Ten Things We Learned in the Premier League

By: Daryl | March 31st, 2008

Diaby sent off 1. It’s different when it’s your own player
Abou Diaby was sent off on Saturday for a studs up tackle on Gretar Steinsson, that was arguably identical to the challenge that put Eduardo in Selly Oak hospital. The only difference was that Steinsson got lucky and escaped injury, while Eduardo didn’t. Wenger was quick to condemn Martin Taylor, but claimed Diaby’s tackle was “not comparable to what happened a few weeks ago.” Guess who Abou Diaby plays for?

2. Arsenal know how to dig in
Just because Arsenal play pretty football, everyone assumes that means they’re a bunch of pansies. But Diaby’s rough tackle, and the fact that the ten man team battled from 2-0 down against to beat Bolton 3-2, proves otherwise. They had to drag Emmanuel Adeabyor off the bench to do it though.

3. Fat men can play in the Premier League too!
Andy Reid is a big boy. He doesn’t really look like a professional footballer to be honest. But on Saturday he scored the winner that lifts Sunderland well away from the relegation zone.

4. The Man Utd medical staff are miracle workers
Cristiano Ronaldo was injured last week. So very very injured that he had to pull out of the Portugal squad and miss the game against Greece on Wednesday. But somehow he was fit to play on Saturday and do this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS5ofgJvG08

Hmmm…

5. Michael Owen can do more than poach
Kevin Keegan has decided Michael Owen can also play as a linkman. And bizarelly, it’s working.

6. It’s harder to score in the Premier League than in the Eredivisie
After 45 goals in 39 games for Heerenveen, Afonso Alves is yet to score in the Premier League. He’s getting closer though. On Sunday he beat Carlos Cudicini to a ball that was way outside the area, then rolled the ball goalwards. It looked every inch an equalizer until it hit the post and bounced clear. Keep trying though Afonso, it will come.

7. The promotion playoffs aren’t good for the Premiership
Derby are finally, officially, definitely relegated. Given their performance this season (which I think we can all agree has not been good) I think it’s fair to say that while the playoffs are great for the Championship (plenty of teams have something to play for well into the season) it’s not good for the quality of the Premier League.

8. You can set your watch by Fulham
Fulham desperately needed three points against Derby on Saturday. After all, they were playing Derby. So when Dean Leacock made it 2-1 in the 78th minute they celebrated. But Fulham forgot that even though Derby were Derby, Fulham are still Fulham. And Fulham always fold in the last ten minutes. Right on cue, Emmanuel Villa equalized for Derby in the 80th minute. Uncanny.

9. There’s a time and a place for dribbling through a crowd of players…
…and it’s not on the edge of your own box in the first few minutes of a Merseyside derby. Everton’s Ayegbeni Yakubu tried it, Liverpool’s Xabi Alonso tackled him and Dirk Kuyt put Fernando Torres through to score the only goal of the game.

10. Franck Ribery is a better penalty taker then Ryan Taylor
Ribery beat David James from the penalty spot last Wednesday, but Ryan Taylor failed to do the same as Portsmouth beat Wigan 2-0.