Chelsea v Southampton, Crystal Palace v Aston Villa, and more: football – live
Key events
GOAL! Chelsea 3-0 Southampton (Colwill 44)
A free-kick 25 yards out, curled nicely towards the back post by Neto, and Colwill arrives on to it nicely, powering a header into the net, and this could get severe.
At the Amex, Bournemouth have, for now at least, taken over. Kluivert is conducting, and I’d not be surprised to see Huerzler change something.
Eric Dun notes that, in the Copa del Rey, Atlético lead Barcelona 2-1 … no, it’s now 2-2. After 27 minutes!
Phew!
GOAL! Chelsea 2-0 Southampton (Neto)
Another lovely goal! Nkunku holds up, spins, and feeds into the box, down its left-hand side; Neto runs on to it, then dismissively leathers a lovely finish inside the near post.
GOAL! Brighton 1-1 Bournemouth (Kluivert 62)
Kluivert picks up possession 30 yards out, inside-left channel, oozes forward, and swipes across a brute that flies, shrieking and hissing, into the far top corner!
GOAL! Crystal Palace 2-1 Aston Vlla (Mateta 59)
Oh my days! Good, sharp ball into Eze, his back to goal, he and Disasi colliding. But the ball breaks to Mateta, on the edge, and he punishes a first-time finish left-footed inside the near post, halfway up. He can’t help himself!
Now, at the other end, Sancho does well to drift inside and find Palmer, who opens his body and you can almost see him pass it into the far corner … except the ball goes wide.
Back at the Bridge, Suleimana nicks a yard down the left, stands up a cross, and Onuachu is up! But Jorgensen makes a fine save, tipping over the top; that’ll do him the world of good.
Rogers is the kind of player I think – and, in a way, fear – is changing football. One of things I most love about the actual playing is that there’s room for your Crouches and your Juninhos, your Riquelmes and your Puskases. But nowadays, the big lads have feet, and a if you’ve a big lad and a little lad of equivalent abilities, you’re clearly going with the former.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-1 Aston Villa (Rogers 52)
Morgan Rogers is a player! Goodness me he’s a player! A long punt forward, flicked on by Watkins, sees Rogers bounding on to it, nipping between two defenders and seemingly forced a little wide by Richards. But a fantastic pirouette on the move, inside towards goal, allows him to drag an expert’s finish inside the near post. Brilliant behaviour.
And you can, of course, check all the EFL scores by clicking on the link at the top of this page.
Elsewhere, in the Women’s Nations League, Northern Ireland trail 1-2 at home to Bosnia and Scotland lead Netherlands 1-0.
In the SPL, Celtic lead Aberdeen 2-0 – I reckon they might nick the league this season.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Southampton (Nkunku 24)
Chelsea have been tepid so far, but they win a corner down the right, Adarabioyo wins the flick, and Nkunku tucks away at the far post.
I guess Emi Martinez is injured: he’s been replaced by Robin Olsen.
GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-2 Fulham (Muniz 47)
They did it at the start of the first and now they’ve done it at the start of the second! Traore swerves a lovely pass in behind, Muniz is on to it, and when Sa comes charging to the edge – there’s no need to, he has cover – he makes Muniz’s mind up for him a deft sink looping over the keeper and into the net.
Off we go again in our early games.
There’s not loads going on at Stamford Bridge, and the crowd don’t seem to trust Filip Jorgensen, Chelsea’s young keeper. It gets jittery every time he’s got the ball.
We mentioned Guardiola below, and one thing for which he might be criticised is the players he’s let leave City, whom they could well use now: Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia and Jeremie Frimpong. It’s difficult when you’ve a top side, but that’s management at the top: regenerating while still winning.
Looking at the Brighton penalty again, Pedro properly knocks the ball away so Kepa, committed to the challenge can’t get it, but also in the knowledge that he won’t be able to get it either; essentially, he swaps the penno for a clattering. And obviously it’s impossible to argue with the award, but it doesn’t look right to me – it’s a player playing the laws.
Chelsea have got Pedro Netto through the middle. I don’t suppose they’ve many options, but I’d be inclined to get him in his position and put someone else central. Meantime, Sancho – on the right, which tends not to work well due to his lack of gas and strength – arcs a fantastic low cross through the corridor, and of course there’s no striker there to attack it.
“Yes, some of the current Arsenal squad look spent,” reckons Charles Antaki, “but those are the ones likely to go as soon as a buyer can be found: your Zinchenkos, your Jorginhos, your two other three others. The stalwarts look good, indeed terrific in some obvious cases. There doesn’t seem to be the signs of played-outness that, for example, Man City are showing. The key is indeed signing somebody upfront – as Ian Little said, additions have been made from the base forwards, and when money is found for that, the wheels will start to turn again. Praying will help too, of course.”
I don’t know – obviously a proper centre-forward will help a lot, but I don’t think it’s the difference between champions and not. There’s a decent chance the title is won with fewer points than Arsenal have managed the last two seasons, and they even injured Rodri, for Liverpool to benefit. That must be a right sickener.
HALF-TIME: Brighton 1-0 Bournemouth
Brighton are well worth their lead.
HALF-TIME: Crystal Palace 1-0 Aston Villa
Unai Emery does not look impressed.
We’re under way at Stamford Bridge. I’ll get that game on now it’s half-time at Molineux, where Wolves and Fulham are level at 1-1.
“I love Rashy” says Pramith Pillai, “and I hope he plays for United again. However a one in seven billion tag is a bit much. In my opinion, Rashford was never as good as Rooney when it came to talent, hunger, or anything else that could have propelled him to be a footballing great even in a supportive environment. Rooney had many more off-field troubles, but he kept showing up and performing for an underperforming England team and a successful United team. Still, it’ hard enough to be an admirable human being in our world and Rashy did that part well.”
When I said he was one in seven billion, I meant he would be if he wasn’t affected by his environment, i.e. all humans are. And the difference with Rooney is that he knew he was competing for the big pots every season, so there was something riding on him and something he’d miss if he didn’t put it in. Rashford, like De Gea before him, was eventually ground down by the mess.
NO GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-0 Aston Villa
It was close, but it was definitive.
VAR wants a look. Was Watkins offside?
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-1 Aston Villa (Rogers 42)
Rogers drives form halfway, of course he does, feeds Watkins in behind, then when the cut-back from the by-line arrives, he’s in the box to punch home.
“So have you any evidence to suggest that Guardiola can resurrect a struggling team?” asks Geoff Wignall. “He’s been much lauded over the years by some very well qualified judges, so must have something. And he was quite the innovator at first. But he started out making his name with the greatest midfield and the greatest player in history; then took over a Bayern team that you or I could have coached to the Bundesliga title, but basically failed in Europe. From there he went to the world’s richest club, one that had been structured to accommodate his methods and needs, where he’s achieved domestic dominance but again underperformed in Europe. Coaching genius? Or not?”
It’s true, he’s never stayed anywhere long enough to rebuild, but I don’t think we can sensibly argue he’s no kind of football genius. I agree he’s had a lot in his favour, but the midfield and Messi you mention? It was he who put it together – who, say, relied on Busquets in the 2009 Champions League final – and who moved Messi to the middle – and he who changed the game for a generation. Even if he never wins another game, like Mourinho he’s already a great.
Back at Palace, Sarr arrives on to a cross, but Martinez parries his first-time effort, then can’t control his shot when the rebound arrives at his feet. There’s a proper tempo to all of these games.
Brighton hit the post Baleba, Minteh and Rutter combine, setting Lamptey away down the right. He crosses well, Mitoma adjusts really well to hook a bouncing ball goalwards … and hits the inside of the far post! That’s lovely football.
Palace have just had Will Hughes booked; in the process he earns himself a two-game suspension.
Bournemouth have’t mustered much, but as I type, a ball from Kluivert sets Semenyo away at inside-left. He might go for placement – if he gets it right, he scores – but instead wellies it and, though Verbruggen dives away from it, the shot cannons his legs and flies to safety.
“I quite agree with you about Baleba,” says Dean Kinsella. “Very good all-round footballer. Tonight he is partnered in midfield by Gomez. He also looks extremely talented. Where do Brighton keep finding them?”
Tony Bloom’s algorithm innit? But yes, it turns out there’s something to be said for smart people doing their research, buying what they need not what they fancy, and integrating them into a settled and calm environment.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-0 Aston Villa (Sarr 29)
Palace keep it alive after a corner goes short and Eze’s cross misses everyone, Wharton crossing and Richards heads down, Martinez palming out … but straight to Sarr, who taps in to marks his 27th birthday with a goal.
Bournemouth have made a change already, the injured Ryan Christie replaced by Alex Scott.
Anyway, enough football and on to the important stuff: who has a better beach, Brighton or Bournemouth? I’m going with the latter – the Jurrasic coast canes the Sussex coast – and i had some belting soft-serve there in the summer.
GOAL! Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Fulham (Joao Gomes 18)
Oh, football. Oh, Ryan.Garcia crosses well from the left after a gorgeous nutmeg-pass from Ait-Nouri, Semedo’s swing contacts little leather, Sessegnon alongside him kicking fresh air, and the ball falls beautifully for Gomes, who thrashes into the roof.
“Was wondering why you believe it is Arsenal that is over the apex, something I believe you expressed this weekend in the MB,” writes Ian Little. “Wouldn’t the obvious choices be City and Liverpool, given the age and contract-issues in the respective clubs? While I do think Arteta cycles will come fast because of the way they play, we are not there yet, and this year is an outlier IMO. Six games with red cards (I do not fault the refs with the exception of the MLS first one), numerous injuries to key players and yet only one club is even close to their quality. If they continue to add to the squad, having worked back to front, then I can only see them getting stronger. I don’t think their ‘if’ is as big as the other ‘ifs’ you will find at their closest rivals.”
I can’t remember how I phrased it, but generally speaking, you get four years out of a team before it needs refreshing, and Arteta’s have been together for three. I don’t know if they can find the elite attackers they need to take the final step and, as far as the other clubs you mention go, I think it’s fair to say Liverpool are taking advantage of a power vacuum, but I’d write off Arteta a long time before i’d write off Guardiola.
Back to Brighton, I’m extremely fond of Carlos Baleba. It’s not often you see a midfielder able to cover ground, tackle, ball-carry and create, but he does a bit of everything. I’m excited to see how he develops.
