We continue with our look at the weekend’s action in the Premier League. For Part One click here.
Premier League Review Match Day Four: Part Two
The big question for Stoke City fans is this. Is Mark Hughes really the right man to take this solid Premier League club forward? Brought into the Potteries just over a year ago, Hughes managed to succeed in not only changing the club’s “outdated” playing style, but also managed to secure them their minimum requirement of a top ten finish. Backed heavily in the transfer market this summer, and now with his own players to choose from, questions over the clubs’ direction will soon be asked if they continue to lose “winnable” games, such as facing Leicester City at home.
For the Foxes, the garden is currently very rosy. Any newly promoted club is in need of a striker that can score goals at the highest level, and in Leonardo Ulloa, they may have just struck gold. Three strikes in four Premier League games is impressive for any forward, let alone one with no top flight experience at all. Backed up by the huge experience of Argentine midfield veteran Esteban Cambiasso, City need to build upon a solid start, and keep their heads when their inevitable slump happens. But winning at the Britannia is no small feat, and gives everybody a glimpse of how far they have already come under Nigel Pearson.
“Solid, but not spectacular” is the best way to describe the early season for Tottenham Hotspur. As yet another new era dawns at White Hart Lane, new manager Mauricio Pochettino will do very well to both command the required time from his ever demanding board, and patience from those over ambitious Spurs fans, who have built a life upon trying to get one up on their rivals from up the Seven Sisters Road, Arsenal. With media speculation rife on a potential sale of Tottenham, Pochettino will do well to keep his head down, go about his business, and transform Spurs into a top four contender. Clumsy own goals from rookies like Harry Kane will not help the cause though, and fixtures such as Sunderland away are ones they realistically need to win to earn their stripes.
For the Black Cats, life is in the ascendency, and there should be no repeat of last year’s relegation scrap to worry about for Sunderland. Gus Poyet has created a “siege mentality” amongst both players and fans alike, and with some clever player acquisition work this summer, Poyet now has “his team”, and the players seem to enjoy playing for the enigmatic Uruguayan. They will certainly take heart from a draw with Spurs, and coming back from behind to achieve this shows the spirit is strong at the Stadium Of Light.
Very unsurprisingly, West Bromwich Albion are struggling. Really struggling. Several poor decisions that can be laid firmly at the feet of the club’s board seem to have finally bitten the club on the backside, and the seeds of pain were absolutely sown with the removal of former Head Coach, Steve Clarke, last year. Yes, the Baggies had a bad run of form, but this happens to every club at some point – but panic you mustn’t – and Clarke’s removal is where the rot set in at the Hawthorns. New coach Alan Irvine is undoubtedly viewed as a “yes man” by the interfering board, and it is thought he has little or no final word on player recruitment, which is of course a recipe for disaster.
Losing at home to Everton is of course, no disgrace though, but by their own admissions, the Toffees have had a sticky start this campaign. Having invested heavily in players this summer, expectations amongst everybody at the club have risen following a very productive first season for Roberto Martinez, in which European football was of course secured. Wins like this will be a course be seen as routine for Everton, but the spotlight will really be on how they build on this victory, and can they put some consistency together to get their stalling season up and running? The quality is certainly there, and in Martinez, they possess a manager of extreme quality. Hopefully, they won’t be victims of that dreaded “second season syndrome” though.
The big question running through the minds of every Manchester United fan – wherever they live in Surrey – is this. Are the new players finally gelling, and can they now turn the corner? It must be said that Sunday’s thumping of Queens Park Rangers was “very Fergie like”, and had no recognition or link to the boring, dark old days of last year, and the hapless David Moyes. United looked comfortable throughout, got their business done early, and scored some fine goals. Not being in the Champions League this campaign can be looked upon in either one or two ways. Less games will keep the squad fresher for a top four push, and the lack of revenue for only one season shouldn’t damage the coffers too much at Old Trafford.
Rangers are a side in trouble. Harry Redknapp will very soon be systematically telling us all that “his squad is down to the bare bones”, but the R’s invested heavily this summer, so they can’t moan too much that the balance of the squad is probably looking all wrong. No, they would not have seen Sunday as an opportunity to garner points – no promoted side can look at games such as United away as opportunities for anything more than a hopeful draw – but the 4-0 thrashing will have done very little for confidence in the camp. Their home form will either keep them up or not, and in Loftus Road they have a tight, old stadium that can be that fortress. But the question for me is this. Is Redknapp really up for the scrap to come?
A cynically minded football fan could perhaps suggest that Hull City’s season may have already scaled it’s heights, and we are not yet even at the end of September. Should the Tigers defeat Newcastle United next Saturday, one would presume the axe will finally fall on the Geordie manager, Alan Pardew’s head. Which will of course create a managerial opening. A vacancy tailor made for City manager Steve Bruce, a Geordie, and a lifelong Newcastle fan. Those who would dare to believe Bruce’s hollow statement of loyalty to the Hull cause this week would either be naïve, or blind sighted to the fact that Bruce is not known for hanging around when he is linked to other jobs. Particularly when he is as wanted as he will be by boyhood team Newcastle. So, these next couple of weeks could be interesting for City, who have started reasonably well.
West Ham United have also had more than a decent start. Much has been made of the club’s decision to appoint ex-England striker Teddy Sheringham in a striker-coaching role, a move which seem to undermine manager Sam Allardyce. On the contrary, the move has been a spectacular success so far, and the Hammers look dangerous and entertaining going forward. Defensively they are perhaps a little more frail, but they will be there or there abouts come the end of the season – in mid table.
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