THE NEW YORK ANFIELDER

One week until the top 4 are pitted into 2 head-to-head clashes. Mouthwatering stuff no doubt. It's been a while since I last blogged (new job's been busy), but I cannot get over the pain of losing to Arsenal twice, at home, in such emphatic defeats. I will not comment on the games, but I will mention one thing that is worrisome: against the other big sides in England, we've yet to claim a point. I'm hoping and praying this changes come Saturday - I'd love to accelerate Mourinho's departure from Chelsea!
I did manage to watch 4 games this weekend - Liverpool v. Watford, Chelsea v. Wigan, Blackburn v. Arsenal, and Tottenham v. Newcastle. Solid action all around, and here are some of my thoughts.

Watford v. Liverpool - a solid three points for the Merseyside outfit, and a generally pleasing performance. Rafa's formation was a bit bizarre - 3 centerbacks, 2 wingbacks, 2 central midfielders, and 3 strikers - I suppose a bit of a 3-2-2-3? It worked against Watford though, and I have no complaints - the goals were well taken, and it was pleasing to see the Reds bounce back from the 2 Arsenal defeats with a satisfying victory.
Who caught my eye? I thought Steve Finnan was outstanding in the wingback role on the right. I've consistently maintained that Finnan seems to thrive in that role, and his ability to bomb forward and support the attack was outstanding yesterday. I also thought Fabio Aurelio put in his first exceptional performance in a Liverpool shirt. In particular, I was quite pleased with some of his defensive work as he was able to dispossess Watford attackers on a few occasions, and his ability to link up with the attack was quite adequate as well. Up front, I was really pleased with Rafa's three-pronged strike force - Peter Crouch's finishes were excellent, but I thought that Bellamy and Kuyt were the gems of the XI. When Liverpool play away from Anfield, Bellamy seems to find the net and give the home defense a slew of problems with his pace and guile. Kuyt always puts in a solid performance with tremendous workrate, and I thought his ability to support the attack (he was involved in the build-up for 2 of the 3 goals) was first class.
In summation, a pleasing victory that should leave us feeling good ahead of the big game against Chelsea at Anfield.

Chelsea v. Wigan - one way traffic throughout. Lampard's goal was really quite poor from the Wigan perspective, and the defense and goalkeeper should've done better. I felt Arjen Robben was by far the brightest player in attack for Chelsea as he seemed to take the initiative of trying to enliven an otherwise dull affair. In defense, makeshift centerback Michael Essien put in a superb performance repelling everything Wigan threw forward and neutralized Emile Heskey.
Too many mistakes by Wigan, and if they keep playing like this, they could very well be facing a return to the Championship.

Blackburn v. Arsenal - Simply put, Blackburn did not get stuck in, did not play at a high-enough tempo, and were not creative enough in trying to breakdown 10-man Arsenal. Credit must be given to Arsenal, however...they were quite resolute, and at times played better than Blackburn despite having Gilberto Silva sent off early in the match. Gilberto Silva's sending off was a bit unlucky from his perspective as he was the victim of a Robbie Savage wind-up. It's astonishing how Savage has only been sent off once in his EPL career. For me, Robbie Savage epitomizes why Blackburn are an unlikeable side with unlikeable players and a tough-to-like coach. I thought Kolo Toure was outstanding as the rock in the Arsenal 4, putting in a steady performance and grabbing the opening goal. Cesc Fabregas was also fantastic in the midfield, tracking back to mark runners and playing dangerous passes in the attacking third. And of course, it only takes one instance for a player like Thierry Henry to show his class - his goal was unstoppable, a moment of pure class.

Tottenham v. Newcastle - The game of the weekend in my opinion. Quality football throughout. Tottenham dominated, but Newcastle were rewarded on their infrequent forays forward. The opening exchanges saw Tottenham pepper the Newcastle goal, and it took three solid Shay Given saves to keep the scores level. After Tottenham got a deserved opener from an offside position, Newcastle responded within two minutes from their first chance on goal. Off a free kick floated behind the far post, young fullback Paul Huntington - preferred to fellow youngster and matchwinner v. Manchester United David Edgar - struck a ball from near the byline off Paul Robinson and into the net. Something about Newcastle United leftbacks...
Jermain Defoe hit the post from near the edge of the 18 yard box, and Steed Malbranque was creating havoc in Newcastle's defense before Tottenham got a deserved second goal via Dimitar Berbatov. Berbatov and Defoe looked dangerous throughout, created tons of chances, and it'll be interesting to see how much longer Robbie Keane accepts a substitute's role in light of Berbatov and Defoe's form.
Within 90 seconds of madness with 20 minutes to go, Newcastle snatched an outstanding equalizer and an improbable winner. Punishing Tottenham for profligacy in from of goal, Obafemi Martins hit a wonder goal across his body from 20 yards out, leaving Andy Gray and Martin Tyler purring in the announcer's box. Shortly thereafter, Obafemi Martins threaded a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Nicky Butt's intelligent run, and Butt lashed in the winner. Tottenham dominated for large swathes of the game, and were unrelenting in their pressure for the last fifteen minutes of the game. With some solid defending and outstanding individual performances, Newcastle rode the storm, claimed three valuable points at a normally impregnable White Hart Lane, and completed the double over Tottenham this year.
Full marks to Nolberto Solano in the rightback role. Simply outstanding. He did a solid job neutralizing Tottenham forays on his side of the defense, and produced two outstanding blocks on goal-bound efforts. Shay Given, as always, was the man who kept Newcastle's defense from being embarassed. A worldclass goalkeeper in my opinion, he needs to move to a CL contender (ahem, Liverpool?). Obafemi Martins was inspired up front, and his wonder goal must be among the contenders for goal of the season so far. In the midfield, Nicky Butt put in one of his best performances since moving from Old Trafford despite an illness, and his goal could not be more vital to his side - the three points as a result of his winner have surely lifted the spirits of Glenn Roeder's injury-hexed troops.