MONDAY’S BIG STORIES
Morata chooses his moment with perfect timing
If ever there was a moment to move into a new gear and bag your first Premier League hat-trick, this was it. Alvaro Morata has been greeted with a precise balance of admiration and scepticism since his arrival at Chelsea, as the apparent Plan B after Romelu Lukaku opted for Old Trafford and Diego Costa dug his heels in. The Spaniard had made a tidy start to Premier League life, but was still waiting for a dominant performance to confirm that he was a credible line-leader.
This past week added a layer of pressure. The return of Costa to Atletico Madrid was finally formalised, which – in tandem with Chelsea’s bluntness in the Stamford Bridge stalemate with Arsenal – highlighted the net result of their striking exchange: namely, an aggressive, decisive presence up front.
Away to Stoke, Morata flourished. Within 90 seconds, he raced beyond the hosts’ patched-up defence to finish with what the industry terms as “aplomb”. His second was another hugely encouraging showcase of poise, pace and polish, as he strode towards goal and sidefooted beyond Jack Butland. The match ball was secured with a simple finish – thanks to his serial assister Cesar Azpilicueta – but, most importantly, demonstrated a repertoire beyond stealthy penalty-area headers.
Alvaro Morata of Chelsea celebrates scoring a goal during the Premier League match against Stoke CityGetty Images
For all their Abramovich-era glories, Chelsea have not been noted for their subtleties up front. The dynamic Didier Drogba and Diego Costa grabbed the attention, but there was a sense of all-or-nothing about them. Morata might just deliver the unfussy consistency they have always quietly craved.
Manchester clubs continue to provide fascinating contrast
After half a dozen rounds of the Premier League season, a semblance of a title-race dynamic has been formed. But, for all Jose Mourinho’s control-freakery and Pep Guardiola’s supposedly top-heavy tactics, one number stands out: Manchester United and Manchester City have conceded just two goals each so far.
The means by which they continued their rock-solid starts could not have been more different this weekend, however. United ground out their 1-0 victory at Southampton with what one national newspaper described as “callous efficiency and a charming stubbornness”, with Mourinho applauding his team’s necessary dirty work with such determination that he strayed out of his technical area one too many times and was sent to the stands in injury time. Goalscorer Romelu Lukaku celebrated at the final whistle as if he knew that these were three points that could make all the difference come May.
Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku scored the winner at SouthamptonPA Sport
As for City, their hot collective knife needed no encouragement to slice through the butter of Roy Hodgson’s utterly impotent Crystal Palace.
“We have less points than last season,” Guardiola noted after the 5-0 glorified training session, “but I think we have more goals, conceded less and the feeling is a little bit better. But it’s just September.”
Guardiola’s textbook playing-downage might be wise at this early stage, but no Premier League side can match City’s sheer breadth of attacking options. Sergio Aguero was packed in ice at the hour mark, and Fabian Delph stepped out of the shadows to get in on the goalscoring act for the crowning goal, the only of the five that didn’t feel like a routine training-ground tap-in.
IN OTHER NEWS
Back in his pomp, there was always something relentless about Pavel Nedved. Appropriately then, the 45-year-old Patrick Swayze-in-Point-Break-a-like has decided – temporarily, at least – that retirement just isn’t for him.
The Juventus vice-chairman has signed on at amateur FK Skalna, where he will link up with his 18-year-old son Pavel Jr in the seventh tier of Czech football.
One is tempted to ask you to imagine your dad turning up with his boots to play for your Sunday League side, but your dad probably hasn’t won a Ballon d’Or this century. Anyway, keep an eye out for a “still got it!” moment from Nedved Sr sometime soon.
HAT TIP
“I waited to hear from the man himself, with Cole initially offering a broad smile as best wishes were passed on from a mutual friend in London. The formal refusal of a chat followed, even despite an offer to minimise time spent by asking some questions on the short walk to the team bus. “No.” A final plea, that the intention is to write a positive article about Cole’s time in the US, initiates the key reply: “What’s the point in being positive now? You didn’t do that years ago.”“
The Guardian’s Ewan Murray attempts, in vain to bring Ashley Cole back into the mainstream footballing consciousness. Whatever you think of the finest English left-back of recent times, he’s sticking to his guns.
IN THE CHANNELS
Call it contrived, call it a gimmick for social media’s attention, but…well:
For every forensic Monday Night Football masterclass, there is a tediously earnest half-hour of punditry “analysis” that teaches us nothing. Sometimes football is absolutely not serious, and should be treated as such. Also, it’s life-affirming to see a man in a suit being clattered by another man in a suit under controlled conditions. Well done, all.
RETRO CORNER
A very happy birthday to Igor Belanov, winner of the 1986 Ballon d’Or (ahead of Gary Lineker, scandalously) and scorer of one of the most satisfying-looking World Cup goals of all time.
Whammo.
COMING UP
Who didn’t play this weekend? I don’t remember an Arsenal crisis, nor do I recall West Brom rounding off the Match of the Day running order. There you go, then: they’re playing at the Emirates tonight.
