1. Wenger is in the last chance saloon.
When Alex Ferguson feels sorry for you... you’ve got real problems. The most damning thing about Sunday’s extraordinary result was that, the imperious finishing of Young & Rooney aside, this was far from a brilliant Utd performance... it was simply a terrible, terrible Arsenal one. Infact let me go one step further, the second 45 minutes was the worst, most ill disciplined performance I’ve ever witnessed from a professional football team. Man Utd could have score 10 goals in the last 30 minutes alone with the likes of Phil Jones at one stage carrying the ball 70 (SEVENTY!) yards unchallenged . Wenger now has it all to do. Aside from the obvious transfer activity (or lack of it) he has the biggest job of his life on his hands motivating the team after that showing. Ferguson would have been tearing strips of those players... Wenger shrugged meekly and said “we might buy a striker.” He is in the very last chance saloon. He has two weeks to regroup, get his players back and new players in and make a fist of trying to get back into the top four. If he doesn’t, or carries on in anything like this recent league form (3 wins in 16 games) – he needs to leave and be thanked for all the money he has made his football club.
When Alex Ferguson feels sorry for you... you’ve got real problems. The most damning thing about Sunday’s extraordinary result was that, the imperious finishing of Young & Rooney aside, this was far from a brilliant Utd performance... it was simply a terrible, terrible Arsenal one. Infact let me go one step further, the second 45 minutes was the worst, most ill disciplined performance I’ve ever witnessed from a professional football team. Man Utd could have score 10 goals in the last 30 minutes alone with the likes of Phil Jones at one stage carrying the ball 70 (SEVENTY!) yards unchallenged . Wenger now has it all to do. Aside from the obvious transfer activity (or lack of it) he has the biggest job of his life on his hands motivating the team after that showing. Ferguson would have been tearing strips of those players... Wenger shrugged meekly and said “we might buy a striker.” He is in the very last chance saloon. He has two weeks to regroup, get his players back and new players in and make a fist of trying to get back into the top four. If he doesn’t, or carries on in anything like this recent league form (3 wins in 16 games) – he needs to leave and be thanked for all the money he has made his football club.
2. City might just be a threat.
Having avoided writing about them thus far in the vague hope they’d go away, City tore into Spurs this weekend with an attacking quartet the rival of any in world football. The sight of Nasri, Silva and Aguero floating behind a reborn Edin Dseko was far too much for a Spurs squad who, at the best of times, regard defending as an inconvenience. It’s far too early to call the title a two horse race when neither of the current “big four” (Chelsea/Pool plus the Manc brothers) have played each other... but a combined goal difference of plus 19 after 3 matches is starting to feel a bit like La Liga. Of course, any team that still includes Gareth Barry in their starting line can’t be truly feared just yet, but City are starting to look like the real deal.
3. Charlie Adam is good enough to play for Liverpool.
After a protracted transfer saga Charlie Adam eventually arrived at Liverpool a bit under the radar, such was the size of his fee in comparison to the likes of Downing & Henderson. In three games though he has forged an impressive partnership with Lucas (who now actually looks like the holding midfielder Benitez thought he was) and given question marks about his fitness, completed 90 minutes in all of them. He dictated the pace of the game on Saturday with the sort of casual grace that brought back memories of Jan Molby in his pomp. Adam though, is a better player than Molby. His corners are the best in the league and one 50 yard cross field pass with the outside of his foot was so good it beggared belief. Scoring his first goal for the club to boot, Kenny has a hell of a decision to make who to leave out once Stevie G returns. Chances are, it won’t be his fellow Scot.
Having avoided writing about them thus far in the vague hope they’d go away, City tore into Spurs this weekend with an attacking quartet the rival of any in world football. The sight of Nasri, Silva and Aguero floating behind a reborn Edin Dseko was far too much for a Spurs squad who, at the best of times, regard defending as an inconvenience. It’s far too early to call the title a two horse race when neither of the current “big four” (Chelsea/Pool plus the Manc brothers) have played each other... but a combined goal difference of plus 19 after 3 matches is starting to feel a bit like La Liga. Of course, any team that still includes Gareth Barry in their starting line can’t be truly feared just yet, but City are starting to look like the real deal.
3. Charlie Adam is good enough to play for Liverpool.
After a protracted transfer saga Charlie Adam eventually arrived at Liverpool a bit under the radar, such was the size of his fee in comparison to the likes of Downing & Henderson. In three games though he has forged an impressive partnership with Lucas (who now actually looks like the holding midfielder Benitez thought he was) and given question marks about his fitness, completed 90 minutes in all of them. He dictated the pace of the game on Saturday with the sort of casual grace that brought back memories of Jan Molby in his pomp. Adam though, is a better player than Molby. His corners are the best in the league and one 50 yard cross field pass with the outside of his foot was so good it beggared belief. Scoring his first goal for the club to boot, Kenny has a hell of a decision to make who to leave out once Stevie G returns. Chances are, it won’t be his fellow Scot.
4. The Taylor brothers can play.
Away from the Joey Barton saga and the fact that Alan Pardew could well be the Antichrist; Newcastle have started the season rather nicely with 7 points and only one goal conceded (and that a last minute consolation). A lot of that success is down to the performances of Ryan and Stephen Taylor at the back. Both are strong, quick and passionate and have been instrumental in keeping Newcastle watertight thus far. They can also score, which is always a handy trick in a defender. Now if Stephen could just learn to cheat properly...
Away from the Joey Barton saga and the fact that Alan Pardew could well be the Antichrist; Newcastle have started the season rather nicely with 7 points and only one goal conceded (and that a last minute consolation). A lot of that success is down to the performances of Ryan and Stephen Taylor at the back. Both are strong, quick and passionate and have been instrumental in keeping Newcastle watertight thus far. They can also score, which is always a handy trick in a defender. Now if Stephen could just learn to cheat properly...
5. Either I’m a very unlucky gambler, or Blackburn are truly f**ked.
Following my prediction last week to “wade into Blackburn” beating Everton it’s safe to say the Gods were not with me. Blackburn should and could have won this match four nil. Tim Howard had another of those games which made you question how he was ever once considered a flop, at times singly handily keeping Blackburn at bay. But to miss one penalty is bad enough, but two in the same match that you’ve already hit the woodwork three times in? I mean come on people. Away from the £5 I threw to the bookies on this result, the loss to Blackburn is probably gonna be far greater. If you can’t beat Everton in August you have all sorts of problems. And I’m just not sure Steve Kean and his Kentucky Fried Army have the answers. And yes, I will keep using that joke. At least until this video ceases to exist - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYwf2SBWa5o
Following my prediction last week to “wade into Blackburn” beating Everton it’s safe to say the Gods were not with me. Blackburn should and could have won this match four nil. Tim Howard had another of those games which made you question how he was ever once considered a flop, at times singly handily keeping Blackburn at bay. But to miss one penalty is bad enough, but two in the same match that you’ve already hit the woodwork three times in? I mean come on people. Away from the £5 I threw to the bookies on this result, the loss to Blackburn is probably gonna be far greater. If you can’t beat Everton in August you have all sorts of problems. And I’m just not sure Steve Kean and his Kentucky Fried Army have the answers. And yes, I will keep using that joke. At least until this video ceases to exist - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYwf2SBWa5o
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