Premier League overreactions: Spurs relegation, Chelsea self-discipline

That is shaping as much as be one of many nice Premier League seasons. The title race seems to be set to go the space, the battle for Europe is heating up and the relegation scrap is splendidly poised. Final weekend, we noticed Spurs slip nearer to the mire, Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis proceed pushing the tempo on the high, and the battle for Champions League locations stay hotly contested. We additionally witnessed notable performances from strikers Viktor Gyökeres and Raúl Jiménez.

There are many takes round after the weekend, and forward of the subsequent batch of fixtures — like we have performed with NFL and rugby union — we have a look at some snap judgements earlier than weighing up whether or not they’re overreactions or legit takes.

Let’s begin with the battle for the title.

Bounce to:
Man Metropolis, Arsenal title race will go all the way down to wire?
Spurs in relegation battle?
Chelsea least disciplined aspect in PL historical past?
Gyökeres has lived as much as switch price?
Jiménez one in all PL’s nice tales?

The title race will go all the way down to the wire

Manchester Metropolis are 5 factors and a recreation in hand behind Arsenal with three months to go. The Gunners stuttered towards Wolves final Wednesday in a 2-2 draw, then demolished Tottenham 4-1 on Sunday. It is developed into the basic recreation of cat and mouse.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

You possibly can scale back this title race to a handful of phrases: If both group wins its remaining matches, it should declare the Premier League. The date to circle is April 18, when Arsenal journey to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester Metropolis, however you may anticipate many twists and turns till we get our eventual winner.

Arsenal have been within the driver’s seat for a lot of the season, however the ghosts of near-misses are peering over their shoulder. In the meantime, Pep Guardiola’s Man Metropolis have title-winning acumen all through. In mid-January, Arsenal had a eight-point lead. Then got here the attracts at Brentford and Wolves, which opened the door for Metropolis. They strode straight by way of it, getting a late win over Liverpool, easing previous Fulham, then hurdling Newcastle United final weekend on the again of Nico O’Reilly‘s pair of targets. Guardiola stated his group would rejoice that 2-1 win with a cocktail or two. However Arsenal responded, obliterating rivals Spurs.

Opta nonetheless offers Arsenal a 82.8% probability of successful the league, predicting them to complete six or so factors forward of Metropolis. However the stats do not account for the psychological side. Arsenal had an eight-point lead in April 2023, however ended up surrendering the title to Manchester Metropolis only a month later. It will be an enchanting, however excruciating, finish of the season for the 2 groups.

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Spurs are within the thick of the relegation battle

Too good to go down? Maybe not. After their derby defeat to Arsenal on Sunday, Tottenham are in a precarious scenario, sitting in sixteenth and simply 4 factors out of the relegation locations.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

Tottenham’s harm listing is in depth: Wilson Odobert, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Ben Davies, Lucas Bergvall, Future Udogie, Kevin Danso and Pedro Porro are all sidelined. Cristian Romero is suspended. They’ve additionally needed to navigate relentless upheaval behind the scenes. And amid all of that, they’ve forgotten how you can win; their final league victory was towards Crystal Palace on Dec. 28. Oh, they usually even have Europe within the equation.

New Spurs supervisor Igor Tudor has performed one, misplaced one within the Premier League, however says he’s 100% satisfied Spurs shall be a Premier League group subsequent season. No matter what he thinks will occur, Spurs are in a relegation scrap. Worryingly, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest are exhibiting indicators of enchancment and resilient beneath them.

Spurs look low on confidence: These are gamers who’re accustomed to taking part in in Europe and making an attempt to achieve the summit, not scrapping round on the base of the league. Tudor is nicely versed in getting high gamers to suppose his means, and he has managed massive golf equipment (Juventus, Lazio, Marseille) to then steer them by way of uneven waters, however this could possibly be his biggest ask but.

Key to survival shall be their means to rally and struggle for each other. Take this from Jarrod Bowen after West Ham’s 0-0 draw with Bournemouth: “That is a lovely factor within the altering room when you may go searching and say: ‘He is obtained my again and I’ve obtained his.'” Can the identical be stated for Spurs?

Leeds, West Ham and Nottingham Forest are able to battle. Spurs should begin touchdown some punches of their very own.

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Chelsea are probably the most undisciplined aspect in Premier League historical past

Chelsea’s disciplinary document is actually grim. They picked up their sixth purple card of the Premier League season of their 1-1 draw with Burnley on Saturday, with Wesley Fofana getting despatched off for 2 yellows. At this level, the league document for purple playing cards just isn’t that far out of attain.

Verdict: OVERREACTION

We checked out Chelsea’s self-discipline again on Dec. 2 and whether or not it will value them a Champions League spot. Again then, coach Enzo Maresca regarded settled, and Chelsea have been discovering a method to grind matches out with 10 males. We stated it wasn’t but a difficulty that will scuttle their season, however they wanted to kind it rapidly.

Nicely, it is nonetheless a significant drawback. Chelsea have misplaced 17 factors from successful positions this time period, and it occurred once more towards Burnley as they conceded a 93rd-minute equalizer, with Zian Flemming heading residence. However their purple playing cards will not be serving to within the least. On Saturday, Wesley Fofana’s purple made it 9 whole in all competitions (in the event you depend Maresca’s towards Liverpool in October). They’ve gained simply one of many six league matches by which they’ve had a participant despatched off.

However the Premier League document? Chelsea nonetheless have a method to go. Sunderland (2009-10) and QPR (2011-12) managed 9 purple playing cards, so that they maintain the document for the poorest self-discipline. It could take lots for them to achieve that unenviable mark.

It is one of many undesirable habits that has crossed from Maresca’s tenure into Liam Rosenior’s. Chelsea have a younger squad, however that is not the only cause for blame. “We want gamers you may depend on within the second to do their job,” Rosenior stated. “I do know what we have to get there. It isn’t all the way down to youth; it is all the way down to assessing the gamers and figuring out those you may depend on in troublesome moments.”

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Viktor Gyökeres has lastly stuffed his Arsenal shirt

Gyökeres put in arguably his most interesting efficiency for Arsenal within the North London derby, scoring a second-half brace. Because the Gunners chase their first title since 2003, Gyökeres may lastly be dwelling as much as his $74 million switch price after making the transfer from Sporting CP final summer time.

Verdict: OVERREACTION

Along with his two fantastic targets, Gyökeres linked nicely with Bukayo Saka coming off the precise wing, and was typically an immense nuisance down Spurs’ left aspect. His runs additionally created area for others, drawing defenders away. Whereas he typically struggles in holding the ball up, his deadly kind in entrance of purpose was what Arsenal followers have been ready for.

He has confronted frequent challenges to his spot within the aspect. There was that spell when supervisor Mikel Arteta favored Mikel Merino as a false 9, and Gabriel Jesus‘ return added an additional menace. With Arsenal within the driver’s seat of the title race, although, it is Gyökeres’ shirt to lose. He is scored extra targets throughout all competitions than some other participant within the Premier League in 2026.

However to say he is lastly dwelling as much as his switch price is untimely, as he now faces the problem of backing it up throughout the remaining 10 matches of the season. He is rightly receiving reward for his efficiency final weekend, however he wants to point out consistency over the approaching weeks.

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Raul Jiménez is likely one of the Premier League’s nice tales

Jiménez suffered a fractured cranium in November 2020 and after eight months of rehabilitation, he returned to motion the subsequent summer time. Since becoming a member of Fulham from Wolverhampton Wanderers in June 2023 for a price of $6.4 million, he has proved to be among the best signings in Premier League historical past, together with his brace for Fulham of their 3-1 win at Sunderland on Sunday the newest proof.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

The Jiménez who arrived at Fulham in 2023 was nonetheless discovering his ft within the sport after that horrific harm. “He was not in a superb second in his profession,” Fulham supervisor Marco Silva stated postmatch Sunday. That is no shock given docs advised Jiménez he was fortunate to be alive.

In his closing season for Wolves, Jiménez scored simply three Carabao Cup targets. However Fulham believed they might nurture him again to his finest. “We confirmed the arrogance that we’re succesful for him to get to his finest stage,” Silva stated. “We hope there may be extra to return. For a striker that we signed on the value we signed, he’s doing very, very nicely.”

Jiménez’s brace gave Fulham a priceless win at Sunderland. It is protected to argue that he should be among the best points-per-pound acquisitions within the high flight. He has eight league targets this time period, after chipping in with 12 final yr and 7 the season earlier. With Rodrigo Muniz having missed a lot of this season by way of harm, Jiménez has been main the road.

Whereas he would not have the identical tempo we noticed when he broke by way of for Wolves again in 2018, he nonetheless has that deadly contact in entrance of purpose. His first towards Sunderland noticed him head residence unmarked a nook, and his second was a calmly taken penalty. He is 34 now, and heading into the twilight of his profession, however his affect has not diminished.