World Football's Monday Morning Hangover: Divided We Fall

Welcome to world football's Monday Morning Hangover, an homage to the NFL section's own Monday Morning Hangover, in which we round up the key stories and important points from the last weekend in world football.

With an inevitable focus on the Premier League, let's get started.

With Supporters Like This, Who Needs Enemies

Sometimes "supporters" seems like the wrong word. When you are booing your team's manager as he boards a train, the last thing you would appear to be doing is "supporting" your team.

Of course, that is not necessarily a criticism of the fans, more the words used to describe them. Following a team sees you "support" them in their bid to achieve success (whatever "success" might constitute for a particular team); if success is achieved, you are then able to revel in it. The other side of that, however, is if things go south, you are well within your rights to express your displeasure.

Sometimes, it all gets out of hand. For example: abusing your manager as he gets the train after an away defeat, like Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger experienced this past weekend. (Granted, there is no clear evidence that the "fans" in question even supported Arsenal and weren't just wind-up merchants causing a stir.)

Arsenal were undoubtedly abject against Stoke City on Saturday; 3-0 down at half-time, they should have been 4-0 down before eventually rallying back and losing by a marginally less embarrassing 3-2 scoreline.

But there also seems to be a bizarre sense of entitlement attached, a presumption that Arsenal should automatically beat a team like Stoke—a "pub team," as Claude of Arsenal Fan TV fame denounced them this weekend. This, as he literally pointed to the Britannia Stadium, the sort of structure no pub team has ever called its home ground (indeed, in terms of capacity, it's not dissimilar to Highbury, where Arsenal were playing only a decade ago).

This is the Premier League, one of the most competitive leagues in the world. On their day, as we have seen countless times, anyone can beat anyone. Arsenal are a good team—above average—but if a few factors line up against them, they are going to be in trouble against any opponent.

On Saturday, some fans seemed to ignore the obvious problems—namely, the defence was so injury-plagued that Hector Bellerin, the unprepared teenage Spaniard, had to start alongside a central-defensive partnership, Calum Chambers and Per Mertesacker, that had not had any opportunity to develop a real rapport. Chambers, for what it is worth, is clearly in need of a rest, but he cannot be afforded one with all the injuries along the back line.

That had a knock-on effect on the midfield, which clearly lacked the physicality to match up with Stoke's particular style. But what other options did Wenger have?

They went behind after 20 seconds and the tone was set. As the Frenchman noted, per the Daily Telegraph:

"

We did not do what we promised to do before the game and when that happens it makes you angry. Defensively, we missed too many [injured] players and we were too fragile. We had no [Nacho] Monreal or [Laurent] Koscielny and it was too much for us [without them].

It was a bad start. They were sharper than us. We were dominated in the air and in the challenges for the second balls.

"

Of course, fans will (rightly) argue that a lack of squad depth is the fault of the manager, who should ensure his squad is prepared for every eventuality.

It still remains bizarre that Wenger did not buy another central defender or the holding midfielder the club is clearly crying out in the summer. But that does not forgive the sort of loss of perspective that sees grown men raising their voices outside an away ground or abusing a man of retirement age as he boards a train.

The issue with the "Arsene out" brigade is, beyond wanting the Frenchman gone, what do they want after that? Who do they want to replace him? Who do they think is currently available? How do they think that a new manager will be able to turn things around before the season is out?

If the problem is the makeup of the squad, that can only be resolved in the summer. The January transfer window may apply a plaster to the problem, but it is not a long-term solution.

Considering Wenger is an expert at seeing his team to fourth, the minimum requirement for Arsenal, shouldn't they stick with him at least until that point?

There's a lot of shouting and finger-pointing but no suggestion of solutions. There is talk of things being "unacceptable" but no idea how to make it acceptable again.

When Claude again signs off with talk about how "the milk has gone off" (the worst catchphrase since "Is he/she having a laugh?" in Extras—and at least that was ironic), you wonder whether all these videos are a real reflection of what the fans think or just an attempt to be sensational to gain attention. Big Brother for football fans.

The problem is that heightened emotion infects other elements of the fancies. Suddenly, all perspective is lost.

On Saturday, Wenger noticeably did not leave the dugout throughout the contest. When asked why, he replied, "One single reason—they love me so much here [at Stoke] and I didn't want to give them an opportunity for them to show me their love."

For a while, however, that love has not been completely limited to Stoke fans—that doesn't look like changing any time soon. Even three wins on the bounce before the visit to the Britannia could not buy Wenger a bit of forgiveness.

After saying all that, maybe we've reached a tipping point. On Saturday afternoon, social media was graced by a small section of Chelsea fans, moaning and pointing fingers at individual players following their defeat to Newcastle United.

Chelsea haven't lost all season; they look odds-on title winners and highly plausible Champions League challengers. Yet, here was a portion of "supporters" moaning about a defeat that, to the neutral observer, had at least an element of misfortune about it.

When that happens, you wonder why anyone bothers supporting a team at all. Even when things are at their best, they are still not good enough.

Stu Forster/Getty Images

Dealing with Defeat Can Be Hard to Do

Did any spectator at any point toward the end of Newcastle's game with Chelsea actually think, "Hmm, the ballboys really are taking their time to give the ball back to the away side here?"

Afterwards, that was all Jose Mourinho wanted to talk about, but it seemed a particularly bizarre kind of deflection after Papiss Cisse's brace had condemned the Blues to their first defeat of the season. 

"I don't speak about negative tactics," Mourinho, a man who brought the phrase "park the bus" to English football, said, per the Guardian. "I never criticise a team but you may as well have put a cow in the middle of the pitch, walking. And then stop the game because there was a cow.

"You cannot just do anything in football—it needs a ball, not two or zero. Do what you can to win the game but not everything."

This seemed a brilliant piece of hypocrisy, considering Mourinho has often shown himself to be a man who will do anything in order to win a game over the years. This was one occasion when he couldn't, with the absence of Nemanja Matic (suspended) and uncharacteristically poor display of Gary Cahill (possibly injured) proving the basis of a surprise defeat.

They, along with the brilliant resolve shown by the Magpies, were the reasons Chelsea lost—but perhaps they are all elements the Portuguese would prefer not to discuss.

In private, however, perhaps Mourinho will have no problem being remarkably blunt about what he saw. In private, he might feel it is a relief that the speculation over going the entire season unbeaten is now at an end, that the pressure of that challenge is off their shoulders and they can now focus on the primary aim: winning trophies.

Defeat might also ensure a sharpening of focus. Chelsea players could have been forgiven for taking their eye off the ball very slightly, considering how imperiously they have started the season.

Goal of the Weekend

Breaking into the first team might take a while, but it looks like Ryan Gauld is starting to make an impression in Portugal.

Goal of the Weekend: Runner-Up Edition

"

ICYMI: Halilovic scored this golazo earlier today http://t.co/8au1Nvm3g0

— migeru (@migerucb) December 7, 2014"

"

Bojan's beautiful finish over the weekend  https://t.co/Q74JCvQQ1M

— ❤️=⚽️ (@Total_Futbol_) December 7, 2014"

Random Asides

• Bojan's growing influence at Stoke City—the Spaniard scored once against Arsenal and would have had a second but for a dubious officiating decision—is yet another reason why we love football. It is simply too unpredictable. Neat and tidy technically but physically slight, the ex-Barcelona youngster struggled in Italy and the Netherlands (two patient, technical leagues), yet he seems to be flourishing in the rough-and-tumble of England, where you might have thought he would be easily bullied out of things.

• No goals at White Hart Lane on Saturday, but fans were treated to a series of spectacular displays of individual flair as Tottenham Hotspur drew with Crystal Palace. Christian Eriksen started things off—nutmegging Martin Kelly in cheeky fashion—but it was Yannick Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha who stole the show, with Bolasie in particular producing a trick that boggles the mind no matter how many times you watch it. Bravo.

• Interesting to see Sam Allardyce embark on something of a media tour over the weekend, joining Sky Sports' punditry team for Manchester City's Saturday evening in over Everton before sitting down for a chummy taped interview with Geoff Shreeves (at the Shard, no less) for his side's game the following day. With West Ham United riding high in the table, Allardyce—a man who once said he was good enough to manage Real Madrid—is clearly enjoying the return of the good times. Following the 3-1 win over Swansea, however, it is clear his PR offensive is not affecting the team at all just yet.

• Charlie Austin had a mixed bag against former side Burnley on Saturday, enjoying the satisfaction of scoring in a 2-0 win for Queens Park Rangers but having things soured somewhat following a sending off for a late elbow. Still, the striker showed Burnley exactly what they seem to be lacking at this level. "We need to be more clinical," their boss, Sean Dyche, said after the game, per the Guardian. "That's the league we're in, it's very unforgiving."

Good Week, Bad Week

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Good Week

Andy Carroll: His first Premier League goal in ages—followed quickly by his second (and an assist).

Nemanja Matic: Absence makes the heart grow (even) fonder.

Samir Nasri: Helped weather the storm after Aguero's injury, delivering a crucial win

Allan McGregor: The Scot has saved the last three penalties he's faced, and the point his most recent stop ensured was vital for his team.

Harry Redknapp: Six points from QPR's two relegation rivals. Suddenly, 'Arry's boys are hitting a stride.

Bad Week

Nigel Pearson: Three leads squandered in a week—spats with fans are only acceptable if you are winning games.

Hector Bellerin: A baptism of fire for the Arsenal youngster.

Graham Dorrans: How important could his missed penalty ultimately prove to be for the Baggies?

Burnley: Put to the sword by one of their former players, and things now look difficult once again.

Gary Cahill: Injured in the week, the defender did not look fully fit at Newcastle—and his team paid the price. 

Other Points of Note

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

City's Title Bid Takes 2 Steps Forward, 1 Step Back

After Chelsea's defeat earlier in the day on Saturday, Manchester City closed to within three points of the Blues at the top of the table, thanks to a 1-0 victory over Everton.

It was a particularly hard-fought win. Sergio Aguero was injured after just two minutes, leaving Manuel Pellegrini's side to effectively play the rest of the match with strikers that were either horribly inexperienced (Jose Pozo) or clearly unfit (Edin Dzeko).

That they still won—against an Everton side that, on paper, should have given them a close game—was a credit to the likes of Samir Nasri and James Milner, two players made their impact felt in Aguero's absence and ensured City retained some semblance of an attacking threat.

The win dragged City back within three points of Chelsea—10 days ago, they were eight adrift—but the loss of Aguero is a huge concern. Only over the next few days will we discover exactly how much time the Argentinian will miss, but the way in which he limped off the pitch with tears in his eyes gave the sense that this was a serious problem.

Even if he only misses a month, which still seems an optimistic prognostication, that could cost him six league games (perhaps returning, ironically, against Everton in the second week of January). City's opponents in that span might trend toward the lower end of the table, but that does not lessen the blow of losing Aguero. He is exactly the sort of player who could ensure such games do not become arduous, energy-sapping affairs.

Dzeko's return may limit the pain, even if it will take a few games for the Bosnian to get fully up to speed. Nevertheless, Aguero's form had just seem him recognised as the best forward in the league. Losing him, for however long, is clearly going to hurt City, and just as they get within striking distance of Chelsea.

"We have other players and we will rearrange if he does not play," said Pellegrini, per the Manchester Evening News. They can rearrange all they want, but no matter what they do, City will be considerably worse in the final third.

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Monday Night Football

Ronald Koeman and Louis van Gaal do not get on, that much is clear. Despite working together at both Barcelona and Ajax, it seems the two men have been driven apart by those periods of enforced closeness.

"I don't have to describe my relationship with the trainer of the opponent," Van Gaal said this week, per the Daily Telegraph. "We play against Southampton and we have to speak about Southampton and not the trainer/coach."

By all accounts, the animosity between the two men is the result of various run-ins during their periods working together, along with their very different personalities. (There is also a story about rival villas in a Portuguese holiday resort.)

But they come into this game on an almost equal footing: Southampton are a point and place ahead of United in the table, but they are currently suffering the kind of injury headaches that have seemingly plagued United all season. Van Gaal said of Southampton's surprising start:

"

It's the same in every country. Every country always has, at the beginning of the season, a surprise.

But what always matters is the end of May. That counts. Now it's not so important. It's always surprising that a club like Southampton is in that position now. but that's always a matter of coach, players and staff. When you do that it's very good.

"

The words are cordial, if slightly curt. But make no mistake, both managers will be eager to get one over on the other on Monday evening.

Prediction: Southampton 0-1 Manchester United