Ger McCarthy
WINNERS
Arsenal
Crisis? What crisis? Unlike this time last season when eight goals were shipped in one horrific afternoon at Old Trafford Arsenal has yet to concede a goal three games into the new campaign. Abou Diaby is playing like a young Patrick Vieira, Santi Cazorla has settled quickly, Podolski has netted his first goal and even Vito Mannone played superbly in Sunday’s excellent win at Anfield. It’s onwards and upwards for Arsene Wenger’s side.
Manchester City
City concluded a productive 48 hours with another unconvincing victory and the signing of four new players before the end of the transfer window. Thursday’s Champions League draw setup glamour ties with Real Madrid, Ajax and Borussia Dortmund and had the Etihad Stadium buzzing until another ragged defensive display glossed over City’s second win of the campaign. Despite eking out results, the champions have failed to reproduce the scintillating form that delivered a first Premier League title and Roberto Mancini’s new signings will have to blend in quickly if similar success is to be repeated this season. City’s manager was quick to voice his anger at the board’s lack of transfer activity but the onus is now on the Italian to deliver a second Premier League title and extended European run. Over to you Roberto.
Robin van Persie
The Dutch international’s hat-trick helped Man United earn a last-gasp win at Southampton and Van Persie’s excellent start of four goals in two games has endeared him to the United faithful. The quality of the goals (a left foot cracker, instinctive goal-poacher’s effort and sublime header) helped overshadow van Persie’s disastrous penalty miss earlier in the game and saved him from the famous Alex Ferguson hairdryer treatment.
Steve Clarke
West Bromwich Albion’s best ever start to a Premier League season owes much to new manager Steve Clarke’s calm demeanour and the injection of belief into his new squad which has resulted in a draw and two impressive wins. The Baggies have produced some marvellous football in the opening fortnight, best encapsulated by the sweeping pitch-long move that saw Shane Long open the scoring at the Hawthorns on Saturday. West Brom were many pundit’s favourites to be relegated but Clarke’s arrival has coincided with an upturn in fortunes which suggests a top ten finish is more than achievable.
Steven Fletcher
The £14m price tag didn’t appear to phase new Sunderland signing Steven Fletcher one iota as the Scottish international netted a brace on his debut for the Black Cats. Eyebrows were raised at the size of transfer fee and also at the fact Kevin Doyle was overlooked as a possible transfer target but Martin O’Neill’s faith was rewarded with Fletcher delivering a barnstorming display that bodes well for the rest of the season.
Andy Carroll
Credit must go to the pony-tailed Geordie for his all-action West Ham debut which helped create two goals in the 3-0 win over Fulham. The decision to leave Liverpool on loan could prove a productive one for Carroll who would also have started up front for his country this week were it not for an injury sustained during the Fulham victory. Liverpool’s loss is West Ham’s gain.
Michu
The £2m spent on bringing Miguel Perez Cuesta aka Michu to the Liberty Stadium already looks the best bit of business of the summer transfer window. Fantasy football managers everywhere were silently fist-pumping when Michu netted his fourth goal in three league games to earn the Swans a point and Michael Laudrup deserves immense credit for identifying the midfielder as Joe Allen’s replacement. Apart from his obvious goal scoring prowess Michu sets the tempo in a free-flowing Swansea side and the former Ray Vallecano playmaker looks a bargain buy.
Hatem Ben Arfa
Newcastle’s mercurial midfielder makes the winners list for netting the Premier League goal of the weekend. Ben Arfa arrowed a sumptuous 25-yard effort into the top corner to earn the Magpies a draw and underlined the view that the French winger is blossoming into a world class player since his return from a long-term injury.
LOSERS
Manchester United’s defence
Not even the return of Rio Ferdinand and selection of Anders Lindegaard in place of David De Gea could prevent another calamitous defensive performance at St Mary’s. Make no mistake about it, RVP’s hat-trick rescued United from defeat on an afternoon both Southampton goals can be attributed to full-backs Evra and Rafael failing to do their job. An over-exposed Man United defence found itself behind for the third consecutive match and has now worryingly conceded five goals in three games.
Liverpool
On the evidence of Sunday’s defeat at home to Arsenal Brendan Rodger’s rebuilding job at Anfield is going to take longer than first anticipated. The decision to let Carroll go out on loan without a replacement is perplexing. Gerrard’s erratic form should be of huge concern as should Reina’s recent loss of confidence. Difficult times for the new Liverpool manager in Liverpool’s worst start since 1962.
Andre Villas-Boas
Three games played and zero victories. Even a late transfer window flurry that delivered Dembele, Lloris, Dempsey and Adebayor cannot paper over the cracks of what has been a disjointed and downright disappointing start to Andre Villas-Boas’s reign as the new Tottenham manager. The boos that greeted Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Norwich were completely justified with Spurs second best for much of the encounter and lucky to escape with a point. Villas-Boas’ philosophy is likely to be better supported by a willing Spurs squad than the egotistical Chelsea dressing room that led to the Portuguese’s quick demise at Stamford Bridge. It is still early days but how long Daniel Levy and the equally impatient Tottenham supporters are willing to stand by their new Coach could make for another White Hart Lane soap opera in the months ahead.
Shay Given
The former Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper paid for his poor performance in Aston Villa’s 3-1 defeat to Everton when Paul Lambert selected Brad Guzan between the sticks for Sunday’s fixture at Newcastle. Guzan kept a clean sheet in Villa’s midweek League Cup victory over Tranmere and produced another solid display at St James’s Park to suggest Given now has a real fight on his hands to retain the goalkeeper’s position at Villa Park.
Chico Flores
Swansea’s Spanish defender endured a torrid afternoon at the Liberty Stadium culminating in a red card for a ridiculously high challenge on Louis Saha. Chico could well have been sent off earlier in the half for a reckless tackle that left Republic of Ireland international James McClean clutching his ankle and sent Martin O’Neill into hysterics on the sideline. At fault for Sunderland’s equaliser, Flores needs to get his act together with regular left back Neil Taylor absent for the remainder of the season following an ankle fracture in the same game.
Chelsea
Chelsea weren’t in Premier League action at the weekend but the 4-1 shellacking handed out by Atletico Madrid in Friday night’s Super Cup deserves a place in the losers section. It could and should have been a wider winning margin and no doubt Roman Abramovich will raise his club’s listless display with Roberto Di Matteo during the international break. Pep Guardiola may yet have to cut his short his self-imposed managerial exile if Chelsea fail to maintain their early season form.
Follow Ger in Twitter: @germccarthy74
Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/sBReSHoTNyo/post.aspx
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