Sunderland 1 Chelsea 3: Prime canidates for the title?

Well, i may be wrong in criticizing Ancelotti's decision to field Deco from the start now that they have won 3-1 against Sunderland.

They had loads of possession in the 1sthalf but were never penetrative enough. Again, they turned the game around and their 2nd half performance was just great for me.

Deco scored a great team goal and Ancelotti played Shev and Sturridge late on. I liked the shape of the team in this game with Ancelotti reverting to playing just Drogba upfront as i do think Anelka and Drog together just does not work.

Again Franky Lampard was great in the game, his tenacity and passing was great. He is really arguably the most complete midfielder in the game. He has all the qualities you want in a midfielder. He can defend, he covers the length of the pitch, he can support the front man and he can score loads of goals. Very much like Luis Enrique of Barcelona for me. Undoubtedly the man of the match for me in this game.



If Ancelotti sticks to this formation, Chelsea will really prosper. They played much better in this formation compared to the 4-4-2 he has started in the previous 2 games. The only chage i would suggest is Carvalho in for Bosingwa and Ivanovic switching to the right of defense.

Elsewhwere, we have seen Wolves pick up their 1st win of the season at Wigan. The game was nothing to shout about and Kirkland should have done better for the Wolves goal. The header didn't had much power and the player was pretty far out.

However, Wolves fan should not be too optimistic as i think they will still struggle this season.

Wigan will struggle too if there are looking at replicating the fine season they had the last time round as i think the win at Villa on Saturday clearly mask the problems the team has. They have lost Bruce who in my view is a top top manager. Losing Palacios, Heskey and Valencia; all 3 whom are crucial to them, is just vital. They will do well to finish mid table.

Deco: The right man to turn to?

Well, i am currently watching the Sunderland - Chelsea game at the moment and i am not sure if Deco is the right man to start in midfield. So far (after 30 mins), Chelsea are a goal down just like they were vs Hull on Sat.

They are having loads of the ball but not creating much. I can see why a continental manger like Deco in the team, he is a good ball player and he has good vision. However, i have doubts if he is right for the Barclay's Premier League. He definitely is more suited to the La Liga or the Series A where more emphasis is placed on technical abilities and players have more time on the ball due to the slower pace of the games.

Deco was Mourinho's star player at Porto, however when Mourinho signed on at the Bridge, he never wanted to bring Deco along with him. Guess Mourinho was smart enough to see Deco may not fit in.

Premiership Lookback – 1st Round of Matches 15/08 & 16/08

Really great to have the Premier League back and what a weekend it was. Great games and great goals all round. Winners and losers all round with no games drawn.

1) Man Utd v Birmingham


Man Utd got off to a winning start and that is no surprise against promoted Brimingham. Rooney already looks to be prospering after being deployed upfront from the start and being the main man this season. I am sure most soccer observers will agree when I say he will be massive this season. He did well for the goal and looked sharp through out.

I think their midfield isn’t great this season, with the aging Scholes and Giggs and the workman-like players around the. Valencia and Nani both had decent games, nothing great. Man Utd really need Nani to prosper this season.

I do think this could be Sir Alex's weakest squad compared to the ones he had for the last 10 years.

Man Utd did not play particularly well in this game, they had some decent chances but did not trouble Joe Hart much in the game. Berbatov still looks off the pace in a Man Utd shirt for me. Maybe starting Owen will be a good idea, although he should have scored with the one on one chance he had towards the end after coming on.

Birmingham could have started with Benitez up front. He forced Foster into a good save towards the end and did much to trouble Utd after he came on.

I was disappointed by McLeish’s approach. Altough playing at Old Trafford, they will have no better opportunity to attack Man Utd with Van Der Sar, Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Carrick all out. They need to utilize the likes of McFaddden more.

Do expect Utd to improve as the season progress and with players returning from injuries. As for Birmingham, an encouraging performance, however they do need more quality in the squad. If they play like they did in this game, they will have a sniff of a chance of staying up. They will need to win games soon.

2) Tottenham v Liverpool
Along with the game at Goodison, the game of the weekend for me based on excitement and quality. The game started slowly for me and Liverpool especially played poorly for 75 mins. Not until when Benayoun came on did they start threatening.

Spurs look solid in defense with Pool seldom threatening. They could have the game wrapped up by half time if not for Pepe Reina. Robbie Keane should really have scored with the header he had in the 1st half. Great ball by Modric to set him up.

Assou-Ekoto scored a real belter. A great goal to put Spurs in the lead just before half time.

Lennon has been a real disappointment for me, For all the pace and talent he has, he really needs to learn how to use the ball better. Time and again we see him break away from defenders like they do not exist; however decision making and his passing of the final ball have been poor. Without proper use of the ball, all his hard work of creating space and getting away from defenders will be useless.

Bassong looks great on his debut, capping a good performance with the winning goal. A great signing for Harry who have done well to sign Crouch as well. Defoe had a quiet game but it really was Palacios who shone for Spurs. He could be the best of Harry’s signing at Spurs and for he looked to be the best holding midfielder for me on this showing. Certainly not Mascherano who had a poor game for Pool.

Masch looks a little lost for me without Alonso alongside him. He used to pass the ball to Alonso after winning it but he had no one to pass to in this game. Lucas and Babel had a shocking game for me. With no support from midfield, Pool looks very flat going forward. Stevei G looks frustrated and Torres had a quiet game after having a knock early in the game after challenging with Corluka.

With no midfield passer in the team, the team play for Pool looks very predictable. Benayoun was probably Man of the Match for Pool even though he played only the last 15 minutes.

Most Pool fans will be stunned by Rafa’s stubbornness by insisting with Lucas in midfield. To say Lucas is an adequate replacement for Alonso shows his biasness shown towards Lucas.

The solution might be to play Benayoun on the right and move Gerrard to midfield and play Kuyt behind Torres.

Babel has often shown in the orange shirt for Holland but has been so disappointing for Pool.

A good start for Spurs and they already has more points than they had from their 1st eight games last season when they only had 2. A good season ahead for Spurs under good management of Harry and they will be top 6 material.

For Pool, they only lost 2 games last season and still failed to win the title. Nothing seem to have changed this season with Rafa still slow to shake up his team. He waited 75 minutes before bring Benayoun on and he kept Lucas on the pitch. He should have taken Lucas off as Lucas is a more defensive oriented.

The pressure will now be on Pool now to perform after so much expectation. If they have a bad start and lose another game soon, Rafa will be under serious pressure.

A bad day for Pool all round with Torres and Skrtel getting knocks.

Premiership Lookback – 1st Round of Matches 15/08 & 16/08

3) Wolves vs West Ham

A great start for Gianfranco Zola, probably the most lovable manager in the Premier League. With no great additions to their squad and with some players expected to leave due to their financial situation, things could turn sour. If they lose Upson, that could be crucial. West Ham will do very well if they finish anywhere near mid table this season.

West Ham on their day are a decent outfit for me; with some really good players. A big season for Scotty Parker, Jieron Dyer and Julien Faubert in midfield. Carlton Cole will be expected to score goals this season.

Mark Noble is probably one of the great English talents for me, A great great goal in the game and he did well throughout. Under the guidance of the great Zola, he will prosper.

Wolves on the other hand lacks quality players in their squad to challenge in the Premier League, Mancienne is a good loan signing however they will need a lot more. With a soft start against West Ham, who are no great shakes, they really needed a good start. They will not play the top 4 till November and that is crucial; they will need to pick up some points by then to have any chance of staying up.

They never really threatened for me in this game and were looking desperate near the end although this is only the opening game.

After this showing at home, even the most optimistic of Wolves fans will agree that it will be a miracle and an awesome achievement if they survive the drop.


4) Bolton v Sunderland

A good start for Darren Bent who I tipped to do well for Sunderland this season. Under the great management of Steve Bruce who I happen to think is a great manager, Sunderland will have a good season. Definitely good enough to finish at least mid-table.

The squad has been strengthened by the arrival of Bent, Cattermole and Campbell. More strength in defense will be needed for me. Fulop made a great save at the end to preserve the win for me, However, he is not a great keeper.

As for the goal, Bent did well with a good header, however I still feel Jaaskelainen could have saved that. For Bolton, Megson has not made significant signings for me. Zat Knight, Sean Davies, Sam Ricketts and Paul Robinson were not great signings. With the lack of cash, they could struggle this season although I do expect them to survive.

They had some good moments in the game but just lacked the cutting edge in front of their own fans. Like Wolves, this is the kind of game they needed to win, especially at home and they failed.

As for Sunderland, a good start ahead of their next game against Ancelotti’s Chelsea troops.


5) Everton v Arsenal

The performance of the weekend without a single doubt. Arsenal were just immense and the results was no fluke and certainly was not flattering.

Denilson had a good game and started the season well like last season. It will be interesting to see if he can maintain this kind of performance throughout the season. Vermaelen had a great game too, aggressive in defense and looks like a no nonsense defender for me. He goal was a great one too.

The fluidity of the Gunner’s passing was great to watch. Cesc Fabregas looks refreshed and weighed in with 2 goals after having a porous season by his standards the last time round. The great test for the team will come towards the Christmas period when the going might get tough.

As for the team, Van persie is crucial for them and need to be fit through out the season. Arshavin had an effective game and will only improve.

As for Everton, a bad start for them and although this may be a one off, there are reasons for Moyes to be worried. Already on a tight budget, they have not added any significant signings to the squad and this could over stretch the very thin squad they have.

Lescott look porous in defense and he admitted his focus was not there after having his head turned by the approaches of Man City.

It will be a win-win situation to sell him to Man City. Lescott will have his desired move while Moyes will have a decent amount of cash to strengthen his squad. They really need some strengthening and with the window so near its closing date, the situation is desperate.

Fellaini is no forward and he could be found out if Moyes insist on playing him up front. Everton need to have a fit Arteta as he is crucial to their midfield, much like Alonso is for Liverpool.

I still expect Everton to have a decent season, but do not expect great shakes from them. A UEFA finish will be a decent achievement. A performance to forget for all Everton fans.

Premiership Lookback – 1st Round of Matches 15/08 & 16/08

6) Blackburn v Man City

A great start for Man City and Mark Huges at Ewood. A great start to te game with a great finish from Adebayor although I think Warnock should have done better for Blackburn in the build up to the goal. From that point onwards, it was always going to be tough for Blackburn.

Man City showed lots of steel in defense and that is surprising. Toure and the denfense played well, especially in the 1st half and the early parts of the second when Blackburn were really pressing for the equalizer. Much like Chelsea, I do think the shape to Man City wasn’t great. Maybe it takes time for the team to gel. For now, I think Barry does not fit in well into the 4-4-2 that Huges is playing,

Bellamy had a great game and he is the one player that showed the fight and endeavor that City really need if they are to do well. Given had a great game in goal too. Overall, Bridge, Richards and Toure all did well.

A great 2nd goal from Ireland too, Coolness personified. Lots of encouraging signs for Huges and if the team continues to work really hard for each other and maintain the hunger, they will surprise.

As for Blackburn, they showed lots of fight, not surprising for a team managed by Big Sam. They will pick up enough points this season and will be mid table material if they continue to keep up the energy.


7) Fulham v Portsmouth

No surprise here in this game with Fulham winning. My pick for the weekend was Fulham and West Ham actually.

Hodgson did really well with a thin Fulham squad last season. They will do well to replicate their finish last season and qualify for the UEFA Cup.

Fulham played with very much the same side and I do think they need some signings as well to add some depth. If rumors are to be believed and they get get Damien Duff from Newcastle, that could be a really good signing to take some weight off the aging shoulders o Danny Murphy.



For Fulham, they will be hard to beat and I am sure we could see them turning a few decent sides over at Craven Cottage. All credit to Roy Hodgson, a manger with vast experience and a terrific CV.

As for Portsmouth, I do think they will struggle big time this season with all the uncertainty in the background. They could still go into administration and be relegated from the Premier League. The only decent player they had in the team was Kranjcar and maybe the aging David James. The others look Championship material to me, They did not threaten enough for me in this game.

The only fact that may save them from relegation is the fact that there could be 3 worse off teams. We could see a scrap down there with teams like Wolves, Burnley, Birmingham and Hull.

8) Stoke City v Burnley

A good start for Stoke this season, unlike last season when they lost 3-1 at the Reebok on the opening day.

No surprise how Stoke got their goals; both goals coming from aerial bombardments. Stoke could be hard to break down, much like last season. With the quality they have, I do think they will stay in the League. Expect another good season from James Beattie, the signing fo the transfer window last season. If they can get a few more players in before the window closes, that will be great,

Burnley on the other hand, will struggle this season. Owen Coyle’s team was famed for their hard work and getting into their oppositions last season. They accounted for both Arsenal and Chelsea in cup competitions last season.

However, in the Premier League over 38 games, I am afraid they will come up short. The fact that most people are expecting them to be relegated will be great as that will mean they can play without fans over expecting.

If they are to survive, they had to win games like this one or at least get a result. Their next games are against Man Utd and Everton and you will not expect them to get anything from those games. A championship squad with no standouts, they could be the whipping boys.

For Burnley fans, just do enjoy your limelight in the Premier League.

Premiership Lookback – 1st Round of Matches 15/08 & 16/08

9) Chelsea v Hull

Chelsea played reasonably well, should have had an early goal via Drogba. Was a surprise when they fell behind to a pinball like goal. Somehow, Chelsea’s back 4 and keeper have not been that convincing to me since the days of Jose Mourinho. They need to be more solid in defense.

Ancelotti also need to find a better shape to the team’s play. He has lots of expectations on his shoulders and should he not do well, he could face the wrath of the owner and fans who are craving for success in the Premier League and Champions League. However, it is an encouraging start for him.

The shape of the team was not right for me, although you cannot fault them for their work ethic and effort. Do think Ancelotti have to play a single striker. Drogba and Anelka together does not work for me. They have played this formation in the 1st half against Man Utd and it did not work.

For Chelsea, it might be still early but they need to find their shape soon. On paper, Chelsea appear to have the strongest squad. Just look at the likes they have in the reserves.

As for Hull, a good hard working performance, much like the Hull we saw at the start of last season. Unfortunately they came unstuck via a fluke goal right at the end. I do think Hull might struggle to score goals this season. They do not have someone in the team that will consistently score goals for them.



10) Villa v Wigan

Probably the surprise of the weekend here. Most people will be expecting Villa to do well in this game, especially against a Wigan side that has lost manager Steve Bruce and key player Antonio Valencia. Replacement Roberto Martinez was known to play attacking soccer at Swansea and that was what Wigan did in this game.

Although Villa had lots of possession they did not threaten much for me, Martin O Neil needs some signings to freshen the team that over performed last season. Cuellar and Davies are not the strong partnership at the back for a team with ambitions of finishing in the top 4.

O Neil chose to start with youngster Fabian Delph from the start. Sidwell should have started for me, He is the right kind of player to replace Gareth Barry. Very much the forgotten and invisible man in the Premier League after a good season with Reading, Do think his move to Chelsea where he was never going to be in the 1st team stalled his progress.



Rodallega got a great goal for Wigan, one of the goals of the weekend. Will be interesting to see if Wigan can continue to play this brand of soccer and pick up good results. Koumas played well in a decent midfield for me and Bramble has improved so much since his wobbly days at Newcastle. He might now be fulfilling the potential that the late Sir Bobby Robson once saw in him.

As for Villa, they need to really buck up or they could in for a mid table finish this season.

Premiership Picks: 4th place

4th Place: Arsenal

Arsenal will once again finish 4th in my opinion although I think they could run Pool close for the 3rd automatic Champions League spot.

Selling 2 of your 1st team players with no adequate replacement will only mean great losses. Selling them to a team that is looking to challenge you for a top 4 finish is just plain bad business in my opinion.

Whether it is the lack of financial support or Arsene’s refusal to spend we might never really know the inside story, but again this season you will again see huge responsibility on the shoulders of the young Cesc Fabregas. If they have a mediocre season, I see him leaving next summer.

Arsene needs to have a full team of fit players, losing the likes of Rosicky for 6 weeks after he is just back from a 18 month layoff is not good news for I think he is a great player if fully fit. Losing Samir Nasri who I think has great potential is not good news as well. All this even when the season has not started yet.

They really need to have a fit Van Persie and Eduardo upfront although I have a little suspicion that they are too left footed to play together. Brendtner never looks like a great striker and you really cannot rely on him.

With Rosicky and Nasri available when fit, we might see Wenger finally playing Walcott upfront. Walcott in the right of midfield isn’t right as he looks a little out of position there. He needs to be more central and more involved.

It is in the goalkeeping and defensive department that Arsene will have the biggest headaches. Almunia is too inconsistent and losing Toure, their best defender is not good. To expect the unproven Vermaelen to replace Toure is risky. What does Wenger mean when he said the team has adequate cover in defense I do not know.

The fact that most people are not expecting great things from Arsenal this season could be the best tonic for the young side. This is where they could be dangerous for on their day, they are the best footballing side in the league by a million mile.

Having Arshavin for a full preseason is great news too as I think he will be te tailismen in the team this season. He operates so well just behind the front man and his finishing is so clinical. He could be the player to watch in the League this season.



I do expect Arsenal to finish comfortably in the top 4 this season, if they have a good start and continue to do well, they could finish 3rd, well ahead of Liverpool.