As is often the norm on opening day, there were some truly ridiculous
scorelines as the Premier League roared back to life with its usual overblown
gusto and drama. If Fulham beating Norwich 5-0 was a shock, it was topped by
West Brom hammering Liverpool and then Swansea putting 5 past QPR away from
home. Saints meanwhile, gave the champions the fright of their lives as City
picked up where they left off from last season by once again coming from a goal
down to win late on. On this evidence Pool will struggle, City will ship goals,
Steve Clarke is under no pressure at all, QPR will go down and Fulham &
Swansea will cruise to European slots playing free flowing attacking football.
The reality of course is probably that on this evidence… Pool will struggle.
Luis
Suarez really, really can’t shoot.
Liverpool have had one of the more interesting close seasons. The King has been dethroned and in his place has stepped up Brendan Rodgers, a man who has made his name in a very short period of time. So far, Rodgers has paid a lot of money for a player Swansea appear to have replaced on a free and completely ostracised Liverpool’s most expensive ever signing. He has also signed a young Italian striker, seemingly to play on the wing and shipped out a lot of big earners from the club. Whilst he’s certainly trimmed the wage bill, Liverpool’s squad looks light. Very light. And they need Luis Suarez to find form and fast if they are going to avoid another mid table position far away from the top four. Suarez is a fine player, as good as any attacker out there at getting into the box. In it however, he now rivals Ade Akenbiyi. Glen Hoddle once dismissed Andy Cole as a striker who needed “six chances to score.” Since the start of last season, Suarez has scored a goal every TEN chances he has had. That is an appalling stat for a striker of his supposed quality and the scary thing is that over 50% of the attempts haven’t even been on target. His record in Ajax now looks like a statistical anomaly rather than the work of a forward genius. Suarez still has the look of a player who will suddenly score five in a game but Liverpool need to unlock that player and fast. Their midfield looks abject and the defence weakened massively by Agger’s early season bath. With Chelsea strengthening heavily and Newcastle showing no signs of going away, Liverpool have a mammoth job finishing in the top six let alone the top four. Brendan Rodgers has his work cut out, but teaching his main man some finishing skills would help speed the process up a bit.
Liverpool have had one of the more interesting close seasons. The King has been dethroned and in his place has stepped up Brendan Rodgers, a man who has made his name in a very short period of time. So far, Rodgers has paid a lot of money for a player Swansea appear to have replaced on a free and completely ostracised Liverpool’s most expensive ever signing. He has also signed a young Italian striker, seemingly to play on the wing and shipped out a lot of big earners from the club. Whilst he’s certainly trimmed the wage bill, Liverpool’s squad looks light. Very light. And they need Luis Suarez to find form and fast if they are going to avoid another mid table position far away from the top four. Suarez is a fine player, as good as any attacker out there at getting into the box. In it however, he now rivals Ade Akenbiyi. Glen Hoddle once dismissed Andy Cole as a striker who needed “six chances to score.” Since the start of last season, Suarez has scored a goal every TEN chances he has had. That is an appalling stat for a striker of his supposed quality and the scary thing is that over 50% of the attempts haven’t even been on target. His record in Ajax now looks like a statistical anomaly rather than the work of a forward genius. Suarez still has the look of a player who will suddenly score five in a game but Liverpool need to unlock that player and fast. Their midfield looks abject and the defence weakened massively by Agger’s early season bath. With Chelsea strengthening heavily and Newcastle showing no signs of going away, Liverpool have a mammoth job finishing in the top six let alone the top four. Brendan Rodgers has his work cut out, but teaching his main man some finishing skills would help speed the process up a bit.
Utd
& City will surely entertain us all year.
Despite the obvious reduction in quality in the Premier League over the past 5 years, there is little denying that except when Aston Villa are playing, the entertainment levels continue to go up to 11. City & Utd look set to take their battle one step further this year with an all-out commitment to attack. City have come out playing a very positive 4-1-3-2 and even if Aguero is injured for a long time, have three quality strikers alongside Silva, Nasri, Johnson and a further attacking signing to come. Utd meanwhile, not content with having four strikers on the books have added the best one in the league alongside two further attacking midfielders. The fact that both clubs were weakest in the full back and defensive midfield positions appears to have been completely lost on both managers, but should be championed as a victory for positivity. Ferguson has looked at the goals City scored last year and simply said… we need to score more than them. It looks a mouth-watering prospect and if it means the end of the hideous 4-5-1 formation that no top team should ever have to adopt, then all the better.
Despite the obvious reduction in quality in the Premier League over the past 5 years, there is little denying that except when Aston Villa are playing, the entertainment levels continue to go up to 11. City & Utd look set to take their battle one step further this year with an all-out commitment to attack. City have come out playing a very positive 4-1-3-2 and even if Aguero is injured for a long time, have three quality strikers alongside Silva, Nasri, Johnson and a further attacking signing to come. Utd meanwhile, not content with having four strikers on the books have added the best one in the league alongside two further attacking midfielders. The fact that both clubs were weakest in the full back and defensive midfield positions appears to have been completely lost on both managers, but should be championed as a victory for positivity. Ferguson has looked at the goals City scored last year and simply said… we need to score more than them. It looks a mouth-watering prospect and if it means the end of the hideous 4-5-1 formation that no top team should ever have to adopt, then all the better.
Fantasy
Football is back… and it’s more frustrating than ever.
With Sergio Aguero injured and Torres the safe bet for first week captain, fantasy football managers across the land must be cursing this morning after watching the likes of Michu, Dyer, Ridgewell, Demel and countless people from Fulham whose names you can’t pronounce, propel those who had gambled on them up into what will surely be a false early position. Fantasy football is a funny old game, it looks so easy but is at its most frustrating when you actually try and work it out. I actually checked some analysis at one point before deciding to go for Noble over Nolan, only to see the latter score. Two of my players fell ill hours before the match and what with Aguero’s injury, my day was further wrecked by transferring out Michu at the last minute to make way for Joe Allen. For no reason. Oh wait he plays for Liverpool now. Maybe this is what it feels like to be manager of England? You want to gamble on the little men at the smaller clubs but there’s this voice which keeps coming back to you which says “but surely if he plays for Spurs or Liverpool he must be great.” How else did Jordan Henderson play in the Euro’s? Or Jermaine Jenas ever get capped? It clearly all got too much for Matthew Letts, whose shockingly bad team is hindered by his refusal to pick anyone from Man Utd or Chelsea. Oh well Lettsy, I’m sure once Agger comes back from his suspension and er… Junior Hoilett starts banging the goals in you’ll be alright.
With Sergio Aguero injured and Torres the safe bet for first week captain, fantasy football managers across the land must be cursing this morning after watching the likes of Michu, Dyer, Ridgewell, Demel and countless people from Fulham whose names you can’t pronounce, propel those who had gambled on them up into what will surely be a false early position. Fantasy football is a funny old game, it looks so easy but is at its most frustrating when you actually try and work it out. I actually checked some analysis at one point before deciding to go for Noble over Nolan, only to see the latter score. Two of my players fell ill hours before the match and what with Aguero’s injury, my day was further wrecked by transferring out Michu at the last minute to make way for Joe Allen. For no reason. Oh wait he plays for Liverpool now. Maybe this is what it feels like to be manager of England? You want to gamble on the little men at the smaller clubs but there’s this voice which keeps coming back to you which says “but surely if he plays for Spurs or Liverpool he must be great.” How else did Jordan Henderson play in the Euro’s? Or Jermaine Jenas ever get capped? It clearly all got too much for Matthew Letts, whose shockingly bad team is hindered by his refusal to pick anyone from Man Utd or Chelsea. Oh well Lettsy, I’m sure once Agger comes back from his suspension and er… Junior Hoilett starts banging the goals in you’ll be alright.
It’s
make or break time for Arsene Wenger’s experiment. Again.
Like a scientist who keeps hinting at a fantastic discovery, Wenger has just managed to keep his head above water over the past few years by continuing to qualify for the Champions League. This achievement has just about managed to offset the grumblings about lack of trophies and a migrating squad. This season is different though… this season for the first time he has carefully researched targets and brought in new players to fit a system he still believes can win trophies. The Van Persie loss is huge, but unlike Nasri he knew it was coming well in advance and has signed young, attacking players who will inject pace and urgency into his team. Arsenal’s first choice midfield of Wilshire, Arteta, Santi, Podolski & Walcott is full of pace and penetration. It’s arguably still better than the midfields of Utd, Liverpool & Spurs (now Modric has gone). The problem with Arsenal though has never been looking good on paper or playing pretty football, it’s been about killing teams off, not conceding silly goals and winning when the chips are down. To their credit, the second of these points appears to have been arrested of late; thanks almost entirely to Thomas Vermaelen being fit. But on Saturday against a stubborn Sunderland team, Arsenal dominated possession for long periods but lacked a killer instinct. An instinct that even with Van Persie they have pretty much lacked since Henry left. Arsenal were a one man show last time around and Wenger needs his team to come together and work together this year if they are going to finish top 4 again. If they do, you suspect Arsene will continue to rumble on with his merry band of entertainers for another few years yet. If they don’t, it’s probably time to pack up tools and call the experiment a failure. On the plus side unlike most research facilities, they’ve actually made money…
Like a scientist who keeps hinting at a fantastic discovery, Wenger has just managed to keep his head above water over the past few years by continuing to qualify for the Champions League. This achievement has just about managed to offset the grumblings about lack of trophies and a migrating squad. This season is different though… this season for the first time he has carefully researched targets and brought in new players to fit a system he still believes can win trophies. The Van Persie loss is huge, but unlike Nasri he knew it was coming well in advance and has signed young, attacking players who will inject pace and urgency into his team. Arsenal’s first choice midfield of Wilshire, Arteta, Santi, Podolski & Walcott is full of pace and penetration. It’s arguably still better than the midfields of Utd, Liverpool & Spurs (now Modric has gone). The problem with Arsenal though has never been looking good on paper or playing pretty football, it’s been about killing teams off, not conceding silly goals and winning when the chips are down. To their credit, the second of these points appears to have been arrested of late; thanks almost entirely to Thomas Vermaelen being fit. But on Saturday against a stubborn Sunderland team, Arsenal dominated possession for long periods but lacked a killer instinct. An instinct that even with Van Persie they have pretty much lacked since Henry left. Arsenal were a one man show last time around and Wenger needs his team to come together and work together this year if they are going to finish top 4 again. If they do, you suspect Arsene will continue to rumble on with his merry band of entertainers for another few years yet. If they don’t, it’s probably time to pack up tools and call the experiment a failure. On the plus side unlike most research facilities, they’ve actually made money…
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