Here’s What We Learnt This Weekend #16

So after the latest week of the Premier League season, here’s what we learnt this weekend:

Firstly we’ve learnt that on Tuesday there’s going to be a crunch game at the bottom which neither Steve Kean nor Owen Coyle can afford to lose when Blackburn Rovers host Bolton Wanderers at Ewood Park. It really is the biggest six-pointer of the season to date.

Kean in particular is under the most pressure and surely even Blackburn’s owner’s Venky’s cannot keep hiding behind the fact that the team are struggling and that a long overdue change is needed to keep the former Premier League champions (yes they won it in 1995!) from being relegated for a second time after they last dropped down in 1999.

We’ve learnt that things perhaps are going back to normal for Newcastle United who after their goalless draw at home to Swansea City are now without a win in the league since a 2-1 home win at St James’ Park against Everton on Bonfire Night. 

Mind you Alan Pardew has still done a fantastic job up at Newcastle and they were unlucky not to defeat last season’s Championship play-off winners who once again had their keeper Michel Vorm in inspired form. The Dutch stopper is certainly doing his best to keep Swansea up enhancing his reputation month by month.

We’ve learnt that Grant Holt is rather nifty with his feet in the box after his ‘Cruff-esque’ goal for Norwich City at Goodison Park at the weekend. The powerful forward has worked hard to reach the top-flight having been playing for Shrewsbury Town in League Two three seasons ago.

Perhaps due to that very fact, Paul Lambert might not have needed to motivate the Carlisle-born striker much who has taken to the Premier League well scoring 7 goals so far. With Steve Morrison alongside him, Norwich have two decent forwards on their hands and look to be good enough to avoid the drop as they look capable of scoring goals.

We’ve learnt that Wigan after picking up four points in their last two games with two spirited performances against West Brom and Chelsea are clearly a side who will keep on battling in their attempt to avoid relegation, despite looking a side doomed for relegation

After Danny Sturridge put Andre Villas-Boas’ side in front, it looked like the home fans at the DW Stadium would be seeing their side slump to a 10th league defeat of the season, but Petr Cech’s clanger late on allowed Jordi Gomez to get an early Christmas present for Roberto Marintez and send those fans home happy for a change.

Lastly we’ve learnt that David Silva is still the key player for Manchester City after his winner against Arsenal, that Michael Carrick can actually score the kind of goals that Manchester United fans dream about him scoring and that Spurs despite a good performance againgst Martin O’Neill’s Sunderland can look average without their wing-wizard Gareth Bale.

By Adam Dennehey @ADennehey87