What a weekend of soccer fun across Europe's top five leagues! The Premier League's big game involved two title-chasing London sides and it played out to a fiery, tempestuous 1-1 draw that should leave Chelsea and Arsenal fans happy ... even though it won't. In Spain, Xabi Alonso continues to make heavy work of evolving Real Madrid into his style, as they dropped yet more points in a draw with Girona that slides them out of first place.
In Europe, Paris Saint-Germain's casual approach to Ligue 1 could come back to hurt them after another disappointing result -- a 1-0 defeat at ten-man Monaco -- and Napoli remained in touch with the Serie A title race as Antonio Conte's side grabbed a 1-0 win at Roma. Elsewhere, we have talking points galore for Barcelona (Hansi Flick gets another wobbly win), Manchester United (hooray for Joshua Zirkzee getting on the scoresheet), Liverpool (who finally broke their Premier League win-less run), Bayern Munich (who got a spark from Luis Díaz) and so much more.
It's Monday morning, so what better time for some musings? Let's get into it.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal ought to be happy
We got a classic glass half-full or glass half-empty moment after the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge. But unless you're some kind of Grinch obsessed with only finding negatives -- or one of those perpetually unhappy, hyper-competitive types who always wants more -- in the cold light of day this was a point gained, not two lost for both Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca.
Sure, Arteta can rue the fact that his team played around an hour with an extra man (following Moisés Caicedo's first-half red card) and failed to win. But that's more than balanced out by the fact that he started the game without his first (and second) choice center forward, without his best passing midfielder and without his starting center backs (Gabriel, William Saliba).
The latter especially shouldn't go unnoticed. Defensive chemistry matters particularly against a movement-heavy transition side like Chelsea, and Piero Hincapié and Christian Mosquera had hardly played together before Sunday.
- Reaction: Chelsea, Arsenal title chase makes for thrilling game
- VAR Review: Breaking down Caicedo's red card
Nor can Arteta be accused of not going for it. Replacing Martín Zubimendi (and not Eberechi Eze) with Martin Odegaard before the hour mark was a sign of intent, a willingness to change the shape to maximise the increased possession Arsenal were enjoying. And, in fact, late in the game, his team nearly nicked it.
Across the way, Maresca can take heart from how his young side performed in a derby that turned physical and old-school straight away. Three yellow cards in the first 13 minutes tell their own story. You don't get much football in a street fight, and that's what this felt like.
The Chelsea reaction after the Caicedo red card -- not a malicious tackle, but when you mis-time things like that, you will get sent off -- is also hugely heartening.
Janusz Michalik and Sam Tighe reflect on Arsenal's 'disappointing' 1-1 draw away to Chelsea at Stamford bridge.
It's hard to overstate how important Caicedo is to this team. He's not just one of their top two players in absolute terms (Cole Palmer, returning from injury and stuck on the bench being the other). He's also the defensive brains of the midfield, the equalizer who helps maintain what otherwise would be an unlikely defensive balance. (And he does it regardless of who is in front or behind him, which is far from easy to do. Just note how often Chelsea's center backs and front four change.)
With Caicedo out, Reece James stepped up. Deputized from right back to stiffen things up in partnership with Caicedo, the Chelsea captain turned in a monster performance next to Enzo Fernández once his teammate went off. A homegrown player, in a derby, one packed with intensity -- it's a romantic trope, and he embraced it heartily.
At 11 vs. 11, we would probably have seen Cole Palmer at some juncture, but turning to the more industrious (some might say industrial) Liam Delap down a man made more sense. So too did replacing Estêvão on a day when -- one run aside -- things weren't quite working for him. Chelsea may have gained just a point in the table, but the self-belief and toughness they showed are far more valuable for a young side that is still growing.
As for the officiating, Anthony Taylor got it right on Caicedo after the on-field review. The same can't be said -- as Maresca pointed out -- about the Piero Hincapie on Trevoh Chalobah incident. The Chelsea coach said post-game that Taylor told him "it was not an elbow." Maybe there was some miscommunication, or maybe Taylor didn't see it -- but then VAR should have, and if there was no elbow, why was Hincapie booked?. Unless, of course, you think the mark on Chalobah's face was somehow self-inflicted or the work of invisible make-up artists.
Another head-scratching performance from Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid as they slip to second in LaLiga
I'm talking performance more than result here. Girona aren't good -- they've won two of 14 Liga games, they're in the relegation zone and they have conceded the most goals in the league -- and Real Madrid had enough chances to win this outright, settling ultimately for a 1-1 draw. What's more confounding here were some of the decisions.
Luis Garcia reacts to Real Madrid's 1-1 draw away to Girona as they fail to go top of LaLiga.
Was this the time to bring back Antonio Rüdiger (his first start since mid-August) alongside the returning Éder Militão in defense when you're trying to find some stability? Is Fede Valverde ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold at right back really a long-term option worth trying? And, as lacklustre as his performance -- and that of the team, who managed just one shot on target and created one clear chance -- was in the first half, does it make sense to yank Arda Güler for Eduardo Camavinga at the break?
It feels as if Xabi Alonso is still in full-on experimental mode, which isn't great when you consider that he took over this team in June and had the whole Club World Cup to figure things out. It's now one win in five in all competitions -- and that was away to Olympiacos, when they conceded three times and could easily have dropped points -- and now that first place has slipped away in LaLiga, the screws are turning. That's the joy of coaching Real Madrid.
Thomas Frank has bigger fish to try at Tottenham than what constitutes a 'true fan'
Or maybe it was some grand design so that we talk about him suggesting that supporters who boo their own keeper for making a mistake can't be "true" Tottenham fans, instead of the fact that his side are punching way below their weight with no clear path out of their hole?
Why not talk about both?
Booing Guglielmo Vicario for not just hoofing the ball out of play and, in the process, conceding a goal in a defeat at Fulham doesn't mean you're not a "true" fan. It just means you don't have a clear understanding of football and what he was trying to do ... which was not give up a set-piece when your defence is unsettled, having just conceded, and perhaps even cueing up a counterattack.
Shaka Hislop wonders where the quality is at Tottenham after Thomas Frank's side are beaten at home by Fulham.
Juice not worth the squeeze? Maybe. But if Vicario clears the ball without falling over, he gets back in time to deal with Harry Wilson's shot. If Destiny Udogie doesn't slip, Wilson doesn't get his shot off. And for those keeping track at home, that's an 0.06 xG chance. That's a lot of stars aligned against you.
More of a concern to Frank than whether fans boo Vicario ought to be what he's doing with the players at his disposal. It feels like the whole season has been on long exercise in trial-and-error: Back threes, back fours. Randal Kolo Muani in, Randal Kolo Muani out. Sometimes we see wingers, sometimes we don't. Xavi Simons was supposed to be the creative answer, and yet he's benched for three straight games. Mohamed Kudus looks like a guy who plays by himself.
Meanwhile, the only team Tottenham have beaten since before Halloween is Copenhagen.
Are Paris Saint-Germain playing with fire?
They're the reigning European champions, and the popular narrative is that they can sleepwalk their way to every domestic title because their only real challenge is in the Champions League. Maybe so. But after Lens' 2-1 win over Angers -- prompted by the Lazarus that is Florent Thauvin -- PSG are not top of Ligue 1. And, in fact, were it not for Olympique Marseille's unparalleled ability for self-harm (conceding an injury time equalizer at home to Toulouse) they'd be third.
Are there mitigating factors? Well, they're actually better than their first 20 games last season (when they dropped points eight times). And the stock answer is that the Club World Cup, plus a lack of proper preseason training, has impacted their campaign. Except three of the 13 wins this season came thanks to goals scored after minute 90, which isn't great for what's supposed to be a dominant side. And the problem with the preseason excuse is that they actually started very well, with seven wins in their first nine games.
Injuries matter; of course they do. Ousmane Dembélé (five) and Désiré Doué (seven) have started just twelve games between them. Right now, both fullbacks (Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi) are sidelined. But other clubs have players out too, and you can't help but wonder if, maybe, some folks are taking Le Championnat for granted to the point that even a wounded side like Monaco -- coming off three straight league defeats -- can upend them with a bit of good fortune.
Like lovers taking a break and then getting back together, stronger than ever
These are not my words, but something I heard in the Italian media to describe Napoli's relationship with Antonio Conte after returning from the international break. He had said, after defeat at Bologna on Nov. 9, that "it was not his team" and it looked as if things were spinning out of control, with the critics ready to dust off the old cliche about things going pear-shaped for Conte in Year Two.
Not so fast. Still without Kevin De Bruyne, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Romelu Lukaku, they roared back with three convincing performances (and three wins), none more so perhaps than the 1-0 victory away to Roma Sunday night.
Conte's 3-4-2-1 formation, with the previously unloved David Neres and Noa Lang behind Rasmus Hojlund, took the game to Roma and kept them on their back foot in the first half. After the break, they managed the game on the counterattack (hey, it's still Conte) and defended well enough to give up just one shot on target.
As for Roma, they miss their chance to pull away at the top of the table. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini (who wasn't pitch side because, again, he was suspended) will necessarily be disappointed too, but lest we forget: they are well ahead of the curve (and just a point off the top). Even with their Europa League obligations, even without help from the January market, they remain in the thick of Serie A's title race.
Quick hits
10. What a difference a (Luis) Diaz makes in Bayern Munich comeback: In some ways, Bayern's clash with St. Pauli mirrored last week's victory over Freiburg. Distracted by the Champions League (pre-game last time, post-game this time), numerous changes to the starting XI, going behind early and equalising just before the half. The difference was that while against Freiburg they put the opposition away after the break (and won 6-2), on Saturday they had to wait until deep in time added on, before adding a third in garbage time.
Credit this one to Luis Diaz, suspended against Paris Saint-Germain in midweek. With Serge Gnabry and Michael Olise on the bench (and Jamal Musiala still out), he conjured up the improbable assist for the equalizer and popped up to make it 2-1. While Bayern did hit the woodwork twice, St Pauli's formula of defend-and-counter -- the visitors had a measly 20% possession after the break -- shows it can work, to some degree. Against that, you need your individuals star to shine.
9. Soon we'll know if that 'Atletico Madrid deep squad' thing is an actual thing: Diego Simeone rang the changes big-time for the visit of Oviedo, which makes sense on so many levels. The Barcelona game Tuesday is huge, Oviedo aren't particularly good and he's more comfortable than most with heavy rotation (indeed, you can make the case that this is one of the deepest squads around). So it wasn't exactly a surprise that Marcos Llorente, Pablo Barrios, Giuliano Simeone, Julian Alavares and Jose Gimeenez were all missing from his starting XI.
The heavy lifting was left to Alexander Sorloth, who scored both goals in the 2-0 win, and mostly a group of players who may not start as often as other, but you'd hesitate to call second-stringers (Álex Baena, Conor Gallahger, Nahuel Molina, Antoine Griezmann). That's the thing about Atleti and their interpretation of depth. It's not so much the quality of the so-called reserves; it's that in many positions, they aren't far off where the starters are, if at all.
Jürgen Kilnsmann reacts to Borussia Dortmund's 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.
8. Yup, Borussia Dortmund have that edge: Don't get me wrong, but their clash with Bayer Leverkusen could easily have gone the other way. The opposition hit the woodwork ... twice. Karim Adeyemi had to turn on the magic, which he flashes only occasionally. And having taken a two-goal lead, they conceded and set themselves up for the sort of nervy finishes no coach enjoys (least of all, Niko Kovac). If you want to be mischievous, you can also throw in Serhou Guirassy's apparent refusal to shake Kovac's hand after being substituted.
But ... they won, and they did it against one of the other "Best of the Rest" contenders, one that was coming off the high of a huge win at Manchester City. Sometimes the biggest boost an insecure team can get is knowing they don't need to be perfect to avoid throwing it all away. That's what Kovac is building.
7. It feels flimsy, but Hansi Flick does it his way with Barcelona: Saturday's match with Alaves, sandwiched between a heavy defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League and a top-of-table clash with Atletico Madrid in LaLiga on Tuesday, was a classic "trap game" for Barcelona. Flick didn't see it that way -- with Fermín López, Frenkie De Jong and Gavi already injured, he left Jules Koundé, Marcus Rashford and Pedri on the bench as well -- and within a minute it looked as if he was going to pay a hefty price, as mistakes from Marc Casadó and Pau Cabarsi gave the visitors the opener.
But whatever is going on further back, it helps when you have Lamine Yamal in this form. He scored one, assisted on another, hit the post and basically carried the young, home-grown bunch on his 18-year-old shoulders, with a bit of help from Raphinha, Dani Olmo (who bagged two goals) and Joan García (with a save of the season contender). It feels fragile, because it is: the third goal only came deep in injury time, 1.59 expected goals conceded at home to a side like Alaves is too many, and Gerard Martín at center back isn't even a band-aid -- at most it's a blown kiss. You'd feel sympathy for Flick if not for the fact that you suspect that even if it wasn't a necessity, he'd set up like this by choice.
Luis Garcia says he expected a stronger response from Barcelona after their 3-0 loss to Chelsea than they showed in the win vs. Alaves.
6. Occasional "magic" powers Milan past Lazio and VAR controversy: Of course, I'm referring to the "Magic" of Mike Maignan, who made three exceptional saves (check out the one to deny Mario Gila early in the game) to keep out Lazio and preserve Milan's 1-0 win. It also applies to the "Magic" of Rafael Leão: deployed at center forward and doing center forward things just often enough to remind you that if he gets his act together, he's a top ten player in the world. Beyond that, there isn't that much to cheer other than the ability to not concede against Serie A's top sides (two goals allowed in 450 minutes against Lazio, Inter, Roma, Juventus and Napoli). But the Max Allegri way is churning out results ... for now.
A word on the penalty not awarded to Lazio deep in injury time, when Alessio Romagnoli's shot hit Strahinja Pavlovic's arm. Referee Giuseppe Collu didn't give it, VAR sent him for an on-field review (prompting Allegri to get himself sent off for shouting in the match official's face), and he stuck to his on-field decision (prompting Lazio to tantrum and announce they weren't talking to the media). It was the correct decision -- Pavlovic is falling as a result of his wrestling match with Adam Marusic. What's disappointing is the hysterical reaction from both sides.
5. Arne Slot makes the big decisions ... and Liverpool win: After the 2-0 win away to West Ham -- their first since mid-September in the Premier League -- Slot insisted that dropping Mohamed Salah was just about rotation and fixture congestion. Maybe so, but if that's the case, it also means we shouldn't read too much into the victory and the other tweaks he made, like placing Dominik Szoboszlai wide and sticking Joe Gomez at right back.
Liverpool were solid without dominating against a relegation-threatened team. Alexander Isak finally scoring is a bonus, and the way he took his goal revealed a fantastically cool head. He also skied a ball badly over the crossbar, so let's wait for a bigger sample size before we declare that he has turned the corner. Gomez at fullback can't be a long-term solution either because then there really is nobody to back up the center backs. Slot shook things up and got the three points, but as you may remember, correlation and causation are two different things.
Janusz Michalik praises Arne Slot's team selection as Mo Salah drops to the bench for victory vs. West Ham
4. Lautaro Martínez carries Inter and it's all love again: When he's on, folks talk Ballon d'Or (not going to happen, not unless he wins the Champions League or the World Cup in a starring role). When he's off, the second-guessers come out of the woodwork. I generally don't get it, because Lautaro is one of those forwards who is usually productive even when he's not scoring.
On Sunday, he did both, bagging both goals for a generally humdrum Inter side who only secured the points late away to Pisa. Post-Champions League blues? Maybe. Pisa did also play well, with Raúl Albiol directing traffic in defense at age 40. But on days like these, it's nice to have a superstar to ride. (It's also nice to have a legitimate option up front off the bench, like Francesco Pio Esposito, who set up his first goal.)
Janusz Michallik discusses Phil Foden's performance and place in the Manchester City team after scoring twice in their win over Leeds.
3. This is not the Pep Guardiola-led Man City we know: The good news is that they bounced back from the Bayer Leverkusen debacle and the needlessly inane 10 changes with a victory and that, for 45 minutes, they absolutely flattened Leeds United (it was 2-0, and the xG read 2.67 to 0.10). The not-so-good news is the sheer amount of individual errors and indiscipline we saw after the break and the fact that City's winner came out of the blue with a moment of individual genius from Phil Foden, the sort of feat no manager can consistently rely on (from anyone).
Credit Leeds for kicking it up a notch after the break, but City's lack of reaction to Daniel Farke's half-time changes -- in particular, the introduction of a big frontman like Dominic Calvert-Lewin and the shift to a back three -- was puzzling. For the first 42 minutes of the second half, City managed just one shot of any kind (from Tijani Reijnders). Guardiola didn't make any change until 15 minutes from time even as a 2-0 cruise turned into a 2-2 dogfight. And let's not get started on the individual indiscipline, from Josko Gvardiol gifting a penalty to Mateus Nunes' blind-pass to Gianluigi Donnarumma's umpteenth yellow card for dissent.
I'm not sure what's going on at City, but whatever it is, it's not good. And Pep will want to get under the hood.
2. Juventus win, but lose Dusan Vlahovic, which gives Luciano Spalletti an opportunity: Last week I told you Juventus fans were overreacting to the three consecutive draws since all three were games in which they had outplayed the opposition and should have won. (Except when you have fan base and a media eco-system obsessed with short-term results over performances and growth, that's what you get.) Since then, they won away to Bodo/Glimt and, on Saturday, defeated Cagliari 2-1, in both cases fully deserving the three points.
You'd think they'd be a bit more chilled out as a result. And, of course, you'd be wrong. Now, the negativity comes from the injury to Dusan Vlahovic. I'm a Vlahovic guy and Spalletti seemed to have based a lot around him, but maybe we should remember they have two other center forward options in Jonathan David and Loïs Openda, as well as a Kenan Yildiz who is ripping it up on the pitch (and scored both goals Saturday). Plus Spalletti, who is idiosyncratic (the Filip Kostic obsession is especially baffling to me because Cagliari's entire first-half output came from his mistakes) and downright odd, but who -- even his critics, like me, will concede -- is a master at finding tactical solutions with what he has.
Vlahovic being out is a chance to build something new. Not least because, lest we forget, the man is a free agent in June.
Janusz Michallik assesses Manchester United's hopes for European football after their 2-1 win against Crystal Palace.
1. Joshua Zirkzee scores a league goal after nearly a year, but no, it's not all about him in Man United win: His equalizer for United, fully 364 days since his last league goal, was a gem. Don't get me wrong there. Mason Mount, another other Old Trafford unloved, got the second in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace. But I'm not sure what Ruben Amorim is trying to say when he claimed, after a horrible first half ("We cannot play like that in the Premier League"), that the better display after the break was down to Zirkzee: "We played better, because Josh [Zirkzee] played better."
Huh?
Leaving aside the obvious -- that effort and intensity ought to be a given, especially when you play once a week (a cliche that's generally true) -- how can United's fortunes rest with whether a back-up striker plays better or worse? It wasn't Zirkzee who told the midfield to be listless, or the defenders to be out of position on the Palace transitions. Be thankful for the three points -- when you could have been three goals down at half-time -- and move on.