EPL 2022/2023 - Game Week 2

How was your Premier League experience in the season's opener? We have succumbed to ennui and despair without Premier League soccer for a few months. Well, I was not talking about your team or the quality of the soccer. I was referring to the live game in Singapore. Frustrating isn't it? Blurred images, lagging, hanging and you even need to restart every now and then. How could this even happen and we are paying silly money for it. If you feel exasperated you are not alone. I feel your pain. What can we do? If it happens one more time, many are going to throw everything but the kitchen sink, no, including the kitchen sink at them. We are au courant with the situation but at their mercy. By the way, I once saw an interesting jersey at shop here...

Game Week 2 is here so soon and just after the first match, everyone is talking up or down their team. It is a long season to sustain. Suspense and surprises are good and more exciting. There is still time for clubs to make new signings and there have been plenty of news in the rumour mill on who else is to come. City, Chelsea, Arsenal and almost every else are looking to strengthening their squad. Liverpool looks thin with too many injuries the latest being Thiago Alcantara. Though he has said no, could Klopp be forced to make another one or two huge signings? The main thing that could spring surprised results would be all about the weather. Its going to be a hot day and it will affect the players even if they could have more water breaks. 

Aston Villa v Everton - Villa had a disappointing and flat start as they went down 0-2 to newly promoted Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium and they were without any vitality and were sluggish. Steven Gerrard will be under some pressure for a win at Villa Park. Villa is a big club with big ambition so how will Gerrard respond to it? The Toffees lost 0-1 at Goodison Park to Chelsea. Though the margin was small, there was no suggestion that Everton are going to do some serious stuff this season. Grit alone is not enough. Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard were two of the finest midfielders in their generation and now they have to lock horns to see who comes out unscathed. Even Steven. 1-1.

Arsenal v Leicester - The Gunners had a flying start as they won 2-0 away to Crystal Palace. That showed character as Selhurst Park is no easy place to go to. The Foxes led Brentford 2-0 at the King Power Stadium and ended up conceding twice for a 2-2 draw. What a player Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has become for Leicester. What a goal he scored last week and they still have James Maddison and Tim Castagne. If they raise their game they could get something. Arsenal could exploit their vulnerabilities at the Emirates. Leicester did not look settled and no longer have Kaspar Schemeichel. Will they be fragile. Question is are the Gunners consistent enough to take advantage? Time for Jesus and Vardy to score. 2-2.

Brighton v Newcastle - These two should do quite well this season if they could maintain their momentum. I thought Gary Potter's Seagulls were outstanding when they led 2-0 at Old Trafford and finally won 2-1 away and they made Ten Hag's Manchester United look haggard and ordinary. The Magpies got off to a fine start as Eddie Howe led Newcastle's resurgence since he came and now continuing the fairy tale. They completely dominated newly promoted Nottingham Forest. Both teams are looking good and Brighton played well despite having to sell Bissouma and Cucurella. Players like Trossard, Welbeck and Gross are truly in the "Potter's hands" but Eddie Howe's Magpies are flying again. The two teams here are quite equal. Draw. 1-1.

Man City v Bournemouth - City's got a 2-0 win away at West Ham as expected and Haaland scored not once but twice. There is no doubting that. He wasn't doing a Messi or Ronaldo at their best but he did all great strikers do putting in a penalty nonchalantly and then added a clinical strike later. Credit to the Cherries for a good win over Villa (2-0) despite with lesser possession and shots. City is a different opposition. Scott Parker's Cherries are here for the picking even if they are in high spirit. Bournemouth will probably have no choice but to defend deep and pray. Maybe Dominic Solanke who got 29 goals last season in the lower division could get a goal. 3-1.

Southampton v Leeds - The Saints scored first through James Ward-Prowse strike at the Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium and that was all they did. I mean seriously in all my life I only knew White Hart Lane and the new name is not only a mouthful to utter to takes longer to write too. Was it not like when we wanted to give Marina Bay a good name and then spent money doing it and ended by naming it - yes, Marina Bay. Spurs hit back with four goals and Harry Kane and Son didn't even score. Leeds came back from behind to win beat Wolves at Elland Road. Coming from a poor last season, this was a great start despite the away team dominating. This is a game that Southampton must get a result and was Leed's win last week just a fluke? They are both not looking better than last season. 1-1.

Wolves v Fulham - Wolves knew they shouldn't have lost at Leeds. Fulham played a great game at Craven Cottage taking the game to Liverpool. They played with verve and conviction, bravery and confidence. If they could sustain it they will do more than avoid relegation as some had predicted. Bruno Lage's Wolves will look to redeeming themselves at the Molineux. They have lost club captain Conor Coady as he was sold to Everton. No more Conor to score from their corners. Aleksandar Mitrovic is a fine striker  and the Serbian will be hard to handle. He scored 43 goals last season n the Championship. He could hurt Wolves if Collins and Kilman are not careful. 1-2.

Brentford v Man United - The Bees stung Leicester when they came back to draw after being 0-2 down. They are a battling team and given the Red Devils dismal display last week nothing can be taken for granted. United will be anxious. Will they continue with the Mcs pairing in midfield? There is some wisdom that you should always start with your best players and Erik Ten Hag started without Cristiano Ronaldo. This is a must win for United so perhaps Ronaldo will sulk his way back into the team but Brentford may not be that easy and if they could control their play just outside of their penalty area who knows. Ronaldo has to offer himself to the team and not just play for himself. At their home ground - the Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford will be encouraged as United is no longer a team anyone feared. I do think United could win a game like this but perhaps its too early in the season and too little time for Erik Ten Hag. 2-2.

Forest v West Ham - Welcome to the Premier League Nottingham Forest, a once great European Cup winner under the legendary Brian Clough. Despite doing very well in the Championship, Forest were outdone by Newcastle. Both sides were flat in their opening games last week. The Hammers have greater experience in the Premier League unless Forest make it like a cup game. 1-2.

Chelsea v Spurs - Conte was sacked by Chelsea in 2018. He now takes his Spurs side to visit Stamford Bridge. Why is Tottenham called Spurs? Some young teenagers started a club near Tottenham High Road and named the team after Sir Harry Hotspur, a late-medieval English noble who owned lands that became the home of Tottenham. Hotspur was so nicknamed for his willingness to charge into battle, often while wearing spurs. The cockerel is on the team emblem because Harry Hotspur was fond of cock fighting. So this is going to be a real cock fight in London. Spurs lost all games in their four meetings last season so will they be Spursie again? Can the Blues' new boys in town - Sterling, Koulibaly, Richarlison and Perisic wreck Spurs? Conte and Tuchel are masters of playing three centre backs. I think Chelsea have got the better defence but Spurs the better attack. Can be quite a game. History favours Chelsea who have won here 21 times and lost just once in 32 games. Its a big chance for Spurs to break the duck here. 1-1.

Liverpool v Crystal Palace - Liverpool had a dismal start drawing at Fulham in a match they must win as it was the first match of the new season and they lost to City by a point last season because they drew one too many times. In fact, they were lucky as new boy Darwin Nunez made a huge impact to rescue them and of course Mo Salah scored again for the sixth consecutive time in a season opener. Last week, I pointed some areas that the Reds could get better at. This time I have to say that Liverpool have the bad habit of conceding first and left chasing a game. It must be the other way around taking the lead and let their opponents chase. It is one thing to concede an unstoppable goal due to your opponent's brilliance. Liverpool have the propensity to concede too easily. TAA was at fault to allow Mitrovic to score as he was not in the right position to defend that cross and Virgil Van Dijk made an uncharacteristic error in sticking his toe out that clipped Mitrovic and gave away a soft penalty. Klopp has ten players out injured, the latest was Matip and they have to rejig their defence so maybe Joe Gomez will have to come in. The high defensive line and offside trap can be a problem. Liverpool fans may be worried. Was that Fulham result just a blip?

The Eagles can be quite nasty opponents but their record against Liverpool are not pretty plus Salah has a habit of scoring against them. However, if the Reds played like they did last week, they will be punished. If a positive reaction is ignited at Anfield, then it is not a good time to visit. 2-0.