EPL 2016/17 - Game Week 3

The power of English football has shifted to North West England judging by the first two matches of the new season. The Manchester clubs looked promising. Defending champions Leicester will not be too bad but will find it tough going. Arsenal will need to do more and Wenger is not wrong not to throw good money but soccer is more money than sports today so you may have to do in Rome what Romans do. Tottenham will also find it more difficult to even find second spot let alone to be champions. Liverpool can be the most exciting and yet the next time infuriating. 

The EPL takes a break on 3-4 September weekend for England's 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier visit to Slovakia on 4 September. First questions could be answered on this day whether Sam Allardyce is the right man for the top job. England had Fabio Capello and Sven Goran Eriksson and even with a golden generation did not get better. Maybe Allardyce is cheaper but what Big Sam brings is to get England back to basics. I remembered especially how his Bolton Wanderers played. Nobody likes to meet Bolton especially when they are at home simply because they are so difficult to play against. The he went to Newcastle, Blackburn, West Ham and Sunderland and of course he miraculously saved Sunderland from relegation. All his teams were tough to play against. Sam used modern technology, statistics in his approach to coaching and tactics. He is also a very keen proponent of sports science and is a pioneer in this field in English soccer. His strengths are in his organisation and man management. You may never know. This may be just the guy to do it if he could create the desire and belief in the players and the team.

Tottenham v Liverpool - Both sides have a tentative start. Tottenham have not been as incisive as last season and Liverpool continued the same pattern of being unstoppable one moment and heartbreaking next. They are like modern Robin Hood, robbing the rich (Arsenal) and giving to the poor (Burnley). You are not sure which Liverpool is turning up. However, history favours Liverpool as in the last seven league meetings Tottenham have yet to win, losing five and drawing the last two. In those seven past matches, Liverpool scored 19 goals and in their last three visits to White Hart Lane, were unbeaten winning twice. 

All the above means nothing once the whistle blows. Liverpool must have 81% of possession against Burnley and lost 0-2. The defence crumbled. If opponents are very good they have to work and create to get their goals and not  handed on a platter which they did. Then they could not and do not know how to find a way back. Arsenal are an attacking team so you will find gaps but you have to learn to play teams like Burnley. Tottenham can be both Arsenal and Burnley combined. Harry Kane and Dele Alli has not opened accounts while for Liverpool they will score. Have Mane will travel. Nice if Sturridge and Coutinho score too. Liverpool or Liver Pills? I'll pick a draw here. 2-2.

Chelsea v Burnley - You could see Chelsea's record so far this season. They won narrowly. 2-1 at home to West Ham, 2-1 away at Watford and just in the League Cup 3-2 against Bristol Rovers. Conte knows how to win matches. Watford were good but in the last ten minutes Chelsea stormed back for victory. This would be exactly the match to watch the difference and contrast between Liverpool, Chelsea and at the same time Burnley. It is expected of Chelsea then and similarly with Conte now. Burnley can play a good match as they have beaten Liverpool but Chelsea is different. Well, I suppose another win at home for the host. 2-1.

Palace v Bournemouth - Both are bottom in 19th and 20th with no points. If anything, Bournemouth is the boogie team for Palace and often played well when they travelled to London plus Eddie Howe is actually a young and promising English manager but Palace could be boosted by the signing of Christian Benteke from Liverpool. Home advantage should be a plus. No? But we have to note that Palace have not beaten the Cherries in their last four meetings. Both teams are without a point after two matches so they do have a point to prove and to secure and that is what will happen. Draw. 1-1. 

Everton v Stoke - Both sides won with big identical 4-0 scorelines in the League Cup against sides from the lower divisions. Everton surprisingly looked a good side again and must have been thanks to Ronald Koeman. However, they tended to fare poorly against Stoke City. Stoke won in all their last three visits to Goodison Park. Current form favours Everton and Ross Barkely is instrumental to them. We need to see Lukaku in action and scoring. He will add something else to Everton. It takes a lot to play good soccer or sports in general. Both Everton and Stoke were playing some excellent soccer previously. This time Stoke could steal a draw. 1-1.

Leicester v Swansea - The Foxes put up an improved performance against Arsenal but are still winless and this represents a great chance for victory and get their season up and going as Swansea have not won here in their last 12 visits and in fact losing 6 on the trot in the last 6 visits. While the Swans did better than Liverpool at Burnley with a away 1-0 win they crumbled at home to Hull going down 0-2. In fact, in their last three meetings, Swansea could not score a single goal against them while Leicester bulged their net nine times. Leicester have not won since pre-season against PSG and Barcelona till last week. This is the time for Jamie Vardy to score and for the Foxes to re-ignite the season. 2-0.

Southampton v Sunderland - Historically the Saints seemed uncomfortable playing the Black Cats. In their recent matches, Sunderland did not looked bad at all but results are against them. While C. Puel should develop the Saints well, David Moyes will make Sunderland as industrious as an industrial side but the results have to start coming in soon and not wait till the end as in all their many seasons previously. 2-2.

Watford v Arsenal - The Hornets were somewhat unfortunate allowing Southampton to equalize then given Chelsea 10 minutes to score twice. I always thought they could do better. As some of us continue to blame Wenger for not spending, he may actually have been vetoed by the board. How will we know? Watford lost all the last six times they have met except in last season's F.A. Cup where they KOed the Gunners. In fact Watford have not beaten Arsenal since 1988. The latest news of confirmed new Arsenal signings of Deportivo striker Lucas Perez and Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi will boost Gunners confidence. Watford were unceremoniously dumped out of the League Cup by lower division Gillingham which have made things worse. The new addition of Kaboul and Jamaat will help but not enough to stave off Arsenal just yet as shockingly Arsenal have just a point from two matches. They are dying for that win that must happen here. 0-2.

Hull v Manchester United - Hull were supposed to be the worst shaped team with problems in the owners, management and they do not even have enough players but look where they are now. Six full points and third in the table. Will Hull be the new Leicester? Forget about history with United as Hull have fared poorly. Can they be party poopers here? Please do not write them off as they have been resilient. I know most expect a spanking here from the Red Devils but it is times like this that something surprising could happen. In their last four visits to the K C Stadium, United won three and drew one. Both sides are improved version of themselves so will it be the last three or one? United today have very tall and big players just like Chelsea once (with Drogba). Mourinho's style is to intimidate (wrestlers-height players), strangulate (Jiu jitsu) and annihilate (Muay Thai). 0-2.

WBA v Middlesborough - Only thing with the Baggies are their historical advantage over Boro. Even as Middlesborough have been quite impressive, they have never won at the Hawthorns for the longest time. Their last three head-to-head meetings were nightmares for Boro having lost 0-2, 0-5, 0-3. That was 0-10. After an impressive return to the top flight, Boro got dumped by Fulham in the League Cup. I see them as equals meaning highly likely to be a drawn affair. 1-1.

Manchester City v West Ham - City are tops for now but last season the Hammers held them at home and won away at the Etihad. They are about equal in their last five head-to-head. Pep Guardiola has his own philosophy so Joe Hart is not really in his books. You can't say right or wrong but you can prove each other right. That is the challenge. While City are doing no wrong now, the Hammers should be doing better. Perhaps Dimitri Payet's absence was a contributing factor especially when they got dumped by Astra in the Europa League which also could be a blessing in disguise. City only lost once to West Ham in ten meetings on home soil. That is monumental task for the Hammers but last year they won there. Do not be surprised if the visitors hold their own and Pep may find out soon to his surprise. I feel it will be a draw. 2-2.