SB Nation

SB Nation Soccer News | August 18, 2014

Premier League results from the weekend - August 18

(click to expand scores)

Premier League

Saturday August 16
Manchester United 1-2 Swansea City
Leicester City 2-2 Everton
Queens Park Rangers 0-1 Hull City
Stoke City 0-1 Aston Villa
West Bromwich Albion 2-2 Sunderland
West Ham United 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal 2-1 Crystal Palace
Sunday August 17
Liverpool 2-1 Southampton
Newcastle United 0-2 Manchester City

La Liga

The La Liga season kicks off on August 23rd. Hey, that's Saturday!

Bundesliga

The Bundesliga season will kick off on August 22nd. Hey, that's Friday!

Serie A

The Serie A season will kick off on August 30th.
3 Things
  • United undone by basic mistakes

    Oh dear, Louis. Even David Moyes managed to beat Swansea in his first Premier League match. Granted, last year United were (at best) wobbly at the Liberty Stadium and required Robin van Persie to blast them out of trouble, but that team got three points on opening weekend. This version, at home, received none.

    Louis van Gaal took the blame for the loss, as all sane managers do, claiming that his players had done their best but weren’t playing as a team, but mostly the 2-1 defeat to a mid-table side indicates that there’s still plenty of work to do in strengthening their squad. It’s difficult to see how the manager might have addressed the tactical issues that come up with having to play an inexperienced defender in the back line, or losing your starting right wingback 25 minutes into the match or having Juan Mata forget to play football, and United’s experience on Saturday mostly underlines how much work they have to do.

    Van Gaal must now turn his attention to the transfer market and try to re-balance his squad. This is, of course, a crucial endeavour: Manchester United must finish in the top four this season to reestablish both the glamour of the club and kick-start the cash flow that comes with being in the Champions League; it’s also a task that’s been talked to death. Perhaps more interesting is his role in training these players in a novel system and beating — we don’t mean this literally, probably — the basic mistakes out of their collective system.

    Take, for instance, Swansea’s second goal. Tactical fouls are tactical because they give the defense time to set up when there previously was none. That advantage goes away when you give the ball straight back to the opponent, which is exactly what Tyler Blackett did in the 72nd minute. One quick free kick later and the hosts found Jefferson Montero bursting down the left, the resultant cross sucked not-a-left-back Ashley Young under the ball and eventually Gylfi Sigurdsson grabbed a winner from close range.

    Blackett, of course, was making his debut. Mistakes are to be expected, especially mistakes as naive as giving the ball back to one’s opponents. But there were other simple ones as well. Young was penalised for a foul throw. The expected link-up play between the forwards never materialised. Goal aside, Wayne Rooney didn’t really know where to be. The midfield, theoretically reinforced thanks to the return of Darren Fletcher, was suicidally open on the counterattack. It’s these issues that van Gaal has to address, and he won’t be able to blame Ed Woodward if they continue to go wrong.

  • Last-ditch goals give Arsenal, Tottenham hope

    Last season was a frustrating one for north London's Premier League sides. Arsenal finally nabbed their trophy, but did so having whimpered their way out of the title race, while Tottenham began the campaign in high spirits and with high hopes, and ended it having grown entirely sick of two completely different managers. Sometimes a change is as bad as a rest.

    With the new season comes new hope, yet as their respective 90th minutes ticked round on Saturday, both sides were looking at draws in games that they'd certainly have hoped to win. Arsenal's summery optimism and shiny new signings were struggling to overcome a well-organised Crystal Palace; Tony Pulis may be gone but his spirit still lingers. And while Tottenham might have been pleased to still be level at West Ham, having survived Kyle Naughton's early dismissal and been blessed by a rare Mark Noble penalty miss, Mauricio Pochettino's plans more than likely involved getting three points at Upton Park.

    The manner of the goals might not have been entirely expected -- centre backs stroll calmly around goalkeepers almost as often as Arsenal score from set pieces -- but the three points will be gratefully received. Successful seasons aren't just made up of great performances and convincing wins; all sides need their luck, their last-minute muggings. Exceptionally early days, of course, but victories make everything else much easier. If Arsenal succeed in iterating themselves up another level, or  Tottenham manage to turn themselves into a coherent football team, then this pair of victories won't be the most spectacular. But they may rank amongst the most important.

  • Mad finale knocks Mainz out of German Cup

    The Germans take a slightly cruel approach to their domestic football cup. All teams enter in the first round but, perhaps with a nod to the efficiency the country is so famous for, the clubs are split into two pots, with the first and second division in one pot, and the lower divisions in the other.

    Essentially, the professionals are playing the amateurs. And yes, the professionals nearly always win. Surprise!

    But this weekend, there were a few upsets. Nurnberg, Stuttgart, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Paderborn were all eliminated. Four professional sides required penalties to advance. And one, well...one wasn't quite so lucky.

    Mainz 05 are having a bit of a tough time of it. Their highly regarded coach. Thomas Tuchel, resigned last season, and while the core of the squad remains intact, the tactical nuances that marked Tuchel's reign have vanished. Last week they crashed out of Europa League and now -- you guessed it -- they're also out of the Cup.

    The ability to take a lead then defend with well-organized precision seems to have deserted this Mainz side. They were up 2-0 over third-division side Chemnitzer FC when Anton Fink scored two goals inside three minutes. Mainz pulled one back, but then handed the hosts extra time when Niko Bungert put one past his own keeper. 

    It seemed like penalties were inevitable. Then, suddenly, chaos exploded. Chemnitzer scored in the 119th minute, and looked like they were through to the next round. But then came Mainz, less than a minute later, hoping to banish the doubters with an equalizer. 

    Well, Mainz got their equalizer — from inside their own half, no less — but Chemnitzer got the last laugh. Keeper Philipp Pentke saved Gonzalo Jara's penalty, proving once and for all Chileans shouldn't participate in shootouts, and Mainz were out of the DFB-Pokal. In spectacular fashion.

    Mainz fans will find cold comfort in realizing they've no more games this season that could end in a penalty shootout. Everyone else will be sorely disappointed. 

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