Premier League Round Five: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

The Good

Spectacular Goals

What a weekend it was for great goals! Let’s start with two phenomenal goals scored at Old Trafford between Manchester United and Liverpool FC.

Christian Benteke booted in a beautiful overhead kick to pull Liverpool FC within one of Manchester United with just a few minutes remaining in the match.

This finish redeemed what had been a poor game for Christian Benteke, but not all of his doing. The big Belgian forward was starved of service for much of the match as his teammates struggled to play the ball out from the back.

Even still, it looked to be game on until …

Anthony Martial took center stage by skinning Martin Skrtel and sublimely finishing with a cool shot into the far side netting. Football’s most expensive teenager made a flying start to his Manchester United career by scoring a decisive and memorable goal against the club’s arch-rivals. (Skip video to 2:20 for Martial’s goal).

From two superb individual goals to two wonderfully worked team goals.

Ryan Mason finished off a fantastic sequence of passes to score the only goal of the match just eight minutes from full time. Tottenham Hotspur desperately needed three points away to Sunderland FC, and Ryan Mason delivered.

Next up is the free kick routine utilized by Manchester United to score the opening goal of their 3-1 defeat of Liverpool.

United had three players near the top of the box. When the three Manchester United players ran towards goal it brought the Liverpool FC defenders with them, which vacated the space at the top of the box. Daley Blind ran onto it and curled the shot home perfectly to give the Red Devils the lead.

These next two goals came from outstanding long passes over the top of the defense.

During Arsenal’s 2-0 home victory versus Stoke City, Francis Coquelin makes a great tackle on a Stoke player. The ball then goes to Mesut Ozil who takes a quick look up the field and pings a brilliant ball over the top to Theo Walcott. His control and first touch is brilliant, which allows him to slot home past Jack Butland (who played a fantastic game himself).

https://twitter.com/futygoals/status/642711489384706048

Watford FC ended their three match scoreless run with a 1-0 victory at home to Swansea City. Watford FC scored the goal in the 59^th minute of the match when Heurelho Gomes took a superb goal kick which went over the top of the defense and found Troy Deeney, who then laid off a perfectly weighted header for Odion Ighalo to slot home.

Tony Pulis’ post-match comments and Stuart Attwell (match official for West Brom v. Southampton)

Referees have earned a ton of grief through the first four editions of the good, the bad and the ugly, so it is only right that I give them credit when they make good calls on tough plays.

Stuart Attwell had a decision to make when Callum McManaman appeared to be fouled in the box by Southampton’s Matt Targett. Attwell decided against awarding the penalty kick.

After the match you would have thought West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis would have been furious, but he agreed with the decision.

These quotes are courtesy of goal.com:

"“I’ve looked at it and I think Callum’s feet actually go up from under him and I don’t think the player has touched him,” Pulis said. “I’ll be having a chat with Callum on Monday.” “The referee and the linesman made a fantastic decision and they deserve a lot of credit for it,” Pulis said."

It is refreshing to see a manager take a hardline stance against diving, and not blatantly disagree with a correct ruling from the referee.

Jack Butland

The Stoke City keeper makes his second appearance of the season on ‘the good’. Jack Butland was phenomenal against Arsenal. If not for him, then Stoke City would have suffered a tremendous beating, one that would have made the scoreline match the wide disparity in play on the field.

Jack Butland has been phenomenal this season. According to whoscored.com, Jack Butland’s match rating was 8.24 against Arsenal. Also from whoscored, Jack Butland’s 7.34 average match rating ranks as the best in the Premier League for his position. During a season which has been extremely tough for The Potters, Jack Butland has been a bright spot, so much so that there have been calls for Jack Butland to earn more playing time with the England National Team.

Next: The Bad