London
So, having managed a full season undefeated at White Hart Lane, Tottenham fell at the first hurdle following their temporary move to Wembley.
They actually played reasonably well but, with Harry Kane not joining the goalscoring race until around October, Spurs will struggle for goals unless somebody else steps up to the plate.
The player who stepped up on Sunday was Michy Batshuayi. The problem? He’s a Chelsea player so scoring for Spurs is not part of his job description. (more…)
Discussions here at WSA recently turned to the subject of football “legends” and the qualifications required in order to become one.
The conversation all started when someone in the office was reading a piece from manutd.com which was about club “legend” Denis Irwin.
The question here is; what has Irwin personally done to deserve the title? Note the word “personally“, because this is what should determine whether a person deserves the legendary status or not.
Many people think that, because Irwin won many titles and cups during his long spell with Manchester United, then this entitles him to be called a legend. We happen to disagree. (more…)
Swansea City v Manchester United
So another half of a weekend rides off into the distance and, for the second week running, the football gods have been kind to Manchester United by allowing them to score four goals again.
This one could have proven to be slightly more difficult as it was away from home at the club who should be playing in the Welsh league, also known as Swansea City.
The home side did manage to resist for a while and it was only in stoppage time just before half time that United scored their first when Eric Bailly bundled the ball in after Pogba had seen his header pushed onto the bar by the keeper. (more…)
Manchester United
José seems to have accepted his lot. Either that or he knows something of which we are unaware. Maybe Dithering Ed is close to delivering a package containing Ivan Perisić. Maybe he is working tirelessly in an attempt to satisfy his manager’s thirst for a fourth signing. Maybe he isn’t and has decided any more will have to wait until January. Whatever is the truth we supporters, as usual, are the mushrooms
We have to rely on press and TV reports which are sketchy at best and plain false at worst. Naturally, we don’t expect Mourinho to list the players he wants at one of his press conferences and we understand the unsettling effect it would have on those players if he did. We also understand the problems this would cause with other clubs. (more…)
Following a decent start, at home, against an average team, Manchester United players will have gained confidence as well as the three points from their performance. They will have gained little else as the victory over West Ham United was a relative stroll, particularly after the first goal had demolished any “ambition” they may have had of defending for ninety minutes.
Manchester City also experienced an easy day out in Brighton where, despite initially struggling to break down the HOME!!? team, they won quite comfortably in the end. Both clubs, without really being tested, looked quite convincing but were helped by the opposition! (more…)
Manchester United
It would appear that José Mourinho is now quite happy to wait until January to bring in any more players. This has always been on the cards as he has already expressed how happy he is with the players brought in up to now and has stressed that Dithering Ed has managed to get 75% of his targets through the door.
It is not, we repeat not, as some people may surmise, an admission that DE has completely failed with all his other targets, even if he has.
According to the press, Mourinho’s list of players, given to Ed back in March, was longer than a tailback on the M6 in August. Also, according to the press, they have been 90% of the way to making about eleven or twelve signings where terms have been agreed and the only detail left was to agree a fee with the club concerned. (more…)
Diego Costa
Diego Costa is in Brazil. Hardly surprising when considering the fact that the Spanish international is Brazilian. He wants to leave Chelsea, (we think), and return to Atlético Madrid in Spain. His manager certainly wants him to leave and doesn’t appear to be shedding many tears at his absence.
The problem is that he shouldn’t be in Brazil at present owing to the fact that the Premier League football season has started and his team, Chelsea, could do with him being in London even though he wouldn’t get picked. Consequently they have fined him around £300K for not being where he is supposed to be. (more…)
Rafa’s still the gaffer, but for how much longer?
We get the impression that, if Rafa Benitez wasn’t so settled in England and had somewhere else to go, then he would be off like a shot. He appears to be staying at Newcastle more because he doesn’t have an alternative than because he wants to.
He has a home in Jesmond and a home on the Wirral and commutes regularly between the two. He is unlikely to get another job in the Premier League with a club as big as Newcastle. Having already managed a big club in Liverpool, and a smaller club in Chelsea the only others left which would fit his particular bill are Mancheter United, Manchester City and Arsenal and even if he wanted any of those jobs he is very, very unlikely to get them. (more…)
Following on from yesterday’s piece about what we have learned regarding the four teams from last season’s top six, here is our assessment of the other two who played today.
As is always the case, any of these articles should he taken with a pinch of salt as many freak results can be thrown up on opening day and teams who look like world-beaters at the start of the season can end up being relegated.
There is also the possibility that clubs will add players to their ranks as the transfer window doesn’t close for almost another three weeks. (more…)
Arsenal can’t defend, Liverpool can’t defend, Chelsea play better when down to nine men and Manchester City find it difficult against a ten man defence.
You may be forgiven for thinking that the top clubs, having had a two and a half months break from competitive football, time to work on their style of play and money to buy new players where needed, would return to Premier League action with all guns blazing.
If Friday’s game was supposed to be an example of that then Arsenal didn’t stick to the script. They did, however, manage to achieve something which has been rare in the last few years. They won their first home game. They were lucky to do so as it would have been no surprise had their woeful defending resulted in more than the three goals they conceded. (more…)
