Premier League talking points: Struggling Solskjaer, prolific Vardy and naive Chelsea
“We have dominated the last three games and we know we are on the right track, we’re getting used to that way of playing,” said Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after his team’s 1-1 draw with Southampton on Saturday.
The problem is that at a club like United you aren’t afforded much time to get used to anything. It also doesn’t help that the ascribed “way of playing” isn’t obvious.
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At the moment, United are a shadow of their former selves: leaky at the back and one-paced in attack.
After conceding an equaliser due to a lack of communication at St Mary’s they then failed to put to bed a Southampton side who played the final 20 minutes with 10 men.
Fans are understanding of the circumstances at United, but Solskjaer needs to find improvement from his team soon.
Fox in the box
Jamie Vardy retired from international duty last summer. His decision was influenced partly by his desire to allow Gareth Southgate to concentrate on youth, but a year on that decision looks curious.
Vardy scored two typical goals in Leicester’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday – a deftly-taken lob after beating the offside trap and a poacher’s finish – and at 32 looks as good as he’s ever been.
Only Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero have scored more Premier League goals in the last five years, while Vardy is level with Raheem Sterling for goals since March. England could surely still do with his craft.
Moody Blues
The mood has changed at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea left the field to muted boos on Saturday after allowing Sheffield United to come back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2.
Frank Lampard’s side look open, naive and disorganised – characteristics which have consistently undermined their performances this season.
Tammy Abraham’s emergence as a top flight goalscorer and Mason Mount’s as a creative force are encouraging and are exactly the sort of positives it was hoped Lampard’s appointment would bring. But right now they are being outweighed by the negatives.
Lampard pointed to Chelsea’s transfer ban post-match, but his assertion that “we only had ourselves to look at” rings truer. The Blues need to learn how to control matches or the disquiet will only grow louder.
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