With five of last season’s top six having already dropped points and only Manchester United with a 100% record, who can stop them going on to win their 21st title?
It may still be very early in the new season but Manchester United have already laid down a marker and it is up to the rest to catch them and stay with them.
Whilst it is true to say that they have only beaten an average West Ham United team at home and a just-as-average Swansea team away from home, it isn’t so much that they have won both of these games as the way in which they have won them.
Both wins were achieved by a scoreline of 4-0 so eight goals scored and none conceded. Romelu Lukaku has now scored three goals and Paul Pogba has two. So the confidence must be flowing around the team from the goalkeeper right through to the left winger.
Of course, the others can only catch United providing they slip up at some stage and, in a long season which will involve two domestic cups and a Champion’s League campaign, it is almost inevitable that this will happen. If and when it does then the chasing pack has to be ready.
Manchester City would appear to be best placed to catch and, possibly, even overtake United as the season goes along. They now have a very strong squad and look powerful in every position, (though the jury may still be out on the goalkeeper).
Not only that but Pep Guardiola would love to bring in Alexis Sánchez before the transfer window closes and, if Arséne Wenger can ever admit that his current stance is pretty nonsensical, he may well achieve his goal.
Chelsea is another club looking to bring in more players in an attempt to strengthen their squad for a season back in the Champion’s League. This season won’t be the cakewalk that it was last time now that they will have to play two games per week for long periods.
Having said that, they didn’t look too shabby in their recent victory over Tottenham for which Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas were suspended and Eden Hazard was injured. Although Spurs played well, Chelsea managed to find the formula which resulted in three points. They will have to do this consistently throughout the season to have any chance of winning the title. The question is whether or not they are capable of performing twice per week, week after week.
Tottenham should be OK for a top four place but they need to get over their Wembley jinx pretty quickly. If they continue to struggle there, then it will be a long old season and they will be nowhere near the top four, never mind the title.
Back in the north-west and Liverpool, who are currently discovering the meaning of the phrase “do as you would be done by” with Barcelona trying to prise Philippe Coutinho away from them, are another team needing to find some consistency, particularly in defence where the three goals conceded at Watford served as a reminder of how brittle they can be at the back.
In our humble opinion they still have a goalkeeping problem as Simon Mignolet rarely distributes anything very well including confidence! Much like Manchester City, who hope they have now addressed their problem in the same area, Liverpool need to find a reliable stopper.
And what of dear old uncle Arséne? Well, regular readers know our opinion of Arsenal by now.
Until they change manager they cannot expect to win anything of major importance. The luck of the draw in the cup competitions will always give them a chance of picking up either the Carabao Cup or the FA Cup, but that is hardly dependent on the brilliance of their manager!
Will the fans be happy with another cup win but another finish outside of the top four? It doesn’t really matter because the obstinate one isn’t going anywhere for the next two years so tough luck you gooners.
We look forward to the day when you will be competing on a level playing field having replaced Wenger with Diego Simeone, or Thomas Tuchel, or Marco Silva, or the club’s choice, Eddie Howe.
Until then, we are sorry to say, (fingers crossed behind our backs), the big trophies will continue to elude the Gunners.
WHY SAY ANYTHING? 