Three Talking Points from Gameweek 4 in the EPL


1. Manchester United are a club in turmoil, losing 6-1 to Spurs was just the tip of the iceberg


Via Times Newspapers Ltd

Via Times Newspapers Ltd

Firstly, what is happening in the Premier League this season?

Forget United’s shambolic defending for a second, there have been very few teams who have kept any clean sheets this season and some of the score lines have evoked memories of my junior footballing days. 

Now, as a Manchester United fan this is a painful one to write but I don’t plan on holding back on the criticism for this football club because it’s deserved and needed. 

Yesterday’s performance was a horror show but the reality is that it only scratched the surface on what is wrong with the club. 

If a manager has three priority targets at the start of the window but then goes into the opening three games without any of those targets having been completed, then whose really to blame when things don’t go to plan?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may not be the best tactician in the world or the long-term answer for United but the board, by not backing him or providing him with his targets have tied his hands behind his back. 

He is helpless in some degree; he can’t take this club to the next level without the players the current squad desperately needs. 

It showed at the end of last season how little Ole trusted United’s back up options and so much so that he continued picking the same starting xi until those players were simply out of steam. 

The negativity that surrounded the end of last season as Manchester United got knocked out in the Semi-Final of the Europa League to Sevilla has continued into this season because it’s still the same squad (plus Van De Beek) with the same poor squad depth. 

Blame does also need to go to senior pros like Pogba and Maguire who have both started this season horrendously bad.

Maguire as club captain needs to take responsibility and I actually thought his social media apology was disappointing. 

I kept seeing ‘we’ when he should be taking responsibility for his personal performance that was simply unacceptable for a captain of a football club at any level, forget about one of the of the biggest clubs in world football.

On deadline day yesterday the Glazers attempted to paint over the glaring gaps in the wall but it’s not falling me or any sensible Manchester United fan. 

Telles was a signing that should have been made weeks ago and he is not even a guaranteed starter with Shaw still expected to play ahead of him. 

Cavani may be good cover for Martial when he gets suspended like he will be now, but it is a panic buy in very similar vain to Falcao and look how that turned out. 

At 33, Cavani isn’t a player for the long-term and whilst a positive could be young players like Greenwood and Rashford can learn from his experience, his wages are so high that it will be such a waste of money if the signing doesn’t work out. 

Finally, United didn’t need a centre forward, if Sancho signed as expected then Greenwood could have become a very credible back up for Martial up front since that’s his natural position. 

Amad Traore looks like an exciting one for the future but not for the present and it’s at present that United are in desperate need of a natural and world class right winger. 

That is all before you mention how more importantly than anything else United needed a centre back to replace the unreliable Lindelöf.

Gabriel was a major target, but he went to Arsenal after United failed to put any bids in and with his pace and composure on the ball, he has fitted right into life in the Premier League. 

Upamecano was the main priority target but as with most deals that United fail to make, the board were reluctant to pay that bit extra to sign a world class, young centre half. 

It’s unacceptable to put your manager in the situation Ole finds himself in but it will always be the case until Manchester United appoint a Football Director.

They need to appoint someone with an understanding of the club and a football brain, so they can sort out and completely reform the way the hierarchy goes about transfer negotiations. 



2. Aston Villa’s humiliation of Liverpool shows that the title isn’t a forgone conclusion 


Via Getty Images

Via Getty Images

Aston Villa 7-2 Liverpool isn’t even a scoreline you would have expected pre Klopp, before Liverpool started winning major trophies and becoming one of the best sides Europe has to offer. 

So quite how Aston Villa managed to destroy Liverpool by such an emphatic fashion is a head scratcher even for the best pundits and journalists. 

A key factor in my opinion was something I mentioned last week after Liverpool’s triumph over Arsenal. 

Liverpool play such a high line that if the opposition play their cards right, there will always be opportunities to score.

Well it’s fair to say Aston Villa played their cards right on Sunday, as they punished Liverpool’s high line with ruthless efficiency. 

It was also the perfect day for Ollie Watkins who put in an outstanding individual performance and scored his first, second and third Premier League goals against the Premier League champions. 

Liverpool got exposed at the back despite having their strongest defence fielded, which will be worrying to Jurgen Klopp. 

However, there is no doubt that Adrian made some awful mistakes that Allison simply wouldn’t make if he was in goal. 

Allison has been such a consistent and reliable goalkeeper for Liverpool, and he was a big miss in the game on Sunday evening. 

I also think that a massive amount of credit needs to go to Aston Villa for how they executed that game so brilliantly and were a constant threat against the best side in the country. 

It was another outstanding performance from talisman Grealish, who made a brave call to stay loyal to his hometown club and so far, it’s paying off brilliantly. 

Not only is he enhancing his own reputation, his decision to stay when there was so much interest from bigger clubs, gives him a chance to make legend status at Villa Park. 


3. Leeds United under Bielsa can challenge for Europe


Via PA Images

Via PA Images

It’s a big statement for a newly promoted side that have conceded 8 goals in 4 Premier League games but Leeds United are so exciting to watch on and off the ball, they will continue to surprise people. 

They do need to improve defensively but for the side that had the best defence in the Championship last season, I expect that to come. 

Their high press for the full 90 minutes without seemingly tiring is a credit to Bielsa who demands such high levels of performance and intensity from his players. 

He has the respect of them and that means they will do what he demands because they know it is what will give them edge against teams with similar ability to them. 

On paper they should be in a relegation battle, they don’t have any world beaters, but they do have a full squad of players that will work their socks off for the team. 

They also play with such a fast tempo that they look a constant threat going forwards and we saw just that against Manchester City on Saturday.

Drawing 1-1 with the Champions league semi-finalists from last season is impressive and it was one of the most exciting games I’ve ever seen. 

All it lacked was more goals, but it was so refreshing to see two sides attack and play with freedom, it was the great Guardiola and Bielsa showdown everyone had hoped for. 

They aren’t managers known for their defensive tactics, so it was no surprise to me to see such an entertaining game. 

It’s that freedom, as well as their constant high press that will see Leeds win more games than they lose and challenge with the likes of Wolves and Manchester United for the Europa League spots. 



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