1) No thrilla for Villa



“We’re working on something new and the lads seem to enjoy it,” said Paul Lambert after introducing a short-passing build-from-the-back approach in early December. Whether the players are still enjoying it is unclear (though Lambert insists that they are), but fans of entertainment certainly aren’t. Villa are by some distance the Premier League’s lowest scorers. In the 20 league games they’ve played this season, they have failed to score 11 times. And they’ve scored just once in their last five Premier League fixtures. And the long-suffering Villa fans could be forgiven for casting covetous glances at this weekend’s opponents Leicester City. While Villa are unable to fork out the £2.5m asked by Manchester City for Scott Sinclair the Foxes have broken their club transfer record for the second time in little over six months – the £9.7m spent on Andrej Kramaric eclipsing the £8m purchase of Leonardo Ulloa in the summer. Good job then that Lambert’s team have a defensive record better than seven of the 11 teams above them in the table. And, stats fans, only one team – QPR – have conceded more goals than Leicester this season. It’s the entirely resistible force meeting the very much moveable object. So: a third Villa 0-0 on the bounce? JA

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert. Photograph: Ben Queenborough/BPI/REX

2) Swansea’s post-Bony world

Wilfried Bony started on the bench against Queens Park Rangers on New Year’s Day but he highlighted his importance to Swansea City with the pirouette and stabbed shot from the edge of the area, all in one breathtaking movement, that rescued a point for Garry Monk’s side. Yet that was Bony’s last act in a Swansea shirt. He is closing in on a £30m move to Manchester City, having scored most goals in the Premier League in 2014, and Swansea are bound to miss him. How could they not? He has scored nine times in the league already this season, but now it is up to Bafétimbi Gomis to pick up the slack in Bony’s absence. The French striker’s opportunities have been limited and he only has one Premier League goal, the winner against Arsenal in November, although it was encouraging to see him score twice in Swansea’s 6-2 win over Tranmere Rovers in the FA Cup, while Swansea will be counting on Gylfi Sigurdsson, Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer to pitch in as well. Yet it is a tough first test for Monk’s side. West Ham United are the visitors to the Liberty Stadium this weekend and Swansea have scored once in their four past matches against them. No prizes for guessing who got that goal. JS

3) Dad’s the word for Szczesny

Being embarrassed by your parents is a familiar feeling for many: the unfortunate dad-dance at a wedding, mum using an old affectionate nickname – “What about these jim-jams, Fluffy-poos?” – in public. When you’re in your mid-30s. That sort of thing. This week Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny has had to deal with an unfortunate paternal proclamation of his own. “He made a mistake for the first [Southampton] goal, coming too far from the goal, but please look at the Arsenal defence,” said Maciej Szczesny of his under-fire son. “How these guys are playing is a disaster, but for some reason, nobody pays any attention to it.” And Szczesny Sr wasn’t finished, adding that “the entire defence this season is an embarrassment” and comparing Per Mertesacker’s agility to that of a rhinoceros. Szczesny Jr presumably met his team-mates at training with a deep breath and the time-honoured “Dads, eh?” eye-roll. Arsène Wenger should be able to field a defence stronger than the one that wilted at the Britannia before Christmas, but too often this season they have struggled to operate effectively as a unit. Szczesny Sr’s ill-advised intervention won’t have helped, but Wenger will hope it does not have a further divisive effect. JA

4) Chelsea need more from the support acts

From a position of apparent dominance, Chelsea have allowed Manchester City to chisel away at the eight-point lead they held in November, to the point where José Mourinho’s side are only top on alphabetical order. Suddenly it is possible to detect a little vulnerability about Chelsea, not least after the 5-3 defeat at Tottenham on New Year’s Day. Defeats of that magnitude are not supposed to happen to Mourinho’s sides; you might say that they defended like a hockey team. Yet it is unlikely that they will defend as poorly as they did at White Hart Lane again this season and it would be a shock if Chelsea do not beat Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge. Put it down to a blip. Perhaps the problem is higher up the pitch because, despite the sustained excellence of Eden Hazard, Cesc Fàbregas and Diego Costa, there are other members of the attack who are guilty of not contributing enough. André Schürrle was replaced at half-time against Southampton and Watford after disappointing, Oscar does not always apply his wide range of gifts and Willian sometimes seems to lack that extra bit of oomph, that ability to take the game by the scruff of the neck and bend it to his will. Willian is a fine player but he would be even better with more of an end product. Those three need to do more to relieve the onus on Fàbregas and Hazard to provide the creative spark. JS

5) Will West Brom get a Pulis bounce?

As managerial starts go, a 7-0 win isn’t a bad effort (contrast that with Gianfranco Zola’s 5-0 losing debut as Cagliari head coach last weekend). But West Brom’s victory in the FA Cup was against Gateshead and Tony Pulis will know that the visit of Hull to the Hawthorns, rather than a spot of minnow-crushing, is exactly the sort of fixture that he has been brought in to win. Pulis’s comments on his appointment – essentially: “Give me two weeks and I’ll know whether I can keep this club up” – were a little odd, given that Albion aren’t currently in the relegation zone. “I need two weeks to decide whether I’m going to be worse at this than the guy you sacked …” was presumably not the tone he was looking for. Nevertheless, this weekend represents the half-way point of that fortnight. Albion fans will be looking out for signs that his methods are taking hold. JA

6) Can Mignolet make his case where he made his name?

Simon Mignolet must have happy memories of the Stadium of Light. The three impressive years he enjoyed at Sunderland were, after all, what convinced Liverpool to splash out £9m on him two summers ago. Of late, though, things haven’t quite been working out. He was dropped for “an indefinite period” before Christmas after one too many blunders, but was back in the side on Boxing Day after an injury to his replacement Brad Jones. With no word on whether Jones will be back at the weekend, it appears the Belgian will get the chance to restake his claim as first choice. He was again partly culpable for AFC Wimbledon’s goal in midweek, but if he can’t cut out the errors on familiar territory then the writing appears to be on the wall. JA





7) Southampton’s week on the road

The next week is going to be a test of Southampton’s endurance. They were not particularly pleased about the draw with Ipswich Town in the third round of the FA Cup that means they have to go to Portman Road for the replay next Monday because it means that they now have to deal with three away games in the space of the week. It starts with Sunday’s trip to Manchester United and ends with the long journey to Newcastle United next weekend. Ronald Koeman will have to make good use of his squad if Southampton are to stay in the Cup and hold on to their place in the top four. Yet that will not be easy. He has lost Sadio Mané to a calf injury and the influential Dusan Tadic, who played well against Arsenal on New Year’s Day, was lethargic against Ipswich and replaced after 66 minutes. Although Southampton are unbeaten in five matches and had positive results against Chelsea and Arsenal during the Christmas period, putting an end to talk that they cannot cope against the big sides, this may be a good time for United to play them. JS

8) Will Everton go direct?



“We mixed up how we played a bit more, at times we were a bit more direct. For me that makes it easier, because when I am one v one, running on a defender, that gives me a better chance.” Romelu Lukaku was clearly pleased with Everton’s tweaked approach against West Ham in the FA Cup, but Roberto Martínez didn’t offer him much encouragement that it’s a tactic that will be maintained against Manchester City. “We need to use players in a specific way from game to game and against West Ham Romelu had a very effective game, I thought we used him very well, his pace and power was back to his best and he became a real threat for us,” said the Everton manager, whose side have managed one win in eight in the Premier League. “We need to remember we are in a position that every player can have a real impact and using certain players in a certain way from game to game.” A game-by-game approach is, of course, fair enough – what works against West Ham might not work against City. Flexibility is fine. But confronted by a City defence that has shown itself to be far from unflappable this season, Martínez’s best bet might be to continue with a style that makes the most of his biggest goal threat. JA

9) A first away win for QPR?

Harry Redknapp’s defence for Queens Park Rangers’ dismal away form – nine games, nine defeats, four goals scored, 22 conceded – is that, on paper, they have not had an easy game yet. To be fair, he has a point. So far, QPR have been to Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Manchester United, Newcastle, Southampton, Swansea, Tottenham and West Ham, none of whom Redknapp’s side would feasibly be expected to beat, so they just about get a free pass. For now, that is, because QPR will be on much shakier ground if they lose to fellow strugglers Burnley at Turf Moor. And Burnley are no pushovers. They were unfortunate to lose 2-0 at Loftus Road last month and since then they have demonstrated their potential by salvaging draws at City and Newcastle. JS

10) Murray could be the answer for Palace

Alan Pardew’s return to Crystal Palace as manager could be the jolt in the arm the Eagles need. With a morale-boosting 4-0 FA Cup win at Dover Athletic and a noisy Palace support behind him, Pardew automatically seems more at home than at any point during four years at Newcastle. Fervent excitement surrounds the club as it enters a new phase with an old boy taking the lead. Back in the Premier League however, the South London side are winless in the last seven games. While only days into his reign, Tottenham’s visit to Selhurst Park will provide the first hint of just how bold and inventive Pardew’s Palace will be. Along with the task of containing a vastly improving Spurs side and the irrepressible Harry Kane the manager, crucially, has to find a goalscorer in his squad. Pardew may yet turn to Glenn Murrray, the man forgotten by predecessor Neil Warnock and so consistent for Palace before a serious knee injury in 2013, but still incisive after eight goals on loan at Reading during the first half of the season. He deserves an opportunity. YA