BobHelm wrote:
Saturday of goals & shocks!!
One man's view
Bob's cryptic comment nicely summed up last weekend's results; results which, (excluding Chelsea), make forecasting the identity and finishing order of the top four, and the identity of the relegation bound unfortunate three at the bottom of the EPL, with any degree of accuracy , at season's end, equivalent to a game of Russian Roulette.
Hazard's marvelous individual goal, in the course of scoring which he personified the qualities of commitment, determination, belief and unity of this
Chelsea squad, also highlighted, to an embarrassing degree, the complete lack of such qualities in this current
Arsenal squad; Sanchez & Giroud excepted. I wrote pre-season that I felt this would be Wenger's last season as Manager and that, for the first time in almost two decades under his stewardship, the likelihood existed that the club would finish outside the top four. Sadly those feelings still persist to-day.
Whilst not playing with it's usual flair and panache, the
Spurs finally overcame a stubborn and well organized Boro side, albeit via a penalty. Alongside Chelsea, this Spurs side is far and away the most enjoyable side, in the EPL, to watch. I disagree with Zid's choice of Spurs as elective Champions, simply because they do not possess the depth and experience of Chelsea's squad, as demonstrated by their results during Harry Kane's absence injured. But they look well capable of finishing in the top four; in fact of finishing second only to Chelsea.
When I wrote, immediately prior to the 'January Window", that I felt
Liverpool were over performing and needed to invest urgently in some additional players, But I confess that, probably like every EPL follower, I am 'gobstopped' at both the rapidity and extent of the team's decline. However the 'whys & wherefores' are a separate topic to this post. I am of the view this Liverpool squad is incapable of sustaining any sort of realistic challenge to finish in the top four.
As regards
Man. City, Guardiola finally appears to have decided to stop emulating Mourinho by blaming everything and every one, rather than himself, for the underperformances of his host of talented and experienced internationals, and to get on with the job he is being paid an extortionate of money to perform. With an incredible attacking force, (Jesus, Mane, Sterling, Aquero & DeBruyne) second to none in the EPL, and with outstanding playmakers of the calibre of Silva & Yaya pulling the strings, it is inconceivable that City not finish in the top four; this notwithstanding continuing defensive weaknesses, particularly in the persons of both senior goalkeepers and the still mistake prone John Stone. Will he have the strength of character to admit he was wrong to loan out Hart, and reinstate him next season, or lay out unnecessary millions to but either DeGea or Courtois, I wonder.
With the most expensively assembled squad in the EPL,
Man. Utd. continue to lumber laboriously on, with Mourinho organizing the team to play the same boring, unimaginative, but nevertheless effective style of football adopted by his predecessor, LvG, who was lambasted unmercifully by all and sundry, including some notable Utd supporters on this thread!
Even at this late stage of the season, Mourinho appears still undecided upon a settled team, and how the maximize the wealth of talent he has at his disposal. Nevertheless a combination of the individual talents of the players, and the disappointing form of Arsenal & Liverpool, has provided Utd with an excellent opportunity to grab a top four spot; an opportunity which seemed unlikely, and undeserved, two short months ago.
Throughout the first half of the season, I was constantly disappointed at Everton's performances which I felt were not a true reflection of the squads abilities. Happily, Manager Koeman acted astutely in the transfer window, with the result they are looking a very hard team to beat, and might just cause some damage to the aspirations of the teams above them in the return fixtures. While obviously too late to mount any top four challenge, a fifth or sixth spot finish appears well within the teams capabilities, as a path the Europe.
Relegation candidates. Four weeks ago, we all knew the four clubs from which the three to be relegated would emerge!
Is there anybody out there want to give it a try, as I am certainly not going to do so!
But on the emotional level, I hope Big Sam, with Palace, will maintain & justify his reputation as the Manager clubs call when they are in trouble. Also that one of my all time favourites, Defoe, will repeat his miracle of last year, at Sunderland, and so help David Moyes to rebuild the reputation he deservedly earned, before being so shabbily treated at Utd.
6 pointer between Swansea and Leicester at 11pm.
