1. Arsenal-Norwich clash a tale of two substitutions
WES HOOLAHAN CLEARLY wasn’t happy and neither were many Norwich fans.
The Ireland international had been performing excellently by all accounts, yet with Norwich trailing 1-0 after 68 minutes and a player of his creativity needed, the Dubliner was somewhat bizarrely replaced by striker Mbokani Bezuaat.
Many Norwich fans expressed their anger at the call on social media, while Hoolahan himself shook his head as he departed the action.
Afterwards, manager Alex Neil defended the decision, however, explaining to Sky Sports that he thought the Irishman looked “fatigued” and added that he was aiming for an increasingly direct approach with the introduction of a more physical replacement.
It was not the only unpopular change — Arsenal fans made their annoyance known when Alex Iwobi was replaced by Danny Welbeck on 56 minutes. Yet unlike the Hoolahan switch, Wenger’s alteration ultimately paid off, as the England international scored the winner just three minutes after being introduced.
Therefore, while Arsenal’s substitution gave them extra attacking impetus, Norwich’s disrupted the visitors’ rhythm and ultimately contributed to the game petering out in the final 20 minutes.
2. Signs of life at Newcastle
Andros Townsend and Karl Darlow were the heroes today, as Newcastle gave themselves a lifeline in their battle to avoid the drop.
Rafa Benitez’s side earned a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace, with Townsend’s spectacular free kick and Darlow’s penalty save ensuring victory.
For now, the Magpies are out of the relegation zone — one and two points ahead of Norwich and Sunderland respectively — though both their rivals have a game in hand.
And with Aston Villa and Tottenham still to play, the Newcastle’s survival still looks far from assured.
Nonetheless, the club certainly look to have a better chance now, with Benitez at the helm, having seemed destined for the drop owing to a series of limp, spiritless performances under previous boss Steve McClaren.
Consequently, if Benitez does manage to keep Newcastle’s often under-motivated group of players in the Premier League this season, it would surely be up there with the Spanish boss’ finest achievements.
3. Arsene Wenger deserves more respect
There were some tense scenes at the Emirates today, owing to a group of Arsenal fans calling for manager Arsene Wenger to resign.
These supporters appeared to be in the minority though, with a number of other fans refusing to partake in the pre-planned protest during the Gunners’ 1-0 win over Norwich today.
After the match, Wenger was commendably dignified when asked about this negative reaction, telling Sky Sports: “I think I have shown my commitment and care for this club, and for the fans. I’m really sorry if I cannot make them all happy, of course. We’ll continue to work hard to achieve it.”
There’s no doubt that it’s been a disappointing season from Arsenal’s perspective, but surely a manager who has done so much for the club deserves to be spared the indignity of witnessing countless banners calling for his head.
Football can be a fickle game, with yesterday’s heroes swiftly turning into today’s villains, and the harshness of the game at the top level was certainly apparent in north London today.
4. Martinez’s days at Everton appear to be numbered
Like Wenger, Roberto Martinez is another manager out of favour with his fans, but unlike Wenger, the disapproval appears to be more unanimous in the case of Everton.
A 2-1 win over Bournemouth did little to appease supporters’ vocal protests, with some fans even hiring out a plane with a banner that read: ‘Time to go Roberto’.
It’s obvious that the Toffees have grown steadily worse with each season under Roberto Martinez, with the club having gone backwards since their fifth-place finish following the Spaniard’s first campaign in charge, and last Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final loss to Man United appears to have effectively been the final nail in the coffin for the embattled manager, following the equally damaging 4-0 Merseyside Derby loss against Liverpool.
The fans have certainly made their feelings known, and with the club set for another season of underachievement, it seems hard to see how Martinez can survive in the job beyond this campaign.
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