A quick look at the top three in the EPL; Liverpool another day.
Only saw the second half of today’s Arsenal-Norwich City match, when the Gunners were already up 3-0, but man this team is just cooking. Then again what do you expect from a team that hasn’t lost since the tail end of the season before last? Reyes adds beautifully to the front third play with Henry, Pires, Ljungberg and Bergkamp and teenager Fabregas is running the team brilliantly in the absence of All World Patrick Viera, enough to make people ask if the team was mistaken not to take the nearly $50 million Real Madrid offered.
Chelsea hasn’t lost yet either (both teams have taken all 12 points from the first four matches) but isn’t scoring near as much as Arsenal either, winning more on terrific defense. Newcomers Paulo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvahlo were teammates at Champions League winners FC Porto under new coach Jose Mourinho and are melding immediately with Wayne Bridge and John Terry. The Blues’ midfield and front are taking a little longer to settle in–will Kezman or Gudjohnsen be Drogba’s main strike partner, and of Duff, Robben and Cole who will end up the primary left winger? As an aside, one wonders why the team didn’t try to move Damien Duff for a big transfer fee, because this amount of depth can be harmful as personalities clash.
Manchester United have barely kept themselves together with only four points from three matches; a win against Everton Monday will be important if only for their psyche. Possibly the team will have to set their focus on winning the Champions League this year, tough as that will be, because there’s no way they’ll crack the top two spots in the EPL. Maybe another FA Cup..
Today’s draw with Blackburn was typical of Red Devils play in the early going: lots of possession and dominance of the field but if not for a goal in the last 60 seconds this would have been a second loss. And the goal came from Alan Smith, he’s been their best player to date but will have a very tough time getting on the field once Ruud Van Nistlerooy gets healthy if, as seems likely, Sir Alex gets his druthers and Everton send Wayne (Mr. Potato Head) Rooney becomes the latest purchase. Finally, 18 year old American Jonathon Spector was servicable in his Premiership debut but the team clearly misses suspended Rio Ferdinand and injured Wes Brown at the back.
All in all, great start to the season.
BillSaysThis 