Clinical Difference

van Persie celebrates his Anfield winner with Bacary Sanga

This weekends big matches further exemplified how vital it is to be clinical at the very top level. While Robin van Persie's singled handed heroics snatched 3 points from Anfield, Ashley Young's precision made for a more comfortable acquisition of the points for Manchester United at White Hart Lane, despite being on the back foot for the majority of the game.


Saturday's lunchtime kick off almost proved enough on it's own, and highlighted the continuing problem faced by Liverpool, especially on their own patch. In a stark contrasts, Liverpool created and spurned several chances in front of goal, while van Persie took his two chances with aplomb. The precision and ability to take his two chances, ultimately decided the game, in which Arsenal showed very little creativity in comparison to their counterparts. It is something Liverpool have failed to do across the whole season. From the lower placed teams to the ones at the top, Liverpool have failed to convert chances in the way RVP did on Saturday, and it's cost them dear. 

Liverpool rue their failure to finish of Norwich

From Norwich to Manchester United, the failure to convert opportunities into goals has defined the season. Add 2 points onto the games they should have won at home and they'd be up there with Spurs in the Champions League places. But that's the point isn't it? They haven't been clinical enough, and results haven't come as a consequence.

Young punishes Spurs to make it 3-0 with a fantastic finish.

Spurs against Manchester United exaggerated the point further this Sunday tea time. Spurs arguably had the majority of the game (57%), and dominated the ball over Man Utd. However, there was nothing clinical from Spurs. There was no cutting edge. No spark. Conversely, Man Utd had 6 shots at goal, 5 hit the target and 3 found the back of the net. Spurs had 18 attempts, 9 on target, with only 1 beating de Gea. Ashley Young's scissor-kick volley, then cut inside and curled shot into the top corner, highlighted the clinical nature the top teams have. They took their half chances, with great technique and put their opposition to bed.


Other teams may not have had the players to take them opportunities that van Persie and Young did today, and therefore won't pick up the points they should have done, or their team performance may have deserved. It also highlighted how much Spurs miss their most clinical player in front of goal, Gareth Bale. 


Gary Neville also pointed out how failure to be clinical without the ball can be as important as with it. (On a side note, despite me despising him as a player of a rival team, I've become a fan of his punditry. It still makes me slightly nauseous seeing his face on the TV, but his punditry is solid.) It may be tough on Kyle Walker with the pundit in the studio a former right back of one of the most successful sides to have played in English football, but Neville highlighted how his lack of defensive concentration and experience is the reason why he and Micah Richards found it hard to break into the right back role for the national side under Capello. Walker's lack of clinical performance lead to, or had a hand in all three Manchester United goals. At the top level, against the top players, that slight mistake can lead to defeat as proven today.