Premier league

 Okay we are at the halfway stage of the Premier league and as a Arsenal fan. This season has been truly a wake up call! As a fan for over 30 years I can never remember us being so close to relegation... we are still not totally out of woods!

Obviously Mikel Arteta went for a very young team and I think it has been a very steep learning curve of them. We now conceding less goals but still not particularly prolific up front. 

However saying that I really hope we have turned a corner and we hopefully end up with at least a top ten finish!

Elsewhere Manchester United seems have got their act together now they are top of the league after their draw with Liverpool today.

Which brings to good old Marcus Rashford.. now I literally have no time for Manchester United but I can’t help but be inspired and impressed by Marcus and activism of the pitch. 

I think it’s great especially when tabloid newspapers have enjoyed making footballers look entitled and out of touch so his championing of free school meals has transcended the sport. 

Chelsea and Tottenham look they are also in a for a difficult season. I think especially Chelsea look like they are going to struggle this season.. their serious lack of world class players is something I haven’t seen in a Chelsea team for like 20 years.

Liverpool have become very consistent and I would not be surprised if they won the league again. They clearly have the world class players and excellent team unit and a fantastic manager. 

It is very painful that the Arsenal are probably about 5 years behind Liverpool. Arsenal haven’t  won premier league title in nearly twenty years and realistically without being negative I can’t see another premier title for at least another three to five years. 

But yes this 2020/2021 has finally got my attention and I look forward to blogging more regularly now😁

Premiership - 1st and 2nd March

In the midweek Premiership fixtures Leicester drew one all with West Bromwich Albion in a game that you have had expected them to win. 

Leicester drawing on Tuesday should have given the chasing teams an incentive to capitalise but none of them could.

Tottenham Hotspurs lost one nil to West Ham and if they had won they would have gone joint top with Leicester. 

Arsenal were again humiliated as they lost at home and by two goals to one to Swansea City. 

It another inept Arsenal performance and the defence is the worst Arsenal has had in about ten years. I think Arsenal will struggle to win silverware with that awful defence.

Liverpool hammered Manchester City by three goals to nil and it city chance to close the gap and get back on track and they failed to do so.

So a very eventful evening which has only helped Leicester to get even closer to winning the title. 

Premiership - 27th/28th February

In this weekend Premiership fixtures, Leicester City beat Norwich City in the eighty ninth minute to maintain there position at the top. 

 This was a well needed win for Leicester City and with eleven matches to go they are getting closer to winning there first ever Premiership title.

Tottenham Hotspur had a good two goals to one win against Swansea City which has helped them to maintain breathing space between them and Arsenal.

Manchester United beat Arsenal by three goals to two and it was an embarrassing loss for Arsenal. 

Manchester United put out their junior team and Arsenal could not beat them. Arsenal had their chances but did not take them. 

Arsenal chances of winning the league is slipping away but two good wins and they are back in it. 

Premiership - 18th October 2014

So the premiership returned this weekend and Arsenal drew two all with Hull City.

 This was one match I expected Arsenal to win but as I said preseason, Arsene Wenger failure to strengthen the defense will be very costly. 

To be fair Arsenal were lucky to come out with one point after a ninety minute equaliser curtesy of Danny Welbeck. But with all the talent that Arsenal had on the pitch getting a draw seems quite ridiculous.

Elsewhere Manchester City hammered Tottenham by four goals to one. This was always going to be a tough away game  for Tottenham so I was not too surprised by the score line.

Chelsea beat Crystal Palace by two goals to one and I thought Crystal Palace really held their own and it is shame there efforts went unrewarded. 

Premiership - 27th September 2014

In this weekend Premiership games Arsenal drew one all with Tottenham Hotspurs. This was a very winnable match for Arsenal but somehow it did not happen. 

As soon as I saw the line up I knew it was going to be struggle. Arsene Wenger has a bad habit of putting Arsenal's best players on the bench and then bringing them on when it is too late and he did exactly that in this match so it was two dropped points for Arsenal. 

Liverpool drew one all with Everton and it was probabl a fair result but for either of these teams it does not really help their title aspirations. 

Liverpool did incredibly well last season and it was always going to be interesting to see if they could one better and win the title. But so far they have been very inconsistent. 

Chelsea beat Aston Villa by three goals to nil and they are back to their winning ways after last weeks draw with Manchester CityManchester City who beat  Hull City by four goals to two and they had to come back from two goals to nil. 

Manchester United also had a better weekend they beat West Ham by two goals to one. It would have been an excellent win if Wayne Rooney had not got sent off. 

But I am sure Luis Van Gaal feels like very relieved Man just to get this win under his belt. 

English Premiership - Week two

In week two Premiership games, Arsenal came back from two nil down to draw two all with Everton.

 To be fair was a good draw as last year Everton thumped Arsenal three nil at home. So I was relieved that we where at least able to come home with a point. 

What I am not so comfortable with is Arsene Wenger team selection as I think we look vulnerable at the back and a better team will be able to exploit that. 

Manchester City beat Liverpool by three goals to one and this was a surprise result. I thought the scoreline was going to be a lot closer as Liverpool have got a title challenging squad. 

However Manchester City have a very good team and were able to score the goals when it mattered to win the match.  

Chelsea beat Leicester City by two goals to nil and this season Chelsea have added some key players to their squad but I am not entirely convinced about their defence. 

Manchester United drew one all with Sunderland and their lean spell continue it could be very tough season for Man United fans. 

Tottenham beat Queens Park Rangers by four goals to nil and it could be the start of a great season for Spurs fans. 

Premiership review - 29th/30th March 2014

In the weekend premiership games Manchester United beat Aston Villa by four goals to one. This was a huge win for Man United after getting beaten three goal nil by Manchester City. 

David Moyes was under a lot of  and more Man United fans where openly expressing their dissatisfaction with him. 

So the win against Aston Villa was very much needed and relieved a little bit of the pressure from David Moyes.

The shock result of the weekend was Crystal Palace beating Chelsea by a goal to nil. Chelsea had been leading the premiership and where widely expected to win this match. 

So the loss to Crystal Palace hit Chelsea chances of winning and gave even more hope to their rivals. 

 

Elsewhere Arsenal drew one all to Manchester City and this was not a bad result for Arsenal. 

The win for either team would have really enhanced her chances of winning the premiership. However Manchester City still have a real chance of winning the premiership. 

Arsenal can still win it but reastically  they are playing for a top four finish and are hoping to win the FA Cup. 

Liverpool beat Tottenham by four goals to nil and they are now the league leaders. This was a very good win for Liverpool and if they can win the remaining six games then they will be champions. 

Premiership review - 22nd/23rd March 2014

In the weekend's premiership games Chelsea beat Arsenal by six goals to nil. This was one of the most humiliating losses I have watched. 

What surprised me the most was Arsenal's inability to at least score a consolation goal. 

 

The scoreline was not helped by Arsenal going down to ten men and the referee send off the wrong player. 

However Arsenal where already a couple goals down when the sending of Kieran Gibbs took place. 

On a positive note, however bad the scoreline was Arsenal still have a lot to play for. So the team needs to regroup as the games will be coming thick and fast. 

Elsewhere Liverpool beat Cardiff City by six goals to three and they came back from being two nil down. 

This win helped Liverpool to consolidate their second place and possibly win the premiership. 

Man City had even more compelling win they beat Fulham by five goals to nil. This win have also increased Man City chances winning the premiership. 

The fight for the European Cup intensified over the weekend as Everton, Manchester United and Tottenham Spurs all had good wins, so there is everything to play for. 

Premiership review 8th/9th March 2014

Some Premiership games took place over the weekend and Manchester United beat West Brom by three goals to nil. 

This was a must win game for David Moyes as he is under a lot pressure due to previous poor results. 

But even though they got a good win, they are still sixth in the league and are five points behind Tottenham who are in fifth. 

Chelsea beat Tottenham by four goals to nil and this was an empahtic win for Chelsea and it confirmed their position at the top. 

Chelsea literally have one hand on the trophy with less than ten matches remaining they just need to keep on winning! 

For Tottenham this was disaster of a match and it was not helped by going down to ten men. They need to regroup as there they are at home to Arsenal in there next premiership game. 

Premiership review - 22nd/ 23rd February 2014

The Premiership returned this weekend and Arsenal who had that dismal result against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, beat Sunderland by four goals to one. 

This was a great result for Arsenal and it was notable that Olivier Giroud who had been dropped to the bench for the previous games scored two of Arsenal four goals. 

Man City also beat Stoke City by a goal to nil and this keeps them third with a game in hand. 

Liverpool beat Swansea by four goals to three and this keeps them within touching distance of the top three. 

Norwich City pulled off a sensational result and beat Tottenham by a goal to nil. However this loss did not affect Tottenham standing in the league and they are still top five. 

Man United beat Crystal Palace by two goals to nil and this was by no means an easy match for Man United, who are still struggling to find some consistency this season. 

The league leaders Chelsea beat Everton by one goal to nil and this helped them to retain their position and Arsenal are second and just one point behind. 

Premiership review - 12 February 2014

In Wednesday's  premiership games Arsenal drew nil nil with Manchester United. It was a quite drab grame with both teams not really having killer instincts. 

For Manchester United I'm sure they where relieved that they did not concede or lose the match as they looked like a team who lacked in confidence. 

For Arsenal they would be disappointed but relieved they did not lose the match. Arsenal are seriously lacking a player with the kind of pace that Theo Walcott has. 

 This even more apparent when it is notable that Olivier Giroud does not have this kind of pace. 

So Arsenal are at the stage of season where the games will come thick and fast. They need to be able to respond or else it will be another trophy less season. 

Elsewhere Tottenham beat Newcastle United by four goals to nil and this again has helped them to shore up their fifth place. 

 

Liverpool beat Fulham by three goals to two in a nailbiliting but pulsating match. The third goal was scored by their skipper Steven Gerard. Steven is probably key to how successful Liverpool will be this season. 

Premiership review - 01/02/2014

In yesterday premiership games Tottenham drew one all with Hull and this was not a good a result for Tottenham.

 As they are vying for a Champions League spot so this would have been as a vitally dropped points. 

Stoke City beat Man United by two goals to one and this was a shock result. Man United have added Juan Mata to their squad and both Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney where back from injury so I thought the worst of their problems was behind them. 

However they had a weakened defence with Rio Ferdinand injured and Nemanja Vidic suspended they where not at full strength but all credit to Stoke for pulling off this incredible result. 

Premiership review -11th to 13th January 2014

Now that the Xmas and New Year games are completed. There is literally a point or two between the top five teams. 

So with the pressure very much on for the top five teams there where more points up for grabs. 

Man United beat Swansea City by two goals to nil and this win has taken the pressure of David Moyes for the time being. 

Tottenham Hotspurs also recorded a two nil win and this win was vital and helps to keep them top six. 

Elsewhere Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City all recorded wins. Arsenal played there game on Monday evening and this heaped the pressure on Arsenal's shoulders. 

Arsenal beat Aston Villa by two goals two one. In this game Theo Walcott took no part in as he was injured in the previous game and is now out for six months!

It was an important win for Arsenal and this win put them back to being top of the league and there literally a hairs breath between Arsenal and Man City. 

FA Cup - third round

The FA Cup games took place over the the weekend and Arsenal beat Tottenham by two goals to nil. 

 

I think what surprised me about Arsenal's  win was the ease in which they beat Tottenham. Normally game against Tottenham would be pulisating end to end stuff. 

However this match was not and Arsenal where very much in control of the match. The Tottenham Manager, Tim Sherwood did not come across to me someone who would have known how to turn this match around. This does not bode well for the rest of Tottenham's season..

Elsewhere both Liverpool and Chelsea recorded wins. But the FA Cup shock of the third round was Manchester United losing by two goals to one to Swansea City and at Old Trafford. 

This has put the pressure back on United's Manager David Moyes. To be honest I don't believe that David Moyes will turn this round. 

He doesn't even know how to win trophies and it was a big mistake to give him the job and I think some Man United fans are realising that now. 

Premiership Boxing Day matches

Some big matches took place on Boxing Day and Arsenal beat West Ham by three goals to one. 

This was a big match for Arsenal because if they had lost this match. It would have affected the team morale. 

Theo Walcott had an outstanding match and I really hope he is able to carry this kind of form into 2014. 

Elsewhere Man City beat the leaders Liverpool by two goals to one. Man City player, Fernandinho looks like he has a real talent. 

But whilst they will be scoring lots of goals they will also be conceding a lot of goals as there defence is a bit shaky.

Liverpool played will and Luis Suarez played very well to the point that it made Liverpool look like a one man team. 

Man United and Chelsea also won their games. Tottenham who are now managed by Tim Sherwood drew their match.

 But I suspect it will take time for Tim Sherwood to develop his own managerial  style. But sadly these days premiership managers don't get that time.

 A few bad results and managers are under pressure. Hopefully Tottenham board and  fans will be a little patient. 

So Arsenal are back to being at the top of the league until these weekend fixtures are complete. 

Premiership games review 21st and 22nd December 2013

The Christmas premiership games will be taking place in just a few days. But before that some games where played over the weekend. 

Manchester United beat West Ham United by three goals to one. However this win did not improve their league position and they remain in eighth. 

Tottenham beat Southampton by three goals to two. By all accounts it was a topsy turvy match with little between the two teams. The match winner was the ex Arsenal man Emmanuel Adebayor. 

Liverpool had great weekend beat Cardiff City by three goals to one. The in-form Luis Suarez scored two goals and this means Liverpool are now top of league. 

Liverpool have been a sensation this season. Whilst the top teams are distracted with Europe, Liverpool can just concentrate all their energies on winning the premiership. 

So Liverpool have it all to play for and with Suarez scoring goals practically every match they will be tough to beat now they are top of the league. 

Premiership review 15th December

In the premiership on Sunday, Liverpool beat Tottenham by five goals to nil. This was a very embarrassing result for Tottenham, especially as Tottenham was the home team. 

Their manager Andreas Villas Boas (AVB) was sacked yesterday. Which I think was a little harsh, as Tottenham where top eight and had qualified for the knock out stages of the UEFA Cup.

However Tottenham fans where getting impatient as AVB had spent over a hundred million pounds on new players and yet the fans had seen little improvement.

However it remains to be seen now whether the team will now improve now that AVB has been sacked. 

Elsewhere Manchester United beat Aston  Villa by three goals to nil. This was a match that Man United could not  afford to loose. This win moved Man United one place up the league to eighth. 

This means Arsenal are still top of the league by two points and have another very big match against Chelsea next Monday. 

Premiership preview- 4th December 2013

In the Premiership tonight Arsenal play Hull City at home. Hull just beat Liverpool so Arsenal will need to be on top of their game to beat Hull.

The players to watch for this game will be Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey.

 If we can get the best out of either of these players then it will be good night for Arsenal. I think Arsenal will win by two goals to one. 

Manchester United are playing Everton at home and this could be quite a tough match. 

Everton are currently above Man United and would want it to stay that way. Plus David Moyes used to manage Everton so Everton will want to prove they are better without him.

However it is difficult to beat Man United at home so I think Man United will win by two goals to one.

Liverpool are at home to Norwich City and after losing to Hull at the weekend they will want to get there title chase back on track. Therefore I think Liverpool will win by two goals to nil.

Spurs are away to manager less Fulham and as Spurs are currently ninth in the league they will want to this win.

To be fair this match could go either way but I think Spurs will win by three goals to one.

Lastly Manchester City are away to West Bromwich Albion and Manchester City have been playing well so would expect to win this match by three goals to nil.

What are your predictions?

Premiership review 1st December 2013

In yesterday's premiership matches Hull beat Liverpool by three goals to one. It was the first time that Hull had beaten Liverpool.

I was surprised by the result,  I thought that Liverpool where serious contenders for the title this year. So to lose like that makes me think that they are not ready to win the title. 

Chelsea beat Southampton by three goals to one and that has helped them consolidate their second place. Any slip ups from Arsenal and Chelsea will be ready to pounce. 

Manchester City beat Swansea City by three goals to nil and that was a good win against a very good Swansea City team. 

Tottenham and Man United drew two all and to be fair both teams need a win. So I would have thought they would view this draw as a loss. 

Tottenham's manager Andres Villas Boas has been really feeling heat. He his now demanding he get more respect. But I understand how the fans feel.

 

He has spent over a hundred million pounds, so ninth in the league must feel like a real kick in the teeth for some fans. 

Sometimes managers don't really get the pain that fans go through and to see your team languishing in ninth place must be a little painful. 

So Arsenal are still top of the league by four points but there is still plenty of football to play. 

Premiership review- 24th November 2013

Sunday's premiership games had a few surprises and Man City beating Tottenham Hotspurs by six goals to nil was a shocker!

I did not see that coming at all, especially  since Spurs have spent over one hundred million pounds in the transfer window.

It will be interesting to see if they can recover from this. But they don't have much time as there next game is at home to Man United.

 

Man United drew two all to Cardiff City in a match that I was also expecting Man United to win. 

This was a bad draw for Man United and their chances of retaining their title are becoming remote. 

As I stated earlier their next premiership game is away to Spurs and it is a bigger match than usual for either of these teams.