With a gap of 30 points between leaders Manchester City and sixth placed Arsenal there is clearly a massive gulf in class, as has recently been evidenced by the two hammerings dished out to The Gunners by City in their last two meetings, both in London.
Things don’t get much better for the teams above Arsenal as there is still a gap of 16 points between City and second-placed Manchester United.
So what can the rest of the top six do to address the balance next season? (more…)
That’s an easy one, we can almost hear you say. Money, money and even more money!
Sorry, far too simplistic a reason and always the first excuse used when a player moves from one big club to another. In the case of Nemanja Matić, for example, he may be collecting a bigger pay packet at United but his primary reason for jumping the Chelsea ship was to rejoin José Mourinho, so the club and the salary whilst important, were secondary considerations.
Many players, over the last few years, have left Arsenal and, while Stubborn Old Man is in charge, will continue to do so. This again isn’t about money it’s about ambition and wanting to win trophies. Yes, if they are good enough, the player in question will always receive more money when he moves to a bigger club, but what difference to his lifestyle is an extra £50k per week really going to make when added to the £150k he is already being paid? (more…)
After widespread and consistent reports about bust-ups in training with Paul Pogba about his position in the team, his form and maybe even his demeanor, reports are now emerging about a bust-up with Alexis Sánchez.
If true, it is likely that this would also be about position in the team as top players nowadays seem to think they need to tell the manager where to play them.
What is it with Mourinho and his “star” players? (more…)
In a week which culminated in Manchester City winning the Carabao Cup in a cakewalk of a game against Arsenal and Manchester United beating Chelsea in a game which included a goal from the one who never scores against “big” opponents, supporters of teams from outside of Manchester could be forgiven for feeling a little left out.
Tottenham Hotspur managed a win away at Crystal Palace but, then again, any other result would have been a surprise.
Liverpool strolled to a 4-1 win at home to West Ham United who fielded two full-backs who were considered to be “ageing” when they were both still playing in Manchester! (more…)
A strange statement, you may think, considering the two Manchester teams sit first and second in the Premier League and have conceded the least number of goals in the division.
They have both had 20 scored against them and the big difference between the two is really at the other end of the pitch and the number of goals scored whereby City have 79 and United a mere 53.
This of course, as everybody knows, has contributed greatly to City now having an almost unassailable lead of 13 points whilst still having a game in hand.
So how good are the two defences which are, according to statistics, the best in the top flight? (more…)
So another big day in the footballing calendar came and went as Manchester took on London yet again. Yes folks, two teams from England’s premier city lined up to play, in the first game which was a Premier League fixture, Chelsea, and in the second game which was the Carabao Cup final, Arsenal.
Prior to this starter and main course, however, there was an aperitif, which was a second-city derby between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park.
This was a game which could have gone either way or straight down the middle and the only safe bet before kick-off was to sit on the metaphorical fence, a position which this esteemed publication has no difficulty in assuming. (more…)
The Premier League doesn’t really get underway for the top six until Sunday this weekend and even then Manchester City and Arsenal will be missing from the fixture list.
Saturday’s sole representatives of England’s elite were Liverpool who played West Ham United at Anfield.
It turned out to be a fairly routine outing for Jürgen Klopp’s men. West Ham United didn’t even bother to flatter, they just deceived.
A first half goal from Emre Can was followed, in the second half, by further goals from Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mané and that, essentially, was that.
West Ham did manage to grab a consolation goal when 3-1 down through Mikail Antonio but the damage, by this time, had already been done. (more…)
The first trophy of the season is officially up for grabs on Sunday. Well, it is if you are Arsenal or Manchester City.
In City’s case, it could be the first one of three and, in the case of Stubborn Old Man, it is a measure of how the mighty have fallen.
He is now not only competing in, but trying to win, the Europa League and so has gone, in the last two seasons, from serial Champion’s League participant and FA Cup winner, to a ‘B’ grade struggler needing to win Big Vase to regain entry to Big Cup. As we said, how the mighty have fallen. (more…)
Guest Author: Michael B. Howell
It’s been a while since the EPL season felt spoken for quite this early in the New Year. By early February people were already looking at when Manchester City could mathematically seal the deal, which is really rather absurd, (though delightful for plenty of City supporters, no doubt). One could be easily forgiven for calling it something of a bummer for what’s supposed to be one of the most competitive sporting leagues on the planet.
Man City’s presumed title, (the club would essentially have to fall off the face of the Earth to avoid winning outright at this point), makes you wonder what else there really is to watch for in the EPL. Sure, there’s always the relegation battle, but for fans in Manchester or those who zero-in on the top of the table, this isn’t actually that compelling. It’s more interesting to look at after the fact, in some cases. (more…)
Louis van Gaal – The only United manager as boring as Dave Sexton and Frank O’Farrell, although Moyes came close!
When José Mourinho breezed into Manchester it was, for all but the most cynical of United fans, like a breath of fresh air.
The days of David Moyes promising that the team would try to be as good as City and making Liverpool favourites to win a league game at Old Trafford were a distant memory.
The days of Louis van Gaal sitting rigidly in his seat rather than encouraging his team from the sidelines while they sent the crowd to sleep with mind-numbingly boring football were also consigned to the history books.
Mourinho was here! The “Special One” was now the Manchester United manager having been anything but special in his final season at Stamford Bridge, from where he had been sacked with Chelsea in 16th position in the league. (more…)
