Soccer Saturday Game Week 25

Liverpool 5 v 1 Arsenal Skrtel (1,10), Sterling (17,52), Sturridge (20), Arteta (69pen)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, Liverpool take the lead as Skrtel volleys in from close range from a Gerrard free kick. Goal! 2-0, Skrtel scores again, this time heading in from Gerrard's corner into the far top corner. Sturridge misses with a chip over the keeper wide of the far post. Suarez hits the near post with a long range volley before Toure spoons the rebound wide of an open goal. Goal! 3-0, Sterling scores after tapping in at the far post from close range following a low Suarez cross. Goal! 4-0, Coutinho finds Sturridge with a through ball, who calmly slots a low shot into the far bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Half Time: 4-0.
Second Half: Goal! 5-0, Sterling has a shot parried before tapping in the rebound into the near side. Sterling puts a close range shot into the side netting. Suarez has a free kick parried over the near top corner. Henderson clips a shot wide of the far post. Penalty! Gerrard fouls Oxlade-Chamberlain inside the box. Goal! 5-1, Arteta scores from the spot, firing it straight down the middle. Arteta has a low free kick parried away from the far bottom corner. Sterling has an effort block saved wide of the near post.
Full Time: 5-1.
Liverpool (4th) 50pts
Arsenal (2nd) 55pts



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Sterling. Liverpool thrash sorry Arsenal. What a performance from Liverpool. That will send out a very strong message to the league and title contenders. One of the best, fastest and brilliant starts to a game I have seen in a very long time. They were 4-0 up inside 20 minutes against a startled Arsenal side. Sterling had a brilliant game whilst Skrtel proved to be immense in the opposition box. Suarez didn't even get on the scoresheet which shows Liverpool are more than just a one man team. Arsenal were simply the equivalent of rabbits frozen in the spotlight. They conceded within the first minute and failed to stop the Liverpool onslaught. The defence were just blown away by the intensity of Liverpool's play. By 20 minutes they game had gone. Arteta scored from the spot to salvage a consolation goal but their will be plenty of questions pointed in Wenger and Arsenal's direction after this shocking result. Consequently, Arsenal fall off the top of the table into second. 

Chelsea 3 v 0 Newcastle United Hazard (27,34,63pen)
First Half: Ben Arfa has a low shot saved at the near post. Ben Arfa has a low shot from the edge of the box saved. Oscar misses with a low shot from the edge of the box just wide of the near post. Goal! 1-0, Chelsea take the lead as Hazard fires a low shot into the far bottom corner. Sissokho has an effort block saved wide of the near post. Goal! 2-0, Hazard plays a neat one-two with Eto'o before slotting a low shot into the far bottom corner. De Jong has a header saved.
Half Time: 2-0.
Second Half: Eto'o has an effort saved. Lampard has a free kick tipped over. Penalty! Eto'o is fouled inside the box by Mbiwa. Goal! 3-0, Hazard scores from the spot with a low strike into the far bottom corner to complete his hat-trick. Salah has an effort parried away. Marveux puts an effort into the side-netting.
Full Time: 3-0.
Chelsea (1st) 56pts
Newcastle (8th) 37pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Hazard. Magical Hazard hat-trick. Chelsea were very strong today and deserved to win the game. They will have to thank Eden Hazard as his display was majestic. He's proving himself to be one of the best players in the league and scored a fantastic hat-trick to blow Newcastle away. With that win, Chelsea move to the top of the table and lead Arsenal by one point. Newcastle started the game well but were just undone by the brilliance of Hazard. They created some decent chances but were just unable to take one. Newcastle will definitely have easier days than that. 

Norwich City 0 v 0 Manchester City
First Half: Olsson has a long range drive shot deflected over the bar. Redmond blasts a shot wide of the near post. Yobo has a header parried before Hooper has a goal ruled out for offside. Jovetic has a goal ruled out for offside. Negredo heads against the bar following a corner. Jovetic has a low volley from the edge of the box saved.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Jovetic heads wide of the near post. Pilkington has a shot across goal parried over the bar.
Full Time: 0-0.
Norwich (16th) 25pts
Man City (3rd) 54pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Olsson. City held to goalless draw at Carrow Road. Norwich played really well and deserved to take at least a point away from the game. They created some good chances but were unable to take any but they defended well and managed to keep City from scoring which is no mean feat. With that point, Norwich move up one place into 16th. City had their chances but scuppered every chance. They came closest through Negredo who headed against the bar but that was about it. Pretty average and more questions will be posed about their away form. In the end, they were forced to hang on for a point. However, with that result, City move down one place into third and trail Chelsea by two points. 

Swansea City 3 v 0 Cardiff City Routledge (47), Dyer (79), Bony (85)
First Half: Routledge has a low shot saved. Whittingham has a long range volley saved.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Goal! 1-0, Swansea take the lead as Hernandez plays in Routledge who curls in a low shot into the far bottom corner. Bellamy hits the top of the bar with a blasted shot from the edge of the box. Dyer blasts over the bar from long range. Kim heads over the bar. Goal! 2-0, Dyer scores from a Routledge cross, heading into the far bottom corner. Goal! 3-0, Bony scores with a header into the far top corner from a Hernandez free kick.
Full Time: 3-0.
Swansea (10th) 27pts
Cardiff (19th) 21pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Hernandez. Swansea win the Welsh derby. The first half was a cagey affair and not many chances were created by either team. However, Swansea came out much more strongly in the second half and looked like the better team. They scored an early goal and went from strength to strength. It will delight them more that they obtain the bragging rights in south Wales after having lost to Cardiff earlier in the season. With that win, the Swans move up two places into tenth. Cardiff created a few chances but were generally poor. They didn't look like much of a threat in front of goal and were soundly beaten. Thus, they remain in 19th and battling relegation. 

Crystal Palace 3 v 1 West Bromich Albion Ince (15), Ledley (27), Thievy (46), Chamakh (69pen)
First Half: Anichebe has an effort saved. Dann puts an effort over the bar from close range. Goal! 1-0, Palace take the lead as Ince scores with a low chip over the keeper into the far bottom corner. Goal! 2-0, Ledley scores with a header into the near side from an Ince corner.
Half Time: 2-0.
Second Half: Goal! 2-1, Thievy scores with a shot that beats the keeper at the near side. Morrison has a long range driven shot parried behind. Sinclair has an effort denied by a great save. Penalty! Chamakh is fouled by Foster in the penalty area. Goal! 3-1, Chamakh scores from the spot with a low strike into the far bottom corner.
Full Time: 3-1.
Palace (14th) 26pts
West Brom (18th) 23pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Ince. Palace seal vital victory over Baggies. Massive win for Palace and played really well. Ince and Ledly both made big impacts by getting on the score sheet. Pulis seems to be doing a decent job with Palace and with this sort of form I can see them avoiding relegation. With those three points, Palace move up three places into 14th. West Brom created chances but didn't take enough of them. They were pretty poor in the first half but came out strongly in the second. Thievy scored early after half time to half the deficit but they were unfortunate to have conceded a soft penalty which put the game to bed. With that loss, the Baggies drop two place and into the relegation zone in 18th.

Southampton 2 v 2 Stoke City Lambert (6), Odemwingie (38), Davies (41), Crouch (44)
First Half: Goal! 1-0, Saints take the lead as Lambert scores with a free kick that goes in via the inside of the far post. Goal! 1-1, Stoke equalise as Odemwingie is put through on goal by Adam before slotting past the keeper from the edge of the box into the centre of goal. Goal! 2-1, Saints go back in front as a Davies Cross goes untouched and finds its way into the far bottom corner. Goal! 2-2, Stoke level again as Crouch heads in from close range from an Adam corner.
Half Time: 2-2.
Second Half: Rodriguez heads wide of the near post following a corner. Schneiderlin hits a low shot into the side-netting.
Full Time: 2-2.
Saints (9th) 36pts
Stoke (13th) 26pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Adam. Stoke claw back twice to earn draw. Southampton were good going forward but conceded two sloppy goals to let two points drift away. They went ahead twice but got pegged back rather than holding out for what should have been three points. Stoke will be pleased that they showed some fight today after coming back twice to equalise. Overall, it seemed that both teams cancelled each other out as there were very few noteworthy chances throughout the second half. With that point, Stoke fall two places down to 13th. 

Aston Villa 0 v 2 West Ham United Nolan (46,48)
First Half: Jarvis puts an effort wide of the near post. Westwood volleys wide of the far post.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Goal! 0-1, West Ham take the lead as Downing finds Nolan who flicks past the keeper into the near side. Goal! 0-2, Nolan scores again, this time with a low shot into the far bottom corner. Benteke heads wide of the near post. Albrighton hits the far post with a long range driven shot. Benteke hits a header against the bar. Benteke hits an overhead kick over the bar.
Full Time: 0-2.
Villa (12th) 27pts
West Ham (15th) 25pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Nolan. Nolan at the double for Hammers. Aston Villa only have themselves to blame for losing that game as a very sloppy five minutes straight after half time really cost them. However, they fought back valiantly and were actually unfortunate not to have scored as both Albrighton and Benteke hit the woodwork. The result means that Villa drop down two places to 12th. West Ham dug in during the first half and made it tough work for the home side. They then came out of the traps very quickly after half time, scoring twice in the space two minutes. Nolan scored twice to provide the Hammers with three very valuable points which very much helps their bid to avoid the drop. After taking the lead, the Hammers managed to somehow hold on for a clean sheet. The win means that the Hammers move up three places and out of the relegation zone to 15th. 

Sunderland 0 v 2 Hull City Long (16), Jelavic (62)
First Half: OFF! Brown is shown a straight red card for fouling Long and being the last man. Huddlestone has a low free kick saved. Livermore is denied with a blasted shot by a great parry over the bar. Goal! 0-1, Hull take the lead as Long heads in from close range from Livermore's volley. Jelavic has a header really well parried away from the near top corner. Long hits the inside of the far post with a long range blast. Johnson has a volley from the edge of the box saved.
Half Time: 0-1.
Second Half: Jelavic drags a low shot wide across goal. Goal! 0-2, Jelavic scores with a header into the far top corner.
Full Time: 0-2.
Sunderland (17th) 24pts
Hull (11th) 27pts

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Long. Hull strikers seal victory. Sunderland were put right on the back foot very early on in the game as Wes Brown received a straight red card for denying Shane Long a goalscoring opportunity. From then on they failed to create much going forward and were constantly pressed in their own half. A disappointing result for the Black Cats means that they fall three places down to 17th, just above the drop zone. Hull took full advantage of the extra man they had for the majority of the game as they dominated and controlled Sunderland. Steve Bruce will be delighted to see both of his strikers score as things are beginning to look brighter for Hull. With the three points, Hull move up two places into 11th. 

Best Goal: Sturridge, Hazard, Routledge, Ince, Lambert, Nolan. Winner: Hazard.

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Soccer Saturday Game Week 22

Manchester City 4 v 2 Cardiff City Dzeko (14), Noone (29), Navas (33), Y.Toure (76), Aguero (79), Campbell (90)
First Half: Navas has an effort across goal blocked. Turner misdirects a clearance onto his own near post. Goal! 1-0, City take the lead after Dzeko scores from close range with an effort that bobbles over the line. Negredo slices a volley wide of the far post. Goal! 1-1, Cardiff level after Noone cuts inside the defence and scores with a low shot that sneaks inside the near post. Goal! 2-1, City go back in front after a fast break ends with Navas scoring with a low shot from the edge of the box into the far side.
Half Time: 2-1.
Second Half: Silva fires a close range shot wide of the far post. Noone has a long range shot parried past the post. Goal! 3-1, Yaya Toure plays a one two with Nasri before slotting a low shot into the near bottom corner. Goal! 4-1, Aguero goes past a defender twice before scoring with a close range shot into the far top corner. Noone has a long range shot parried away. Goal! 4-2, Campbell scores from close range, tapping in from a corner set piece.
Full Time: 4-2.



My Opinion:
My man of the match was Yaya Toure. It was expected that Man City would win and they did so, scoring four goals. However, there were some poor defensive errors that Cardiff managed to make them pay for. Job done for City but room for improvement. The highlight for Cardiff was Noone having a great game. Their best player today and deservedly scored a goal. Have to give them credit for coming to the Etihad and scoring twice but they couldn't stop the barrage of shots coming at their goal. 

Arsenal 2 v 0 Fulham Cazorla (57,62)
First Half: Ozil has an effort cleared off the line. Sidwell has a long range volley well punched away. Sagna has a low shot parried.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Gnabry has a shot from the edge of the box parried. Sagna has a low close range effort cleared off the line. Goal! 1-0, Arsenal take the lead as Cazorla plays a one two with Wilshere before slotting a shot into the far side. Goal! 2-0, Cazorla scores from the edge of the box with a low shot into the far bottom corner. Podolski has a long range driven shot parried onto the near post. Bent fires an effort just wide of the near post. Kasami has a free kick saved.
Full Time: 2-0.

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Cazorla. Arsenal controlled the game but struggled to make possession pay as for a large part of the match they failed to convert their chances. However, a brilliant five minute spell saw Cazorla grab two goals and the match. Fulham did well to hang on at 0-0 for so long but a five minute lapse of concentration proved costly as they came away with nothing. 

Liverpool 2 v 2 Aston Villa Weimann (25), Benteke (36), Sturridge (45), Gerrard (53pen)
First Half: Agbonlahor taps an effort just wide of the near post. Westwood has a fierce strike saved. Clark heads onto the far post following a corner. Goal! 0-1, Villa take the lead as Weimann taps in an Agbonlahor cross. Goal! 0-2, Benteke scores after heading in from close range an Agbonlahor cross. Goal! 1-2, Sturridge scores with a low chip over the keeper into the far side.
Half Time: 1-2.
Second Half: Penalty! Guzan fouls Suarez inside the box. Goal! 2-2, Liverpool equalise as Gerrard scores from the spot with a low shot into the bottom corner. Delph fires a long range curling shot just wide of the far post. Henderson has a low shot from the edge of the box parried. Suarez fires a free kick just wide of the near post.
Full Time: 2-2.

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Agbonlahor. Liverpool were given a shock today, going two down in the first half. Sturridge's goal just before half time was vital to their mindsight going into half time and they did well to recover and score the equaliser. They had their chances to win the match but in the end it was a good point to get. Villa played their best match for a while after putting in a much better display. They deservedly took the lead and capitalised on it by scoring the second. If they could have gone into half time 0-0 then they may well have won the game but Liverpool always looked like getting that second half equalizer. 

West Ham United 1 v 3 Newcastle United Cabaye (16,90), Remy (33), Williamson OG (45)
First Half: Taylor puts a header wide of the near post. Goal! 0-1, Newcastle take the lead as Cabaye scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner. Sissokho has a low shot parried. Goal! 0-2, Remy scores after chesting the ball down and poking past the keeper. Cabaye has a long range shot parried at the near post. Goal! 1-2, Cole chests the ball down before firing a shot that deflects off Williamson and under the keeper.
Half Time: 1-2.
Second Half: Remy has a shot parried. Cole scuffs a chance wide of the far post. Carroll volleys over the bar. Goal! 1-3, Cabaye scores with a free kick that goes in via the inside of the near post.
Full Time: 1-3.

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Cabaye. West Ham certainly had their chances but were unable to take enough of them. At 2-1 down they were still in the game but in their efforts to equalize they conceded a late goal to end the match. Great win for Newcastle who played really well. Encouraging stuff for Pardew and the Toon army. 

Sunderland 2 v 2 Southampton Rodriguez (4), Lovren (31), Borini (32), Johnson (71)
First Half: Goal! 0-1, Southampton take the lead as Rodriguez scores with a long range strike into the far side. A Shaw cross deflects onto the near post. Lambert volleys wide across goal. Rodriguez has a low shot saved. Goal! 0-2, Lovren scores with a volley into the far bottom corner following a corner. Goal! 1-2, Borini scores after chesting the ball down from a cross and beating Boruc at the far post. Lambert has a free kick parried away.
Half Time: 1-2.
Second Half: Rodriguez has a shot saved. Goal! 2-2, Sunderland level as Johnson scores with a fierce blast into the roof of the net. Gardner has an effort from the edge of the box parried at the far post.
Full Time: 2-2.

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Borini. Sunderland showed some real spirit today after coming back from 2-0 down to take a point from the match. They got off to a slow start and paid dearly for it but it was an important point gained in the end. Southampton dominated most of the match and rightly led 2-0. However, some poor defending let Sunderland back into the game whilst they failed to take more of their many chances. A point gained for the Saints but they should really have taken all three. 

Crystal Palace 1 v 0 Stoke City Puncheon (51)
First Half: Ward heads just wide of the far post. Wilson has a header well parried past the post. Pieters volleys wide of the near post.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Adam fires a low shot from the edge of the box just wide of the far post. Goal! 1-0, Palace take the lead as Puncheon scores with a low shot into the far bottom corner. Adam fires a long range blast just wide of the post. Ward has a fierce strike saved before the keeper makes a double save to deny both Puncheon and Ward. Puncheon has a low shot saved.
Full Time: 1-0.

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Puncheon. Palace deserved to win whilst Puncheon turned from villain to hero today. After missing a dreadful penalty last week, Puncheon put in a strong performance and got the winning goal. Three massive points which will build their confidence. Stoke came close to scoring but it just wasn't to be today. Not ideal for Stoke but they will keep battling away. 

Norwich City 1 v 0 Hull City Bennett (87)
First Half: Jelavic fires a low shot just wide of the near post. Rosenior volleys wide of the far post. Van Wolfswinkel misses with a low shot wide of the near post. Snodgrass has a long range shot parried.
Half Time: 0-0.
Second Half: Hooper volleys over from long range. Pilkington has a shot that deflects over the bar. Goal! 1-0, Norwich take the lead as Bennett heads in at the far side following a corner. Red Card! Huddlestone is sent off for a second yellow card. Bruce heads wide of the near post. 
Full Time: 1-0.

My Opinion:
My man of the match was Bennett. A massive win for Norwich who desperately needed that. It came with three minutes to go but it they held on during the game well and took their chance. Not Hull's best day as they had plenty of early chances which they wasted. Frustrating to lose so late into the game whilst losing Huddlestone may prove costly in games coming up. 

Best Goal: Y.Toure, Cazorla, Cabaye, Rodriguez, Lovren. Winner: Yaya Toure