 2015 86- Butland saves Dorrans' low drive before saving Cameorn's effort from point blank range moments later #NCFC 1-1 #SCFC
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) August 22, 2015 Norwich really should have won the match, but Butland was too good.
Stoke aren’t regretting selling Asmir Begovic at all, and Joe Hart’s England place doesn’t look totally secure right now. Butland is living up to all the hype that’s followed him since he started playing regularly as a teenager.
Sunderland stop the bleeding, but need a big finish to the transfer window
Better, much better. #safc
— Roker Report (@RokerReport) August 22, 2015 Just interviewed Dick Advocaat: "Much better today, but I hope the chairman was watching, we need 3 more players." #SAFC #bbcfootball
— Conor McNamara (@ConorMcNamaraIE) August 22, 2015 Getting points after falling behind against Swansea is no small feat for a team that looked like they were going to sink without a trace in the Premier League this season, but Dick Advocaat made sure to point out that he still needs some help. Expect Sunderland to be very active between now and the deadline.
Let’s celebrate Bournemouth
The Cherries might not have enough talent to stay in the Premier League, but they’re going to go down playing their style, sense be damned, much like Ian Holloway’s Blackpool. They pulled off a spectacular result on Saturday, beating West Ham 4-3 away from home, and this goal by Marc Pugh was the best of the bunch. They’re going to be fantastic to watch this season.
See More:
