Barclay's Premier League Gameweek 4 & 5
This week I found new flags of other countries visiting my blog - Japan, Philippines and Saudi Arabia. Now they have hit 28. Woohoo!!
Game Week 4
Into the fourth week of the new season, here is a brief report card:
Singtel v Starhub
Singtel's Mio Stadium especially Channel 102 rocks with its clarity where the picture quality with HDD is surreal. It is better than real life! Singtel 1 Starhub 0. However, the other channels from 103 to 108 continue to get distortion like when your DVD/VCD jam and you lose some of the live action momentarily. Singtel 1 Starhub 1. Sound quality is also inconsistent. Singtel 1 Starhub 2. Presentation especially when introducing the lineup with a 3-D player by player intro is a leg up. Singtel 2 Starhub 2. John Dykes and his guests impressed me more with their presentation and insights. Singtel 3 Starhub 2. Singtel set up box occasionally encountered problems which are seldom the case when it was with Starhub. Singtel 3 Starhub 3. When we are getting the same things by paying more, consumers lose. Competition should bring forth better quality at lesser costs. Quantity is another matter. Singtel/Starhub 2 Consumer 0. What a shame!
Everton 3 Manchester United 3
Everton, besides their long history has always been playing some uncompromising soccer. How many of you know that Everton originally occupied Anfield before moving to Goodison Park in 1892. They were truly great when I was watching the team under Howard Kendall where he brought players with the calibre of Neville Southhall, Gary Stevens, Derek Mountfield, Peter Reid, Kevin Sheedy, Trevor Steven, Kevin Ratcliffe, Greame Sharp and also Andy Gray. It was 84/85 season that saw them capturing the League title and the European Cup Winners Cup. They could have been the second team towin three major trophies but they lost 1-0 to Manchester United inthe F.A. Cup Final. Manchester United is still a very good team but as I have said were not the same including last season but despite a slow start, playing well but not getting the results, David Moyes continues to do a great job. Holding on at 1-1 to trailing at 1-3 and then coming back from the dead to level at 3-3 with late goals by Cahill and Arteta meant that United has been poor in defending or Everton were great in their beliefs. Baines cross was fantastic as it eluded the United defence and Cahill leapt like a salmon to head home perfectly. It was crucial to spark the last goal from a stinging shot that deflected off Scholes.
Arsenal 4 Bolton 1
Arsenal makes soccer look so easy and yet so captivating. Bolton is not an easy team to play and you may need to play ugly to get something. Fabregas is coming back to his best. Quite a genius in his play. How England must have wish to have someone like him at the heart of midfield. Well, the young Jack Wilshere may play an important someday in future for both clun and country. I see a young Liam Brady in him, at least so far in style but not yet the substance.
Arsenal do deserve the title for the positive way they play. They could give Chelsea a good run for the money.
Manchester City 1 Blackburn 1
This is always going to be a troublesome game because Blackburn is tough like Bolton and City having spent so much money has an expectation to win every game. Mancini'sjob is highly pressurised but for the money I am willing to take over. It helps to buy some top players but building a team is quite a different story. They should be swirling around teams and stinging them. No evidence of that at all. If anything, they struggled. Old man Patrick Veira paid his dues when he equalised to save the blushes. Here's James Milner strutting his stuff. Joe Hart committed his first crazy act coming out of the penalty box.
West Ham 1 Chelsea 3
The claret and blue of West Ham is famous and synonymous with English football since the day of Bobby Moore, Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst and Trevor Brooking to the modern day of Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Michael Garrick but this is their worst start to a season losing all four games and conceding 12 goals. Amazingly, they kept out Drogba. Robert Green confirmed that his World Cup spill was no fluke as he was influenced by Britney Spears with "Oops I did it again!"
Birmingham 0 Liverpool 0
As you can see, Glen Johnson was more concerned with his new hairstyle but I thought that the previous one was better though more complicated. Gerrard looked worried and forlorn even before the game. What a shame for such a great servant.
This was the score in the 12th second and was consistent throughout even until the 92th minute. Reina returned a favour with some good saves after dropping the clanger in the opener against Arsenal that cost Pool two points so now he gave one back. Never mind, listen to Gerry & The Pacemakers with Ferry Across The Mercy.
Game Week 5
Stoke v West Ham - Stoke finally found their feet when they won 2-1 against Villa. They just could not repeat the from of last season. For many seasons, The Hammers has been like this and waiting till the last minute to escape relegation. If it happens too often you might just get the drop. A recovering Stoke might just edge them 2-1.
Aston Villa v Bolton - Villa may have been affected by O'Neill's shock resignation. They are basically a good team but the results are not showing. Bolton is always tough but they have no answer to the Gunners. Villa is due a win especially at home. Could be a close 3-2 as both sides can score.
Blackburn v Fulham - With Hodgson at Liverpool, Fulham is like Villa. With Bobby Zamora out, it is a double whammy. American Clinton Dempsey has not shown the same form he is capable of. This could be his time to shine and Fulham is no easy meat. 1-1.
Everton v Newcastle - It's a slow start for the Blues anchored at the bottom with their results not reflecting their play. Sometimes, life is like that but that 3-3 claw back on Man U would surely mean something. They are back. The Magpies returns to their topsy turvy world - one moment brilliant with a 6-0 thumping of Villa then suffering a losses including that home 0-2 loss to Blackpool. Not as spectacular and more workman like now they have not taken to Premier League as quickly despite their experience. 2-2 could be possible.
Tottenham Hotspurs v Wolves - Tottering Hotspurs has been hot only in spur of the moment. I told you that it would be hard for them to maintain the miracle of last season. With Jermaine Defoe and captain Michael Dawson out due to injury for England, it could be a defining moment of their season. Wolves has shown their Wolverine spirit but other than the fact that Wolverine is immortal and doesn't die, he could only cause a few scratches. 3-1 to the Cockerel.
WBA v Birmingham - This one has the word draw written all over it. WBA will be scarpping the points but they are at home while the Brummies are difficult to beat and win most of thier home matches and they don't score a lot of goals. 1-1.
Sunderland v Arsenal - The Black Cats style of play can sometimes trouble teams like Arsenal but if the Gunners want to be champions, it is this kind of games that they must win. Fabregas is coming back to his best form and Chamakh is s threat in the air for Arsenal which was never the case in the past. 1-3.
Manchester United v Liverpool - It is tough for Hodgson and the Merseysiders when the owners and future of the club are having problems. An over-reliance on Gerrard and Torres makes them predictable. United can win at home with their still strong team but with the right strategy from the experience Hodgson, Liverpool can surprise. Probably a tight game sharing the spoils, 1-1. "You'll Never Walk Alone" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8smO4VS9134
Wigan v Manchester City - Wigan can shock both ways. Beating big guns like Chelsea or getting thrashed by 7-8 goals. It's like the Nissan Presea if you have ever seen one. It looked almost identical from the front and from the back such that when it is moving, you do not know whether it was going or coming. City is like a big Wigan. Much more money, big name players but same results though not losing big margin. Frightening on paper but wimpy on the battle field. One more poor result and you can expect the knives will be out for Mancini. 0-2. Starship "We Built This City". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOCouBwz5lk
Chelsea v Blackpool - The biggest surprise package thus far has been Blackpool which is like breath of fresh air. Chelsea has to be careful and though Stamford Bridge is a fortress, on probability they are due a loss of a draw and Blackpool can surprise. Fantasy and reality are quite different things and Drogba will give them a dose of reality. 3-0.
Have a wicked soccer weekend!
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