1. Gareth has still
got it.
No not the $100m Simian with the trademarked celebration. I’m talking about Gareth Barry… who over 90 minutes on Saturday evening gave a lesson in how to close down space, find the right pass and play composed, intelligent football. Barry has always come in for unfair stick over the years; primarily for just being English and thus… well, having the misfortunate of having to play for England. It seems forgotten that he was Aston Villa’s best player for near a decade and was one of the most sought after midfielders in the land in his prime. He has been consistent for City ever since he joined them and was a lynchpin in their title winning team. Sure he doesn’t have much pace… but then a good defensive midfielder shouldn’t need pace. Barry outplayed Hazard, Oscar, Schurrle et all on Saturday… all of which would probably reduce him to dust over 50 yards. He read the game better and controlled the game better. He was the man of the match in a performance of real quality from Everton, especially in the second half. It’s early days in the Martinez reign, but thus far he seems to be turning Everton into an easy on the eye, passing team whilst retaining their defensive qualities. If he can get Lukaku playing and scoring, the sky’s the limit. Or, you know… 6th.
No not the $100m Simian with the trademarked celebration. I’m talking about Gareth Barry… who over 90 minutes on Saturday evening gave a lesson in how to close down space, find the right pass and play composed, intelligent football. Barry has always come in for unfair stick over the years; primarily for just being English and thus… well, having the misfortunate of having to play for England. It seems forgotten that he was Aston Villa’s best player for near a decade and was one of the most sought after midfielders in the land in his prime. He has been consistent for City ever since he joined them and was a lynchpin in their title winning team. Sure he doesn’t have much pace… but then a good defensive midfielder shouldn’t need pace. Barry outplayed Hazard, Oscar, Schurrle et all on Saturday… all of which would probably reduce him to dust over 50 yards. He read the game better and controlled the game better. He was the man of the match in a performance of real quality from Everton, especially in the second half. It’s early days in the Martinez reign, but thus far he seems to be turning Everton into an easy on the eye, passing team whilst retaining their defensive qualities. If he can get Lukaku playing and scoring, the sky’s the limit. Or, you know… 6th.
2. Does David Moyes
actually know what he’s doing?
Utd recorded a seemingly comfortable win this Saturday, but as is often the case, that only told half the story in what was another worryingly disjointed performance shorn of any pace, zest and creativity. Fergie got by on sheer force of will at times and, in truth, Utd have struggled in the bigger fixtures for a couple of years. But this was the sort of the game where a Ferguson team would have showed no mercy. Palace were there for the taking and Utd were far too slow out of the blocks. Moyes seems too apprehensive a manager and whilst that might change, the decision to not start Fellani after the farce that the summer transfer activity had become was strange to say the least. Rooney huffed and puffed but beyond him it’s hard to make a case for any offensive Utd player looking dangerous. RVP needs service to survive and can’t always rely on Ashley Young diving to win penalties. Valencia is getting worse every week, Anderson should have been sold three seasons ago and one can only assume the 5 year contract given to Nani this week was a bet that went very, very wrong. Nobody even knows where Shinji Kagawa is… except not on the football pitch. Moyes has so far got away with a slow start from a difficult set of fixtures because Chelsea and City have also stumbled. But with a tough Champions League draw and Arsenal and Spurs clearly improved, Utd cannot afford to slip up. Next league game? Away to City. Who look about as toothless as Utd do. Can’t wait. No… really.
Utd recorded a seemingly comfortable win this Saturday, but as is often the case, that only told half the story in what was another worryingly disjointed performance shorn of any pace, zest and creativity. Fergie got by on sheer force of will at times and, in truth, Utd have struggled in the bigger fixtures for a couple of years. But this was the sort of the game where a Ferguson team would have showed no mercy. Palace were there for the taking and Utd were far too slow out of the blocks. Moyes seems too apprehensive a manager and whilst that might change, the decision to not start Fellani after the farce that the summer transfer activity had become was strange to say the least. Rooney huffed and puffed but beyond him it’s hard to make a case for any offensive Utd player looking dangerous. RVP needs service to survive and can’t always rely on Ashley Young diving to win penalties. Valencia is getting worse every week, Anderson should have been sold three seasons ago and one can only assume the 5 year contract given to Nani this week was a bet that went very, very wrong. Nobody even knows where Shinji Kagawa is… except not on the football pitch. Moyes has so far got away with a slow start from a difficult set of fixtures because Chelsea and City have also stumbled. But with a tough Champions League draw and Arsenal and Spurs clearly improved, Utd cannot afford to slip up. Next league game? Away to City. Who look about as toothless as Utd do. Can’t wait. No… really.
3. How did Spurs get
Eriksen so cheap?
In a summer of record breakings dealings across Europe, it seemed that Fergie’s famous words of the transfer window offering “no value” had finally come true. But, as last summer’s outrageous £2m for MIchu proved… there are always bargains to be had. Christian Eriksen has been one of the most talked about young midfielders across Europe for three or four years. Yet another product of the famous Ajax youth team (all be it sourced late), Eriksen has been capped 39 times for his country and in his 150 matches for Ajax, has scored 32 times and contributed a further 54 assists. Which is pretty good going for a central midfielder… who is only 21. Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona and Munich have all been linked with the Dane over the past couple of years yet it seems Spurs were able to swan in at the end of a transfer window and pick him up for next to nothing. £11m can never be considered cheap in the broad scheme of things, but in this climate it’s almost a free transfer. Eriksen slotted seamlessly into the Spurs line up this weekend, looking generally superb and creating one goal with a Cantona esque piece of vision (he’s not even looking where’s he’s passing it! – exclaimed a perplexed Alan Shearer). Spurs have spent and spent big this summer and if their team can gel they have a genuine chance of winning what looks like a pleasingly wide open title race. Eriksen, which his twinkling toes and dashing, world war fighter pilot haircut, could prove to be the best of the lot.
In a summer of record breakings dealings across Europe, it seemed that Fergie’s famous words of the transfer window offering “no value” had finally come true. But, as last summer’s outrageous £2m for MIchu proved… there are always bargains to be had. Christian Eriksen has been one of the most talked about young midfielders across Europe for three or four years. Yet another product of the famous Ajax youth team (all be it sourced late), Eriksen has been capped 39 times for his country and in his 150 matches for Ajax, has scored 32 times and contributed a further 54 assists. Which is pretty good going for a central midfielder… who is only 21. Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona and Munich have all been linked with the Dane over the past couple of years yet it seems Spurs were able to swan in at the end of a transfer window and pick him up for next to nothing. £11m can never be considered cheap in the broad scheme of things, but in this climate it’s almost a free transfer. Eriksen slotted seamlessly into the Spurs line up this weekend, looking generally superb and creating one goal with a Cantona esque piece of vision (he’s not even looking where’s he’s passing it! – exclaimed a perplexed Alan Shearer). Spurs have spent and spent big this summer and if their team can gel they have a genuine chance of winning what looks like a pleasingly wide open title race. Eriksen, which his twinkling toes and dashing, world war fighter pilot haircut, could prove to be the best of the lot.
4. Could this be Ben Arfa’s year?
Amidst all the Joe Kinnear comedy, transfer failings, stadium renaming, a manager who is the Anti-Christ and general soap opera running of one of the league’s BIGGEST clubs… it is worth remembering that Newcastle have some very, very good players. Their problem of late has been two fold; firstly a general sense of malaise and harddonebyness (it’s a word…look it up) and secondly, getting everyone on the pitch at the same time. Krul, Coloccini, Santon, Cabye & Ben Arfa remain quality players and if the forwards can actually find their shooting boots at some time, any fears Newcastle fans had of a relegation scrap will be quickly forgotten. Of all the aforementioned players though, it is Ben Arfa who remains the most enigmatic. The Frenchman has struggled with injury since he arrived on Tyneside but now looks fully fit and is playing with composure and self-assurance. Ben Arfa is a similar player to Nani, if Nani was actually any good. He can dribble, pass and head the ball but his real weapon is a fearsome shot. Having won his side all three points before the soul destroying international break, he was the man of the match again away to Aston Villa. Scoring one and creating another, his all round play was fantastic. Being the sort of player that he is (i.e. almost entirely dependent upon confidence) – one hopes he can continue this form for some time and kick on properly. At his worst, Ben Arfa is frustrating and hopeless, but at his best… he is the reason people pay their money to watch the game.
5. Are West Brom dark
horses for relegation?
Tipped by a few to go down last year, Steve Clarke’s strong start and the form of Lukaku soon silenced the doubters and West Brom finished in an impressive 8th spot. That position only tells half the story however, literally in this case. The Baggies had a shocking end to last season and have picked up where they left off this time around. With Lukaku gone and a previously creative midfield firing blanks, it’s hard to see where the goals are going to come from. In 2013 West Brom have played 22 Premier League games and they have won just 3 of them. Indeed, they have taken just 12 points from their last 66. Numbers that scream relegation form whichever way you look at it. Nobody really mentioned them as possible candidates at the start of the season but they sure look like it now. Especially with the strong start made by some of the other contenders. Still, there is good news on the horizon in the fact they play Sunderland at home next, the team currently worse than they are. Of course, should they lose that they then play Arsenal at home and Man Utd, Stoke and Liverpool all away. So no pressure then.
Tipped by a few to go down last year, Steve Clarke’s strong start and the form of Lukaku soon silenced the doubters and West Brom finished in an impressive 8th spot. That position only tells half the story however, literally in this case. The Baggies had a shocking end to last season and have picked up where they left off this time around. With Lukaku gone and a previously creative midfield firing blanks, it’s hard to see where the goals are going to come from. In 2013 West Brom have played 22 Premier League games and they have won just 3 of them. Indeed, they have taken just 12 points from their last 66. Numbers that scream relegation form whichever way you look at it. Nobody really mentioned them as possible candidates at the start of the season but they sure look like it now. Especially with the strong start made by some of the other contenders. Still, there is good news on the horizon in the fact they play Sunderland at home next, the team currently worse than they are. Of course, should they lose that they then play Arsenal at home and Man Utd, Stoke and Liverpool all away. So no pressure then.
No comments:
Post a Comment