Although we had to wait until Tuesday to deliver, the Premier League long weekend has come to an end. As Hurricane Lorenzo peers over the horizon, our patented alternative match ratings are already getting wet and wild.
Here are our alternative match ratings for the weekend that was, because sometimes, numbers can't tell the full story.
Sometimes, when watching a football match, something will happen that tells a story far beyond the mere act of kicking a ball. Yesterday, when Arsenal visited Manchester United, one set piece represented the respective fall from grace for both sides. Arsenal had a free-kick around 35 yards out, peak David Luiz territory. There's no guarantee the ball would go anywhere near the goal, but everyone in the stadium knew the Brazilian would spank it.
Then, Granit Xhaka tried to play a disguised ball to Callum Chambers.
Only Granit Xhaka could think, for one, that he has the capability to spray a blind pass thirty yards. Also, only Granit Xhaka could think that Callum Chambers has the pace and wherewith-all to actually get to the ball. However, Granit Xhaka doesn't think, in any circumstance, so all of this should make sense. The free-kick tells a story of both sides in the midst of a deep malaise. The excitement beforehand, with a talismanic player over the dead ball, the moment of confusion as Xhaka's foot connects with the ball, a wide-eyed glare when you see Chambers scuttle after the ball, and the acceptance afterwards that Arsenal and Manchester United just aren't what they used to be.
From expectancy, to confusion, to hopelessness, and finally acceptance.
Rating - How the mighty have fallen
Frank Lampard's Chelsea finally got their first Premier League home win with a 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion. The win also came alongside a first clean sheet of the season, which should do wonders for the confidence of Cesar Azpilicueta and Fikayo Tomori, the only two defenders that played against Brighton at the weekend.
It should be stressed, however, that Chelsea found themselves at times lucky to keep Brighton scoreless. Dan Burn's downward header somehow managed to hit the crossbar, and several times Albion broke beyond the midfield. Thankfully, for Chelsea, Fikayo Tomori is the fastest man alive. Tomori rashly went tight to Brighton's attackers on a few occasions, got subsequently spun, then ran back to easily dispossess the man.
Rating - False sense of defensive security
England have a knack of choosing goalkeepers who are dangerously over-confident as their national team's number one. Jordan Pickford picked up the Joe Hart manual, and the Everton goalkeeper has ran with it.
Conceding three goals against Manchester City isn't something to be ashamed about. However, having made a brilliant one-on-one save from Raheem Sterling, Pickford's head ballooned. Pickford was at fault for City's second goal, with Riyad Mahrez's shot fizzing past him having got his angles all wrong. Later in the game, the keeper nearly gifted Bernardo Silva a goal by rushing off his line. Pickford then let out a little laugh, but Gary Neville didn't see the funny side.
Rating - Third Chuckle Brother
There's nothing more to be said bar 'oh no'. Liverpool are going to win this title by winning every match, and we should all be extremely afraid. This is a tidal wave and we are powerless to stop it. Poor Dean Henderson had a nightmare, but it was always going to happen. Liverpool were always going to squeeze by Sheffield United, despite the Blades' best efforts. All we can do now is pretend we're pious and pray for salvation.
Rating - Oh No
Yes, Spurs may have beaten Southampton 2-1 at the weekend, but Mauricio Pochettino still has Troy Parrott-shaped questions that need answering. The Argentine felt the wrath of an Irish nation scorned during the week by starting Troy Parrott against Colchester United in the League Cup, only to substitute him on the hour-mark for Ireland's greatest enemy, Christian Eriksen. Spurs subsequently lost that tie, much to the delight of everyone with a harp passport.
Those three points against Southampton are hollow, Poch, and you know it. Ralph Hasenhuttl knows the importance of blooding his young Irish attacker in Premier League matches, perhaps you could take a leaf from his book.
Rating - Undeserved
Life is at its most simplistic when Matt Doherty arrives at the back post for Wolves. Without it, life is as barren as desserts without the rain. The marauding wing-back returned to form at the weekend, coming in at the right time to guide a Neto cross beyond Ben Foster to put Wolves 1-0 up.
The former Bohs man is an awful lot like both Ja Rule and Ashanti. He's not always there when you call, but he's always on time.
Rating - We share, something so rare, but who cares? You care, baby...
Dreadful, awful, appalling, horrific, horrifying, horrible, horrendous, atrocious, abominable, abhorrent, frightful, fearful, shocking, hideous, ghastly, grim, dire, hateful, unspeakable, gruesome, monstrous, sickening, heinous, vile and serious.
Grave, acute, desperate, grievous, distressing, lamentable, egregious, severe, excruciating, agonising, unbearable, intolerable, unendurable, insufferable, very bad, hopeless, poor, inadequate, inferior, unsatisfactory, laughable, substandard, crummy, pathetic, pitiful, useless, lousy, abysmal, duff, chronic, poxy, rubbish and pants.
Rating - every synonym for shite
This isn't a match rating so much as an ode to Andriy Yarmolenko. The Ukrainian just seems to wrap the whole of his left foot around the ball whenever he takes a shot. He's absolutely gorgeous.
Rating - I would die for you
In a surprisingly entertaining 2-2 draw between the second and third best sides to wear claret and blue in the Premier League this season, one man was moments from immortality. Former Aston Villa man Ashley Westwood saw his name in lights when he decided to lob Tom Heaton from the halfway line. The ball glided over the head of the former Burnley goalkeeper and caressed the back of the net.
Unfortunately for Westwood, the referee's whistle had already sounded, and rather than be received like a young David Beckham, he instead received a yellow card.
Rating - A fine line between goose and grandeur
We've started our alternative match ratings with a microcosmic look at a set piece, so let's do it one more time. For purely functional football, Roy Hodgson's Crystal Palace are a model side. There's nothing that showcases this brutally efficient manner than Luka Milivojevic's penalties.
The Serbian got notched another goal in Palace's 2-0 win at home to Norwich City, booting his penalty past Ralf Fahrmann.
Rating - Function over fashion
Go here to see the original:
Alternative Match Ratings From This Weekend's Premier League Action - Balls.ie
- Real Vampires, Immortality, Gothic, Pagan, Eternal Life ... - December 8th, 2016 [December 8th, 2016]
- Semi-Immortality - Superpower Wiki - Wikia - December 8th, 2016 [December 8th, 2016]
- Crown of Immortality - Wikipedia - December 8th, 2016 [December 8th, 2016]
- Amrita - Wikipedia - January 5th, 2017 [January 5th, 2017]
- 'Rick And Morty' Theory: Did Rick Gift Morty With Immortality ... - moviepilot.com - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Brian Dawkins: One day away from pro football immortality - Inside the Iggles - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Is Brain Augmentation Leading The Way To Immortality? - Wall Street Pit - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Jeff Jacobs: Near NFL Immortality, Tom Brady Shows Human Side - Hartford Courant - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- 3 former Cowboys ready to fight for immortality in Super Bowl LI - Cowboys Wire - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Diet Culture Exists to Fight Off the Fear of Death - The Atlantic - The Atlantic - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- The best evah? Not everybody at parade rated this year's comeback number one - The Boston Globe - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Why Immortality Is Overrated - NPR - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Immortality of written words - University of Virginia The Cavalier Daily - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Baidu-backer Singaporean Finian Tan bets on the next big thing ... - DEALSTREETASIA - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Sleepy Hollow: Ichabod Comes Home and Malcolm Achieves Immortality - TVOvermind - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Immortality | The Institute for Creation Research - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Immortality | Dragon Ball Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Immortality (Celine Dion song) - Wikipedia - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Quotes About Immortality (489 quotes) - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Reality Of Immortality: Oregon State Is Five Games Away From ... - Building the Dam - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- New Yorker seeks pinball immortality - Fox5NY - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- McGraw One Step From Hoop Immortality :: Notre Dame Women's ... - Notre Dame Official Athletic Site - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Blind love and immortality haunt 'The Invention of Morel' | Chicago ... - Chicago Sun-Times - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Aussies should prep for immortality, as life expectancy rises - Techly - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Johnson chasing 8th title, racing immortality - La Crosse Tribune - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Technology, immortality and pensions - The Times (subscription) - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Fighting McGregor Just Another Easy Step to Immortality for Mayweather - The Sweet Science - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Faces of Russia: Mila Arutyunyan on Immortality - Argophilia Travel News - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Frank Mason becomes a part of KU basketball immortality - Wichita Eagle (blog) - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Living Immortality, Russian Economy in 2017, How Big Is Russia's Inequality Gap, and the Kremlin's Risky Plans - Institute of Modern Russia - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- The mortal side of biological immortality - Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Immortality | Harry Potter Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Georges St-Pierre Takes Aim at Immortality in Title Shot Against Michael Bisping - Bleacher Report - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- Middletown's Bertoni is 4 wins away from 4 titles, state-wrestling immortality - Frederick News Post (subscription) - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- Lecture 18 - The Badness of Death, Part III; Immortality ... - March 6th, 2017 [March 6th, 2017]
- Decoding death: Craig Venter's quest to uncover secret to immortality in our DNA - Genetic Literacy Project - March 9th, 2017 [March 9th, 2017]
- Atlassian aims for corporate immortality in the cloud - The Australian Financial Review - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- How two trades pushed Patrik Elias into Devils immortality | New ... - New York Post - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- The baseball immortality of Beaver County's James Madison Toy - Tribune-Review - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- Why the Grand National is the holy grail and sporting immortality the prize - Telegraph.co.uk - April 8th, 2017 [April 8th, 2017]
- Diane Paulus sees immortality in 'Finding Neverland' - Orlando Sentinel - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- AI experts: Prepare for a sad immortality - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- The Ayatollah and his immortality - Tehran Times - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- Public broadcasting's immortality defies reason - The Washington Post - Washington Post - June 6th, 2017 [June 6th, 2017]
- Golden State Is One Win Away From Immortality, And The Cavs Can't Do Anything About It - UPROXX - June 8th, 2017 [June 8th, 2017]
- Golden State Is One NBA Finals Victory From Immortality - The Federalist - June 10th, 2017 [June 10th, 2017]
- Nick Tavares: Reds' Scooter Gennett the latest to achieve baseball immortality - SouthCoastToday.com - June 11th, 2017 [June 11th, 2017]
- Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Stanley Cup immortality - Yahoo Sports - June 12th, 2017 [June 12th, 2017]
- LIVE FOREVER? Julian Assange claims immortality is near by 'DIGITISING BRAINS' - Express.co.uk - June 16th, 2017 [June 16th, 2017]
- immortality at a price - TheRecord.com - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- Achieving immortality through good cinema - The Navhind Times - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- 'Immortality mushroom' discovered in mountains of western Turkey's anakkale - Daily Sabah - June 20th, 2017 [June 20th, 2017]
- FILMING IMMORTALITY: Independent filmmaker Tanya Fermin brings unreal life to Wilmington's film industry - encore Online - June 20th, 2017 [June 20th, 2017]
- Scientist Say Lack Of Funding Is Biggest Obstacle To Immortality - EconoTimes - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- Hang in There: The 25-Year Wait for Immortality - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- Lions v All Blacks: Furlong ready to take next step in bid for immortality - Belfast Telegraph - June 23rd, 2017 [June 23rd, 2017]
- Keanu Reeves Addresses Those Immortality Rumors (Video) - TheWrap - June 24th, 2017 [June 24th, 2017]
- Complete Immortality - TV Tropes - June 24th, 2017 [June 24th, 2017]
- Can The Harry Potter Fandom Survive A New Canon? - BuzzFeed News - June 30th, 2017 [June 30th, 2017]
- Why the super-rich are ploughing billions into the booming 'immortality industry' - Evening Standard - June 30th, 2017 [June 30th, 2017]
- Lions reaction: Sean O'Brien wants 'immortality' as Ferris says momentum could prove key to beating All Blacks - Belfast Telegraph - July 1st, 2017 [July 1st, 2017]
- Living to 125 and beyond: Scientists dispute there's a limit to - KMOV.com - KMOV.com - July 2nd, 2017 [July 2nd, 2017]
- Graham Simmons Takes Lions Hype To Barely Palatable Level During Sean O'Brien Interview - Balls.ie - July 3rd, 2017 [July 3rd, 2017]
- Achieving immortality through literature - The Navhind Times - July 3rd, 2017 [July 3rd, 2017]
- Immortality crowned best at Italian film festival - Tehran Times - Tehran Times - July 3rd, 2017 [July 3rd, 2017]
- Fancy a vitamin infusion? - EsquireMe - July 4th, 2017 [July 4th, 2017]
- British and Irish Lions 2017: Warren Gatland tells Lions to seize immortality after naming unchanged side for third ... - City A.M. - July 5th, 2017 [July 5th, 2017]
- Billionaires dream of immortality. The rest of us worry about healthcare - The Guardian - July 5th, 2017 [July 5th, 2017]
- Newgrange: Ireland's amazing feat of Stone Age engineering - CNN International - July 6th, 2017 [July 6th, 2017]
- Ronan O'Gara suggests how Sean O'Brien should have responded to immortality question - SportsJOE.ie - July 7th, 2017 [July 7th, 2017]
- The immortality of man - The Hindu - July 7th, 2017 [July 7th, 2017]
- Lions have what it takes to claim immortality against All Blacks - Irish Times - July 7th, 2017 [July 7th, 2017]
- 'Biggest game ever' for Lions as immortality beckons - Irish Times - July 8th, 2017 [July 8th, 2017]
- Reliving Edhi's journey to immortality | Pakistan | thenews.com.pk - The News International - July 8th, 2017 [July 8th, 2017]
- Conditional immortality - Sunbury Daily Item - July 8th, 2017 [July 8th, 2017]
- Maradona, the mafia and immortality: three decades on from Napoli's Holy Grail - The42 - July 10th, 2017 [July 10th, 2017]
- DARK NIGHTS: METAL #1 First Look - The Hints, Symbols, & 'Ocean of Possibilities' - Newsarama - July 11th, 2017 [July 11th, 2017]
- DARK NIGHTS: METAL 101: The Immortal Man & The Four Tribes - Newsarama - July 11th, 2017 [July 11th, 2017]
- Immortality Inducer - TV Tropes - July 12th, 2017 [July 12th, 2017]
- Letter to the Editor: Conditional immortality? - Sunbury Daily Item - July 14th, 2017 [July 14th, 2017]