The second month of
the Premier League season has once again brought us its usual entertainment and
excitement it is renowned for. Champions Manchester City have regained top spot
on goal difference ahead of Liverpool. While Cardiff, Newcastle and Huddersfield
prop up the table.
It was a perfect September
for champions Manchester City winning all 3 of their matches seeing them topple
north west rivals Liverpool who dropped points for the first time this season
against Chelsea. City stormed to victories over Fulham, Cardiff and Brighton
with an aggregate of 11-0 have seen City begin to capture their title winning
form. However, Liverpool are not going away with another strong September after
winning their opening 6 games, they dropped points in a hugely entertaining game
with Chelsea with the points being shared. Klopp’s men have been excellent so
far and the top two kick off October by facing each other at Anfield. Surely
neither team dear not lose. Chelsea have also had a very good September under
new boss Maurizio Sarri with Chelsea collecting 7 points in their 3 matches.
Eden Hazard has sparkled notching 4 goals including an excellent hat trick
which secured victory over Cardiff. While two wonderful goals against Liverpool
in two separate competitions has shown the Hazard of title winning seasons gone
by. Sarri has got a tune out of Hazard and they are firmly back in title contention
this season should Hazard continue his sparkling run of form.
It was a very good
September for Arsenal, Leicester and Wolves with all 3 sides beginning to click
and their seasons have lift off. Unai Emery had an extremely difficult start to
the season losing to Man City and Chelsea however, 5 straight league wins
including a flawless September has seen Arsenal charge into 5th
place and looking a real force to be reckoned with. The likes of Pierre-Emerick
Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Lucas Torreira, Mesut Ozil and Petr Cech have
found some form and Emery will want this momentum to continue throughout October.
The two Midlanders Leicester and Wolves have been excellent in September both
climbing into 7th and 8th respectively. Puel’s Leicester
have been consistently solid winning back to back games since their heavy
defeat at Bournemouth at the start of the month. Victories over strugglers Huddersfield
and Newcastle have seen Leicester storm into the top 7. Wolves are also flying
high after an excellent September which saw them draw at Manchester United and
secure solid home wins over Burnley and Southampton. Nuno’s men are flying, and
they will continue to entertain throughout October I’m sure starting against
Crystal Palace.
In contrast, it has
been a miserable opening couple of months for the bottom 3 teams Newcastle, Cardiff
and Huddersfield. All remain winless and are severely struggling to dominant
matches and score goals. Newcastle set a new club record of losing their first
4 home games and Rafa Benitez is certainly stuck between a rock and a hard
place. Mike Ashley is desperate to sell, and the fans are desperate for him to
sell up. On the pitch things are no better with Newcastle struggling for
results and goals but Benitez is confident of turning the tide in the Tynesiders
favour. Cardiff are also severely struggling after a pointless September and goals
being hard to come by. Neil Warnock is a cult hero after the brilliance of last
season, but his Premier League record is woeful and no doubt things need to
change quickly in South Wales if Cardiff are going to survive. What is startling
is that Neil Warnock cannot pinpoint Cardiff’s issues this season and that is a
major worry. Something has got to give and fast at Cardiff they need a win from
somewhere and fast. Huddersfield are also struggling after last season’s
heroics. The Terries are rock bottom after 3 straight defeats in September and
while David Wagner is fully backed by the fans and owner Dean Hoyle, things are
severely poor on the pitch with the Terries struggling creatively and now their
solid defensive backline is showing huge cracks with easy goals finding the net.
Huddersfield just cannot score goals especially at home with the Terries being
the only club yet to score at home and something needs to give in October
sooner rather than later. All 3 clubs are winless, and could the hypothetical axe
fall on any of bottom 3 managers only time will tell.
One axe that well and
truly could fall is the one lingering over Jose Mourinho and Manchester United.
The club has had a September to forget with just one league win over Watford
and poor draw at home to Wolves followed by a hammering from West Ham. United
lack a style, identity and ideas on the pitch and the pressure is mounting on
the pitch. However, things are severely worse off it with an ongoing feud between
Mourinho and Paul Pogba dividing the United hierarchy, fans and the players. Criticism
on both sides has followed with many fans and pundits alike offering their
opinions on a situation that has escalated into a conundrum of who the United
hierarchy decide to back. Do they back one of the world’s most successful managers
who has won everything the game has to offer or do they back the club’s record
signing who clearly has an affect on the whole dressing room. Manchester United
are in crisis and the situation needs an outcome sooner rather than later. This
is a hugely important week for the whole club before the international break
with home games against Valencia and Newcastle to come. Poor performances and
results could spell the end with fans, players and Mourinho himself unhappy. Could
Mourinho be the first manager to face the chop this season? We shall see.
The Premier League
entertained us in September and no doubt October will be the same. There are
plenty of tasty games to come including Fulham vs Arsenal, Liverpool vs Man City,
Chelsea vs Man Utd, West Ham vs Tottenham, Man Utd vs Everton, Crystal Palace vs
Arsenal and Tottenham vs Man City. Some mouth watering games to come and no
doubt excitement, joy and pure quality will follow as the season well and truly
begins to take shape.
No comments:
Post a Comment