A proper comeback, a snoozefest and a concussion discussion - The Warm-Up
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ByEurosport
Updated 30/11/2020 at 09:46 GMT
A proper comeback from Manchester United, just like Sir Alex used to do. A proper snoozefest from Chelsea and Tottenham, just like Jose Mourinho used to do. And football's approach to head injuries is under the spotlight again after David Luiz was rather remarkably allowed to carry on after a clash of heads with Raúl Jiménez.
Edinson Cavani of Manchester United celebrates
Image credit: Getty Images
MONDAY'S BIG STORIES
How Very Manchester United
All Manchester United managers will be measured against Alex Ferguson, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is starting to take things just a little too far. First he takes a team to Southampton, kits them out in grey, and watches the first half fall to pieces. And then they manage a late comeback to steal all three points!
Maybe it's time to take on that parking space after all.
It would be unfair to say that United played truly badly in the first half, but they were obviously rattled by Southampton taking then doubling the lead and their best chances had come from Saints players making silly mistakes. Fortunately, Solskjaer had something better than a change of kit on hand. He had Edinson Cavani. And Cavani, it turns out, isn't just here to pick up his cheques. He's here to head footballs.
United's striking options are in a peculiar place. Rashford and Greenwood, who started the game, are aged 23 and 19 respectively, while Martial — unwell yesterday — is 24. Meanwhile Cavani is 33. There's a big gap there, a gap that is normally understood as a footballer's peak years.
In theory, of course, Cavani will pass on his knowhow to the youngsters, who will emerge in a couple of years with vastly improved movement and Conan the Barbarian hair. But until then, United's striking options are going to need a bit more management than some: Solskjaer can't just write down "My Big No. 9" twice a week and be done with it.
Saying that, Cavani has surely played his way into the starting eleven for the moment. Even Roy Keane — Roy Keane! — was impressed.
It was always a gamble when he came to the club. People were doubting did he have the hunger and desire. We've seen proof of it today. He could prove a huge signing for Manchester United.
Next for United: PSG. Suspect he'll be up for that one.
Concussion Discussion
We should probably begin this bit by noting that according to his manager, speaking after last night's game, Raúl Jiménez is doing about as well as can be expected for a man stretchered off to hospital with a serious crack to the head. Here's Nuno Espirito Santo:
Both teams and both players, players of Arsenal are worrying about him and we wish everything to be OK. He speaks, he is aware, but now we have to have a proper assessment but he is in good hands.
The other party to the collision, David Luiz, was bandaged up by the side of the pitch and then, rather remarkably, allowed to carry on, even as the blood began to trickle back through the bandage, in passable imitation of Arsenal's strange third kit. Commitment to the brand, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
After the game, Mikel Arteta told the BBC that the club had followed procedure.
The doctor did all the tests and protocols to make sure the player [Luiz] was safe to continue. David was just worried about his cut, he never lost consciousness. He couldn't really head the ball, he was uncomfortable - nothing else - so we took him off.
But even taking that to be the case, it remains something of a puzzle that football's protocols lag so far behind other sports: that this sport feels it can assess potential concussion with a quick onfield check for lost consciousness, where others require proactive substitutions and a proper sit-down with a doctor.
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David Luiz of Arsenal
Image credit: Getty Images
Just because football has fewer head collisions, doesn't mean those collisions are any less dangerous when they come. The FA — whose official advice is "if in doubt, sit them out" — are looking at beginning trials of concussion substitutes in January in the FA Cup. It's been a long time coming.
Full Mourinho
It's nice to see somebody enjoying themselves. especially after a long period of apparent public misery. So while Tottenham's nil-all draw with Chelsea was excruciatingly boring to actually watch, we can all take consolation from the fact José Mourinho would, if he could, have been rolling around in it and cackling.
He couldn't actually do that, of course. At least not before the watershed. So he had to content himself with a clean sheet, a point, a second half without a single shot, and a return to the top of the league. The perfect excuse for some thoughts about his favourite theme: mentality.
A draw here is usually a positive thing. My dressing room is not happy. That is the best thing. It is fantastic. It is a complete change of mentality and personality.
Not to mention a little metaphor, for the fans.
We're not even in the race so we're not a horse. We're a pony.
Truly, this was just like the good old days. A massive game between two big teams, a vast array of gorgeous attacking talent, and the whole thing smothered underneath a huge fire blanket of elite-level safety-first result-getting. Every Super Sunday used to be like this, back when teams could defend. Back when the Big Four roamed the earth.
And that's how we know we can ignore Mourinho: he's talking pony. Only teams thoroughly in the title race can get away with being this productively boring.
RETRO CORNER
RIP Papa Bouba Diop, taken criminally young at 42. Winner of the FA Cup with Portsmouth, and scorer of one of the greatest goals in the history of the World Cup. Not one of the prettiest: he's literally sitting down when he pokes it in. But certainly one of the greatest.
IN THE CHANNELS
The classiest of classy touches, one of the loveliest of all the loving tributes: here's one Newell's Old Boys old boy paying tribute to another, with a shirt handed down by the great man himself.
And here's an absolutely brain-melting fact.
COMING UP
Leicester City take on Fulham, knowing that a … counts on fingers … seven-goal win will take them back to the top of the Premier League. And then it's a claret-and-blue-off as West Ham take on Villa.
Marcus Foley will be rising from the bench to nod home tomorrow's Warm-Up.
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