Arsenal Face a Different Test

March 22, 2014- What should have been a day of celebration for Arsene Wenger ended in humiliation when Arsenal were trounced by Chelsea 6-0 at Stamford Bridge.  The Frenchman was celebrating his 1000th match in charge, and one could argue that sunny day in East London was the worst of them all.  

With Lukas Podolski and Tomas Rosicky patrolling the wings, Arsenal were stagnant and pedestrian in the face of a Chelsea thunderstorm of attacks.  To make matters worse, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain took a wild swing at Eden Hazards shot heading wide, made contact, and was unjustly mistaken for Kieran Gibbs.  

Gibbs was subsequently sent off, Chelsea converted the penalty to make it 3-0 inside 17 minutes played, Laurent Koscielny was injured and subbed off at half time, and Arsenal’s three substitutions (Mathieu Flamini, Thomas Vermaelen, and Carl Jenkinson) pretty much summed up the nature of the match for the Gunners.  

Regardless, the men left on the bench included Kim Kallstrom, Yaya Sanogo, and Serge Gnabry, so glory for Wenger on his big day was never an option.  Sunday, Arsenal return to Stamford Bridge in hope of snatching a point, or perhaps even three.  

Wednesday’s 4-1 dismantling of Galatasaray gave fans a glimpse into perhaps a new formula for success at Arsenal.  Aside from the obvious lack of personnel with which they faced Chelsea last season, Arsenal were without any pace on the field, something they added in the summer by signing Danny Welbeck and Alexis.  

Together with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the pair constantly ran behind the Galatasaray defense and gave Mesut Ozil runners with which to aim his lovely passes at.  Welbeck’s hat trick grabbed the headlines, but Alexis and Ozil were almost as impressive in their all-around displays.  

Coming off such a successful outing, Arsenal fans will be inclined to ask for more of the fireworks from their Champions League outing on Wednesday.  Chelsea, however, are not Galatasaray.  This Arsenal squad is furlongs better than the one that travelled to Stamford Bridge in March, and so is Chelsea’s.  

Enough cannot be said about the impact Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa have had at Stamford Bridge.  Coupled with Jose Mourinho’s flexible and pragmatic tactical approach, Chelsea have the best record in the league and are showing no signs of letting up.  

The goal creators and scorers grab the headlines, but Chelsea’s biggest strength is their defense.  John Terry’s performance on Tuesday was imperious as ever, as was Branislav Ivanovic’s.  With Nemanja Matic providing the cover that Arsenal’s back line so desperately needs, Chelsea’s foundation complements their creative attackers.  

Thus, It will be a surprise to see such a positive lineup on Sunday when Arsenal play Chelsea across London.  If Mesut Ozil and Alexis are to be relied on defensively, Chelsea will no doubt score goals.  Santi Cazorla, positioned ahead of Mathieu Flamini but behind Ozil, put in a yeoman’s display on Wednesday, but his inclusion there would surprise me.  

Jack Wilshere, so often picked in big games by Wenger, will likely start next to Mathieu Flamini in a midfield duo after a weeks rest and a quick run out against Galatasaray.  Arsenal’s hopes will lie on the shoulders of these two, who imperatively must protect the back four and stay disciplined in a hostile environment. 

Being the conservative tactician that he is, Wenger likes to stick with lineups which yield results.  Given the magnitude of Wednesday’s result, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Wenger field the exact same XI.

This is Wenger’s biggest flaw each year, since top teams adjust and know exactly what to expect when they play Arsenal.  Wenger’s stubbornness prevents him from coming out with a steely attitude of buckling down defensively, but that stubbornness is only indicative of the faith he has in his attacking players.  

It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see Arsenal and Chelsea open the floodgates and take part in a free-flowing goal frenzy of a match.  Then again, Jose Mourinho will also be weary of Arsenal’s momentum after Wednesday’s win and may fancy a risk-free gameplan.  

Like Germany did to Brazil in July, Chelsea have that ability to soak up pressure and lure the opposition in, only to pounce with a quick blitzkrieg counter attack.  Regardless, Arsene Wenger should proceed with caution on Sunday, a point being a terrific result in the first of many premier league road tests this season.  

Alexis' Playing Style Indicative of Upbringing

On June 28th in Belo Horizonte, Chile nearly spared Brazil eventual humiliation at the hands of Germany  but were cruelly eliminated from the World Cup on penalties.  Led by Arturo Vidal and Alexis, Chile were one of the main attractions in their four game stint, providing entertainment at every turn.

Following Chile’s unfortunate exit from the World Cup, Arsenal capitalized on the availability of Alexis and made him the most expensive Chilean player in history by signing him from Barcelona.  Since then, Alexis has drawn the adoration of the Emirates crowd, and has scored in each of his last four appearances.  

Alexis, known in his home country as ‘El Nino Marvailla,’ or ‘the Wonder Kid,’ has enjoyed a fine start to his Arsenal tenure.  Aside from his impressive goal output so far, the Chilean has put on regular clinics in perseverance off the ball, often leading the line of pressing high up the field.  

Coming from the boarding school-like environment of Barcelona, Alexis must feel like an absolute rockstar at Arsenal.  He is given positional freedom, he’s almost guaranteed a spot in the side, he doesn’t have to drive the same car as the rest of the team, and he’s scoring goals.  

Times weren’t always this easy for Alexis. 

The third child of four, he was born into poverty in Chile.  His father abandoned the family when Alexis was a toddler, leaving his mother to work multiple jobs in order to at least try and provide for her children.  She would clean fish for the neighbors and sell flowers in her spare time just so the family wouldn’t starve.

From the age of six, Alexis was always working.  To make whatever he could, the youngster would perform acrobatics and dance in the street for people’s spare change.  Sometimes the tough boy, known to his friends and family back then as ‘the Squirrel’ for his endless reserve of energy, would even box in the streets just to earn a small keep.  

When the family didn’t have food, poor Alexis would resort to knocking on the neighbors’ doors looking for a spare piece of bread.  They gave him what they could, but poverty was the norm in and around the entire city.  

Growing up in Tocopilla, which literally means ‘Devil’s Corner,’ Alexis knew he was destined to be either a fisherman or a miner…that was unless he could escape the hard life he was handed through football.  

Not unlike Ronaldinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexis honed his skills as a child in the muddy streets of his hometown.  Unable to afford boots, Alexis played barefoot; his remarkable ball control is a testament to the surfaces on which he learned to play football.  

Eventually, Alexis was discovered by Club Arauco youth coach Alberto Toledo, who insisted on bringing the youngster to the club.  There wasn’t a chance in hell Alexis could pay the club fees, but Toledo couldn’t turn down the chance to bring in a lad with such irresistible quality.  

One game, unable to find transportation to the match on time, Alexis arrived late to discover his team had already gone down 1-0.  Like Bobby Boucher arriving at halftime in the Bourbon Bowl, Alexis came on and scored eight goals, more than enough to atone for his tardiness.  

It’s no surprise Alexis plays with the conviction and heart that he does.  While at Barcelona, Alexis injured himself when Barcelona were down a man and out of subs; Pep Guardiola was furious for having to play with nine men, but how can you be mad at a guy for playing hard?  

The way he plays on the pitch is representative of a life of hardship.  Nothing has ever come easy for the Chilean, and he of all people knows hard work can get you everywhere in life.

The one thing every Arsenal fan can agree on is how impressive Alexis’ work rate is.  His upbringing molded him into this tireless superstar, and Arsenal should rest easy that they have a player of massive character at the Emirates. 

Van Gaal Will Learn From Sunday

It comes as no surprise that Manchester United’s re-vamped squad have netted seven goals in their last two league games.  Ander Herrera has two in as many matches, Angel Di Maria is orchestrating almost all the offense, and Falcao came within inches of opening his Manchester United account when he rattled a majestic volley off the cross bar on Sunday.  

Yes, Van Gaal has accomplished one thing; he’s brought back flashes of the fluid football going forward that Sir Alex Ferguson’s sides were so adept at.  However, his team’s issues are still massive at the back, and his late-game management must improve as I’m sure it will.

It’s still unclear what system Van Gaal will prefer in the long haul.  Rafael and Marcos Rojo played as if United started with three in the back, their surging runs forward causing problems but their lazy defending punished as a consequence.  The penalty Rafael gave away to Jamie Vardy was harsh, but the Brazilian should know better than to react to a no-call by lunging in like that.  

Vardy caused problems for Rojo as well, beating him down the line to cross on Ulloa’s first goal.  Rojo was again exposed after he overlapped Juan Mata and left him as the last line of defense down the entire left flank.  When Argentina clamped down defensively in the World Cup, Rojo was more understanding of his role.  After two games, Rojo is already living up to his billing as undisciplined.  

He is no doubt a wonderful player, and Rafael is a proven player in the league.  However, Daley Blind cannot cover that much space, and leaving Tyler Blackett exposed is the last thing United can let happen on the field.  With the injury to Jonny Evans and Chris Smalling’s struggles, Van Gaal may want to instruct his fullbacks to tuck in and defend more.  

With that being said, the work put in by Ander Herrera and Angel Di Maria is impressive.  Right now, one could almost argue that the two wide midfield players in Van Gaal’s scheme are defending the flanks better than the two fullbacks are.  

The biggest error though, was taking Angel Di Maria off the pitch at 3-3 and replacing him with another attacking player, Juan Mata.  Taking Di Maria off was understandable; the game was headed toward an intense finish, and perhaps he still lacks match fitness.  The decision to replace him with Mata was what really did Van Gaal in for the day.

At this point, United were getting pummeled at the back and Leicester had just tied the contest.  Instead of buckling down in the midfield where Leicester were winning most of the battles, Van Gaal opted to go for it and put his most expensive bench player on the field.  

Darren Fletcher was much more appropriate in this situation, and this is an instance where the Dutchman’s arrogance failed him.  It was a blatant error, and everyone could see it.  Di Maria’s presence was immense, by far United’s best player.  Whenever he received the ball in midfield, the Argentine would storm the barn looking for an opportunity to create or surge forward.  

His exclusion in favor of Juan Mata did United in.  With the irresponsible Rojo making runs up field, Mata was left to patrol more than he is used to, and as a result Leicester scored a fourth with ease.  

With all things considered, labeling Louis Van Gaal as a failure already is unjust.  Like every manager new to England, he has to face baptism by fire when it comes to accumulating experience.  The recently promoted Foxes were underestimated and they made United pay, a testament to the difficulty and depth of the league as a whole.  

Manchester United also fielded five of their new signings on Sunday, which usually doesn’t produce consistent harmony in a team.  Van Gaal will apply his lessons learned from round five, while the players on the field will improve their own form or face the bench. 

Round Five: Leicester, Palace, Hammers Rise

1. Chelsea (1): Perhaps unhappy to have not capitalized on the sending off of Pablo Zabaleta, Jose Mourinho will still be satisfied with one point at the Etihad Stadium.  Diego Costa's goal output is impressive but his temperament could cost Chelsea if it doesn't subside.  

2. Southampton (3): Ronald Koeman is manager of the year so far without a doubt.  This week, it was Victor Wanyama’s turn to play the hero, as the Nigerian came off the bench to sink Swansea on the road.  Roll on you Saints.  

3. Manchester City (2): Frank Lampard has proved his worth in each of his two appearances.  The former Stamford Bridge man looked embarrassed and apologetic after equalizing for the Citizens, but his last farewell to the Chelsea traveling fans would put a smile on even Fabio Capello’s face.  

4. Arsenal (4): On a weekend where Liverpool, City, United, Everton, and Tottenham all dropped points, Mesut Ozil stamped his influence on a three-goal outburst in the same amount of minutes.  The North London Derby beckons on Saturday. 

5. Leicester City (11): Enough cannot be said about Leicester’s resurgence in the top flight.  Jamie Vardy and Leonardo Ulloa led a stellar line of direct football against Manchester United.  Nigel Pearson’s unorthodox positioning up above during matches looks to be paying off for the Foxes.  

6. Aston Villa (6): There were plenty of positives to take from Aston Villa’s 3-0 loss to Arsenal on Saturday.  Had a nasty bug not taken hold of several players slated to play, this one could have been closer.  Paul Lambert cannot let his club slip into obscurity after just one bad day at the office.  

7. Swansea (6): On a weekend which saw Chelsea and Manchester City duke it out, England boss Roy Hodson’s attention was on this fixture.  Players like Nathan Dyer, Wayne Routledge, and Fraser Forster were unjustly denied a better opportunity to impress the England boss by Wilfried Bony’s overzealous pair of fouls on Maya Yoshida which resulted in a rightful sending off.  

8. Hull City (13): The purchase of Mohamed Diame is looking like one of the bargains of the summer, while the rest of Steve Bruce’s vast crop of recruits are settling in nicely at the KC stadium. 

9. Crystal Palace (16): A major, major result for Neil Warnock, who earned his first win as the Golden Eagles’ new boss.  Mile Jedinak’s leadership and the uncharacteristic errors of Tim Howard aided Palace to a much-needed victory at Goodison Park.  

10. West Ham (17): A fantastic atmosphere and an even better win will cool the critics regarding Sam Allardyce’s future.  Enner Valencia is looking to be an excellent signing, while former top-club players Stewart Downing and Alex Song impressed.  

11. Liverpool (7): Another spineless performance from Steven Gerrard allowed West Ham to snatch victory from the Reds at Upton Park.  Daniel Sturridge’s return could not come any sooner on Merseyside.  

12. Stoke City (14): Mark Hughes was denied a chance to exact total revenge on his former club Queens Park Rangers in a 2-2 draw.  Peter Crouch, who played for QPR as a youngster, scored for both teams in a game which twice saw Stoke surrender the lead.  

13. Everton (9): Tim Howard was strangely vulnerable in the home loss to Crystal Palace, misjudging a punch and failing to communicate with young Jon Stones on the second Palace goal.  The Toffees showed flashes of brilliance, but unforgivable errors at the back ultimately cost them.  

14. Tottenham (10): Since their two wins to start the season Tottenham have struggled.  A home loss to bottom feeders West Brom won’t do Spurs any favors, but shouts for the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino are ridiculous.  

15. Manchester United (8): Another plummet in the rankings for a disorganized and undisciplined United squad.  They showed how capable they are going forward but must do something about their gaping exposure at the increasingly unfit back line.  

16. Burnley (12): Sean Dyche missed a terrific opportunity to notch his first premier league win against Sunderland at Turf Moor.

17. West Brom (20): West Brom rebounded from a day at the Hawthorns with Everton which ended with the home fans booing their team off the pitch.  The Baggies were unlucky not to have won a first-half penalty, but a 74th minute James Morrison strike was the only goal in an uplifting win for a struggling club.  

18. Sunderland (15): Ashley Barnes’ late drive off the crossbar was the difference in what could have been another disappointing result for Gus Poyet.  Emmanuelle Giacherrini was a threat in an otherwise lethargic Black Cats team.  

19. Newcastle United (18): Alan Pardew avoided all-out anarchy on Tyneside when he saw his Magpies come back from a 2-0 deficit to earn a point.  His job is safe for now, but his leash must be running very thin.  

20. Queens Park Rangers (19): QPR’s start to the season, although not as terminally awful, is mirroring that of 2012/2013.  Harry Redknapp’s side dropped more points at home, not the best rebound to the 4-0 thrashing they endured at Old Trafford.  

Arsenal Face a Familiar Foe

Some rivalries live forever.  There are those which fizzle out and are forgotten, and some so ridiculous that not even those involved ever reconcile.  Then there’s the rivalry between Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane. 

Arsenal face a familiar face on Saturday when they travel to Villa Park to take on Paul Lambert’s red-hot Aston Villa side.  The two clubs don’t necessarily have a heated rivalry, but one of the men on the Villa touchline has quite a history with the North London club.

For nine intense years, Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira gave fans some of the most intense matches to date.  The two captains simply hated each other and had a hateful playing relationship to put it lightly.  The Battle of Old Trafford amidst Arsenal’s unbeaten 2003/2004 season comes to mind, as does the famous tunnel incident that took place before the opening whistle had even blown. 

It’s in Gooners’ blood to hate Keane, and it’s in Red Devils’ to hate Vieira.  There isn’t a personal rivalry in the league today that even sniffs at the feuds between these two giants of the past.  For Keane though, his new position as assistant manager at Aston Villa gives him a chance to exact some more pain on Arsenal. 

Defender Alan Hutton recently hailed the influence Keane has had on the squad, citing the former Manchester United man’s motivational skills and belief he holds in his players.  Similar to how Steve Bould has transformed the Arsenal back line in the last few years, Keane has added an extra bite to a side who feeds off positive energy and momentum. 

Fabian Delph is the poster-child for the club right now, as he recently won his first caps with England.  Delph’s call-up is indicative of the work the entire club has put in.  His inclusion in Roy Hodgson’s squad for Euro qualifiers gives hope to Tom Cleverley, whose once promising career spiraled and spiraled downward until he was promptly loaned to Villa on deadline day. 

Always lacking confidence with United, it will come as no surprise to see Cleverley reinvent himself under the tutelage of Lambert and Keane.  Often the scapegoat to supporters, the Englishman was never going to succeed at a club whose supporters want absolutely nothing to do with him.

Under Sir Alex Ferguson, Cleverley saw limited playing time in his favored position, and as a result his form and confidence were shot.  Keane, who less then a year ago called Ferguson ‘egotistical,’ will instill the same rebellious and fiery approach in Cleverley that he abided to in his playing days. 

Last December, Keane and Vieira together reconciled and re-lived all the epic battles in which they were involved.  In essence, this rivalry embodies the perfect personal rivalry in sports; two men who hate each other on the field, but one day have the respect and intelligence to acknowledge his counterpart’s passion and ability.

The Frenchman now manages the reserve squad at Manchester City, while the Irishman no longer associates himself with Manchester United.  The intensity of these two men’s rivalry will likely never be replicated in today’s more harshly policed style of play, but on Saturday expect every bit of Roy Keane’s hatred for Arsenal and passion to be injected into a hungry Aston Villa side.

Injury Concerns for Liverpool

Tuesday was a monumental moment in recent history for Liverpool.  It had been 1,742 days since the men in Red had heard the Champions League anthem, and the display Anfield put on for the return of Europe’s flagship club competition was nothing short of spectacular.  

Liverpool marked their return to the Champions League with a 2-1 win over minnows Ludogrets on Tuesday, and travel to Upton park to take on Sam Allardyce’s struggling Hammers squad.  

However, the injury concerns continue to mount for Brendan Rodgers.  Albeit his squad remains deep, injuries to critical players mean new ones will have to step in big games.  

Daniel Sturridge looks read to return to full training next week, but there’s no guarantee that will be the case.  The club is in desperate need of some stability leading the line, so now is the time for Mario Balotelli to step up.  

Balotelli’s goal in his Champions League debut for Liverpool was well-taken, controlling a cross in the box and calmly slotting home to give the Reds a late lead they would eventually squander, but regain on a Steven Gerrard penalty.

Coutinho’s form has been subpar so far this season, unable to replicate the dazzling displays he put out in preseason.  Between Sturridge’s injury, Luis Suarez’ defection to Barcelona, and the Brazilian #10’s recent dip in form, three out of four of Liverpool’s incumbent goal-creators are all either out of form, out of the country, or out of fitness.

It’s imperative that whoever Liverpool play up front take their chances, whether it be Balotelli and Sterling, Sterling and Lambert, or just one of them.  Last week’s 1-0 loss to Aston Villa was a far cry from the goal-happy home fixtures we are so accustomed to seeing, so new faces have to step up. 

Even more concerning for Liverpool is news of the long-term injuries to Joe Allen and Jon Flanagan.

I would rate both Allen and Flanagan as two of the more underrated big-game performers in the league.  Flanagan plays the fullback position as good as anyone at the club; he can play on both sides of the pitch, and on both sides of the ball.  His inclusion was a mainstay in big games last season, and has yet to feature in the premier league this year.

Javier Manquillo is unproven and has yet to show proper positional discipline.  Meanwhile, the return of Glen Johnson to the squad is a frightening concept to Liverpool supporters who are fed up with his lazy defending and spineless long-range attempts on goal.  Regardless, one of them must step up and make it hard for Rodgers to pick the other.  

Rodgers made a point of signing Allen from Swansea upon his arrival to Anfield from the Welsh club.  Last season, Allen was often deployed in place of either Raheem Sterling or Coutinho in big games, showing the confidence his manager has in him.  Like Flanagan, he is a reliable footballer with excellent work-rate and versatility.  

Emre Can would be a capable replacement for Allen’s void in midfield, but the German has been ruled out until October.  Thus, the time is now for the new boys to step up and prove their worth. 

If last weekend yielded a chance for Mario Balotelli, this fixture with West Ham is surely more of an exam since he has had another full week to acclimate himself with his teammates.  If the likes of Balotelli, Coutinho, and whoever else gets the nod up front can produce, Liverpool will bounce back with ease.  

Power Rankings: Chelsea's Reign Continues

1. Chelsea (1): No surprises that Chelsea have claimed the top spot for the third time in four weeks.  Diego Costa now has seven from four games, and if he keeps this up Chelsea can get away with the odd defensive error that they are culpable to commit.  Loic Remy also got in on the action, scoring his debut goal for the Blues.  

2. Manchester City (3): Manchester City are given the second spot by way of a hard-fought draw at the Emirates and the shocking home defeat to Liverpool.  With Fernando out, City lack steel guarding the back line, but like Chelsea, this team can score in bunches.

3. Southampton (5): Graziano Pelle is turning out to be one of the buys of the summer for Ronald Koeman, whose stock is soaring at the Saint Mary’s Stadium these days.  The spirit at the club couldn’t be stronger at the moment, with Southampton netting seven from their last two outings.  

4. Arsenal (6): New boy Alexis turned in an outstanding performance on Saturday, but the man of the hour was undoubtedly Jack Wilshere.  So often criticized for his performances for both club and country, the 22 year old Englishman hit back at his critics with a near perfect display anchoring the Arsenal midfield with his tenacity and driving runs.  A collision with Samir Nasri typified Wilshere’s toughness and fearless approach.  

5. Aston Villa (8): Take a bow, Paul Lambert.  Aston Villa pulled off one of the upsets of the season on Saturday, as they snatched three points in front of a stunned Anfield crowd.  Fabian Delph’s inclusion in Roy Hodgson’s latest England squad is a testament to the entire club’s body of work early on in the season.  Tom Cleverly was impressive…there, I said it.  

6. Swansea (4): Swansea were not shy in their clash with league-leaders Chelsea, but the Blues proved too much for Gary Monk’s men.  Swansea have much to be proud of after their gritty performance at Stamford Bridge, and are looking like the 2013/2014 Southampton of this season in the early goings.  

7. Liverpool (2): Liverpool take the biggest plummet in the rankings, as they were left searching for an answer to Daniel Sturridge’s absence.  Perhaps losing their talismanic front man had something to do with it, but resting an in-form Raheem Sterling was a blatant mistake by Brendan Rodgers.  

8. Manchester United (9): Much has been said about how good United looked in their 4-0 dredging of QPR on Sunday.  However, beating arguably the worst team in the league at home should be a formality.  Nonetheless, new signings Angel Di Maria and Daley Blind collectively proved their worth and offered a glimpse into the future for Manchester United fans desperately seeking piece of mind. 

9. Everton (11): Romelu Lukaku impressed in the away victory at the Hawthornes.  Rather than squander a two goal lead as they did against Arsenal, Everton locked down defensively and kept a clean sheet ahead of their home clash with a sputtering Crystal Palace side.  

10. Tottenham (7): It has been a tale of two pairs of outings for Tottenham.  The first two games couldn’t have gone better for Spurs, while the last two are definitely ones to forget.  However, I expect them to learn from last season and do better this year.

11. Leicester City (16): Leicester impressed in their second consecutive fixture with a win at the Brittania Stadium.  Leonardo Ulloa’s winner earned Leicester their first win at Stoke in 10 years.  

12. Burnley (13): Burnley wasted an opportunity to snatch an improbable three points from Selhurst park.  Sean Dyche still searches for his first premier league win as a manager following Burnley’s promotion from the Championship.  

13. Hull City (14): Hull City’s home fixture against West Ham was a riveting contest, and Mohamed Diame haunted his former club with a goal.  New signing Abel Hernandez also netted for the Tigers, but an own goal from Curtis Davies spoiled the win for Hull City.  

14. Stoke City (10): Stoke City were unimpressive in their loss to Leicester at home.  Mark Hughes has to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to add some offense to this side.  

15. Sunderland (15): Gus Poyet’s side benefitted from a late Harry Kane own-goal in a 2-2 draw with Tottenham.  Their performance was subpar, with Christian Eriksen carving up the midfield several times.  The Black Cats will head to Burnley next weekend against a team desperate for three points.  

16. Crystal Palace (12): Crystal Palace had a chance to take three huge points from a fixture involving two winless teams.  Julian Speroni saved a penalty late on, and the Eagles were lucky to end up with just a point in a game that featured lots of poor finishing.

17. West Ham (17): West Ham earned a solid point in one of the more exciting games of the season to this point.  Enner Valencia’s first league start culminated in a stunning goal, hopefully a sign of things to come for the Hammers.

18. Newcastle United (16): Alan Pardew’s job is surely in jeopardy now.  Underdogs going into the fixture against Southampton, the Magpies hardly showed up to play and were subsequently thrashed by Ronald Koeman’s revolutionary side.  Pardew needs results or he’ll join David Moyes in the unemployment line.  

19. Queens Park Rangers (19): The bottom two spots in the rankings stay the same for another week.  Queens Park Rangers were subjected to a coming out party at Old Trafford for several big signings.  Realistically they were never going to get points from this fixture, but a 4-0 shellacking is never good for morale.  

20. West Brom (20): West Brom had a chance to steal a point at home from Everton but were promptly dispatched by Romelu Lukaku and the Toffees.  They show organization for much of their games, but unforgivable gaffes at the back have cost them in recent weeks, Saturday in particular.  

A Chance for Mario

“I think he has felt the warmth of the club since he’s been here and I’m sure he will look forward to playing at Anfield.”  These are the words of Brendan Rodgers, who looks set to start Mario Balotelli in a home clash against Aston Villa today.  

In the wake of signing the enigmatic Italian, the Liverpool manager described the deal as a ‘calculated risk.’  The risk obviously has to do with Balotelli’s controversial past, but the upside is infinite given the Anfield patrons’ habit of adopting the more exuberant type.    

Rodgers is a pragmatic manager in the mould of Jose Mourinho.  The Scotsman doesn't play the same tricks with the opposition, but shares the ability to get the best out of his players. 

I say this because of the unconditional confidence the Liverpool manager instills in his squad, which has seen the rapid maturation of previously immature talents such as Coutinho, Daniel Sturridge, and Raheem Sterling.  

Upon taking the job at Anfield, Rodgers has been tasked with taking advantage of chances.  In his tenure, Rodgers has already solidified the club as a title contender, developed young sensations into star players, and appears to have bought the right talents to improve his club.  

This weekend, Mario Balotelli has a chance to similarly solidify himself in the good graces of the Liverpool faithful.  With Daniel Sturridge set to miss three weeks with a thigh injury, Balotelli replaces the Englishman as the most accomplished striker at the club.  

Against Aston Villa, Balotelli will almost assuredly lead the line in what is sure to be an offensive outburst from the Reds.  Alberto Moreno has settled into the squad after a troubled start; his 90 yard run with the ball against Tottenham which resulted in a goal was nothing short of pure brilliance.  

Lazar Markovic looks ready to play, while Rickie Lambert has cemented himself as a difference-maker off the bench.  However, Balotelli has yet to officially announce his return to the premier league.  His only attempt on goal was saved by Hugo Lloris, a header which should have found the back of the net.  

Today, Balotelli has a chance to set himself in stone amongst the Reds’ support.  His quality unquestioned, Balotelli can resurrect a career that has hit pothole after pothole on the road to the top.

He showed his class at Manchester City at times, and introduced himself to the international game at the Euro in 2012.  In the absence of Liverpool’s main man, Balotelli has a clear cut chance to break out in style in front of what is sure to be an Anfield crowd with open arms.  

Pace is the key for Arsenal

Manchester City have had a curious start to the season.  After thrashing Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium, City turned around and lost to Stoke City on the same field a week later.  Arsenal have been mediocre at best, taking five points from two easy fixtures and an away trip to Everton.  

Similar in table position, Manchester City and Arsenal did not have similar summers.  Since the deadline-day purchase of Mesut Ozil just over a year ago, Arsenal have put the rest of Europe on alert as a club willing to part ways with loads of money.  

In the latest edition of the transfer window, 35 million pound man Alexis along with Mathieu Debuchy, David Ospina, Danny Welbeck, and Calum Chambers have joined for considerable amounts of money.  

Dissimilarly, Manchester City had a quiet summer in the transfer window.  Bacary Sagna and Frank Lampard, former servants of Arsenal and Chelsea respectively, joined on frees, while prolific front-man Alvaro Negredo left the club for 27 million euros.  

Eliaquim Mangala rounds out the summer recruits, but for the most part the usually trigger-happy Citizens holstered their guns for once.  This is an interesting matchup of two clubs moving in different directions, but the right directions.  

Arsenal are joining the party of clubs which part ways with large sums of cash, while City are coming down to earth from a spending point of view.  Thus, it should be a tight contest between two top teams who have endured mixed results so far.

One thing Arsenal bring to the pitch that they didn’t necessarily have for all of last season is pace.  His pace was one of many reasons Alexis was signed, Danny Welbeck brings a new dimension to the Arsenal forwards, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain impressed for England with his speed and driving runs.  

It would be a surprise to see new boy Mangala make his debut in such a big game on the road, so Vincent Kompany will likely line up next to Martin Demichelis.  Sagna has never been the quickest fullback, but he is always reliable to put in a good shift.  

Again however, pace is where Arsenal can expose Manchester City the most effectively.   The few days in training that Danny Welbeck has had to gel with his new teammates are crucial to the Gunners success, as will be Mesut Ozil’s attempts to crack the Manchester City defensive midfield.    

Aaron Ramsey may not be fit for the contest, and Mathieu Flamini’s combative style of play should earn him a spot in the holding role.  In big games, Flamini is disciplined in his positioning, and often the midfield leader without the ball.  

That leaves Jack Wilshere to line up in the center as well.  Wilshere’s habit to holding the ball on his boot and drawing in tackles is something that still hurts his game fitness.  In order for him to play in a more sustainable style, he needs to be confident in his long passing and keep his head on a swivel when he makes his driving runs.  

Coming off a very disappointing loss at home to Stoke City, Manchester City will line up with two of Fernando, Fernandinho, and Yaya Toure.  A crowded midfield with Arsenal is always a must in order to win, but the pace Arsenal can field in the absence of Giroud could throw a wrench in that strategy. 

If Arsenal can utilize their pace and try to be move through the wing and be direct in the final third with Alexis, Chamberlain, and Welbeck, they can beat City.  If City can stay organized defensively and do what they do best, which is turning defense into lightning quick offense, they can spoil the Gunners return to the Emirates.  

King Courtois' Reign Begins

Thibault Courtois is one of those athletes who makes a lot of us think “what am I doing with my life?”  At 22, the Chelsea shot stopper is already established as one of the finest goalkeepers in the world.  

Often the forgotten player in the historically brilliant transfer window that was Chelsea’s summer, Courtois is commonly overlooked in favor of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas.  The midfielder and the striker have been integral to Chelsea’s perfect record, but the young Belgian keeper will be a mainstay in the Blues' starting eleven for a very long time.  

The age of King Courtois has officially begun in England.  This morning, Courtois signed a new 5-year deal that keeps him at Stamford Bridge through the 2018-2019 season.  At his youthful age, the keeper has already won La Liga and played in the Champions League final to cap an impressive three year loan spell at Atletico Madrid.

A few weeks later, Courtois anchored a Belgian defense that gave up just three goals in five games at the World Cup.  Not only does he boast in impressive repertoire of accomplishments.  The 22 year old declared himself one of the best goalkeepers in the world during his spell in Madrid.  

He oozes confidence, commands the box like a general, and at 6’6 shows flashes of freakish athleticism.  Albeit he could have kept out at least one of Everton’s goals in the 6-3 thriller, his reaction save to deny Kevin Mirallas later on was brilliant.  

Petr Cech, one of Chelsea’s most loyal servants and perhaps one of the best five keepers in the world, has already been usurped by Courtois at Chelsea just a few weeks into the Belgian's tenure at Stamford Bridge.  It remains to be seen if Cech will stay glued to the bench for the entirety of the season, but for now Courtois has a firm grasp on the starting role.  

Many speculated that Courtois would start on the bench while Cech carried out his duties as the incumbent holder of the #1 jersey.  Cech would of course be on a short leash, but one could argue he earned the right to start the season in goal.  

This speaks to the mild-mannered Belgian’s abilities and the confidence his manager instills in him.  Cech is still just 32, and definitely has more miles left in the tank.  However, he may be looking for a new job in the next few windows, for unseating Courtois will be exceptionally difficult.