The improvement of Aaron Lennon’s crossing, Michael Essien’s advanced role and Sunderland’s discipline all dealt with
1. Tottenham Hotspur have Aaron Lennon to thank
Jermain Defoe has deservedly hogged the headlines after scoring five goals for Spurs against a shambolic Wigan Athletic defence, but the Latics’ destruction had twin architects. Aaron Lennon’s searing pace has long made him difficult to ignore as an attacking option for successive Tottenham managers since his transfer from Leeds four years ago, but in the past 18 months he has added control and greater perception of when to deliver a cross – not always immaculate – which makes him as devastating a right-winger as any in the Premier League since the heyday of Andrei Kanchelskis in Manchester United’s first Premier League title sides. The torment Lennon inflicted on Erik Edman bordered on sadism and exposed the visitors’ vulnerability that Defoe so clinically exploited. The striker, with his tongue wedged firmly into his cheek, was thankful he had decided to wear silvery-pink boots rather than the green ones his sponsors had provided. Defoe knows, though, that Lennon rather than any sartorial selection laid the foundations for him to be lionised by his manager this morning as “the best finisher in England”.
2. Chelsea’s title favouritism is richly deserved
Chelsea have now gone 10 games at Stamford Bridge since the visit of Hull City on the opening day of the season without conceding a goal. Their home defensive impregnability was never tested too severely by Wolves and the focus for praise fell squarely on Carlo Ancelotti’s midfield where, in the absence of Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Deco, in came Joe Cole, Florent Malouda and Mikel John Obi to demonstrate that the Blues have more match-winning options in their squad than any of their title rivals. Michael Essien, playing further forward than in recent games to accommodate Mikel at the base of the diamond, took the licence his manager had given him to disrupt Wolves’ containing strategy at every opportunity. Linking up brilliantly with the underrated Juliano Belletti, he repeatedly ran Wanderers’ midfield ragged and coupled with the fluid movement of Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou, turned the match into a cakewalk. It also set the platform for Gaël Kakuta’s impudent cameo and he demonstrated with the subtlety of his touch just what all the fuss has been about. Chelsea’s critics highlight their lack of strength in depth but no other club enjoys the quality resources Ancelotti has at his disposal. They are rightly title favourites.
3. Manchester City and Liverpool are susceptible to sucker punches
Defensive frailty is still costing Liverpool and Manchester City dear. In particular, slackness at set pieces – Emmanuel Adebayor letting Martin Skrtel steal ahead of him to hook in the opener and the Togo centre-forward’s amends-making unchallenged equaliser – defined a lukewarm match. By the time the goals came, both sides were one starting centre-half down. But whoever the personnel, the lack of concentration remains far more culpable than any particular marking system and it continues to leave them susceptible to the sucker punch. If only horse placenta treatment came in Steve Foster-style headband form.
4. We’re in the midst of a veterans’ renaissance
The days when Lee Bowyer, David Dunn and Jimmy Bullard featured in England squads have long since passed but each in their performances at the weekend hinted that their recovery from injury, ennui and being cast to the peripheries may make them crucial to their clubs’ survival prospects. According to his former team-mate, Robbie Savage, Dunn’s unwillingness to track back has held back his career, but for Blackburn Rovers against Bolton Wanderers he was back to the barnstorming best that characterised his first spell at Ewood Park. Bullard seems to give Hull belief and perhaps his enjoyment, cheek and willingness to gamble has finally given the Tigers the on-field leadership they have lacked for more than a year. Bowyer fell further than his Blackburn and Hull counterparts in unproductive spells at Newcastle and West Ham but he looks a man reborn at Birmingham City and has harnessed his relentless running to become Blues’ most influential player and plays the sort of probing passes Barry Ferguson was bought to provide. Survival takes more than having a talisman but it’s a good starting point.
5. Sunderland extol the virtues of coherence and discipline
Sunderland’s midfield resilience in the absence of Lee Cattermole allowed them to stifle Arsenal and add another big four victim to their record this season. Having already defeated Liverpool and allowing Manchester United to emerge with only a lucky point, Steve Bruce’s side has shown the value that his organisational skills and eye for a player have brought to the Stadium of Light. The way in which Jordan Henderson stuck to his task of shadowing Cesc Fábregas and the responsibility Lorik Cana took on his shoulders to orchestrate a five-man midfield to harry Arsenal’s ball-players deserves respect and bore fruit when the lacklustre visitors were gradually worn down. Critics of Sunderland point to the fact they lead the Premier League in terms of fouls committed, but there is more to them than naked aggression and belligerent resistance. They have what a lot of teams lack – a coherent strategy and the discipline to exercise it.
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