| Michael Cox: Premier League chalkboards analysis This week we look at Cheick Tioté's debut performance, Liverpool's shooting, Ahmed Elmohamady's tackling and Manchester City's passing strategyChris Hughton gave full Premier League debuts to two new midfielders on Saturday – Hatem Ben Arfa and Cheick Tioté. Ben Arfa made the most obvious impact, with a stunning 30-yard drive that turned out to be the game's only goal, but Tioté also impressed in a more low-key role. Starting in place of Alan Smith, Tioté's calm, reliable distribution in the centre of the pitch allowed Newcastle to control the midfield. Indeed, they actually out-passed Everton on Saturday, recording 276 passes compared to the home side's 260. It may be a narrow margin but not many sides will achieve that at Goodison Park this season – not even Manchester United, who lost out 329-298 in that respect. Tioté was the key to this – completing all of his 43 passes. He also made two interceptions, completed all three of his attempted tackles, and his only shot was on target.Fernando Torres has caused Nemanja Vidic problems in recent years but, after a poor first-half display, the Spain striker instead started to make runs off the back of Jonny Evans and John O'Shea. Clumsy tackles from those two resulted in first a penalty then a free-kick – both of which were converted by Steven Gerrard. These goals were the only occasions Liverpool managed shots on target – from open play, Edwin van der Sar didn't have a single save to make.There has been little fanfare about Sunderland's signing of Ahmed Elmohamady but they have secured the services of one of Africa's most promising young players. Elmohamady can play anywhere down the right flank, and on Saturday against Arsenal was deployed in an advanced right-wing role, up against Gaël Clichy. The Egyptian international showed tremendous aerial ability throughout the game, giving Clichy a torrid time in the air. Elmohamady won 23 of the 29 challenges he contested (in the air and on the ground) – the majority of them against Clichy, who won just five of the 15 he contested. And it was Elmohamady's aerial dominance that created Darren Bent's goal – he headed a long ball into the area over the Arsenal defence and, via a poor Clichy clearance, Bent smashed home.Roberto Mancini's default formation seems to be a 4-5-1 shape that uses three defensive-minded central midfielders (Yaya Touré, Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry), two wingers who like to come inside (two of David Silva, James Milner and Adam Johnson) and a small forward who drops deep into midfield (Carles Tevez). The result of this is a patient passing approach that rarely sees the ball played forward into the final third. City didn't once cross the ball from a position level with the Wigan penalty area, and rarely looked to play through-balls down the centre of the pitch either. The result of their defensive-minded, controlled approach was that they only recorded three shots on target – but, equally, Joe Hart didn't have a shot to save.Now visit our interactive chalkboards page for guidelines on how to make your ownMichael Cox is editor of zonalmarking.net. You can also follow zonalmarking on TwitterChalkboardsPremier LeagueMichael Coxguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
NASCAR sets date for Bowyer appeal By 2010-09-25T18:23:38ZDOVER, Del. (AP) -- NASCAR has set a Sept. 29 date for an appeals hearing on Clint Bowyer's illegal car.... hosted.ap.org |
The unappreciated undefeated team: Chiefs have lots to prove Sprawled on a stool in front of his locker Wednesday afternoon, the Kansas City Chiefs' Brian Waters wore a smile and a look of acceptance. rssfeeds.usatoday.com |
Houston Rodeo adds new champions event The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is adding a new high-stakes competition in 2011. feeds.bizjournals.com |
Hull City 1-2 Portsmouth | Championship match report When the Portsmouth manager, Steve Cotterill, came off the pitch after watching his side win, he still could not say if his club would be in existence. Cotterill praised his players who had survived not 24 hours of uncertainty – he said – but "four months" worth, describing how the newer players had been the most unsettled going into the game, while the older, more jaded, players were, "a bit battle-hardened to it"."We said today for the sake of football we were going to turn out here and play the game," he said. "Because there would have been an expectation … All the other politics, it was easy to screw that up and lob it in the bin."Portsmouth's latest twist in the tale is one of a duo of jaw-dropping Championship narratives. Hull and Portsmouth, relegated from the Premier League last season, had hoped to make announcements securing their future last Friday – Hull expecting that local businessman Assem Allam would negotiate a deal with the current owner, Russell Bartlett, injecting much-needed finance into £30m of debt, while Portsmouth had promised an end to administration – but both were left in limbo, with Portsmouth apparently contemplating their very existence."Broke in the morning, we're going broke in the morning" sang the Portsmouth fans who had made the long journey. At least a third win in a row, taking Portsmouth to 12th in the table, gave them something to celebrate.Hull's supporters had begun the afternoon with a display of solidarity, applauding the visitors as the stadium announcer wished them an escape from the brink but, after a second successive defeat left Nigel Pearson's side two points above the drop zone, the cheers turned to boos.David Nugent, in fine form, opened the scoring after 45 minutes, prompting screams for offside after picking up a long ball from John Utaka and striking home.Pompey were two up minutes into the second half when a foul on David Kitson gave away a free kick on the edge of the area and Greg Halford scored a debut goal for his loan side.Nick Barmby pulled one back for Hull, the 36-year-old heading home at the near post, but the defeat left Pearson inconsolable, Hull's manager snapping his way through the press conference. "I am very concerned," he said, angrily sipping water. "The job's a little bit bigger than first anticipated in terms of things that need to be corrected."A rant against referees followed, before Pearson hit burning point as one journalist asked whether Jimmy Bullard was any closer to returning from injury. "You got a fixation with him or something? You ask the same thing every week," he said, before banging down his glass and storming out.At least he did not have to face questions about a possible dissolution of the club. Certainly, Portsmouth's fans have lived through enough ups and downs to ride that storm. Up and down the platform of Hull's main train station there were shouts of "Enjoy it boys, this could be the end". The statement on Portsmouth's website that claimed the club will be "closed down and liquidated" was met with gallows humour.But there was anger too, several hundred fans railing against those in charge of such a colossal mess. The millionaire former owners, above all, drew derision, transient figures who have haunted the club even after making their exit. Sulaiman al-Fahim popped along for a day out to watch Portsmouth's victory against Millwall, while Balram Chainrai's many months of failed promises has failed to bring stability to the club.Most recently, Sacha Gaydamak has sent things into panic mode as he allegedly demanded a lump sum of £2.5m at the eleventh hour. Gaydamak has his own version of events, but whatever the truth, supporters are angry at being caught up in a power struggle. Some consider staging a protest at Fratton Park tomorrow afternoon. Cotterill would probably approve. "This is a proper football club," he said. "We don't have plastic fans."They won't stand for a plastic solution either.Hull CityPortsmouthAnna Kesselguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |