10 Things We Learned from the Premier League in November
We’re now over a third of the way through the 2014/15 Premier League season, and we’re finding out more and more about each team every week.
November brought us plenty to ponder as the table continues to take shape, with the storylines shifting, new heroes emerging and old ones fading into the background.
Here are 10 things we learned from the month.
Ayoze Perez Is Premier League-Ready
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After his first goal for Newcastle came in the win at Tottenham in late October, young Spanish forward Ayoze Perez underlined that he is more than just a flash in the pan by leading the line with distinction throughout November.
The winner against Liverpool and an outrageous flicked finish at West Brom showcased that this is a forward who can certainly cut it at the highest level, and the 21-year-old was leading a Toon charge which stood at five straight wins before a loss at West Ham at the end of the month.
He’s by no means the finished article, but it promises to be fun watching him attempt to be.
Manchester United Are Starting to Look Ominous
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The 1-0 reverse at Manchester City, in which Chris Smalling lost his head and played a part in his side losing the match, apart, Manchester United started to ominously click into gear in November.
They won their three other matches, scoring six goals and conceding just one, with the most impressive of those wins coming at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal.
All of this has come against the backdrop of a defensive injury list which is longer than the one Louis van Gaal writes down his enemies on. Although the fixtures are about to get tougher this month, confidence should certainly be growing at Old Trafford.
Charlie Austin Can Be QPR’s Saviour
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To stay in the Premier League you always need someone who is going to regularly put the ball in the back of the net for you, and the signs are that in Charlie Austin Queens Park Rangers have just that.
Three goals in four November matches helped QPR earn four points and climb off the foot of the table.
Austin struck seven times in the first third of the season, and if he can keep that ratio up, then he’ll be giving his side a great chance of avoiding the drop.
Steven Gerrard Isn’t Undroppable
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It took until the final game of the month against Stoke City at Anfield, but Brendan Rodgers’ decision to leave Steven Gerrard out of a Liverpool Premier League XI for the first time since New Year’s Day (when he was injured) has been a long time coming.
You can’t doubt the quality of the Reds’ skipper, but at 34 you can doubt his longevity.
Liverpool need energy and dynamism if they are to claw their way back towards the top four, and so the sight of Gerrard on the bench is bound to be a more regular one in the weeks and months to come.
Aston Villa Wasn’t Right for Roy Keane, and Vice Versa
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Many thought it was going to come earlier than it did, but the divorce between Roy Keane and Aston Villa finally happened in November—bringing to an end an odd association.
Right from the beginning a lot of the Villa focus was on the bearded, book-selling Irish assistant manager, with Paul Lambert and his players often playing second fiddle until their awful run of form became too difficult to ignore.
You can expect the next right-hand man that Lambert appoints to be somewhat less high-profile, whilst Keane? Who knows where he’ll turn up next?
Consistency of Selection Will Be Key for Southampton
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Many supporters of the so-called “bigger” clubs are seemingly waiting for Southampton to fall away from the upper reaches of the table, with the 3-0 loss to Manchester City adding fuel to those particular fires.
What cost Saints there, though, was the second-half absence of the injured Morgan Schneiderlin, just as the injury to Steven Davis led to a disjointed display in their previous match—the 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.
It is that consistency of selection and availability which will be key to Ronald Koeman if he wants his side to stay where they are—especially in midfield and particularly over the next few weeks.
Sergio Aguero Is a 1-Man Strike Force
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The stunning form of Sergio Aguero throughout November has largely come when Manchester City have done their best to isolate him.
With David Silva out injured, Edin Dzeko disappointing, Alvaro Negredo disappeared and Stevan Jovetic just seemingly another injury waiting to happen, Manuel Pellegrini appears to have made a conscious move to let Aguero roam free and then place plenty of his talents behind him.
Yaya Toure, Jesus Navas and the criminally underrated Samir Nasri have all got better as the month has gone on, but none of them would have been allowed to without Aguero around.
There Is Hope at Burnley, Where Ings Can Only Get Better
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November started in typical fashion with a 3-0 loss at Arsenal, but then Burnley faced three matches from which they would have hoped to take something, and the response was seven points.
Key to those successes was the form of Danny Ings, who has three goals in his last two games and seems to have taken on the mantle of his club’s saviour.
December promises to be tricky with visits from Southampton and Liverpool and to Tottenham and Manchester City, but at least there is now hope where previously there only seemed to be acceptance.
Leicester’s Descent Has Got a Lot Steeper
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The warm glow of September’s 5-3 win over Manchester United must seem like a lifetime ago for Leicester City, who took just one point from the 12 available in November to sink to the bottom of the division.
It’s just two points from the last 24 on offer all told, a run which has seen the pressure build on boss Nigel Pearson.
Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham visit in December, a month during which there could be plenty on the hunt to criticise the Foxes.
December Will Make or Break Alan Irvine’s West Brom Career
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Leicester’s November started with a 1-0 loss at home to West Brom, but the Baggies then ran into an in-form Newcastle, top-of-the-table Chelsea and Arsenal and lost all three matches without scoring a goal.
They were tough opponents, obviously, but the booing which followed one of manager Alan Irvine’s substitutions in the Arsenal loss indicated that the Scot isn’t universally admired at The Hawthorns.
December’s fixtures are a little kinder to the former Everton assistant though, and you get the sense that he’ll need to take something from the majority of them to stop those boos becoming louder.
