MUSICAL CHAIRS CONTINUE AT LEICESTER AS SHAKESPEARE LEAVES THE HOT SEAT.
When Craig Shakespeare replaced Claudio Ranieri four months ago, we thought Leicester had found a messiah to mop up the ghosts of the past; results, club expectations after winning the league, players and two managers
As results turned however this season, Craig has been under pressure, now culminating in his sack.
It’s a sad way to end it, but against WBA last night, they looked like a team having a relapse f the illness that overtook them under Pearson and Ranieri.
I wish Craig Shakespeare the best of luck and hopefully, another go at management in the near future.
As for Leicester city board, do they have a clue what they want?
Why appoint him when you won’t give him time?
Was winning the league the worst thing to happen to realistic expectations at Leicester?
SECONDS OUT, ROUND 1….
It’s ten games in and I’m not any wiser as to who would be lifting the premier league title come May.
With a few teams coming into form, some racing away from the pack and some just barely latching on to the trail blazers, the season has not even gone into full swing!
Add injuries, suspension, head to head games and when teams begin to battle relegation, and you know we have a title race again this year.
I know pundits, fans and the public have almost handed the title to the city of Manchester – rightly so by early season form – but care must be taken as we have thirty games to go, with lots of points on offer.
This is just the opening round of a twelve round Championship decider, and if the points were scored just as its done in boxing, both clubs in the city of Manchester are miles, heads and shoulders above everybody else,
Like I have always said though, this is just round one….
CHELSEA
Who would have thought Chelsea would go down against Palace? And on a week where Tammy Abraham scored a brace for Swansea, you once agin begin to question the transfer policy at the Bridge.
How could Mr Conte be complaining about his lack of options when he chose not to give squad numbers to Tammy Abraham, Loftus Cheek and Zouma? These boys can play football – we saw Tammy’s goals, pace, passion, and movements on Saturday – so why let them go? Is the transfer system working at Chelsea? Why have so many youngsters when they’ll never be able to get into the first team? Why spend so much on an academy when most of the boys will be eventually loaned out or sold?
If Chelsea keep spending money every transfer window, would they ever be able to produce youngsters for England?
There is no excuse for the loss on Saturday and as we predicted, champions league and cup competitions have started to expose the hidden cracks at the Bridge, I hope the walls are mended before we have structural damage at the Bridge.
ARSENAL
Same old story. One goal up, nice football that brings nothing after thirty eight games and the opposition switch the ‘football match’ into a battle field.
As soon as the battle begins, Arsenal boys throw in the towel. I have tried to look for the reasons Arsenal always go into a shell, when its time to grind results at unpleasant grounds. Is it a mental thing? Pre-conceived response?
What do Arsenal have to do to come out of such games unscathed? I remember the game against Stoke this year and against Palace last season, and its different grounds, but the same end result as always, a loss for the Arsenal.
If arsenal are going to finish inside the champions league places, they have to be ready to grind results at such grounds.
MANCHESTER UNITED
The signs were there against Southampton, that when teams come after United and Jose feels the threat of a three point loss in any game, he pulls the handbrakes on his team.
Against Liverpool on Saturday – okay imposing no physical presence in the middle of the park – Jose reverted to the old style defensive football that he has always been criticised for.
Even though I wasn’t expecting Jose to go guns blazing – I still have reservations about his second line personnel when a few of the the first twelve players are missing – I expected his team to at least play to their strengths. With Liverpool’s defence, I was disappointed that Jose didn’t even attempt to lay a big marker on his championship aspirations.
What Jose told us all on Saturday was that his team is not ready, just yet, to be champions and blow everyone else away.
Mkhitaryan and Lukaku left alone upfront, Young and Martial tracking back most of the time, Herrera and Matic playing deep, and that just tells the story at Anfield.
Jose has to come out against the big teams – there are more big games now as opposed to several years ago when we had at most three top teams – or else he could be left counting the costs at the end of the season.
LIVERPOOL
Jurgen Klopp for me has three issues to deal with: his substitutions or lack of it, when games are not going to plan, injuries imposed by the way his team plays and his wobbly defence.
Seems few, but they’re actually big issues that have dictated the outlook of the trophy room in his three seasons so far.
It takes him an eternity to change personnel on the pitch and when he does, he usually does a like for like swap, minimising risk and exposure on the process.
The defensive problems remain and I doubt if Madrid or any decent team would have any sleepless nights playing his back line. Finally, there would be injuries, plenty of it due to the high pressing, high speed game his teams play.
Klopp has to find a way around the conundrum and deliver a title at Liverpool, I believe he can, somehow, but a lot of things have too change and maybe he has to make do with a lesser cup to start with.
TOTTENHAM
Gradually returning to the form of the past two seasons, after a shaky start to the campaign. Spurs have Harry Kane, Eriksson, Wanyama, Aldewerald, Dele Alli, Lloris and co. It’s solid a team of about twelve players, who work hard and have fun on the field of play. Can they win it? I am not sure that they’re ready this moment, but if they keep improving as they’ve done so far, they may be the dark horses come may.
With Harry Kane’s goals and all round harassment of opposing defenders, Tottenham have a great chance to win something this year.
MANCHESTER CITY
Most pundit’s champions elect, and with the way they’re playing with freedom, it would take something to stop them.
I am however one to exercise restraint when it comes to awarding the title, only eight games in. Debruyne, Silva, Aguero, Jesus, Sane, Sterling…. But the premiership has an abundance of smart managers and like last season, Pep’s football would soon be figured out in the technical room.
Conceding two goals against Stoke is not altogether brilliant, when you consider that at some point the game was 3-2, so would they be able to hold out against a team that refuses to back down, but fights and impose physical strength alongside finesse? We would see.
Like I said, eight games in and its just the beginning….