The Game

Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd join Tom Clarke for Monday’s edition of The Game.

Four games and four talking points from the weekend’s fixtures. A statement win from Liverpool against in form Bournemouth and two strikers hit form in Jota and Nunez. Are the reds capable of winning the title?

At Bramall Lane the tail of two penalties, one that was and one that wasn’t but which way round was it? And do we need an orange card?

Arsenal returned with a bang, they’re the set piece kings but will they need more than that to stay in the title race.

Finally, Ivan Toney returned amid great fan fare but more than lived up to his billing.

Timeline:

Bournemouth v Liverpool

4’ Liverpool were clinical. Young players stepped up.

5’ still not convinced on Nunez. Will he do it consistently?

6’ Liverpool have a character and mentality of scoring, wildness,

7’ not much control but swashbuckling, front foot attacking. Unstable but gets results.

8’ Klopp’s half time changes and in game changes are very effective and exciting.

10’ Klopp seems happy and creative again. Generating excitement after 8yrs at a club, not easy.

11’ Klopp likes to promote younger academy players; he seems to trust them.

15’ improvement from Bournemouth but just not the cutting edge.

17’ Title chances…

Sheff Utd v West Ham

18’ Brewsters red card…was it or wasn’t it?

20’ Does ‘getting in the refs ear’ make any difference?

24’  The mystery penalty…where was the foul?

26’ Hard to see a foul from Ariola, similarly at the other end, not obvious, Bowen was six of one half a dozen of the other.

29’ looking grim for Sheff Utd. Wilder has had an effect but not quite managing to turn draws into wins.

31’ Sheff Utd don’t play with fatalism, they play with fearlessness, energy and camaraderie.

33’ Tight at the bottom. Forest look like a team who could take a points deduction and survive. Sheff Utd will get better.

Arsenal v Palace

35’ Arsenal have best record from set pieces in Premier League.

36’ level of detail in set piece coaching, almost like a dance routine. Almost a different coach for set pieces.

37’ a lot of the time it is about blocking.

38’ are the blocks technically fouls? Fouls and counter fouls going back and forth.

41’ But is it enough to keep arsenal in the title race. If they are starved of set pieces will they be bale to score?

43’ Lacking creativity, especially centrally. Not hectic but more structured and as a result predictable…?

44’ Is it still a three-team title race?

45’ Arsenal not hit their stride, yet they are still right in the title race.

Brentford v Nottingham Forest

46’ Ivan Toney has great self-confidence.

47’ Gregor played with Toney as a 17 year old. Mentality, confidence and belief.

50’ to cope with all the noise around his return and still play well. Shows and elite mindset.

51’ He visualised it all happening.

53’ The power of the mind. He said all the things  he would do and he is doing them.

54’ Thomas Frank deserves credit for the way he has handled Toney.

59’ how many mangers would have sanctioned an enormous bill board and gardy promo? But they trusted Toney and knew he was ready.