Sergio Aguero is one of the best; Southampton were 'awesome' against Sunderland
Monday 20 October 2014 16:51, UK
Chris Kamara has his say on the weekend's Premier League talking points...
KAMMY SAYS: As a manager there’s no point in coming out after you have been sacked and saying: ‘This player didn’t do any favours for me’. You have to be honest, especially if you are established at a club, which Harry is now at QPR, having been there for nearly two seasons. Taarabt was allowed to leave on loan last season and perhaps feels he is back at QPR under sufferance, but if he is not fit to play, not pulling his weight and not looking like he wants to be part of it, Harry must explain that, because with QPR at the wrong end of the table people will ask the question of why someone so talented is not involved. It’s not a case of the lad being tired or rested, it’s bigger than that, so something must be said. It’s clear Harry only wants players who are fully committed in his team, and that’s exactly what his players were against Liverpool. They were so up for it and it’s just a shame two own goals contributed to a very unlucky defeat.
KAMMY SAYS: It was strange watching Argentina in the World Cup. Beforehand, I thought they would play brilliantly and make it all the way to the final, and while they did the latter, their top players didn’t sparkle like we know they can. In the Premier League, though, Sergio Aguero proves week in, week out – when he’s fit, of course – that he is one of the best forwards on the planet. He’s just different. People last year tried to compare him with Luis Suarez and I always said that Suarez was better outside the box but that Aguero had the edge in it. We have seen that clearly this season, nowhere more so than at the Etihad on Saturday when he scored four against Tottenham. He is so hard to keep under control, can deal with tough centre-halves trying to shake him off and is a real joy to watch, and I’m sure to play with, too.
KAMMY SAYS: Wherever Mauricio Pochettino took Southampton last season they took teams on and feared nobody. He has gone to Tottenham with exactly the same philosophy but is finding it tougher to implement. Southampton had the element of surprise but Spurs don’t have that luxury. People know they are an established top-six Premier League team so when they go and play open football away from home people know how to play them and the chances are they are aren’t going to win. That will probably remain the case until Pochettino can change the personnel to how he had it at Southampton, so he may have to shore things up in the meantime and not be so gung-ho at placed like the Etihad.
KAMMY SAYS: Sunderland found themselves two down without playing too badly – the goals came from horrendous mistakes but they were doing okay as a team – and they then had a penalty appeal turned down. However, Southampton were clinical and then killed off Sunderland with the third – before playing absolutely awesomely after that. I was speaking to Ronald Koeman, who has probably come in to the club at the right time, before the game and he said he couldn’t be any happier with his players and I can see why! Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic were superb, and they were strong at the back, too, but I wold like to praise Steven Davis and Jack Cork in midfield. They, along with James Ward-Prowse, who is currently out injured, slip under the radar with us rightfully raving about the new boys like Pelle, Tadic and Sadio Mane, but these guys perform to the best of their ability every week, as Saints fans will tell you. Southampton have an abundance of riches and are the outstanding team of the season.
KAMMY SAYS: Losing 8-0 is not something you expect to experience so you just know Gus Poyet and his team cannot wait to put things right next week. Whatever happens against Arsenal, it ain’t going to be as bad as what it was at St Mary’s. I’ve read that goalkeeper Vito Mannone has come out and said Sunderland’s players should reimburse their fans’ tickets and travel after the heavy defeat at Southampton, which is a very magnanimous gesture. I would really like to praise those fans, though, as they had a very hard afternoon but still applauded Southampton at the final whistle, which was a lovely touch and a really nice thing to see.
KAMMY SAYS: Ben Shephard and I had the pleasure of speaking to Paolo on Goals on Sunday and he didn’t duck anything. We were told that nothing was off limits beforehand and he was willing to answer anything we asked. What was clear is that he wants another chance in the dugout. He said he left Swindon because he felt he didn’t have the backing of the board and that after keeping Sunderland up in the Premier League he expected the board there to be a bit more loyal after five games the following term. He feels his record stands up and wants to get back working with players. People make a lot of judgements about Paolo without really knowing him so he is eager to change their minds. Let’s hope someone is brave enough to give him a chance.
