So Chelsea have been defeated. I for one wasn't surprised-beating West Ham, Blackpool, West Brom and Wigan are hardly the test of champions, and I didn't see anything in those games to suggest that Chelsea were worthy of being crowned champions for 2010/11 at this point. Man City are strong in midfield, and took their goal very well. A draw or even a Chelsea win wouldn't have been an unfair reflection, but thanks to Joe Hart (double save from Ivanovic in the 1st half) and Carlos Tevez, City shaded Chelsea's first true test. For Chelsea, it was surprising to see Didier Drogba being substituted with the game far from over, and it's clear that Ramires is still getting used to life in the Premier League.
Luckily for Chelsea, Arsenal inexplicably lost at home to West Brom and Man Utd had to come from behind to save a point at Bolton, and so Chelsea still lead the chasing pack by 3 points and have a very healthy goal difference (12 better off than their nearest challengers).
Chelsea's next 2 games will give them the chance to show their mettle-away to Aston Villa and home to Arsenal offer the chance to get back on track, but won't be easy (Villa were the only team to take 6 points from Chelsea last season), and they will have to face both teams without Frank Lampard. Man Utd don't look like regaining form any time soon-but for the Ghost of Michael Owen, they would have lost yesterday-Bolton certainly looked the more likely winners for much of the 2nd half. Wayne Rooney's issues and absence aren't helping-but neither is leaking goals at a rate of over 1 per game-a record worse than nearly 50% of the other Premier League teams. Arsenal can make a real statement by beating Chelsea at the Emirates, but how likely is that given that the form of Manuel Almunia (I fully agree with George Graham's views here) and the potential absence of Fabergas and van Persie, not to mention Theo Walcott?
In other news, Spurs have already lost to both Wigan and West Ham (18th and 19th in the latest Premier League table), Liverpool will do well to match Fulham's record under Roy Hodgson last season, and Everton continue to struggle,finding themselves at the bottom of the table after the weekend's games. Early days for sure, but these putative Champions League place challengers have a lot of ground to make up on the current front runners.
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Chelsea for the league alright bro. No great shame to lose away to Man City even if they didn't play well. City were obviously well up for the game and their tactics of packing midfield stopped Malouda especially doing what he does best. City definitely strong in midfield and with Tevez upfront will always be liable to get a goal but it was really only because Chelsea came at them that could catch them on the break. If your boys had been happy with a point I think it is unlikely that City would have got through. Arsenal were a joke (I had made Arshavin my fantasy football captain for the day; good call). Almunia is a liability but then he has been for years so no great surprise. Clichy has completely lost it at left back (think they should have Gibbs in at this stage) and they aren't remotely the same team without Vermaelen and most especially Fabregas. They're well set for a battle with Man City and Utd for 2nd/3rd/4th but no more than that. Utd will need to find something new because things are looking pretty poor for them. No win away from home in the league and the continued reliance on the aged Scholes is starting to haunt them. Shrek is playing rubbish for whatever reason and Berbatov is liable to live off the Liverpool hat-trick for the rest of the season. Spurs are a joke team, but then I've been saying that to anyone who'll listen since last year. They're not good enough for the top four and they will be found out in the Champions League. Too many average players (assou-ekoto, huddlestone etc) and a pretty thin squad in terms of quality except maybe for upfront. But the really big news of the weekend is a first victory of the season for la Viola. Jury still out on the racist Sinisa and we need Jovetic back asap but positive signs from Di Silvestri at right back and Adem Ljajic (once almost of Man Utd)up front. Italian football still rubbish but more craic than the Premiership. PS fair play for Setanta for showing the live Serie A games. They sit proudly beside the Bluesquare Premier Division. Proof if it were needed that the Setanta boys have replaced Eurosport as home of obscure sports from all over the world. All we need now is the kahbaddi and we're set.
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