Lukas Podolski was frozen out of the Arsenal starting XI until Olivier Giroud's red card at Craven Cottage, which resulted in the Frenchman being given a three-match ban, and therefore a return to the side for Podolski. Despite Theo Walcott's desire to play upfront, he remained on the right as Podolski played as the central…

It was a familiar story for Fernando Torres in Wednesday's 2-2 draw against Tottenham. He was barely a threat in front of goal, and struggled to cope against Michael Dawson and Jan Vertonghen in the air, winning only two of

his nine attempted aerial duels.

As usual, Chelsea's midfielders were forced to contribute the goals, with Oscar…

While Andre Villas-Boas has used Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon as his two wide options throughout 2012-13, he's never been completely sure who to use as Tottenham's central attacking midfielder.

Two signings from last summer, Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson, were underwhelming in the opening months of the campaign, while Lewis Holtby's form has dipped following…

Paolo Di Canio's honeymoon as Sunderland manager came to an abrupt end with Monday night's 6-1 thumping at Aston Villa, and now his side face another Monday night fixture against bottom-half opposition, taking on Stoke City at home.

Di Canio will be without attacking midfielder Stephane Sessegnon for the remainder of the season after his red card at Villa Park,…

Following an embarrassing 6-0 hammering by Liverpool, and after a week where newspapers were warned against revealing the extent of Newcastle's dressing room tensions, this weekend's trip to West Ham feels like a particularly important game for Alan Pardew.

Newcastle are now in 17th, just one point away from the drop-zone. They could do without further…

With all the talk about Robin van Persie, this would have been a perfect opportunity for his successor at Arsenal, Olivier Giroud, to prove he's been a decent replacement in his first Premier League campaign. Giroud has been unable to match Van Persie's goalscoring tally, but his all-round play has been decent.

Giroud's red card for…

Is there any need for Robin van Persie to start at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon? Manchester United's number 20 scored the excellent hat-trick that sealed the club's 20th league title on Monday night against Aston Villa, and might be given a guard of honour by the Arsenal team that sold him last summer.

But Van…

Steve Clarke has had a difficult decision to make before almost every West Brom game this season: who should start upfront between Shane Long and Romelu Lukaku?

The two players have very different styles. Long lacks Lukaku's raw talent but is hard working, tactically disciplined and has a clever habit of winning free-kicks in dangerous positions.…

Since the signings of Daniel Sturridge and Coutinho in the January transfer window, has been increasingly difficult to predict Liverpool's formation for individual games.

With Sturridge, Coutinho, Luis Suarez and Stewart Downing all capable of playing in various roles, Brendan Rodgers is capable of switching from one shape to another without deploying anyone out of position,…

Marouane Fellaini returns for Everton's game against QPR this week, having missed the last three games through suspension. His absence was a problem for David Moyes; no other Everton player quite fills the half-midfielder, half-striker role Fellaini (and Tim Cahill before him) plays so well.

At home to Stoke, Moyes went with both Victor Anichebe and…

Amongst Paul Lambert's chopping and changing last season, Grant Holt was one of the few constant features of the Norwich City side that finished comfortably mid-table in their first campaign back in the Premier League. His rise through the divisions was remarkable ­ League Two, League One, Championship and Premier League in four consecutive campaigns…

It's awkward when a club captain finds himself on the bench; especially when it's because others are simply considered better in a particular position, rather than for tactical reasons. Arsenal's Thomas Vermaelen has experienced this in recent weeks, with Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny preferred at the back, and the same fate has befallen Wigan's…

Sir Alex Ferguson's 'big game' selection was predictable earlier in the campaign, but recently we've seen surprise strategies and plenty of rotation in key positions. Manchester United are currently on their best defensive run for years, having not conceded a goal in five Premier League matches, but even that has been achieved with a rotating centre-back partnership.

However, Ferguson's choice…

A key feature of Southampton's play under Mauricio Pochettino is their heavy pressing and, consequently, their high defensive line. The Saints are winning the ball much quicker than under predecessor Nigel Adkins, but much like when Andre Villas-Boas introduced this concept at Chelsea last season, the centre-backs are struggling to deal with pace in behind.

Rafael Benitez will have considered…

David Moyes has something of a selection problem with his attacking midfielders this weekend, because both Steven Pienaar and Marouane Fellaini are suspended; Pienaar because of his red card against Manchester City a fortnight ago, and Fellaini because he reached ten yellow cards for the season in that match.

Moyes does have other options for the…