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1. Arsenal has mental strength
Everyone knows Arsene Wenger’s sides can play. Indeed, in the past they’ve been guilty of taking “sexy football” to its extreme, putting aesthetics over pragmatism, making intricate 20-pass moves for the sake of it rather than focusing on the result.
How refreshing, then, that Arsenal have been at best mediocre in their last two EPL matches yet still managed to grind out points. A 2-2 draw at Goodison Park is a decent result in any context; 2-0 down with less than 10 minutes remaining makes it a great one.
Last year, Arsenal managed a miserly 0.83 points on average from games where they didn’t score first, and 0.44 points from matches where they were losing at half time. Compare that to Chelsea, the current gold standard when it comes to mental fortitude, who managed 1.6 and 1.75 points per game respectively from the same scenarios.
Wenger will undoubtedly be disappointed with the nature of Arsenal’s play to date, but all Gunners should be quietly pleased with character their team has shown in the opening two fixtures of the season.
2. Blue on Blue for the Title (Part 1)
In consecutive weekends, Chelsea have shown us two important reasons why they must be considered the favourites to lift the EPL title this season. Against Burnley they were free-flowing; Fabregas pulling the strings and fully utilising the attacking talents moving ahead of him. Against Leicester, they momentarily faltered, unable to find their rhythm. Cometh the half time interval, cometh the man-management: Mourinho has always had the ability to extract more from his players, and the Chelsea that took to the field in the second half were infinitely superior to their first half shadow. What’s more, Costa banged in another sitter (the sort that only, say, Fernando Torres would contrive to miss).
The caveat, of course, is that Chelsea have had the easiest possible start to their EPL campaign, facing two of the three newly promoted teams. You can only beat what’s in front of you, as the drearily unimaginative saying goes, but tougher tests undoubtedly lie further down the road.
3. Blue on Blue for the Title (Part 2)
One team that has already passed such a test is Manchester City. While their 2-0 victory over Newcastle in the opening weekend was flattering, their 3-1 defeat of Liverpool was dominant: one 20-minute spell aside, there was only ever one likely winner at the Etihad. City were a cut above, even without the half-fit Sergio Aguero, for whom Stevan Jovetic is a more than able deputy. Their three goals came from just four shots on target, which is a reflection more on City’s precision than any fault of Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet.
Fernando has taken to the Premier League like a Portuguese Man O’ War to the Atlantic, while Yaya Toure looks to have put his birthday woes behind him. City mean business, and we expect them to challenge Chelsea all the way.
4. Di Maria alone won’t solve United’s ills
The18 has already made its opinions crystal clear regarding Manchester United’s display against Sunderland, and while new signing Angel Di Maria will undoubtedly lift spirits around Old Trafford, he won’t be a quick fix. Truth be told, half-a-dozen of Di Maria’s ilk (in terms of quality, not specific skill-set) won’t turn things around overnight.
United continue to look ponderous and unsure of themselves, and while Di Maria’s physical pace will quicken their attack, it’s their speed of thought that requires sharpening. That’s a medium-term process, as players adapt to a new philosophy and style of play. Van Gaal didn’t win a game in his first four competitive matches with Bayern Munich, yet they still went on to win the league. It’s a bold prediction to state United will be champions this season – and not one we’re prepared to make – but we do expect the Red Devils to be a good deal closer to their old selves come Christmas.
5. Things go from bad to worse for Palace
That Crystal Palace have failed to pick up a point from their opening two games is the least of their worries. Two weeks ago they lost their manager less than 48 hours before the start of the new season; last week they lost both their Director of Football Iain Moody and the man they were about to appoint as manager, Malky Mackay. Allegations of racism, sexism and shading dealings submitted to the FA by Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan (Moody and Mackay’s previous employer) forced Moody to resign and Palace to withdraw their contract offer to Mackay.
Palace remain rudderless, and with only a handful of days remaining in the transfer window, are without either a manager or a director of football to guide their transfer policy. What looked liked being a season of consolidation has already turned into one of consternation.
6. Promising young Englishman? Don’t sign for City.
Jack Rodwell’s textbook header on his home debut for Sunderland encapsulated all the traits which once marked him as a future England regular: power, technique, hunger. For many, it was a telling reminder of his existence.
Prior to signing for Manchester City in the summer of 2012, Rodwell was considered one of England’s brightest midfield prospects and a potential captain of the national side. That was before he swapped regular football with Everton for bench-warming duties at the Etihad.
Jack Rodwell bagged his first goal since 2013 playing for Sunderland this week (Photo: @MickyJSafc | Twitter)
Rodwell isn’t the only young casualty of City’s indiscriminate hoovering of talent. Adam Johnson, an emerging England regular when he signed from Middlesbrough, saw his career atrophy while in Manchester. Scott Sinclair, another bright prospect who shone with Swansea and was in Great Britain’s Olympic squad, signed for City in the summer of 2012: he’s made just two Premier League starts for them since.
Rodwell’s advice for young English players offered the chance to sign for City? Don’t.
