6 November 2011
BOLTON 5 (Davies 2, Eagles 23, Klasnic 61, Eagles 73, Klasnic 81)
STOKE 0
Bolton walloped Stoke at the Reebok in a reversal of the FA Cup semi final results from last season. The game began in controversial fashion as a looped ball back to his keeper by Glenn Whelan was ruled a back pass when Asmir Begovic caught it and with Stoke about to argue, Begovic then allowed Ivan Klasnic to take the ball, tap it to Kevin Davies who rolled it into an empty net. It was a nightmare start for the Stoke keeper who then misfit a clearance to Chris Eagles who took a touch and arrowed a belter into the bottom corner from way out on the left. After the break, Klasnic added a third with a fine first time shot from the edge of the area after being found by Paul Robinson and the fourth wasn't long in coming as Klasnic put Eagles through to clip over the keeper. The rout was completed by Klasnic with a close range header after David Wheater had nodded a corner goalwards.
Attendance : 20,028
Assists : Klasnic, n/a, Robinson, Klasnic, Wheater
FULHAM 1 (Kaboul 57 og)
TOTTENHAM 3 (Bale 10, Lennon 46, Defoe 95)
Spurs move level on points with Chelsea in fourth after a highly entertaining win at Fulham. Spurs took an early lead as Kyle Walker did well to find Aaron Lennon and although his ball across goal was kept out by keeper Mark Schwarzer only for Gareth Bale to thump it back across goal and in via the knee of back-tracking Chris Baird. Fulham held their own and had chances but Spurs doubled matters on half time and Lennon played a one-two with Bale in midfield and ran at his opponents, twisting Baird inside-out before firing across goal and inside the far post. Fulham looked for a way back after the break and almost got it when Brad Friedel was forced into tipping Brede Hangeland's bullet header over the bar, however it was a warning for Spurs as Fulham struck, albeit in a freak way as Danny Murphy's corner was headed against Younes Kaboul by his own player Ledley King and the ball flew into his own net. Suddenly it was game on as Baird stung Friedel's hands with a blistering drive and Clint Dempsey was through and having rounded the keeper was denied by King's tackle. Stoppage time turned into a crazy four minutes as a huge scramble resulted in Walker falling on the ball in his own six yard box and then almost grabbing it with both hands before Luka Modric bundled a header off the line. As Spurs looked to play out time, they wrapped the game up as Emmanuel Adebayor crossed for sub Jermaine Defoe to volley home.
Attendance : 25,698
Assists : Lennon, Bale, n/a, Adebayor
WOLVES 3 (O'Hara 31, Edwards 55, Ward 66)
WIGAN 1 (Watson 42)
Wigan remain rooted at the bottom after Wolves condemned them to their 8th defeat in a row. Wolves took the lead literally half a minute after Wigan's Hugo Rodallega missed a sitter, prodding wide with only the keeper to beat as Kevin Doyle crossed for Jamie O'Hara to wallop the ball in. The visitors did pull level after Stephen Hunt fouled Emerson Boyce and although Ben Watson's penalty was saved by Wayne Hennessey, Watson was first to the loose ball to score from the rebound. Wolves regained the lead when Karl Henry surged into the area and crossed for Hunt whose shot was saved by Ali Al-Habsi who then did brilliantly to claw out O'Hara's header before David Edwards thumped in from close range. Al Habsi was equally unlucky eleven minutes later as Wolves netted again as he saved from O'Hara again before Stephen Ward's deflected effort left him wrong footed. Christophe Berra thought he'd made it four but his powerful header was brilliantly kept out and pushed over the bar by Al Habsi. Late on, there was some handbags in the area and although no action was taken by the officials, replays showed Antolin Alcaraz spitting on Berra - I thought that despicable behaviour had gone out with Frank Rijkaard - and surely the FA will take retrospective action.
Attendance : 23,536
Assists : Doyle, n/a, O'Hara, O'Hara
5 November 2011
ARSENAL 3 (Van Persie 22, Vermaelen 39, Arteta 74)
WEST BROM 0
Arsenal's good form continued with a comfortable win against West Brom. The pattern of the game was set from the moment that Robin Van Persie put the Gunners ahead with a simple goal as he was left with a close range tap in after Theo Walcott's shot was saved. Before the break the lead was doubled as Van Persie turned provider when his volley across goal was thumped in by Thomas Vermaelen. Mikel Arteta wrapped it up after the break with Van Persie setting him up to fire into the corner from 20 yards.
Attendance : 60,091
Assists : Walcott, RVP, RVP
ASTON VILLA 3 (Bent 30, Agbonlahor 48, Bent 62)
NORWICH 2 (Pilkington 25 fk, Morison 77)
Aston Villa edged a five goal thriller as they came from behind to see off Norwich. The visitors led when Anthony Pilkington unleashed a stinging free kick which flew into the far corner. Villa took just five minutes to level as Gabriel Agbonlahor did brilliantly on the left and his low cross was bundled in by Darren Bent and then after the break Villa went ahead as Agbonlahor latched onto Leon Barnett's woefully underhit back pass to battle past the keeper and roll into the empty net. Bent added a third with another close range finish from an Agbonlahor cross and although Norwich pulled one back when Steve Morison headed in Grant Holt's far post cross but Villa held on.
Attendance : 35,290
Assists : Holt (won fk), Agbonlahor, Agbonlahor, Agbonlahor, Holt
BLACKBURN 0
CHELSEA 1 (Lampard 51)
Chelsea bounced back after back-to-back defeats with a narrow win at struggling Blackburn. The only goal came early in the second half as Branislav Ivanovic sent in a superb cross for Frank Lampard to head home. Blackburn came close to an equaliser when Ivanovic crashed a header against his own bar.
Attendance : 21,985
Assist : Ivanovic
LIVERPOOL 0
SWANSEA 0
Goalless at Anfield but not for the want of trying as Swansea gave hosts Liverpool a real run for their money. Andy Carroll should have done better early on for Liverpool but hit the bar from seven yards whilst Swansea's Mark Gower blazed over from a similar distance late on. Dirk Kuyt did get the ball in the net with two minutes to go but it was correctly ruled out for offside.
Attendance : 45,013
Assist : n/a
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (Brown 46 og)
SUNDERLAND 0
Man United celebrated 25 years in charge for Sir Alex Ferguson with an unconvincing win at home to Sunderland. The only goal came on half time as Danny Welbeck's goalbound header flicked off of ex-United defender Wes Brown.
Attendance : 75,570
Assist : n/a
NEWCASTLE 2 (Heitinga 12 og, Taylor 29)
EVERTON 1 (Rodwell 47)
Newcastle remain unbeaten in the league and go second ahead of the 3pm games with a narrow win against Everton. Newcastle led early with a little help from Everton defender Johnny Heitinga who diverted a cross from Danny Simpson into his own net as keeper Tim Howard looked set to collect the ball. Everton stepped up a gear and had chances as keeper Tim Krul saved from Jack Rodwell and Leon Osman whilst Louis Saha blazed over against his former club. It proved costly as the lead was doubled with a beauty from Ryan Taylor who collected a clearing header 25 yards out, chested the ball down and walloped a dipping drive into the far corner giving Howard no chance, however the visitors luck was well and truly out as Saha hit the inside of the post two minutes later. Everton deservedly pulled one back in first half stoppage time as Royston Drenthe's drilled corner was headed in firmly at the near post by Rodwell. After the interval, Saha had a good should for a penalty when his shot was handled wide by former Everton man Dan Gosling however a corner was awarded instead when a spot kick would not have been a surprise but in general, the first half lacked the attacking flair and excitement of the opening half. Newcastle's next two games are both away to the pair of Manchester clubs!
Attendance : 50,671
Assists : n/a, Ba, Drenthe
QPR 2 (Bothroyd 28, Helguson 69)
MANCHESTER CITY 3 (Dzeko 43, Silva 52, Toure 74)
Man City remain five points clear at the top but they were made to battle hard in a five goal cracker of a game at QPR. Rangers began well and could have gone ahead had Anton Ferdinand been a tad braver in going for a header near the far post but it only delayed the opener as Jay Bothroyd rose well to head in a free kick from Joey Barton and they almost doubled it when Joe Hart made an excellent Montgomery-style double save from Jamie Mackie and Heidar Helguson although in fairness the latter was offside for his close range headed effort. Bothroyd then almost repeated his feat but clipped the outside of the post with a header before City grabbed an equaliser before the break as James Milner sent Edin Dzeko away down the left and after cutting inside, he fired low inside the near post. City then came close to going ahead when Sergio Aguero's shot from the edge of the box also clipped the outside of the post. Rangers began the second half well as Barton's shot was well saved by Hart but again City took full advantage and struck shortly afterwards as Dzeko crossed for David Silva and as the defence expected him to lay it off, he took a touch and turned in one movement and drilled low inside the post. Rangers battled back and Mackie volleyed over from a good position before the leveller arrived as ? crossed for Bothroyd to head goalwards and it flicked off of the back of Helguson and flew into the top corner. City appealed for offside but replays proved that it was a valid goal with Stefan Savic playing Helguson on. For all their craft, City regained the lead with such a simple goal in its inception as Kolarov crossed for Yaya Toure to send a header flying past the keeper. Enter Mario Balotelli from the bench for City who wasted no time in getting booked for diving! Helguson then thumped a header against the bar before keeper Paddy Kenny came up for a late corner but to no avail.
Attendance : 18,076
Assists : Barton (fk), Milner, Dzeko, Traore, Kolarov
Gary Dowden - Joint Admin YahooGroups Premier-L list
http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/premier-l/
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