#EPL #Week12 #Five things we learnt this past week.

Week #12 resumes with a bang,  from the boring international break, and there were goals aplenty from every corner. Everton fc continue their resurgence, after winning a point from their 2-2 draw at the Selhurst park. Manchester united and Lukaku return to good form, as their noisy neighbors continue their steady march towards the English Premier league title. Liverpool made light work of Southampton, as Sean Dyche's Burnley kept all three points for themselves, against the Swans. Also, there were wins for London clubs, Chelsea and Arsenal, meaning only Tottenham dropped points of the top six. 

But what exactly did we come away with this past week on the Epl? 

1. Poch’s fear of failure would only kill Tottenham’s hot spur. 

Argentine coach, Mauricio Pochettino, has catapulted Tottenham from what they were to the world beaters that they are now, but how much longer before the fans grow tired of the fact that beating the best of the best doesn’t always translate into successes? 

The former Espanyol head coach has won widespread praise for transforming Spurs into one of the Premier League's strongest sides, with surprise title challenges in 2015-16 and 2016-17 sustained until the final weeks of the season. But it has been what it has been really- just mere “challenges”. Tottenham do not seem to have what it takes to actually go on and finish off the job. More specifically, Mauricio Pochettino does not seem to understand that he needs to learn how to motivate his charges to go and finish up jobs that has already been started. In the premier league, they drop points in matches were they are top favorites to win. Inconsistency has been the bane of the club from the north of London. 

Before the London derby at the Emirates, Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, had revealed, in a news conference, that the only way to go about winning a first trophy was “by keeping your nerves and getting the players to focus on what is important". He further went on to say, "at some stages, by fighting a little bit against your inhibitions – the fear that you won't get over the line. Basically, you need to focus on what is important and not focus on the trophy too much.

"You always do [feel anxiety]. It is always difficult to finish a job as, it must be difficult to finish a book. It is difficult to finish any job."

Arsene Wenger might not be a professor in winning trophies as such, but he isn’t far from the truth really. Pochettino, as good a coach as he is, has failed in finishing off jobs. Hence trophies have eluded him. The closest he ever came to winning one, asides the close EPL chases, was an EFL Cup final defeat to Chelsea in 2015. 

On match day, against Arsenal, Pochettino’s lads showed a major sign of Atychiphobia- Withdrawal. Like always, they backed down when the heat became tougher. They retreated when Alexis Sanchez and Co began to assault them. They hardly had chances at Cech’s goal, and when they did, it hit the stands. And when the gunners went 2 goals up in the first half, Tottenham didn’t know how to come back from that, so they remained in a recluse. 

Mauricio and Tottenham needs to come out of their shell and face their problems head on. They need to discipline themselves in consistency. Only then would they become title winners. Otherwise, they are but mere ‘title challengers’. 

2. Kelvin Debruyne is the best player in the Epl… so far. 

Sometimes, stories are written in the stars.  Even still, they don't get more interesting than the Kevin De Bruyne story. After failing to fully hit the heights that he has now, whilst under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, he was shipped out to German side Wolfsburg in the summer of 2014 for just €18 million. From that very season he became a fan favorite at the Volkswagen Arena as he managed to rack up both assists and goals to help his side qualify for the continental championship. Chelsea lost a gem, and he became the chief corner stone at VFL Wolfsburg.

Fast forward to today, De bruyne has become a mainstay in Pep Guardiola's high flying Manchester City team. His knack for notching up assists cannot be overstressed, as everything he touches turns to goals (3 goals, 6 assists in 12 Epl apps).  And this week, against Leciester City, the Belgian shone like a million stars. 

Having initially struggled to break down the resilient Leciester City defence, the Cityzens finally got their breakthrough on the stroke of half time following wonderful one touch play from the quartet of Kelvin Debruyne, Raheem Sterling, David Silva and Gabriel Jesus. Raheem Sterling had started a marauding run down the centre and then found Debruyne, who in turned laid a beautiful one touch pass back to Sterling. He then spotted the run of David Silva and played it one time to the Spaniard, and a cross across the post meant Gabriel Jesus had to do as much as tap the ball into an empty net, after the Keeper had been beaten by the final pass from Silva. 

In the second half, it was more of the same really, as the former Chelsea prodigy led the onslaught against Leciester city. And in the 49th minute, Kevin Debruyne made it two nil. The Citizens had broken off on yet another counter attack down the opponents goal, with Debruyne squaring the ball far wide to Sane who was already in full flight. The German winger cuts into the box and plays the the ball back to the fleet footed Belgian, who takes a first touch with his right and then whacks an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Schimeichel, with his left. 

Although there is more to his game than goals, the former Wolfsburg man currently has 3 goals and 6 assists in 12 EPL games this season, and who is to say he wouldn’t get more. 

3. Paul Pogba resumes to propel Man United 4ward. 

Tongues wagged and eyes twitched, last season, when Manchester United’s Ed Woodward sanctioned a move to resign Paul Pogba from Juventus for the then record fee of €89 million pounds. However heated the debate on the amount churned out to sign the French midfielder was, there was no argument about the player’s quality really. The former Juventus player is easily one of the best in his position, and against Newcastle, he proved once again how good a player he is. 

Having sat out almost two months of action, following his thigh injury in the champions league match against Swiss club, Basel, the French whizkid returned to the pitch with devastating effect for Manchester united. Paired alongside Nemanja Matic in the heart of the United midfield, the French genius looked to wreck havoc from the first blast of the whistle. He constantly drove the united team forward from a deep position, picking up the ball from deep in the midfield and linking up with the attackers intelligently. Although Rafael Benitez’ men had taken an early lead, Paul Pogba combined well with Anthony Martial for the latter  to head home an equalizer. The French man had the beating of Newcastle’s Murphy, not once but three times, on the right side of the box, before chipping in a delectable cross that had many united fans up on their feet even before Martial rose to meet the ball in mid air.

Although Chris Smalling’s first goal of the Epl season, and United second on the day, had ensured that Manchester united had completed the comeback, it wasn’t until Pogba tapped in from Marcos Rashford’s cushioned down header that Newcastle were truly beaten. Romelu Lukaku added a fourth, after beating two defenders, with brute force, and blasting the ball into the roof of the net, to drive home the nail that sealed the coffin. 

Statistically speaking, Paul Pogba is one of the most creative players in the United team, and they cannot avoid to have him miss as much matches as he has these past week. He is the driving force behind this team’s 4ward match, and little wonder almost everytime he has been on the pitch for them this season, they've scored 4 goals or more. 

4. Wilfred Zaha is building for himself a crystal palace. 

Former Manchester united winger, Wilfred Zaha, has been described in some quarters as one of the best all round players in the English premiership. Their argument is not a misplaced one as the young man from the Ivory coast, has all the elements to be a footballing great. He possesses the rare triple threat combo of skill, strength and speed, and this skill set would only propel him to even greater heights, according to soccer pundits. 

Although Zaha couldn’t cut his teeth at the Theatre of Dreams, he left and joined the landlords of Selhurst Park, Crystal palace, in the 2014/15 season. He has since made a home for himself there. Since making his debut for Crystal Palace, the 25yr old has gone on to make over a hundred premier league appearances for the Eagles, managing to score 16 EPL goals in that duration. 

Although injury has limited him to just six EPL appearances this season, he boasts a goal ratio of a goal every other game, having found the back of the net three times already in the EPL. Coincidentally, whilst he was injured, the Eagles suffered a dip in form and are battling to survive troubled waters. 

Zaha’s return from injury has lit a fire under Palace. He came back to score against Chelsea, seizing all three points for the Eagles, then when West Ham came visiting, he scored a 90+7 minute equalizer to share the spoils. In the weekend, his goal had put his team 2-1 up versus struggling Everton. Although the match ended in yet another 2-2 draw for the Eagles, it is evident that Zaha lifts the whole team with his positivity. He is at home in Palace, and Roy Hodgson had better work with that, build the team around him, otherwise Palace gets relegated.

5. Conte sees that Fabregas oils the tool Morata uses to wreck Hazard 

Chelsea has started a revival of some sort and are gradually pushing towards where they ought to be on the log, as expected of the defending EPL champions. It might be late a late resurgence,  considering how far gone Manchester City are, but it is indeed a necessary revival, having initially started the season in a lukewarm manner. Earlier in the week, their Italian manager had said the players needed to rediscover their hunger, and fight for every ball like they did in the preceding season. In typical fashion, and as expected from an Antonio Conte team, the players had responded with a bang, putting four past the hapless Ben Foster in Westbromwich Albions goal. 

Having remodeled his formation to a 3-5-2 with Eden Hazard partnering Alvaro Morata up top  and Timoue Bakayoko just behind them, in the number 10 position, the Blues ran riot. The Fabregas-Kante partnership in the middle of the park ensured that the attackers got enough services to wreck hazard on the Baggies defence line. In particular, Cesc Fabregas was in top form in the ‘Andrea Pirlo’ position, as he regularly flung passes to Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata, who in turn go on to beat their markers with ease. For the first goal, the Belgian superstar number 10 had picked up a pass from the irrepressible Fabregas, danced through the Westbrom defence, and had his snapshot at goal rebound off Ben Foster, for Morata to tap in from close range. 

The lethal combo of Morata and Hazard was at it again for the second goal, as the latter stylishly flicked on a pass to the part of Chelsea’s reigning player of the season. He then coolly glides the ball past the on rushing goal keeper, and slot in calmly. 

Marcos Alonso added a third, to give the London club a 3-0 first half win, after yet another beautiful Cesc Fabregas assist, this time from a free kick just around the side of the Westbrom box. 

In the second half, Hazard got his second, and Chelsea’s fourth, following Fabregas’ perfectly flighted pass from a mile away into the Belgian’s path. Hazard took it down brilliantly, beating Egyptian defender, Hegazi, in the process. He feigned to shoot,  then rolls the ball on gently further into his right foot, before belting a right footed shot into the corner of the Baggies goal. 

Chelsea’s triple threat attack of Morata, Fabregas and Hazard did not only seal the deal  against the baggies, but might have also stamped Tony Pulis’ sack letter. 

Team of the week. 

This week's formation is modeled after Antonio Conte's masterclass that knocked out West brom and Tony Pulis (3-1-4-2) 

How they line out. 

                                       Cech

     Azpilicueta             Mustafi                Klavan

                                        Kante

    Pogba      Fabregas       Debruyne     Hazard 

                            Salah              Wilson    

Substitutes bench

1. Courtois

2. Chris Smalling

3. Raheem Sterling

4. David Silva

5. Alexis Sanchez

5. Wifried Zaha

COACH.... Arsene Wenger

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