Things Learned from the Weekend Football

This is a bit of a rip-off of what the Racing Post do, but I do like the idea of jotting down a few thoughts from the weekend to maybe keep in mind for the future. I will try and do this every week during the football season, but it won't always be possible.

So what did I learn from the weekend football:

1) Manchester United remain the team to beat in the Premier League; Even without a marquee midfield signing over the Summer, United completely dominated Manchester City, the team that many think will be the closest challengers for the title this season. United out passed City and, barring a 10 minute period before half time, United clearly dominated the game.


Keep things in perspective though, there were still a couple of issues for United to resolve in the middle of the park, especially when they are defending, while City did miss the firepower of Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez.


2) Tom Cleverley could be the real deal; Tom Cleverley showed a lot of promise for United in the second half yesterday, with quick movement of the ball and decent passing. He looks a tough light at the moment, a bit like Darren Fletcher did when he first broke into the side, but I think Cleverley could do well in a system where he has the likes of Anderson and Ji Sung Park doing a lot of the leg work.


That could allow Cleverley to flourish at the top of a 3 man midfield, allowing him to dictate the play and get passes out to the speedy wingers and forwards United have.


3) It is not the time to panic for West Ham United supporters; It wasn't the start the fans attending Upton Park would have expected as their side failed to turn their dominance into goals, but they must not get on the players backs just yet. I remember a few seasons ago when Reading were beaten at home by Plymouth in a surprise opening day loss, but they went on to win the League with a bit to spare.


The Championship is definitely a marathon and not a sprint, and I think West Ham will still be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.


It was only a year ago that Carlton Cole was receiving a lot of praise in the media, and I am sure he will get the goals if he remains at the club at the end of the transfer window, while players like Kevin Nolan and Frederic Piquionne should also chip in with a fair share.