Five More Excellent Signings

Marcos Rojo, Manchester United (20m euros)

After a drawn-out transfer saga involving rumors, finger pointing, and apologizing, Manchester United finally have their man.  Marcos Rojo arrives as a much-needed reinforcement, and although he cannot feature this weekend against Sunderland, his impact will be very positive for the Red Devils as the season progresses.  

Mario Balotelli, Liverpool (undisclosed)

A terrific signing for Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool.  Balotelli will contribute to some of Luis Suarez’ missing goal output and the Anfield crowd will adopt him unconditionally as they did with the Uruguayan.  It is this reason that I believe Balotelli will flourish at Liverpool, because rarely has the misunderstood 24 year old striker felt the love from the crowd.  

Giorgios Samaras, West Brom (free)

West Brom snapped up the Greek on a free transfer this week, adding a player with a bevy of Champions League, Europa League, and international experience under his belt.  Samaras is accustomed to playing in sides who hunker down defensively, and is effective roaming the pitch for the odd scoring chance.  

Leroy Fer, Queens Park Rangers (undisclosed)

Queens Park Rangers made an excellent signing in Leroy Fer, who joins from relegated Norwich City.  Fer featured at the World Cup and scored a goal for the Netherlands, and impressed with the Canaries last season.  He will be an excellent midfield engine from box to box and has room to grow at the age of just 24.  

Victor Moses, Stoke City (loan)

Stoke City looked slow offensively at home last weekend against Aston Villa in a 1-0 defeat.  Surplus to requirements at Chelsea, Moses will join Stoke City on a season-long loan and will definitely upgrade the Potters’ attacking options.  The Nigerian pitched in with some impressive performances at Liverpool last season and should see his opportunities increased at Stoke.  

Ozil Returns at the Right Time

Arsenal sat atop the premier league table for more weeks than any other team last season.  They proved to be steady against mid-low table teams, but the biggest setbacks always came against the title contenders.  Arsenal were promptly routed away from home by Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool as their title hopes faded along with the fitness of several key players.

After a busy summer in the transfer market, Arsene Wenger still has time to complete more business.  The task at hand right now is a visit to Goodison Park on Saturday which will be a formidable early season test for the Gunners.  It's imperative that Wenger gets it right with his struggling team this weekend so as not to show early-season vulnerability.

Mesut Ozil sounds ready to rejoin the side, as do Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker.  Similar to last season, Ozil joins the Gunners belatedly, this time the reason being Germany's triumph in Brazil.  Arsenal looked sluggish against Crystal Palace and were lucky to survive with three points, then drew 0-0 in Turkey with Besiktas on Tuesday.  The Gunners are hardly looking in form as of yet but the addition of the German could be a huge lift for the squad.

Alexis' form will likely improve in time as well as with the return of the Ozil, also allowing Aaron Ramsey to sit a little deeper and conserve his energy.  Then again, a stoppage time goal against Palace negated the need to worry about Ramsey's short-term fitness.  In the long run however, less ground covered will equate to a longer season for the Welshman.

Ozil will be immediately tasked with penetrating Everton's defensive core of James McCarthy, Gareth Barry, Sylvain Distin, and Phil Jagielka.  Even without Ross Barkley, Everton are an exceptional team with outstanding defenders.  The key for Ozil will be his movement off the ball and whether or not he combines well with Alexis and whoever else will feature up front.

Olivier Giroud will likely get the nod over Yaya Sanogo as the former continues to find consistent form in front of goal.  If Giroud could be a little more precise with his finishing, it could mean the difference for Arsenal against Roberto Martinez' men.  Santi Cazorla had a much better game on Tuesday, but Gunner fans wouldn't be too disappointed to see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain get the nod.

It will also be interesting to see if Calum Chambers makes an appearance at a position other than center back.  With Mertesacker back in the squad, Chambers could see time at either defensive midfield or right back.  Chambers could negate the need for an extra defensive midfielder, but it remains to be seen if he has the steel to consistently disrupt play with physicality.  Arsenal will need to good showing from whoever plays alongside Ramsey.

With all things considered, this could be Ozil's chance to make a splash in the league from the get-go as he did last season.  His cutting-edge creative abilities are undoubted, but it's his work rate in league play that needs to improve the most.  That, along with his long-term durability in the premier league are what people will be most keen to criticize.  With Germany he showed more hunger to chase the ball, and perhaps a taste of gold will elevate Ozil's desire for more trophies.

Power Rankings Going into Week Two

1-  Chelsea: The additions of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa have given the Blues an immediate boost.  More is yet to come from this squad who has yet to solidify why will start from a deep pool of players.

2-  Manchester City: Manchester City were my favorites to win the title two weeks ago, but Chelsea’s ruthless span of football and solidarity in the second half put them ahead of a City side which allowed a great deal of pressure from Newcastle.

3-  Liverpool: More is also yet to come from this squad who have yet to feature Mario Balotelli, Lazar Markovic, Alberto Moreno and Emre Can.  Expect minor changes to the squad as they look to reek havoc at the Etihad Stadium on Monday.

4-  Arsenal: Sluggish at times, but the return of Mesut Ozil will galvanize the Arsenal attack.  Alexis is still settling in, as are the players returning from World Cup layoffs.  Still in need of a couple more players before the window closes.  Everton will be eager for a result following their draw with Leicester, but it would be a massive result away from home for Arsenal if they were to win. 

5-  Tottenham: Is there the start of a new revolution at Spurs?  Eric Dier’s winner off of Harry Kane’s sublime pass could be symbolic of improvements in North Londoners.  Spurs play host to QPR on Sunday, who will be chomping at the bit to erase the home defeat to Hull City at Loftus Road.  

6-  Southampton: Tadic and Bertrand formed an exceptional partnership down the left, and Schneiderlin logged an impressive display in an opening loss at Anfield.  Another hard fixture awaits as West Brom visit Saint. Mary’s.

7-  Swansea: Soaked up pressure for much of the day but capitalized on two scoring chances.  Dealt Manchester United an opening blow in the league and should pick up all three points when they play host to Burnley this weekend.  

8-  Manchester United: Highlight of the match for me was watching Louis Van Gaal graciously sign those kids’ match day programs.  Reinforcements are on the way but a stern test away to a hungry Sunderland side awaits.  Marcos Rojo has been ruled ineligible for Saturday's clash, further complicating the situation for the Red Devils. 

9-  Everton: The loss of Ross Barkley shook the Merseyside club in the days leading up to Saturday, but Roberto Martinez is more than capable of turning things around.  They will be tested as they were against Leicester City when Arsenal come to town on Saturday.  

10-  Hull City: An opening win at Loftus Road saw the Tigers emulating manager Steve Bruce’s fiery approach he displayed as captain for Manchester United decades ago.

11-  Aston Villa: Winning at the Brittania Stadium against Stoke City is much harder than it sounds, and things are looking up for Aston Villa who just added Colombian Carlos Sanchez.  Sanchez, nicknamed ‘the rock,’ could feature right away against visitors Newcastle who showed promise in week one.

12-  Sunderland: Gus Poyet’s men delivered a hard-fought point at the Hawthorns as they look forward to hosing Louis Van Gaal and Manchester United at the weekend.  Coming off their season-defining win against the Red Devils last Spring, the Black Cats will be hungrier for more in week two.  

13-  Crystal Palace: Deserved a point against Arsenal in a game which saw Jason Puncheon sent off late and a stoppage-time winner from the impressive Aaron Ramsey.  Similarly, West Ham were unlucky in week one and should make up for an exciting affair.

14-  Newcastle: Fought valiantly against Manchester City and were unfortunate not to have grabbed equalizer.  Sergio Aguero’s late goal sealed a cruel fate for the Magpies who look to turn the tables on hosts Aston Villa.

15-  Leicester City: Everton were in for a long day when they played hosts Leicester City, who showed fight and spirit which culminated in a 2-2 draw.  It doesn’t get any easier in week two which sees them travel to Stamford Bridge for Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas’ home debuts.

16-  West Brom: Saido Berahino was one of the stars of week one for a West Brom team which looked unusually weak in defense.  Sunderland really brought it in week one, and now the Baggies must head south where the resilient Saints await.

17-  West Ham: One could argue Sam Allardyce should have put on an extra striker a man up.  Maybe, maybe not, but Big Sam wasn’t happy to see his outstanding defense let Eric Dier slip through for the winner at the death.  West Ham are in for another fight when they play a spirited Crystal Palace side. 

18-  Burnley: Showed spirit against Chelsea, both in the opening sequence and parts of the second half.  A rough draw in week 1 sees them travel to Swansea as underdogs to an impressive side who won at Old Trafford on Saturday.

19-  Stoke City: Losing at home to Aston Villa won’t sit well with Mark Hughes and his men.  They go into a difficult matchup with Hull City, but expect a fight from the strong and resilient Potters.

20-  Queens Park Rangers: Harry Redknapp is back.  Awesome.  In other news, Loic Remy has re-joined his parent club which lost to Hull City 0-1 at home last weekend.  QPR must now march into White Hart Lane for Tottenham’s home opener and hope they can come away with a point.  

Black Cats Look Forward to United Clash

Gus Poyet has to be licking his chops at the prospect of hosting Manchester United on Sunday.  Sunderland’s win over Manchester United last Spring was a springboard off of which the Black Cats jumped out of the relegation zone and saved their season.  Poyet had a lot to do with the survival, but so did the morale-boosting win over the Red Devils.  

Sunderland were enduring an extremely rough season up until that day, and are surely fired up at the prospect of facing a wounded United side at the weekend.  Lee Cattermole’s tone-setting strike spearheaded a draw against hosts West Brom in week 1, earning a valuable point against a competitive side.  

On the coattails of an impressive draw, Sunderland will be looking to start a streak of their own against Manchester United, who lost 2-1 to Swansea at home on Saturday.  The squad is still thin even considering Marcos Rojo’s arrival earlier today.  However, Louis Van Gaal will likely change his lineup after the home loss to Swansea.

As of now there is no indication as to what formation Van Gaal will go with in week two.  His three-back formation struggled in the first half, while the four-back formation he averted to at halftime proved equally as ineffective.  Most of the problems with Van Gaal’s current squad lie in the middle and defensive thirds, but given our relative unfamiliarity with the Dutchman, there’s no telling how he will alter his squad after one game.

It can be assumed that Rojo will feature regardless of the formation, but what type of tactical approach will Van Gaal employ?  Juan Mata and Wayne Rooney are assured to start, as is Ander Herrera, but other than that it’s hard to predict how and with who Manchester United will line up with.  On the other side of the ball, Sunderland have a group of hungry individuals who are determined to prove their worth.  

Several players have joined Sunderland from much larger clubs such as Jack Rodwell (Manchester City), Wes Brown (Manchester United), John O’Shea (Manchester United), Vito Mannone (Arsenal), and Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus).

With that being said, Sunderland are a quietly competitive squad who are guaranteed to put forth a high-octane shift against any opposition.  Given the recent history between the two clubs and the eagerness with which the Stadium of Light patrons will be indulging, United could be in for another long day.  

Louis Van Gaal made it clear that he plans on instilling the ‘one game at a time’ mentality within his squad, which is the right call without a doubt.  Earning a point at the Stadium of Light at this point in the season, especially given the state of the club, wouldn’t be so bad.  Earning three points would be outstanding for the Red Devils, but leaving Sunderland with nothing at all is something they must avoid.  

Wenger Would Be Wise to Consider Reus

The close of the transfer window draws nearer and nearer by the day, and Arsenal are looking more and more like they will once again be the last to complete their business.  Marcos Rojo has already signed for Manchester United and more signings are certain to be on the way.  Mario Balotelli joined Liverpool today, likely ending Brendan Rodgers’ transfer dealings for the summer.  

Arsenal on the other hand, have been quiet since snapping up Calum Chambers from Southampton for a cool 16 million pounds.  Mathieu Debuchy, David Ospina, and Alexis has also joined the club, giving Wenger a formidable crop of new faces.  But given Olivier Giroud’s recent inability to make contact inside the six yard box, the Gunners’ situation has become more complicated.  

One option that has been relatively quiet for a few weeks now is the idea of bringing in Marco Reus.  It was reported that Arsenal had a deal in place to sign Reus before the World Cup but the German forward was subsequently injured in one of the final warmup fixtures.  Thanks to Bayern Munich, the world now knows that there is a 25 million euro release clause in Reus’ contract with Borussia Dortmund.  

If this is true, Arsenal should strongly consider bringing in the German forward.  Even with his recent injury layoff, Reus is still a world class talent.  Furthermore, at that price, Arsenal would be given more flexibility to add a defensive midfielder or center back.  It’s starting to look like Calum Chambers could feature heavily at center back, so bringing in a steely midfielder is probably still top of Arsene Wenger's wish list.  

When the opportunity presents itself to add a talent the level of Reus however, making the purchase should be a no-brainer.  In a similar position last summer, Arsenal added Mesut Ozil to a team already stocked with a large supply of attacking midfielders.  Wenger justified the transfer fee by stating he couldn’t pass up the chance to sign the German, and he is now has a similar chance with Reus.  

Reus would fill more of a void than Ozil did at his position, and would be a huge step up from Olivier Giroud.  Reus is a center forward by nature, and while Giroud’s holdup play has been excellent, the quality of his finishing is below par with strikers at the other top teams.  Reus plays winger regularly for Borussia Dortmund, and just like Alexis he can play anywhere in the attacking third.  

It would be a perfect storm if Arsenal managed to sign both a quality defensive midfielder and a top striker, but signing Reus would be more than an increase in talent at the club.   Arsene Wenger will likely wait until the final few days of the window to complete his business for the summer, something Arsenal fans are all too familiar with.  Activating Marco Reus would be a top, top signing, and is an option the North London club needs to strongly consider.  

Will Mario on Merseyside Work?

Luis Suarez’ exit from Anfield signaled a major change for the Merseyside club.  Personnel-wise, a crop of new signings litter the training ground nowadays, and the polarizing presence of the Uruguayan is no more.  However, the antics-driven media fracas which hung over Liverpool like a cloud (literally, it’s always cloudy on Merseyside) is back with the arrival of Mario Balotelli from AC Milan.  

18 months ago, Balotelli was sold to his boyhood club by Manchester City and Roberto Mancini, who after years of trying to tame the young Italian’s mercurial personality, threw in the towel.  Balotelli was instrumental in the 2011-2012 premier league title, but was known more for making the wrong sort of headlines.  

The stories go on and on about the striker, about how he drove his car into a Brescia women’s prison, how he once set his house on fire with fireworks, and how he inexplicably showed up at an Inter Milan press conference to congratulate the club on hiring a new manager with cameras rolling and all.  Thus, one has to wonder if life at Liverpool will be any simpler than it was for him in Manchester.

Is he a rotten egg or is Mario Balotelli in the mold of ‘misunderstood genius’?  His behavior off the field has been nothing short of bizarre, but on the field his talent is unquestionable.  It is expected that Brendan Rodgers will utilize his new striker next to Daniel Sturridge, reverting to the two-forward formation the Reds played in with Saurez.  

Balotelli will pick up a chunk of Suarez’ absent goal output, but the issue will be finding enough playing time for everyone.  When Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic return, Liverpool will have a plethora of attacking options.  Keeping Balotelli happy is a must however, since his discontent could derail a title challenge altogether as it did in 2012-2013.  

However, it will be easier to keep Balotelli happy in England than in Milan. Balotelli is desperate to play on a contending squad, and there is hardly a racist presence in England.  The best book I’ve read this year has to be I Think Therefore I Play, which is Andrea Pirlo’s autobiography.  

Pirlo, a very well-spoken individual in his own right, sees Mario as a symbol for the fight against racism in not just Italy, but the entire world.  Pirlo puts Balotelli’s life struggles into perspective, how he just wants to be loved and play football.  I felt I had made up my mind on the striker years ago, but listening to what Pirlo says about him sways him toward the ‘misunderstood genius’ crowd.  

Being one of the only African-American Italian players in Serie A, Balotelli’s stints in Italy have been marred by improper fan conduct and hateful gestures directed at him.  For me, Balotelli is going into a very positive situation at Liverpool.  At Manchester City, players are not loved as they are at Anfield.  He had the bad-boy-for-hire image at the Etihad, and while the home crowd cheered him, they didn’t adore him.  

Even through all the turmoil he insinuated at Liverpool, Luis Suarez was still loved by home fans until the day he left (well, you know…).  It should go the same way for Balotelli who, for what it’s worth, has never bitten another player on the pitch.  At 24, it is time for the Italian to become more a leader, something Brendan Rodgers will make crystal-clear to him.  

With talents like Raheem Sterling, Coutinho, Adam Lallana, and the presence of Steven Gerrard, Balotelli is in a place to succeed, but only if he puts his situation into perspective.  At Liverpool, the team won’t be built around Balotelli; he will be the one who has to adapt, but it is also him that could be the final piece in the post-Suarez Liverpool era puzzle.  

His work rate has always been in question and doesn’t share the same knack for hunting the ball down like Luis Suarez does.  Even so, it was a no-brainer for Rodgers to bring in Balotelli at that price.  His age almost guarantees that his value won’t dip given his abilities, and he could even feature as early as Monday against Manchester City (what a debut that would be!).  

It seems we’ve been saying it for years now, but Balotelli has all the potential in the world.  Of all the clubs Balotelli could have gone to, Liverpool may be the best choice for him.  Brendan Rodgers proves time and time again that he is an excellent man-manager who gets the most out of his players.  As long as he keeps the Italian happy, Suarez could be a forgotten name in Liverpool in a few months’ time. 

Can Everton Survive Without Barkley?

Considered by many to be the answer to England’s problem at the playmaker role, Ross Barkley looked ready to further improve his star status in the 2014/2015 season.  His injury which could sideline him for months is an unfortunate one, not just for the Toffees but the entire league and the Three Lions too.  

After a disappointing 2-2 draw at Leicester City on Saturday, Roberto Martinez is under even more pressure to deliver a result against Arsenal at the weekend.  However, the Spaniard was coy on the prospect of bringing in a replacement for Barkley this week.  He does point out that even with the idea of a grueling European schedule, Everton have enough depth to cope with the loss of such a scintillating player.  

Martinez admitted that Everton cannot replace Ross Barkley, and he’s absolutely right.  I say that because Barkley has such high value and given the club's commitments to both him and Romelu Lukaku, I can’t imagine the Toffees spending anymore money this summer.  

Thus, other players will take their turn stepping into the 20-year old’s shoes in the attacking midfield.  Leon Osman has been a loyal servant to the Merseyside club, but Steven Pienaar, Steven Naismith, and Kevin Mirallas will platoon the position as well.  As I wrote the other day, Muhamed Besic has yet to feature for the club and may very well be an excellent replacement.  

At the weekend, Everton will host a sluggish-looking Arsenal.  The Gunners haven’t impressed since their 3-0 romp of Manchester City in the Community Shield, but Mesut Ozil will likely return to the lineup.  In his first appearance, whether it be off the bench or in a starting role, I don’t expect the German to be at his best, but the prospect of him joining the Arsenal attack is scary for Everton and will boost the performances of his teammates.  

James McCarthy and Gareth Barry must put in a good shift in the defensive midfield if they are to slow down the creative players for Arsenal.  Per Mertesacker could also return for Arsenal, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the impressive Calum Chambers features again alongside Laurent Koscielny.  

Some may look to this fixture as a must-win for both teams, but I would argue it is more of a must-win for Arsenal.  Arsenal have to establish confidence against good teams this early in the season, while Everton are under much less pressure to deliver a title-challenging campaign.  

Long-term, I wouldn’t worry too much about Everton.  Roberto Martinez’ reputation precedes itself, and this is a good enough team to the point where losing one player, albeit their best player, won’t bring them down.  Seamus Coleman will probably be fit for the Arsenal game, a big boost for a club in need of one.

Martinez has shown he is adept at overcoming challenges, and even with the absence of Barkley they should be able to create chances and defend well like they always do.  Lukaku will be fit soon, while Everton can always count on loyal performers at the back like Leighton Baines, Sylvain Distin, Phil Jagielka, and Tim Howard.  

If Everton were to not pick up three points against Arsenal, it would be far from the end of the world.  Away to a newly-promoted club and home against a top four club is never an easy tandem of fixtures to begin a season with, but the schedule lightens for the Merseyside club in the coming weeks.  Under the pragmatic Roberto Martinez, Everton should be fine with the vacancy left by Ross Barkley. 

How Liverpool Can Succeed Against City

If there is one thing premier league viewers can be assured of, it’s that Manchester City will bring it at the Etihad Stadium.  With a 17-1-1 mark last season at home, the Blues come off an impressive title-winning campaign in which they netted 63 goals in front of their home fans.  

Liverpool shared similar success at home, but won’t be playing in the friendly confines of Anfield on Monday evening.  Liverpool and Manchester will meet for just the second premier league fixture of the season in the first marquee matchup between two title contenders in the new campaign. 

If Liverpool are going to have any success against high-octane Manchester City, they must defend better in the middle of the park than they did against Southampton.  James Ward-Prowse was allowed too much time and space, but that’s not to take anything away from the impressive Saints teenager.  

Emre Can has to start in place of the sluggish Lucas, whose time may be wearing thin at Liverpool these days.  Can has the engine and tenacity in the tackle to cause discomfort for the likes of Yaya Toure and David Silva in the midfield.  Can’s presence should ease pressure on Steven Gerrard, while the German is considered by many to be the Liverpool captain’s heir in central midfield.  

The most important area of the pitch for Liverpool will be the defensive line.  Dejan Lovren appears primed to take up a leadership role alongside either Martin Skrtel or Mamadou Sakho.  However, Alberto Moreno would be the focus of attention if he were to make his Liverpool debut on Monday.  

Moreno wowed La Liga with his pace and skill on the ball going forward, but what makes Moreno such a valuable asset to the Reds is his defending ability.  Similar to Jon Flanagan, Moreno has the ability to shut down a flank, something Glen Johnson looks less and less capable of doing.  The Englishman could still feature for Liverpool, but I would argue a fullback tandem of Flanagan and Moreno will be most effective against Manchester City.  

Finally, Liverpool must utilize their speed all over the field if they are to snatch goals at the Etihad.  Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge will feed off of Coutinho, who was recently called up by Dunga to the Selecao.  The aforementioned fullbacks will likely be eager to get forward on occasion, and I personally can't wait to see Moreno pitch in to the attack.  Obviously, taking their likely limited chances is a must if they are to walk away from the Etihad with any points.  

Brendan Rodgers grows more experienced every week in the premier league.  He should have seen Javier Manquillo’s rough go about against Ryan Betrand and Dusan Tadic as a sign that he isn’t ready for a fixture of this magnitude in England.  Manchester City will surely attack Liverpool, so they have to maintain shape and take their chances with pace when they are presented.  For me, a shift in personnel would lead to improvements for Rodgers’ side in such a test on the road.  

Week Two Preview: Chelsea v Leicester City

If Chelsea’s opening fixture against Burnley was David vs Goliath, one would argue the Blues’ hope opener against Leicester City could be construed as the United States vs Grenada.  The Blues were impressive in disposing of top flight new boys Burnley on Monday, and look to wow the fans at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.  

Cesc Fabregas turned in an immaculate performance in his competitive debut for the East London club, delivering a man-of-the-match performance which included a sublime flick to Andre Schurrle for the Blues’ second tally.  Diego Costa also impressed, opening his account for Chelsea to level at 1-1.  Even so, Chelsea showed some vulnerability, but don’t expect them to do so again this weekend.  

After going down 1-0 on Monday, Chelsea kicked it into top gear.  This weekend look for Chelsea to attack from the opening kickoff, feeding off of the Stamford Bridge crowd.  Leicester were impressive in their home draw against Everton, Riyed Mahrez putting in a terrific performance.  Mahrez showed he belongs in the top flight, and that should be encouraging for Leicester.  

However, Chelsea will be near impossible to compete with at home, at least for a club like Leicester.  It wouldn’t surprise me if Chelsea went unbeaten at home this season, given Jose Mourinho’s pristine record at the Bridge and the arrival of new signings Fabregas and Costa.  

Felipe Luis earned a place on the bench in the opening fixture, but could feature this weekend at left back with Cesar Azpilicueta moving over to right back in place of Branislav Ivanovic.  I would speculate that this would be the long-term solution to Chelsea’s deep set of fullbacks.  Luis has a great deal of pace compared to the aging Ivanovic.    

The combination of Oscar, Nemanja Matic, and Fabregas in the midfield is a lethal one.  Matic is happy to sit deep and dictate the middle third, with Oscar and Fabregas searching out creative opportunities up the field.  Eden Hazard turned in an exceptional performance against Burnley, as did Andre Schurrle who was on the end of Fabregas’ wonder-through ball.  

Diego Costa completes this Chelsea team.  Costa showed promise that he could replicate his La Liga form in the premier league, while his skill set could have easily made the difference in Chelsea’s title challenge last season.  He doesn’t look it, but Costa is still at a tender enough age that he could yet show his best.  

Under Jose Mourinho, Costa will be managed well, not that he wasn’t under Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid.  With a top striker, Chelsea look set to reek havoc both in Europe and in England.  Mourinho has the depth at every position to challenge on multiple fronts, and expect them to take care of business fairly easily this weekend.  They have yet to be tested against a contending team, but the Blues look to be in excellent form early on.  I see Chelsea coming away with a 3-0 win on Saturday.  

Transfer Twilight Time at Arsenal

With less than two weeks until the close of the transfer window, many teams in Europe are still in the market for first team players.  Manchester United are definitely in the market, and Liverpool could still be too.  In London, Arsenal are in a similar predicament to that of United, but not as severe.  

With the injury to Mikel Arteta who could be sidelined for months, as well as Aaron Ramseys looming UEFA suspension, Arsenal are now desperately in need of an excellent defensive midfielder.  When fit, Arteta lacks the steel and energy to hang with premier league attacks.  Also, on for the pitch just five minutes, Mathieu Flamini picked up a yellow card today as well.  

Not that that’s anything new from Flamini; it only reaffirms that he cannot consistently play and not be booked.  Thus, Arsenal need to act fast and secure at least one more big signing before the window closes.  Arsene Wenger hinted that the North London club is still in the market for a player at that position, while many are speculating that Arsenal’s top target is center back Kostas Manolas.  

However, Arsenal need the most help at defensive midfield.  Calum Chambers is proving to be a phenomenal addition along the back line, and Per Mertesacker is close to reuniting with Laurent Koscielny.  Nacho Monreal is currently providing exceptional cover for the injured Kieran Gibbs, while Hector Bellerin could be a surprise feature in the first team this season.  Even so, Arsenal could still yet add a center back, but that's not what they need most desperately. 

Aaron Ramsey isn’t a true defensive midfielder, as he grows more and more confident going forward.  Jack Wilshere is in a similar mold, but hasn’t shown form anywhere near the level of Ramsey.  Arsenal would have a much more balanced midfield if they could add a defensive midfielder with positional discipline and consistency.  

William Carvalho is a name that has surfaced from time to time, with reports that a bid from Arsenal was turned down a month ago.  Sami Khedira could still be an option as his exit from Real Madrid seems imminent.  Daley Blind, a Manchester United target, would be a surprise signing, as would Lars Bender.  

Even Cheick Tiote has emerged as a possible target, but I wouldn’t expect Wenger to go for a player so rambunctious.  Chambers did captain the U-19 English team as a defensive midfielder, but he’s more of a holding type player and less of a physical one at this stage in his career.  

With that being said, there’s really no telling how Arsene Wenger will finish the transfer window because that's always the nature of things.  In January, it seemed a formality that Arsenal would strengthen their side with an attacking player.  Instead, they ended up with Kim Kallstrom, an already injured defensive midfielder.  

Wenger already has secured several signings, but hasn’t addressed his squad needs as well as Liverpool or Chelsea have.  Another striker would be nice for the Gunners, however even if Arteta didn't pick up an injury today Wenger would still need a defensive midfielder.