Bits & Pieces: Arsenal Lose Again, City Beat Chelsea, United Should Regain Second And VAR Is A Hot Topic

Posted: March 5, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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bg

On the south coast Arsenal played Brighton in a game they were not favourites to win. This is a statement which, for the last twenty years or so, (and probably longer), would have been scoffed at by the vast majority of football followers.

This Arsenal, however, have taken their game to a new level which is decidedly lower than it has been for decades.

It wasn’t long before they were 2-0 down to Brighton thanks to some decent finishing and awful defending. Fortunately, for The Gunners, the hosts switched off just before half-time and allowed Arsenal to pull one back. Read the rest of this entry »

Manchester United And Manchester City Could Dominate English Football For Years To Come

Posted: March 4, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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pandj

Today, Saturday, saw a relatively quiet day for the top six in the Premier League, with only Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in action.

Spurs were at “home” to Huddersfield Town whilst, in the late game Liverpool took on Newcastle United at Anfield in a fixture which saw the return of Rafa Benitez to the club where he experienced his greatest success.

The first game saw a reasonably easy victory for Spurs although they originally struggled to find the net and only led 1-0 at half-time. The second half followed a similar pattern and Son managed to get his, and Spurs’ second goal to wrap up a fairly routine win. Read the rest of this entry »

What Do Manchester United & The Other Big Four Teams Need To Do To Catch Manchester City Next Season?

Posted: March 3, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Managers, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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bg

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? Read the rest of this entry »

Why Did Alexis Sánchez “Choose” Manchester United Over Manchester City?

Posted: March 2, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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bg

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? Read the rest of this entry »

Signs Of Unrest At Manchester United From Players There Is No Real Evidence Mourinho Ever Wanted!

Posted: March 1, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Jose Mourinho, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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bg

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? Read the rest of this entry »

Bits & Pieces: Including – Lukaku Wants Respect, Guardiola Is Bringing Politics Into Sport And Wenger Has No Defence In More Ways Than One

Posted: February 28, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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BG

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! Read the rest of this entry »

Manchester City And Manchester United Both Have Defences Which, Under Different Circumstances, Would Be Exposed As Very Average!

Posted: February 27, 2018 in Arsenal, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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js

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? Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Manchester 2 London 0, While Tottenham & Chelsea Trade Places In The Top Four

Posted: February 26, 2018 in Arsenal, Carabao Cup, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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ds (2)

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. Read the rest of this entry »

Bits & Pieces: What Can Happen In This Weekend’s Premier League Games? + First Trophy For Pep Guardiola?

Posted: February 25, 2018 in Arsenal, Carabao Cup, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur
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129634

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. Read the rest of this entry »

City Aim To Add The Carabao Cup To Their Soon-To-Be-Delivered Premier League While United Need To Hold On To Second Place

Posted: February 24, 2018 in Arsenal, Carabao Cup, Chelsea, Football, Liverpool, Managers, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League
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BG

Carabao Cup

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. Read the rest of this entry »

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