F365’s 3pm Blackout: Villa’s ‘big problem’, Palace to drift on with Roy, City and Blades happy
Everyone was happy at the Etihad; Villa once again missed one of their most important players; while Palace gave themselves reason to kick the can down the road with Roy a little while longer…
VILLA NOT CLICKING WITHOUT KAMARA
“It is the biggest problem for us,” said Unai Emery of Boubacar Kamara’s three-match suspension before it had begun. Of course, the Villa boss was right. Kamara has been a huge miss.
The edgy win over Burnley was the third and final match without the France midfielder and Villa can’t get him back quick enough. Without him, the Villans have drawn at home to the bottom side; capitulated at Manchester United; and, today, went through motions somewhat before winning late against Burnley.
They were grateful to Ollie Watkins, who moved to the summit of the Premier League assists table before half-time by laying on goals for wingmen Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby, either side of a leveller from Zeki Amdouni after the Villans switched off at a set-piece.
When Burnley were reduced to 10 men following Sander Berge’s second booking on the hour, Villa ought to have exhibited the kind of control that Kamara brings in midfield, but still they were sloppy and easy to run through, as illustrated by Lyle Foster’s simple equaliser despite Burnley’s numerical deficit.
In the end, Villa had to be grateful for another late goal at home, a soft penalty – and even then they had to be thankful for the bounce of Douglas Luiz’s spot-kick. They finish the year second in the 2023 league table and level on points with Liverpool at the top of the proper one. But that won’t be sustainable without reasserting some of the composure and balance so badly missing in Kamara’s absence.
OLISE-INSPIRED PALACE SET TO DRIFT ON WITH ROY
Palace and Brentford have both been in wretched form but only Roy Hodgson’s job appeared in peril before kick-off. Thanks to a Michael Olise-inspired 3-1 triumph, Hodgson will swerve retirement for at least a couple more weeks while the Eagles kick the can down the road a little while longer.
Palace certainly played for their manager. There has never been any suggestion that Hodgson has lost the dressing room, nor the fans. But it would be crazy not to think about life after Roy. And when that might begin.
Beating Brentford makes Hodgson no more the right man to continue than he was prior to kick-off. Reports suggest that Steve Parish’s preference is to wait until the end of the season before replacing the 76-year-old, but with Steve Cooper available now – and free – bringing forward those plans is a reasonable consideration.
Julen Lopetegui and Oliver Glasner are also under consideration and, like Cooper, they are unlikely to remain unemployed for long. Much as Palace might wish to give Hodgson another hero’s send-off in the sunshine rather than the bleak midwinter in South London today, Palace shouldn’t use this, their first win in nine, as an excuse for inaction.
Report: Palace 3-1 Brentford: Olise’s brace eases pressure on Hodgson as Frank’s side sleepwalk into trouble
🦅 Michael Olise’s last four matches for Crystal Palace:
⚽️ vs Man City
🅰️ vs Brighton
⭐️⚽️ vs Chelsea
⚽️⚽️ vs Brentford pic.twitter.com/DEfPsly2kl— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) December 30, 2023
CITY AND BLADES SETTLE AFTER MIS-MATCH
Not often in the Premier League does everyone get what they want from a 2-0 victory. But both City and Sheffield United leave the Etihad having achieved what they set out to.
For the Blades, it was simply to avoid a battering. If the pre-match odds failed to illustrate the size of the task they were facing – Chris Wilder’s side were 30/1 ahead of kick-off – then the exhibition of all five trophies City have win in 2023 ought to have done the trick.
United dug in creditably. They trailed at the break and even created a couple of openings late in the first half, making as much of the limited possession they were allowed.
In the first half-hour, with 86 per cent of the ball, City were on track to break the Premier League possession record. But little of it was penetrative. Rodri’s first goal at the Etihad since February allowed the champions to take it easy, barely having to go up from second gear.
It was a similar story after the break, with left-back Manuel Akanji never having to retreat from his midfield berth. United never looked like pulling off a smash-and-grab for the ages, while City offered the impression they could score goals on demand if required.
They settled for one more, courtesy of Julian Alvarez, before the last half hour was played out almost in agreement between City and United not to make life any harder for each other.
Report: Man City 2-0 Sheff Utd: Guardiola’s side on the rise after dominant win over bottom-placed Blades
TOFFEES TURNED OVER AGAIN AS O’NEIL CONTINUES TO SURPRISE
When Wolves won this reverse fixture 1-0 at Goodison Park in August in a game billed as an early-season relegation six-pointer, many dark days were expected to come for Everton (and their opponents) in 2022/23 as they made desperate attempts to avoid the drop.
But it turns out most onlookers got Wolves and Everton all wrong as they have been two of the biggest overachievers in the Premier League this term.
Had Everton not broken the Premier League’s financial rules, they would be neck and neck with Wolves around mid-table and on track to easily secure their top-flight status after getting used to sweating during the run-in.
Gary O’Neil and Sean Dyche would be frontrunners for the manager of the half-season accolade as they have turned Wolves and Everton respectively into proper teams.
O’Neil did his case for the end-of-season manager trophy no harm on Saturday afternoon as Max Kilman, Matheus Cunha and Craig Dawson scored as Wolves ended 2023 with a heavy victory over Everton.
2023 has surprisingly been a year full of highs for Wolves. After last season’s heroics with Bournemouth, O’Neil continues to enhance his reputation, with his tactical acumen setting him (and his team) up for a very enjoyable 2024.
As for Everton, optimism has waned of late. Their post-point deduction upturn in form has been somewhat undone by three straight Premier League defeats.
Just one point clear of the bottom three, Everton (unfairly or not) have a huge fight on their hands to avoid the drop. But given how Dyche got his side firing before this dip, you’d have to fancy them to stay up once again and if they do so, it would be a mighty achievement.
Report: Wolves 3-0 Everton: O’Neil’s side end 2023 on a high as they heighten the Toffees’ relegation fears