Five Things we Learned from the Premier League this Weekend
1. No Immediate Danger to the Top Three
Both Manchester clubs faced testing opposition this weekend as United played host to fierce rivals Liverpool and City traveled to one time title challengers Arsenal. But on the evidence on display, United and City, and Chelsea, who together form a powerful triumvirate who have shared the last three Premier League titles, have little to fear in terms of an immediate threat to their hegemony from two of the most likely candidates to mount such a challenge.
Liverpool supporters may balk at this assessment after troubling United in the second-half, and Arsenal fans may claim that the dismissal of Laurent Koscielny was harsh and rendered their challenge impotent before it got going. But the reality is that Liverpool were once again swept aside by a United team shorn of key players and whom never got out of second gear. And Arsenal were completely outplayed from the first whistle by City and their much vaunted midfield made absolutely no impression on a City midfield, despite the fact that the totemic figure of Yaya Toure was absent.
While one can have some sympathy with the economic and financial disadvantage that Arsenal and Liverpool experience with regards to the illustrious rivals, the stark reality remains that neither club is anywhere near mounting a serious title challenge in the foreseeable future. It is, of course, worth pointing out that Arsenal would surely be much closer to doing so had a certain Dutchman not moved up north.
2. Stoke don’t Intimidate Chelsea
One of the hardest places to play football in the Premier League, it is said, is the Britannia Stadium, where Stoke City niggle, harass and snarl at all and sundry until they’re eventually bowed down to the level of the home side. However, Chelsea have a superb recent record against Stoke, and enhanced it on Saturday, as they battered Stoke on their home turf by four goals to nil. One thing that became particularly evident during this particular ninety minutes is that this may not be a Chelsea team which is as physically tough as those lead by Didier Drogba, but they can’t be easily cowed by aggressive opponents. All they need to do now is start winning at home.
3. Villa are in Big Trouble
The steady decline of Aston Villa over recent season has been both palpable and sad, with the one time European Cup winners reduced to an also ran among the true heavyweights of the Premier League. Last season was considered a particular low with the unwise appointment of Alex McLeish contributing to the general malaise on the Holte End to make for a rather miserable season in which Villa narrowly escaped the ignominy of relegation to the Championship.
However, last season already looks like being a long distance from a one-off aberration. Villa have sled slowly but surely down the league all season, and after a dismal run over Christmas and the New Year reached a new low on Saturday, when they were beaten at home, with some comfort, by Southampton, to fall into the bottom three. The manner of the defeat was chastening, coming as it did thanks to a controversial penalty, but there was no disguising the fact that this is a very poor Aston Villa team. Paul Lambert certainly looks to have his work cut out to keep them in the division.
4. Sturridge and Suarez Can Play Together
While Liverpool supporters will doubtless be disappointed by the result at Old Trafford, not to mention a rather meek first-half display, the big plus point for them was the almost immediate understanding that was shown between top scorer Luis Suarez and new signing Daniel Sturridge. The latter was a second-half substitute, and there is no doubt that Liverpool improved once he was on the field. Suarez seemed perfectly comfortable in a deeper role, as one would expect from such a skillful and resourceful footballer, and they were soon linking up to good effect.
Two issues remain to be resolved, though. Can both Sturridge and Suarez be accommodated? If Liverpool are going to line up with two forwards, and have two wide men, then this leaves only two central midfield slots. Brendan Rodgers generally favours playing with three midfielders, and Steven Gerrard will conceivably struggle to play in a two man central midfield at this point in his career. And this leads into the second point – is it wise for Liverpool to play their best player and top scorer in a deeper role? Is Suarez going to be required to drop into midfield to allow Sturridge to play as a central striker, and is this particularly wise? Liverpool’s next fixture, a home game against Norwich, may answer some of these questions.
5. Reading Spirit can’t be Faulted
Reading, in my opinion, certainly lack the quality of player to stay in the Premier League, and I still fully expect them to be plying their trade in the Championship come next August. However, it would be a hard-hearted individual indeed that would be unwilling to acknowledge their superb comeback to beat a much more talented West Brom side by three goals to two as extremely gutsy. Reading looked dead and buried in this match at two goals down, and while they may win the battle but lose the war, they have made a much more convincing effort of fighting against relegation than looked likely earlier in the season.
