Premier League hits and misses: Luton thrill, woe for Crystal Palace and Sheff Utd, while Tottenham blow lead | Football News

Spurs concede late once more – it’s a drawback

Ange Postecoglou was downbeat after seeing his aspect drop two factors in stoppage time and that late failing dangers undermining their spectacular performances this season. Tottenham have now conceded eight targets after the clock has struck 89 minutes.

That’s greater than another group within the Premier League this season and greater than Spurs have conceded in any full marketing campaign within the competitors’s historical past, which is a very worrying statistic. Particularly on condition that this was the first-choice defence.

Sean Dyche insisted that Guglielmo Vicario had not been particularly focused however anticipate groups to take action now. Nathan Ake bundled within the winner in opposition to them for Manchester Metropolis within the FA Cup in startingly related trend – that purpose coming within the 88th minute.

It’s 27 targets conceded in 15 Premier League video games now. Spurs are entertaining and that issues, engendering a sense of optimism underneath Postecoglou. However anticipate the person himself to wish to see his group be extra medical at each ends to win video games like this one.
Adam Bate

The place do Palace go from right here?

Crystal Palace are at a crossroads. For thus lengthy, mid-table stability, mixed with growing a smattering of thrilling younger gamers, has been sufficient for the south Londoners.

A lot of that stability has been offered by Steve Parish, whose backing helped to convey the membership up from the Championship, and Roy Hodgson, who has achieved a lot throughout two spells to maintain the Eagles within the Premier League.

However now lots of the supporters need extra. Shorn of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise for a lot of the season, Palace have slipped to simply 5 factors above the relegation zone, whereas profitable simply two of their final 14 video games.

Hodgson’s aspect have conceded 9 targets of their final two away video games, each of which noticed followers activate Parish and the board.

January’s funding in Adam Wharton and Daniel Munoz doesn’t seem to have placated the fanbase. With Hodgson aged 76 and solely having a contract till the tip of the season, a change within the dugout is unquestionably coming sooner quite than later.

However what then? Palace have the Twelfth-highest web spend over the previous 5 seasons and have been lacking arguably their three greatest gamers – Eze, Olise and Cheikh Doucoure – for large chunks of the marketing campaign.

Is it truthful to ask them to be attaining any greater than they already are? Palace supporters might wish to watch out what they want for.
Joe Shread

If Burnley survive, thank David Datro

David Datro Fofana was preventing a one-man battle at instances to hold Burnley to an unlikely level in opposition to Fulham.

Other than scoring each targets, he had as many opposition-box touches as anybody on the pitch besides Wilson Odobert, registered the very best xG on the pitch by greater than double, and nonetheless discovered time to make two tackles – one other match excessive.

He was even ok to present everybody else an hour-long head begin earlier than his introduction on the hour. His 30-minute cameo will not stay lengthy within the reminiscence exterior of Turf Moor however it’s definitely extra necessary than the draw he can declare he earned on his personal.

Burnley have been missing an X issue within the remaining third all season. Now they’ve it. Fofana is direct, he’s explosive, he’s bodily. How he solely scored as soon as at Union Berlin within the first half of the season is a thriller, as a result of he’s Premier League high quality.

He proved it at Manchester Metropolis in midweek, the place he was given one other half hour to impress and made Ameen Al-Dakhil’s late comfort and eventually gave Josko Gvardiol one thing of a take a look at.

He was unfortunate to not begin after that cameo. It will be gobsmacking if he isn’t on the group sheet at Liverpool subsequent weekend.

Burnley have each the second-worst assault and defence within the Premier League – so sitting nineteenth within the desk feels precisely proper. But it surely reveals Fofana’s speedy affect that he can rating one Twelfth of their season tally in lower than one half of soccer.

No-one expects him to repeat that goalscoring type from now till Could however there are indicators that he can present the power and high quality within the remaining third that has been missing.

That, coupled with the defensive additions of Maxime Esteve, who himself loved a gradual debut from the bench, and Lorenz Assignon, who assisted his first purpose, may give Burnley hope. And with a seven-point hole to security, that is about all anybody can ask proper now.
Ron Walker

Oggy, oggy, oggy!

There isn’t a coincidence that Luton’s fortunes have taken a major improve since Chiedozie Ogbene got here again into the aspect. With Issa Kabore on worldwide responsibility, Ogbene has been handed his probability as the precise wing-back in Luton’s fluid 3-4-3 formation.

Though able to mucking in and doing his duties with out the ball, his strengths are when the play turns over and he can stretch his legs. And boy can he stretch his legs. His direct working and added attacking outlet down the precise has seen Luton go unbeaten within the six matches Ogbene has performed. In that interval, they’ve scored 13 targets, together with eight of their final two Premier League encounters.

He is had an enormous affect in each the 4-0 win over Brighton and this 4-4 draw with Newcastle. In complete throughout his 180 minutes of motion, he made eight profitable dribbles. Dan Burn will not be sleeping effectively tonight having had his head spun by Ogbene’s wizardry and velocity with the ball. It was Burn’s foul on Ogbene that handed Luton the penalty that took them 3-2 up.

Solely Michael Olise, Jeremy Doku, Luca Koleosho and Mohammed Kudus common extra profitable dribbles per 90 this season than Ogbene (2.74) now. He’s among the many elite. An actual livewire.
Lewis Jones

Newcastle’s defence has collapsed

After 23 video games of final season, Newcastle had solely conceded 15 targets, the fewest within the Premier League by a avenue. This time round, the targets in opposition to column reads 37.

By no means has their defensive collapse been extra obvious than in Saturday’s bewilderingly open 4-4 draw with Luton. Rob Edwards’ aspect had been rewarded for his or her boldness. However it’s hardly stunning they went for it. Newcastle’s vulnerabilities are apparent.

Till pretty not too long ago, their struggles had been no less than restricted to their away video games. Not anymore. Following 3-2 and 3-1 losses to Manchester Metropolis and Nottingham Forest respectively, they’ve now conceded 10 targets of their final three Premier League clashes at St James’ Park.

Luton had been in a position to harm them in a number of methods, by way of the velocity of Chiedozie Ogbene in opposition to Dan Burn on the precise flank, by way of the time and area afforded to Ross Barkley in midfield, although the set-piece menace which Newcastle didn’t negate.

And but the again 4 that began Saturday’s sport is identical because the one which excelled for a lot of final season. It isn’t a easy query of personnel, it’s systemic. There are gaps proper throughout midfield. The urgent is disjointed. The arrogance is shot.

The actual fact they had been in a position to claw their means again from two targets down reveals their preventing spirit stays. However a season of strife might but worsen if their defensive points will not be resolved. Proper now, it’s tough to see an easy resolution.
Nick Wright

There is not any defending Sheffield United’s defending

If defending is an artform, Sheffield United have produced crimes in opposition to it this season.

This newest walloping by the hands of an Aston Villa, who ought to’ve been susceptible after a midweek 3-1 residence defeat to Newcastle, means the Blades have now shipped 59 Premier League targets in 23 video games. That common of two.56 targets shipped per sport means this Blades defence is formally the worst defence in Premier League historical past, at this stage of the season. No group has conceded extra after 23 video games.

The underlying metrics again up that stark file. The Blades have confronted probably the most photographs (390) and have the very best anticipated targets in opposition to (46.07) determine this season.

Any momentum gained by appointing membership legend Chris Wilder has disappeared into the abyss. He hasn’t helped himself at instances, both, within the seek for cohesion in his backline. In 9 Premier League video games in cost, he is named six totally different defensive line-ups. He does not know his greatest XI – and neither did his predecessor Paul Heckingbottom. The planning should begin now for subsequent season again within the Championship.
Lewis Jones

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