ALL GUNS BLAZING
After goal- laden start, strikers on course for record- breaking season
IT’S raining goals – and Clive Allen, who provided one of English football’s heaviest downpours, believes the absence of fans has removed the fear factor from certain grounds.
For the first time since 2008, there has not been a goalless draw in the first two weeks of a Premier League season.
And last weekend’s torrent of 44 goals in 10 games was one better than the previous record for a round of matches in a 20- team Premier League season, set in 2011.
In his pomp, Allen, below, scored 49 in all competitions for Tottenham in domestic football in 1986- 87.
He has relished the free- scoring exploits with Leeds ( two games,
14 goals at either end) and Leicester topping the charts.
Allen, now 59, said: “Defenders will not thank me for saying it, but I love seeing all the goals going in at the moment.
“That’s what I was about as a player, and as a striker that hunger never leaves you.
“Sadly, we don’t know when supporters will be allowed back in our grounds – they say football is nothing without the fans, but it’s nothing without goals, either.
“Why are there so many goals now? There is no doubt, in my mind, that the stop- start nature of the past six months has not helped defences to establish continuity as a unit. There wasn’t much of a gap between last season ending and this one starting, so they probably haven’t done as much work on th the training field as they would nor normally spend on drills and de defensive shape.
“And with no fans in the s stands, you have to think th there is not so much fear in involved when you play away fr from home.
“Take away the intimidation of some grounds, and the intensit intensity of the atmosphere, and it’s a problem bl f for clubs who perhaps trade on a strong home record.”
Allen has been impressed by Everton’s transformation under Carlo Ancelotti and Mikel Arteta’s surgical installation of a backbone at Arsenal, with both clubs starting in the league with back- to- back wins. “I saw Everton lose 1- 0 at Tottenham after lockdown was lifted and they were a bit lethargic,” said Allen.
“But, in the same fixture two months later, they looked bright and inventive. James Rodriguez makes chances for others as well as taking them himself, and Dominic Calvert- Lewin has made a flying start.
“I’ve also got to say there are promising signs at Arsenal, and Pierre- Emerick Aubameyang signing a new contract could prove to be their best bit of business this year.
“It’s absolutely fantastic to see records being broken across the Premier League – it’s unfortunate the public are only able to watch it on TV, but football is an entertainment industry and they will certainly have been entertained.
“When we came back for Project Restart, a lot of the games were very slow, had little tempo and it was clear many of the players were not up to speed again after 100 days without a game, especially in the heat.
“It felt a bit stale, but the new season has brought more intent and some of the football has been very refreshing.”