Game week 2 Round up
Game week 1 saw 28 goals scored across the 10 games played over the weekend and there were no signs of that trend slowing down in the second week, with 26 scored in the 8 games we got this weekend.
Possibly the most surprising result of the weekend was over in the London stadium where West Ham stunned the Premier League big spenders Chelsea with a 3-1 victory. The stats would suggest that Chelsea were unlucky considering they managed to clock 76% of possession over the Hammers but in truth, they looked rather toothless in their attack, and there are few better at absorbing pressure and pouncing on the break than a Moyes side. Despite their low possession numbers, West Ham actually ended the game with more shots on target than their London counterparts and thanks to a penalty miss from Enzo, they never found themselves behind in this game. This result will truly give the Irons fans belief for the rest of the season, with the only new signing to start for the side, Ward Prowse showing off his trademark delivery to set up the opener for Aguerd early in the first half. Any Chelsea fans looking for positives to take from the game will take solace from seeing Sterling show the form that is we have come to expect of him, as opposed to the form we saw from him last year.
Forest vs Sheffield United kicked off the game week, with Forest fans not wanting the ignominy of being the first side to drop points to a Blades side that are tipped to break Derbys record for the lowest points tally recorded in a top flight EPL season. But you can’t have a good Forest without some Wood (are we the first to make a Chris Wood/Forest joke? Almost certainly yes and we refuse to acknowledge otherwise.) It is only his second goal for the side since joining from Newcastle last January initially on loan but he is making it a habit of scoring goals that are winning important points. His first came last season with another late winner but that time it was against the eventual league winners City, and he provides the perfect ‘Back up plan’ to the fast pacy workhorse Awoniyi who equalled Stan Collymore’s club record of goals scored in consecutive games. Side note, Gibbs-White is a joy to watch.
There were 5 red cards over the 9 games this weekend, with over 50% of the red cards being given to the eventual winning side. One of those sides was Liverpool who were forced to play the last half an hour without new signing Alexis Mac Allister, which would have been a much more nervy affair had Jota not doubled their lead moments after the sending off. Many expected a home win so Bournemouth will not be too downhearted by this result, especially with the West Ham result looking more impressive now. In what may be considered the least bold prediction ever made, Salah looks like a player with a vengeance, which is a scary prospect for the rest of the league. He paints the picture of a John Wick type character, but instead of killing his dog, he’s seen his team dismantled, and now he’s taking matters into his own hands.
You really do have to feel sorry for Wolves. Many had tipped them for a relegation battle this season and their cause was not helped when they were denied a late penalty against Man utd last weekend, and this weekend they had the unenviable task of facing a Brighton side who have picked up where they left off last season. In truth though, this game summed up where these two sides are, Wolves put in a pretty respectable display and despite the scoreline really didn’t embarrass themselves, and the stats back that up completely. Brighton edged them on shots on target, possession and XG but only by fine margins, but football is a game of momentum and the Seagulls are in full swing right now.
The first of 3 London Derby’s saw a hapless Fulham side succumb to a Brentford side who once again proved that there is life after Toney! Mbeumo is really stepping up to the plate in his absence, with 3 goals already this season, helping to quell any fans worried about a lack of firepower brought in so far. Fulham on the other hand in truth are lucky to have any points on the board after they undeservedly scrapped past Everton on the opening day and things are likely to get worse before they improve. Their next two fixtures come against Title challengers Arsenal and City, and thanks to a straight red to the ever young Tim Ream, the Cottagers will be in for a tough ride.
The Big Ange revolution is underway and although there is a long way to go, a 2-0 win against Man Utd is a great way to kick things off. On another day Spurs could have found themselves behind in the first time but today was their day and they showed great spirit to take a hold of the game in the second half, and really outplay a United side who seem to be filled with talent playing outside of their positions. We know its early days, and new signing Hoijlund is yet to make his debut, but from what we have seen so far of Ten Hags has been laboured and they seem a side lacking balance to them, which is a worrying thought considering the money spent to assemble this side.
Over in the Blue half of Manchester we saw two top teams battle it out in a tight but tactical affair. City were relatively comfortable especially after they got their goal, and they managed to keep Newcastle at bay with rarely a scare, no shame for the Geordies though and losing by such a slim margin will do little to crush their high spirits. The headlines will be regarding Alverez’s fine strike but what a joy it is to see Foden strut his stuff in the number 10 role so many predict him to occupy long term, and with De Bruyne out with an injury, this was a strong audition to show he is ready to step up to the plate.
Emery made sure any theoretical humbling at the hands of the Geordies last weekend was but a distant memory, as his Villa side put a shocking Everton side to the sword. 4-0 has never looked so convincing and we got to see more of the Birmingham based side that we saw glimpses of in the first 45 minutes of their opener last weekend. Free flowing football with an organised set up, Everton barely stood a chance, but if they did, the numerous defensive errors they made would have been enough to see them fall anyway. Keane in particular had a game to forget, but if the Toffees have any real hopes of surviving this season, it’s clear that a striker is needed, no more sooner now Calvert-Lewin suffered another injury.
The final game of the round fell on monday night, with Title chasers Arsenal clinging on for the last 30 minutes of the game, thanks to a double booking sending off for Tomiyasu. Arsenal had been in complete dominance up to that point but it may be of slight concern that it took a penalty for them to open the scoresheet. Nketiah missed the two best of the chances, but despite this he put in a wonderful performance, and his much improved link up play saw him constantly picking the ball up from deep and making dart runs through the channels. What makes him such a unique striker in the modern EPL is the way in which he uses his body, perfectly creating his own pathways with quick turns and impressive acceleration to carve out chances that many are not capable of. We have seen his high quality finishing but if he is to be considered a truly top class striker then he will need to find a new level of consistency.
Week 2 was full of goals and red cards, which quite frankly is a perfect combination for the neutral, so far the season has kicked off for a bang and we can’t wait for next week’s game.
