Man Utd problems still obvious despite Fulham win and are Tottenham boring? – Premier League hits and misses | Football News

A feeling of victory – but United’s problems are still visible

Ruben Amorim had stressed the importance of result rather than performance before Man Utd’s 1-0 win at Fulham and he hopes the momentum gained from picking up three points on the road can give his side a boost.

They certainly looked like they needed it for the majority of this game. United’s caution was evident as they defended in numbers and looked for the safe option in possession. It was notable before the game that Fulham had been listed as favorites – and the visitors played up to their underdog label.

This result will not mask the problems Amorim needs to resolve. He himself noted the lack of thrust in the final third and the question marks over Rasmus Hojlund and his replacement Joshua Zirkzee remain. Alejandro Garnacho, a player they may well sell before the deadline, seemed most likely to provide a spark amid an otherwise uninspiring offense. Fulham, despite a poor attacking record themselves, almost belatedly exposed this well-documented United weakness.

Yet with a Europa League trip to Bucharest on Thursday followed by home games against Crystal Palace and then Leicester in the FA Cup, United may have a chance to build a positive momentum to improve their short-term prospects. The whole situation remains a major work in progress.
Pete Smith

“Tottenham Hotspur boring and boring?”

Ange Postecoglou is famous for his attack, attack and attack style. You score two, we’ll score three, buddy.

This is the reason why he reached the top of football management. But some signs are starting to emerge that his football is pretty easy to stop. Even Leicester, who have conceded an average of 2.5 goals per game in their last nine matches, managed to limit Spurs to scraps in terms of creating chances in their 2-1 win.

Yes, fatigue is a big problem for Postecoglou and his injured team, but creating 1.1 expected goals against a team that has every chance of playing championship football again next season isn’t enough when considering consider the heights of this team. struck under the great Australian.

As time ticked down and Spurs looked for an equalizer, even the boost provided by seven extra minutes in their favor provided no momentum. That figure could have been 70 minutes and Spurs still wouldn’t have found an equalizer. Their attacks were predictable and lacked quality. Over their last 13 games, Spurs have averaged just 1.3 expected goals per 90 and have struggled to defeat the likes of Wolves, Ipswich and now Leicester.

Are you not amused? No, I wasn’t today.
Lewis Jones

West Ham shows improvements under Potter

Four games at West Ham and West Ham are starting to show signs of life under Graham Potter. After a lukewarm performance against Crystal Palace last weekend, something was needed to prove that things are going in the right direction.

And Hammers supporters might have feared the worst in the first 10 minutes of the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa – but once their side found their footing, they didn’t let go.

They may have been helped by Villa’s disarray once Tyrone Mings was replaced, but the advantage of these situations should not be allowed to slip away.

Max Kilman should be credited with keeping West Ham in the game when they were under pressure, and Lucas Paqueta with leading the Hammers’ comeback.

Since Potter’s arrival, West Ham’s numbers have continued to rise. Their performance, especially in the second half, was more akin to what Potter is doing and what the Hammers want to see.

It’s now a question of consistency. Can they give up the slow start? Can the draw be transformed into a victory? Hopefully these questions will be answered in the coming weeks.
Charlotte Marais

Brentford’s original penalty tip sums them up as a club

Brentford are a football club constantly looking for marginal gains and in the 2-1 win at Crystal Palace we saw another one.

As Bryan Mbeumo prepared for his retaken penalty, Yoane Wissa and Keane Lewis-Potter were seen celebrating even as the Brentford talisman wandered over to make contact with the ball.

“It’s like a distraction to maybe put the goalkeeper off,” Jamie Redknapp said. “I’ve never seen that in my life, it’s crazy!”

When asked if it was a tactic or just self-confidence, Thomas Frank added: “They are very good friends, they know each other very well and so probably a bit of both .”

It’s no surprise then that Brentford have a 95% success rate in the Premier League, the best ratio in the competition’s history.

Apart from the reputation for scoring in the first minute that they have delighted fans with this season, this is another in a long list of original tactics up the Bees’ sleeve.
Sam Blitz

Esse’s dream debut at Palace

For two seasons, Romain Esse had distinguished himself in the Championship as one of Millwall’s most promising players and, when he left the club on January 18, he had played 66 times for the Lions. He won’t be 20 until May.

So there were no surprises when he was bought by Crystal Palace for a fee that could rise to £14.5 million.

Esse was immediately introduced into the Eagles first team and made his debut as a late substitute in the game against Brentford, with Oliver Glasner’s side trailing 2-0. His impact was almost instantaneous, with his first goal coming just 119 seconds after his introduction.

He became the first teenager to score on his Premier League debut (19 years, 258 days) since Rayan Ait-Nouri for Wolves in October 2020 (19 years, 146 days).

It didn’t spark the comeback Palace wanted, but it immediately endeared Esse to the Selhurst Park faithful and as a new player you can’t ask for much more than that.
Dan Long