Final Thoughts on Weekend Football (August 25-26)

This is I write my final thoughts from the football that took place over the last weekend.

You can read my take on a week at Manchester United here

You can see my Midweek Football Picks here


Will Arsenal be able to replace Robin Van Persie's goals?: Arsenal have failed to score in their first two Premier League games this season, but that is not the reason for the fans to be concerned. The performances of the replacements for the Dutchman may be more cause for worry.

Arsenal actually started last season by failing to score in their first two League games and they actually only had 1 point from those two games compared to 2 points this season. At least they could point to some of the uncertainty surrounding Samir Nasri's future and the late sale of Cesc Fabregas while they hadn't brought in any players as replacements by that stage.

This Summer was different as Arsene Wenger signed Olivier Giroud, Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla, pre-empting Van Persie's exit, but he is still not happy with the squad and his anger at some of his forwards has been evident in their first two games.

There just seems to be lacking in the Arsenal side, while Van Persie's ability to score goals out of  tough situations was evident again at Old Trafford with his first for his new club and that is something that can be impossible to replace.

I believe Arsenal create enough chances to get by without RVP, but the front players are going to be feeling more and more pressure until they get off the mark.


Maybe it wasn't wise to write off Swansea so quickly: I hate making judgements on a couple of games as things change awfully quickly in football, but Swansea have looked so far from the side that I expected would be in a relegation fight this season.

They hammered Queens Park Rangers on the opening day and then backed that up with an impressive, and very easy, win over West Ham United at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

The football has been of the same style that Roberto Martinez, Paulo Sousa and Brendan Rodgers advocated before Michael Laudrup was given the reigns, but there has definitely been a more distinct cutting edge to their play.

For all the possession Swansea played last season, sometimes it did seem a little meaningless and the players didn't know how best to make it productive possession, keeping it going back and sideways rather than penetrating defences. The first two games this season have been different and the passing game is being rewarded with shots on goal at the end of the possession and that does bode well for them.

That has been the impressive aspect of their performances so far and 8 goals in 2 games tells its own tale. Now the question is how long they can keep it up and whether they can virtually assure themselves a place in the top flight before the bubble bursts, if indeed it does burst.


Andre Villa-Boas needs time at Tottenham Hotspur, but only has one week to shape his squad: Anyone who has read my thoughts over the last year will know that I wasn't the biggest Harry Redknapp fan, but Andre Villa-Boas' early results at Tottenham Hotspur are making 'Dead Crap' look a genius.

The Luka Modric saga hasn't helped the former Chelsea boss, but he now has a big week ahead of him before the close of the transfer window as he looks to shape the squad to something of his liking.

On the way back from Old Trafford, you already had the fans phoning in to the radio shows and turning on AVB- he has to get a result and at least keep Spurs in contention for a top four finish, but that isn't looking easy with Chelsea playing as they are early this season and the two Manchester clubs expected to take the top three places.

Villa-Boas still has some top players at his disposal and if he can spend the fee gained from the Modric deal, he may have a chance to get the fans back on board or it will be a long Winter at White Hart Lane.


(On another note, what was the point of Tottenham demanding a 'working relationship' with Real Madrid? It seems strange that it was Spurs wanting this kind of link-up and I am not entirely sure what they will be gaining... At least Gareth Bale will be happy after long being linked with a move to Real previously).


Has the Championship become the most attacking League in England?: I don't know whether I am just imagining things, but there seems to have been a load of high-scoring games in the Championship so far this season as teams play attacking formations looking to outscore their opponents.

15 of the last 24 games in the League has seen at least 3 goals scored and I am not sure if that is because the defences are getting tired towards the end of the games after the Summer break and thus struggling to contain the opposition attack.

Whether this is just early season stats or whether teams are going to continue to be involved in high-scoring games is something interesting to keep an eye on.