FPL 2 - Week Three

AV 1-0 TOT
pirlo

CHE 2-1 ARS
yaya hamsik
podolski

FUL 0-2 STO
xavi bale

LIV 1-0 NEW
gerrard

MC 1-1 MU
messi
ronaldo

Chelsea 3 - 2 Arsenal
Mata ---------- Oscar, Eto
Yaya
El-Shaarawy

Chelsea targeted Arsenal's full-backs and that tactic paid off as Sagna + Cissokho was given a torrid time by Mata and El-Shaarawy. Both got on the scoresheet too. Eto's piledriver given Arsenal a lifeline and Oscar got them back to a draw but another calamity error from Sagna gave Yaya a 1v1 the keeper and placed it cooly for the winner.
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Everton 1 - 1 Sunderland
Muller -------- Sneijder

Everton were unlucky not to get a penalty late on as Ba was clipped by Clichy but the linesman said he dived. Earlier Sneijder took on Smalling too easily and glided his shot in the corner. However, Everton were superb in their pressing and got their deserved equaliser when Silva slipped in Mueller and he confidently smashed it past the keeper.
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Fulham 1 - 1 Stoke
Falcao -------- Higuain

Fulham were very well organised from the back and were aggressive in their tackling too. Martinez and Fellaini were harassing Xavi and De Rossi all game. However, it just needed one occasion where Xavi had some space and he found Higuain clear and he casually lobbed the keeper. The home side started to push on second half and when Robben flew past Marcelo and cut the ball back for Falcao, the Columbian made no mistake for the equaliser.
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Liverpool 2 - 1 Newcastle
Navas ---------- Cavani
Gerrard

Newcastle lost this match as their team was getting tired but they hardly had any subs. Manager, Manager...sort it out. Gerrard with the pick of the goals with a 20 yard stinger. Cavani equally with a good goal but unfortunately he ended up in the losing side.
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Man City 4 - 4 Man Utd
Messi (3)------ Ronaldo (3) Van Persie
Ibrahimovic

What a game. The defenders took a battering today but it was because the attackers were unstoppable. Ronaldo scored early on and Messi equalising and then it happened again. This time the home side took the lead through Ibra when he was set up by Schweinstiger. Van Persie then equalised with a crisp shot. Then Ronaldo got his hattrick on 90min with a lovely strike. It looked the winner but then Messi got the ball deep in his half, nutmegged Ronaldo, turned Lucas and started sprinting to the defenders and went past Bonucci like he wasnt there and then rounded the keeper for an amazing hattrick.
What a game

Aston Villa 1-0 Tottenham
Tevez
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Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal
mata
cazorla
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Everton 1-2 Sunderland
silva
Pedro,sneijder
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Fulham 1-1 Stoke City
nani
higuain
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Liverpool 2-2 Newcastle
rooney,iniesta
ozil,kroos

Aston Villa 2 - 1 Tottenham
Pirlo ------------ Villa
Tevez

Defence is where this was won. Villa have a stronger defence and they were able to keep Tottenham ay bay other than a late consolation from David Villa which made the end interesting although ultimately fruitless for the visitors. Both sides have solid midfields and good attacking options which were evenly matched. Villa's defence won the day.

Chelsea 1 - 1 Arsenal
Gomez ------ Oscar

Both sides are evenly matched, both need to strengthen especially at fullback but both have potent options offensively. Goalless at half time, the second half opened with Gomez giving the hosts the lead before Oscar drove home an equaliser shortly after. Chances at both end ensued but no further addition to the scoreline.

Everton 0 - 1 Sunderland
-------------- Pedro

Not much between these sides but the key to Sunderland's victory was their central midfield which had a nice balance with Alonso and the much underrated Gustavo combining well. Both defences played well and clear chances were not easy to come by. A crisp drive into the corner from Pedro just after the hour mark proved decisive.

Fulham 2 - 3 Stoke City
Fellaini ------ Aguero
Falcao ------- Xavi
----------------- De Rossi

Humdinger of a match at the Cottage which Stoke edged. Fulham are a very good side with nice balance, good defence and potent strikeforce but Stoke have no weakness in their starting XI and Hodgey has worked hard to improve options on the bench. The match was close as the scoreline suggests but Stoke edge the quality in the vital areas and this proved the difference, just.

Man City 2 - 2 Man Utd
Messi 2 ----- Ronaldo 2

Another top match between two more very strong sides. The two World superstars stole the headlines with a brace each but their teammates deserve huge credit for putting on a show worthy of the occasion. The scoreline suggests that both defences ate where each side needs to strengthen. Not weak by any means but not of the same quality of the rest of the sides. A draw seems fair today.

Aston Villa 1-1 Tottenham
Villa - Di Maria

A cagey affair here at Villa Park. Aston Villa were in control early in the match, but a quick breakaway led to a Di Maria goal on the counter, against the run of play. Villa struck for Villa just after the break, with a crisp strike from the edge of the area.

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Chelsea 1-0 Arsenal
Yaya

Chelsea were comfortable winners here, and should have won by a much larger margin. Arsenal's attack was ineffective, Cazorla looked lost out wide and Eto'o is a shadow of the man he used to be. Yaya Toure scored the only goal of the match with a header from a corner.
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Everton 0-0 Sunderland

Torres continues his baron spell up front for Sunderland, with another disappointing performance. Sunderland were lucky to come away with a draw here, as their defence looked weak and unbalanced. Everton should have stolen it late on, but Muller couldnt find a finish.

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Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle
Rooney x2 - Cavani

Newcastle's defence looked shakey today, maybe that stemmed from the decision to use Ozil in a DM role. Rooney showed his class today, his first a tap in from a Hazard cross after some fantastic movement. His second a header from a Navas ball. He should have had his hat trick but put a penalty wide.
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Man City 2-2 Man Utd
Messi, Ibra - RVP, Ronaldo

2 fantastic teams here, but both could do with sacrificing some of their clear attacking talent for some solidarity at the back. World class attackers in each team took advantage of the holes in the defences.

villa 2-1 spurs
tevez, di maria
moutinho

villa need a quality right winger and if they can get that they will be title contenders. the argentine duo of tevez and di maria combined for both the goals as masch, khedira and pirlo bossed the midfield. spurs got a goal in the end thru moutinho but it was too late for a comeback.

chelsea 1-1 arsenal
mata
podolski

both teams need a few improvements in defence and a draw was a fair result in the london derby. mata got the home side going after being set up by modric, but arsenal scored an almost instant equalizer thru podolski.

fulham 1-1 stoke
falcao
sanchez

fulham battled hard for a point at craven cottage against a mighty stoke side. stoke's midfield of xavi and derossi controlled the early part of the match and xavi set up sanchez with a precise pass and sanchez kept his cool in a 1on1 with the gk and scored. fulham started to see more of the ball and it was falcao who got the equalizer from a corner.

liverpool 2-1 newcastle
gerard, iniesta
nasri

a comfortable home win for liverpool with gerard and iniesta grabbing the goals. although liverpool need to improve their defence but they saw off newcastle's challenge at anfield. nasri scored from the edge of the box in the 2nd half to set up a tense finish.

city 1-1 utd
messi
suarez

both teams could not manage to find the winner at the etihad. city need a quality cb and their side will be almost complete, while united also need a cb. messi and suarez got their names on the scoresheet

Aston Villa 2 - 1 Tottenham
Tevez, Pirlo; Llorente

Villa have got a hell of a team, and they look like they're going to be right up there at the end of the season. Tottenham still look like a beautifully balanced side, but perhaps lack one or two truly world class players in their midfield. Villa took the lead through a scuffed Tevez shot bobbling in off the post, before Pirlo fired in a controlled shot from the edge of the area to double the lead before half time. Tottenham came out the strongest, and after the 60th minute mark Llorente was thrown on for Sandro, and it was the Spanish striker who notched for Tottenham with a delightful header.
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Everton 1 - 0 Sunderland
Huntelaar; -

Not the most interesting game today, but stand out performances from Smalling and Pique at the back for Everton secured a good three points. Huntelaar netted for Everton after typically good movement in the box and a nice finish. Bar the goal, very little happened, not one for the neutral today.
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Fulham 2 - 2 Stoke
Robben, Falcao; Aguero, Aguero

Champion Hodgey came up against his former side for the first time today, and Fulham look to have continued to build a winning team. However, Hodgey's Stoke look extemely dangerous, and ultimately there was no way to choose a winner today. A draw was a fair result. Robben cut in from the right and powered the ball past Buffon, before Falcao doubled the lead with a flicked header at the near post. Hodgey set the fires burning under Stoke and Aguero was quick to respond, a brace in under two minutes was a testament to this striker's ability.
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Liverpool 1 - 0 Newcastle
Rooney; -

Newcastle look on paper to perhaps be the stronger side, but it was all Liverpool today. The trio of Iniesta, Rooney and Hazard proved too much for Cahill and Boateng who were forced further and further back into their own box. Some desperate 6 yard box defending kept Newcastle in it until Rooney struck in the 76th minute.
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Manchester City 0 - 1 Manchester United
- ; Ronaldo

In this classic Manchester Derby, Messi and Ronaldo were pitted against each other, and today Ronaldo won out. Messi was up against Rafael who was backed by Lucas Leiva, and it was a combination that worked for United today. At the other end of the pitch Zabaleta and Baines just couldn't deal with the pace of Moura or Ronaldo, it's not a criticism of them, both great defenders but today just wasn't made for them. Ronaldo ensured the spoils were United's with a strong, pacey charge through City's ranks before smashing the ball past Valdes.

Villa 2-0 Spurs
Pirlo, Tevez

Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal
Gomez, Ramos; Oscar

Everton 1-1 Sunderland
Silva; Pedro

Fulham 3-3 Stoke
Falcao x2, Robben; Bale, Augero, Puyol

Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle
Iniesta, Hazard; Cavani

Villa 2-1 Spurs - Tevez, Di Maria and Neymar

Both have very good sides and while spurs are good attacking wise the balance of the villa side is what won it for me. They have a good defence just as spurs but the protection is greater for villa in terms of DMs. The attacking power might be slightly better with spurs but the midfield from villa meant they could create more opportunities

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal - Mata and Oscar

Both set up with 5 in midfield but I feel that they cancel each other out at times. Arsenal have the pace to punish Chelsea but Chelsea had the power and strength. Its a close one but I feel a draw is the fair result

Everton 2-0 Sunderland - Huntelaar, Silva

Both fairly even but Everton had the quality and skill to overpower sunderland. They both played similar formations but the players for everton could intersect more and also had the defensive qualities to cope with sunderland.

Fulham 1-3 Stoke - Falcao, Bale, Aguero, Sanchez

Fulham have a good side but i think they're midfield would be overpowered by a very strong stoke team. They would find it difficult to cope with 1 of those players let alone all of them.

Man city 0-1 United - Van Persie

A very even game and one i feel could go either way however United have the players that can win it at any time. I feel they'll stay in the game longer than City will

Chelsea 1-0 Arsenal
Gomez

Everton 1-1 Sunderland
Muller : Alonso

Fulham 0-1 Stoke
Higuain

Liverpool 2-1 Newcastle
Hazard, Rooney : Nasri

Man City 0-1 Man Utd
Ronaldo