Weekend Football Thoughts 2015 (November 28-29)

The last month has been very busy with some big changes coming up in my personal life which had taken away some of my focus and time to put up the posts I have wanted to.

Things are settling down somewhat at the moment and that should present more opportunities for me especially with the College Football season winding down and the tennis Tour on a break until the new calendar year.


Another round of Premier League fixtures are in the books in November and now the teams will be looking 'forward' to the big December and January schedule which means a lot of games are going to be played over the next six weeks. There are final European matches for the 2015 year to be completed as well as League Cup Quarter Finals, a number of quick rounds in the League before the FA Cup Third Round in the first week of the New Year.

Busy times ahead, but here is a quick look back at the action that took place this weekend.

Have Aston Villa Already Left Themselves With Too Much to Do to Avoid Relegation?

After going down to a 2-3 home loss to Watford, the Premier League table doesn't make for good reading for Aston Villa fans. The side have managed to earn just five points all season and that leaves them seven points behind Sunderland in 17th place and some of the fans must be looking at The Black Cats with some envious eyes.

I was not convinced of the Remi Garde appointment as manager simply because he has had no Coaching experiences in England. Yes he is a former Arsenal player, but that doesn't mean he understands the inner workings of the Premier League and I think most Aston Villa fans would have preferred someone like Sam Allardyce who has experience and the resume to back up his ability to keep teams in the top flight.

Allardyce might not be to everyone's liking, but his performance at Sunderland would just have underlined what he can do with limited squads who look completely out of the required quality to stay in this League. Most thought Sunderland were doomed when Allardyce took over but the manager has guided them out of the bottom three while Aston Villa have remained as terrible as they were before Garde took over.

A 4-0 loss at Everton followed by a 2-3 defeat at home against Watford has left Aston Villa in a very difficult spot in the League table and there are little signs their new manager is going to help them turn things around.

The next few weeks are crucial for Aston Villa and perhaps already for their manager- they play at Southampton, Newcastle United, Norwich City and Sunderland in that time with home games against Arsenal and West Ham United. Anything less than 8 points from those games might not be good enough and see teams moving too far in front of Aston Villa.

A lack of experience in the squad, which was pointed out by Micah Richards this week too, doesn't suggest Aston Villa have the characters to get out of their current predicament and this could be a club that becomes one of a host of 'sleeping giants' struggling to get out of the Championship.

Is Steve McClaren's Position as Manager of Newcastle United Untenable?

Last week we heard reports that Steve McClaren had got into the faces of a number of the Newcastle United squad after the 0-3 home loss to Leicester City. Most notable of the names was the Captain Fabricio Coloccini and McClaren didn't dispute the reports later in the week.

The former England manager would have been hoping for a big reaction and must have been pleased to see his side take a 0-1 lead at Crystal Palace this weekend.

That was as good as it got for McClaren though as Newcastle United slumped to a 5-1 defeat, the second time they had led an away game only to lose by at least four goals this season.

The former much maligned manager of Newcastle United sat in the opposition dugout and must have felt a huge amount of sympathy for McClaren after hearing the fans turn on him during this loss. It was the same fans that effectively made it easy for Alan Pardew to return to Selhurst Park, this time as manager of Crystal Palace, and I am not sure how long McClaren is going to get.

I do believe he is a capable manager, but the last few months have been difficult for him first at Derby County and now at Newcastle United. Falling out with the players might mean they have given up playing for McClaren and the fans have certainly turned against him now with a number of heavy losses behind him.

You have to feel another home defeat this weekend to Liverpool might see Mike Ashley make the move at manager having seen Sunderland respond impressively to their new manager, but I have no idea who would want to take this job. There is no investment being made to further the club on the pitch and it is all about the bottom line off it which is resulting in another relegation scrap.

It isn't good enough for the fans and relegation would be a huge blow from a financial standpoint for Ashley which may result in McClaren being the fall guy.

Wayne Rooney's Position in the Manchester United Team Finally Under Threat

There has been a clear downward trend in the Wayne Rooney performances over the last couple of years to the point that David Moyes' biggest mistake as manager of Manchester United might have been to ignore Sir Alex Ferguson and offer England's leading goalscorer a new contract.

Perhaps Sir Alex saw this downward spiral coming and he recognised that Rooney's best days were behind him, or perhaps he was settling an old score, but it has reached this point where Rooney's position in the team has been openly questioned by many.

Anyone who has watched Manchester United play will recognise that there have ben problems.

Forget all the media who make excuses that he is not a Number 8, 9, 10, 11, and forget others who want to blame Louis Van Gaal for all of Rooney's problems and just look at the basic attributes of the player.

The first touch has never been great, but it looks a lot worse when the pace has disintegrated to the point that he can't recover those mistakes. The passing in the final third to create chances have been wayward on too many occasions and Rooney is struggling to find the space in the box to try and fashion any chances.

That has resulted on him getting deeper and deeper, but so many attacks have come to an end with the ball at his feet- either a misplaced pass to no one or losing the ball to the opponent has become a far too common feature of his play and he is clearly not a top class footballer any more.

When the best argument people have for Rooney is 'how effective he was five years ago', you know those same people are recognising a spent force but are unable to separate their emotions from the performances they see.


So the result at Leicester City wasn't the best, but for the first time Louis Van Gaal yanked an ineffective Wayne Rooney from the field of play at a point in the game where Manchester United didn't have the game won.

It has been a long time coming to put it bluntly.

Too often it has felt his Captain privileges meant his poor performances were being overlooked while the likes of Anthony Martial and Ander Herrera were being forced to play in unfamiliar positions or left on the substitute bench.

Van Gaal spoke of a small injury being carried by Rooney, but I am hoping he has seen the problems being caused by a player who has been far below average for far too long. Maybe having some time spent out of the first eleven would help Rooney rediscover some of the energy that has been sorely lacking in his play even if I personally think he is finished at this level and needs to be moved on in the summer if that is possible.

Maybe Rooney goes on a big run over Christmas and silences some of his doubters? Personally I think it is more likely he will continue struggling to influence the play while being a chief culprit in the poor Manchester United performances in the final third, but hopefully Saturday has proved to be the point when Van Gaal has said enough is enough and EVERYONE should be responsible for their performances, Captain or not.

Has the Diego Costa-Jose Mourinho Relationship Broken Down Irretrievably?

I am using words you may find more common when you read of reasons for a divorce, but that might be where Diego Costa and Jose Mourinho are effectively heading too.

After being left off the bench through the entirety of a goalless draw at White Hart Lane, Diego Costa was caught on camera at what looked like an attempt to throw his bib at Jose Mourinho.

That comes just days after Mourinho admitted they had a half time 'kiss and cuddle' following an argument coming off against Norwich City.

It is clear that Mourinho has tried his best to get his players to rally in what has been a poor campaign for them to date and one that leaves them looking unlikely to get back into the Champions League through their League position. Diego Costa has been a figure that has taken a lot of criticism because he is no longer scoring the goals that had people forget his tendency to wind up opponents and get into the greyer areas of what you can do on a football pitch.

Without the goals Costa is nothing more than a wind up merchant and that isn't going to be enough for Chelsea.

Perhaps now that attitude is beginning to rub Mourinho up the wrong way and what looks like a falling out between two stubborn characters is unlikely to be resolved quickly. Diego Costa showed last year he can be a very good player, but he has been set back by a niggling injury which never seems to be fully healed and I am not surprised Chelsea are being linked with bring in replacements.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Costa heading back to Spain at the end of the season too as he has become a player that is more of a problem for his own team than he has been to opponents.

Who is the Premier League Title Favourite Heading into December?

Some people might think it is disrespectful I have an image that doesn't include Leicester City but does include Chelsea.

To be fair Chelsea would only be in as the current Champions, but it would take something special for them to win the title from the position they are in.

In terms of Leicester City, if they are still within touching distance going into the New Year, I will change my mind about a team who have overachieved but have big challenges ahead.

Both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur would perhaps take a top four berth ahead of a title challenge this season but there is only 6 points between Liverpool in 6th and Manchester City leading the Division as teams fail to put a consistent run together.

Despite my questions about Wayne Rooney, Manchester United have a set of fixtures prior to Christmas that can see them lead the way as long as they take the points expected. If there is a genuine title challenge brewing at Old Trafford, Manchester United have to win home games against West Ham United and Norwich City and also win at Bournemouth before tougher tests on Boxing Day and December 28th.

However, I am not sensing United will have enough goals and I truly can't look beyond Manchester City to reclaim the title at this point of time.

Manchester City have the deepest squad and they might be getting healthier now at a time when the whole squad is going to need to be utilised. I place them above the rest of the League in terms of quality at their disposal, while they seemingly have more character than Arsenal who are fighting through injuries and dropping points they shouldn't be.

There are only 2 points between Manchester City and Arsenal and they do have a big game days before Christmas at The Emirates Stadium, but the latter have just slipped up of late.

I have had a look at what the League table may look like when the FA Cup Third Round weekend is played and I think there is a chance that things are as tight as they are the moment in terms of points differential. I have Leicester City slipping down the table from their current heady heights of 2nd and have the side down in 7th place, and have the top of the table in the same positions other than Leicester moving out.

With the quick turnaround of fixtures during December and the turn of the year, it is easy for things to change through injuries, suspensions or simply tiredness, but it does set the Premier League up to be an exciting five months to decide the title.

It is just still hard to look past Manchester City as being the team to beat.

Weekend Football Thoughts 2015 (October 24-25)

Another domestic weekend is in the books and there have been many stories coming out of the games that were played this weekend. With ten fixtures been played by each team, the Premier League table is beginning to take shape and there has to be some real concerns developing at some clubs while others are perhaps looking forward to what could be the most memorable of seasons.

Tim Sherwood Unfortunate but Relegation is Too Costly for Aston Villa

Tim Sherwood has overseen a really poor run of form for Aston Villa, but I still think he deserved a bit more time to try and get things right at the club. However you can't argue against the fact that there are clearly some issues between the manager and the transfer committee of the club which has transferred onto the pitch and left Aston Villa in a disastrous position.

They are far from doomed and that is why I would have given Sherwood a little more time to get things turned around, but the Premier League is about to receive a huge investment in terms of money next season. That has clearly played a part in the decision to sack Tim Sherwood at this stage of the season and it is no surprise that financial matters are being considered by every club in the Premier League.

Is it any wonder that two of the three teams in the bottom three places of the Premier League have made moves in terms of replacing the manager that began the season?

With the money coming into the Premier League, relegation for teams like Aston Villa won't just be an issue in the short-term, but also the long-term and I think a team that has been flirting with relegation for some time will find it very difficult to recover their place in the top flight. The squad hasn't been given the kind of experience that Sherwood had been demanding in the summer and that also adds to the sense of misfortune in him being sacked at this stage.

Aston Villa don't look very good and it will take some real work from the new manager being appointed to get them out of a difficult spot. It is a shame Sherwood hasn't been given the opportunity to push the team on after helping them avoid relegation at the end of last season, but money talks as they say and Aston Villa can't afford to miss out on the big financial pay outs expected in the Premier League next year.

Where do Aston Villa go? I'd pick someone who has experience of managing in the Premier League and perhaps they are a little gutted they didn't move for someone like Sam Allardyce before he took the Sunderland job. It isn't the most attractive of jobs though with their transfer structure likely to put some off, while others might not feel they can get the best out of a squad that looks limited.

It's going to be a big call whichever direction Aston Villa take and one that might be crucial to the future of the club and their long-term prospects of being a Premier League club and not joining the likes of Leeds United and Nottingham Forest as 'sleeping giants' in the Championship.

Are Chelsea's Top Four Ambitions Now Under Threat?

That was a fantastic image captured from the West Ham United win over Chelsea this weekend and the question about The Blues defending the title they won last season looks to be answered.

I can't see how they get back into the title race being eleven points behind after only ten games played and I don't care that there are eighty-four points still to play for.

The bigger fear for Chelsea is doubts that might begin to crop up surrounding their place in the top four as they continue to lurch from one disastrous result to another. They have no momentum and every time it looks like Chelsea have taken a step in the right direction they end up taking two steps backwards.

Jose Mourinho is definitely under some huge pressure with reports that he will be sacked if Chelsea fail to beat Liverpool next week in the Premier League, while the League Cup game at Stoke City has taken on a whole new level of importance. I wouldn't begin to think of the direction that Chelsea would take if they do dispense of Mourinho mid-season, but perhaps someone like Guus Hiddink would be willing to come in and complete the season for Chelsea.

Something is certainly not right at Stamford Bridge and it looks like they haven't made half the investments that Jose Mourinho wanted this summer to keep the Champions moving forward. It is beginning to look more and more doubtful that Mourinho will finish the season though and Chelsea could have to face the same issues as Manchester United after David Moyes in needing someone to come in and have a huge investment to refresh this squad of players that have some ageing issues throughout.

Are Arsenal Ready to Challenge for the Premier League Title?

With Chelsea struggling mightily and Manchester City yet to have a full season with a clear bill of health, Arsenal might just feel they have their best chance in years to end the long wait for the Premier League title. This is a team at their peak in terms of confidence and another win at the weekend has kept the momentum behind them.

I have been a pretty harsh critic of Arsene Wenger in the past, but I was impressed with the tactical set up of the team to beat Bayern Munich and he really has the team playing well after some early season stumbles.

Results this weekend mean Arsenal are only behind Manchester City thanks to an inferior goal difference, but the next two weeks can tell us all we need to know about their title credentials. A trip to Swansea City followed by a home game against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League are two tough tests for Arsenal and made a little more difficult knowing they have a big game against Bayern Munich in the Champions League in between those fixtures.

I'd make Arsenal a pretty strong favourite to win both of those League games though, but I still think there is a vulnerable side to the team that would see them drop points in previous years. So winning those games would make me sit up and really think Arsenal could stay the course if they can maintain health.

Keeping Mesut Ozil performing at his current level will be difficult too, but the German international is a top player who might just have found his groove in the Premier League. Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud give Arsenal enough goals and Gabriel looks a solid partner to Laurent Koscielny at the back.

Petr Cech made some big saves again and highlighted his importance to the club and Arsenal could be flying before they play Manchester City in December. The Gunners meet Swansea City, Tottenham Hotspur, West Brom, Norwich City, Sunderland and Aston Villa before the clash with Manchester City and picking up 16 points from a possible 18 might have them going into that game as the team on top of the Premier League.

One of the North East Premier League Teams will be Relegated

Both Sunderland and Newcastle United are in a big trouble when it comes to potentially being relegated this season from the Premier League and I would be more than a little surprised if both managed to escape the bottom three again.

Last season I was convinced one or both were going to be relegated going into the final couple of months of the season, but they found enough form to get out of trouble at just the right time.

I saw the highlights of Sunderland's win over Newcastle United this weekend and I think both teams will have a very difficult time getting out of trouble this season. Out of the two I definitely think Newcastle United have more quality in the ranks that will see them find a way, but Sunderland's luck may have run out.

I do actually rate Sam Allardyce as a manager and the 3-0 win over Newcastle United will give his players a boost in confidence and while the November games are difficult, they do also give Sunderland a chance to pick up some vital points. However, I can't ignore the lack of quality that is in the squad and the fact they were outplayed up until Newcastle United had Fabriccio Coloccini sent off at the end of the first half.

One of these teams will be relegated in my book and I would still think Sunderland are most in danger of being that team if only one was to go down and that despite the 3-0 derby win.

Wayne Rooney Has to be Taken Out of the Firing Line

Louis Van Gaal might be fed up with answering questions about Wayne Rooney's form, or lack of form I should say, but the fans are also getting a little tired of what are sub-standard performances from the captain.

I'll never be a fan of Wayne Rooney myself, but I'm not foolish enough to say that he did give Manchester United some pace and power and was a threat for them through the years.

Did... Past tense.

The pace and power have diminished significantly from the player he was in 2008, which isn't a surprise considering he has hit 30, but the rest of the game is quickly following suit. The first touch is outrageously bad and was the cause of a number of attacks falling apart in the Manchester derby, while even the much vaunted passing, mostly from members of the media, was pretty disastrous too.

He isn't a Number 9 though is he? That's the latest from the media, but then again he hasn't been a Number 8, Number 10, Number 11 either despite members of that profession regularly pointing out he isn't in his best position. However, they then will point to the other four positions as he is best before changing their mind again and the situation seems simple to me.

Wayne Rooney has to be taken out of the starting eleven and allowed to try and rediscover some form and confidence which is clearly lacking at the moment.

For the life of me I am not sure why Louis Van Gaal has moved Anthony Martial out from the Number 9 position... Martial has everything Rooney doesn't and that's the kind of skills that would scare almost every centre half in the world. He has pace, fast feet that can see him beat a man and comfortable holding up the ball as well as making runs over the top of defences that might want to press up the pitch.

Martial would have been all that Rooney wasn't and challenged both Vincent Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi on Sunday, but instead they had a pretty easy afternoon.

Wayne Rooney is unlikely to play his part against Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup, but Louis Van Gaal has a big decision to make in whether his captain is going to be allowed to continue to get away with his poor performances. I think it has been going on for too long already and maybe the return of Ashley Young from injury to play on the left and moving Martial to his favoured position will spark that change being made.

Weekend Football Thoughts 2015 (October 17-19)

It was an another interesting week in the Premier League as domestic football returned following a two week break. Time has been of the essence this week and so I will get on with my few thoughts following the action this weekend.

Jurgen Klopp Takes Charge for the First Time for Liverpool

I was a little surprised by some of the reactions to Jurgen Klopp's first game in charge as if Liverpool had played so much better than they had in previous weeks under Brendan Rodgers.

I am not ragging on Klopp here, but I also think people are super-high on the German at the moment and that means he can do no wrong in the early stages of his time as manager. That is certainly good news for Klopp who will be given the time to establish his philosophy (listening to too many Louis Van Gaal press conferences) at the club, but I think the same problems that existed for Rodgers will apply in the coming months.

Namely Klopp will need some luck with injuries which have again reared their head at Liverpool- Daniel Sturridge missed out, while Danny Ings is a potential long-term casualty which leaves Liverpool short up front.

The return of Sturridge and Jordan Henderson for a prolonged period make Liverpool a much different team than the one that took the field at White Hart Lane and that will be key to how well the side do this season, regardless of who was going to be in charge.

The goalless draw at White Hart Lane was an impressive result on paper, but the key for Klopp will be to turn a few of these draws into wins and get Liverpool moving up the table.

My opening grade for Klopp has to be a 'B -' because I wasn't expecting Liverpool to win at Tottenham and it was a good result. In saying that, the performance was average so he gets a slightly above average grade because of the injuries Liverpool have to deal with too.

How Long Will Aston Villa Give Tim Sherwood?

A managerial change has been made at Sunderland, a team in the bottom three alongside Aston Villa, and that might have a few of the board members at Villa Park considering their own manager's position.

Another defeat in the Premier League has heaped the pressure on Tim Sherwood and I do think the game against Swansea City next weekend is a huge one for him.

It hasn't been that long since I said I have warmed to Sherwood and I do think he needs to be given time, but Aston Villa's League position isn't helping his cause and the fear of being cut off in the bottom three has to be playing a big part in the rumours.

You can't blame Randy Lerner considering the money that is going to be pumped into the Premier League next season and relegation could be very difficult for Aston Villa to recover from. They've been flirting with relegation for a few years, but there was a real hope that Aston Villa would be much higher in the League table this time around after it had looked like Sherwood had sparked some form.

Losing Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph has been tough, while the replacements still need time to gel, but I am not sure Sherwood will be given the time to oversee that. It is a big weekend for the manager and anything other than a victory might mean Sherwood is moved on and the likes of David Moyes, Garry Monk and Brendan Rodgers are targeted to get the club out of trouble.

Leicester City's Character Cannot be Questioned

On the one hand you might be worried as a Leicester City fan that your side keeps falling 2-0 behind in games, but on the other you'd be proud of the character that they have displayed to come back and recover points in those games.

The Foxes were at it again this weekend as Jamie Vardy scored twice to help them come from 2-0 down to earn a draw at Southampton and I have been very impressed with the character they have displayed through the season.

There has been no drop off from the form that carried Leicester City to safety at the end of last season even though Nigel Pearson was removed as manager and I think the players need to be given a whole load of credit for that. Claudio Ranieri has been smart enough to keep the 'Tinkerman' from interfering too much and Leicester City have responded.

How far can that character take them? I am not sure they can keep falling 2-0 down and think the fitness and belief will help them come back on a consistent basis. It would be a disappointment if Leicester City failed to finish in the top half of the table, although pushing on for a European spot through their League form is going to be difficult.

I wouldn't be surprised if they go deep in one of the Cup competitions though as this is a team that will be a pain in the backside for any in the country, especially knowing their focus can be completely on those Cup games. Later in the season the top teams need to balance Europe with their domestic schedule and that is where Leicester City, and the next team I talk about, potentially take advantage to give their fans a memorable 2015/16 season.

Potential for West Ham to Finish in the Top Six

West Ham United have had five away games in the Premier League and four of those have been at sides that currently occupy places in the top ten in the League table. Stunningly, West Ham have won all four of those games on their travels and they might be moving into the Olympic Stadium next season having secured their best League finish of the century.

The Hammers finished 5th in the 1999 Premier League season and while that still looks a big ask to match that final position, I really do think this is a team that can potentially do that.

It all will depend on whether they can find the right balance at Upton Park where they have won just one of their four home games in the Premier League.

West Ham are up to 4th in the Premier League despite their home record and improving at Upton Park while maintaining these ridiculously high standards away from home might potentially see them as a dark horse for a Champions League place.

However, I think they will have a hard time to do that and improving the home form could instead lead to a top six finish. The problem for Slaven Bilic is he has found the perfect counter attacking tactics away from home which are much harder to employ at home where the space is restricted.

The 2-2 away draw at Sunderland, when West Ham were 2-0 down and fortunate to be in the game at half time, might suggest The Hammers will struggle with 'expectation'. These are the kind of issues that Bilic will have to fix if they are going to finish in the top six and remains the big questions to be answered around a West Ham United team that have had a magnificent start to the season.

Weekend Football Thoughts 2015 (October 3-4)

With another international week ahead of us, the last Premier League weekend proved to be one filled with drama and big stories as the first two managerial casualties of the top flight were confirmed, while the top and the bottom of the Premier League has begun to take shape.

Are the Bottom Three in Danger of Being Cut Off From the Rest?

That image is of Marko Arnautovic celebrating his winning goal for Stoke City at Villa Park on Saturday which moved his side clear of the bottom three after opening the weekend in 17th place in the League table.

With a win over Aston Villa and both Newcastle United and Sunderland also failing to earn the three points over the weekend, all of a sudden there is a four point gap between 17th and 18th place in the Premier League.

Yes, there are still 90 points to play for this season so there is no immediate danger of the bottom three clubs being cut off, but that gap has to be a concern to Tim Sherwood and Steve McClaren in the bottom three.

It has been a competitive Division over the first couple of months, but only Newcastle United and Sunderland have yet to win, while Aston Villa haven't won since the opening day of the season. The fans of these clubs have to be a little worried over the next two weeks before the Premier League returns because I am not sure how much improvement those clubs will make in that time.

You can't be anything but worried when you're not too convinced about a club's chances of beating any other in the League and these three clubs in the bottom three don't inspire much confidence.

It is going to be a big month of football for Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Sunderland following this international break until the next month in the middle of November. They Tyne-Wear derby on October 25th looks huge too and I would already begin to consider two out of these three as being big favourites for relegation come May.

Dick Advocaat Unsurprisingly Walks Away from Sunderland

The first managerial casualty of the Premier League unsurprisingly came at the Stadium of Light where it was considered fairly certain that Dick Advocaat was going to leave Sunderland no matter what happened in the game against West Ham United.

Seeing his team blow a 2-0 lead in a 2-2 draw didn't do much for the Dutchman and I don't blame him for walking.

Sunderland have never been transparent as to who is running the transfers at the club but I think the previous comments from Paolo Di Canio and Gus Poyet suggest the manager perhaps doesn't have as much control as is needed. Advocaat's decision to walk might have been influenced by the lack of quality that was brought into the club without his go-ahead and I am personally not a big fan of 'committees' running the transfer side of a club because these people take little to no responsibility when things go wrong.

Fans and the media will look at the manager and the buck will stop with him and a manager that retired in the summer only to make a U-turn is unsurprisingly not wanting to deal with the pressure of a relegation battle.

I think it is also telling that someone like Harry Redknapp made it clear openly that Sunderland is not a job he would be willing to touch because of the quality of players at the club. He even suggested Sam Allardyce is unlikely to take on the job and all the Houdini acts Sunderland have committed to escape the drop looks unlikely to be repeated this season.

Sunderland simply haven't had the most taxing of fixture lists to be stuck on three points from a possible twenty-four and it will take something special for them to drag themselves out of the bottom three. Someone has to take responsibility for the shocking signings that have left Sunderland as a mess at the back and not being able to score enough goals to cover those issues.

This looks like it is going to be a long season for Sunderland unless they can find someone who can inspire a poor crop of players for long enough to bring in reinforcements in the January transfer window. Even those reinforcements might not be enough barring another miracle for Sunderland who have looked the worst team in the Premier League by a considerable distance so far.

When Will Chelsea Hit Rock Bottom in this Season?

I'll admit that I have thought Chelsea are about to turn the corner a couple of times already this season, but they continue to make the defensive mistakes that have prevented a consistent run.

Hands up if you picked Chelsea to be in 16th place in the Premier League table going into the second international break of the 2015/16 season... Not many hands that I can see!

Jose Mourinho is under immense pressure as his 'rant' to Sky Sports at the end of another poor home defeat showed, while the players look to have inexplicably downed tools.

Have they given up on the manager, something Mourinho said would be the only reason he would resign as manager of Chelsea? Some of them certainly look like they are not pulling their weight as expected, while there is no consistency to the team line up which isn't helping things.

Some have suggested the players aren't pleased with the tactics that Mourinho insists on playing and ex-England and AC Milan manager Fabio Capello went as far as saying Mourinho has worn out his players. Capello said the same was said after Mourinho's time at Real Madrid and perhaps that is a big reason that 'third season syndrome' affects Mourinho's teams as much as it seems to in seasons he has remained as long as that at one club.

It is baffling to perfectly honest because it looks like some of the veteran players have aged overnight and maybe Mourinho did get the best out of them last season and they have nothing left. John Terry was terrible in the loss to Southampton, Nemanja Matic was withdrawn in the game and Chelsea lack options up front with Diego Costa out suspended.

Games are not going to get easier for Chelsea once they are out of the international break. The face big trips to Dynamo Kiev, West Ham United and Stoke City (in the League Cup and the Premier League), while Liverpool visit Stamford Bridge and things may get worse before they get better for Mourinho.

One question remains though... Will Chelsea keep their 'full support' behind the manager if they lose two or three more games between October 17th and November 7th?

And Then There Were Three

Thierry Henry said in the wake of Arsenal's 3-0 win over Manchester United that Arsene Wenger won't have a better chance to guide his team to the Premier League title than he looks like he will have this season.

Chelsea are unlikely to defend their title with their continuing struggles and 10 points looks a lot to make up on Manchester City who lead the way.

Despite the loss to Arsenal, Manchester United remain in the thick of the battle to become title contenders although the next month will tell us a lot more about Louis Van Gaal's men once they play at Everton, Manchester City at home and Crystal Palace away.

Manchester City will be there or thereabouts as long as Manuel Pellegrini keeps them focused better than he has at times and also manages to get a full season out of Sergio Aguero and those three teams lead the way when it comes to potential winners.

With Chelsea struggling at the moment, a top four berth for a surprise contender is certainly up for grabs, while Liverpool might feel a big change in the manager's office potentially gets them back in the mix as they are only 4 points behind Arsenal and Manchester United.

If I am being honest, I am still expecting Manchester City to push clear in the coming months, but the Premier League certainly has an open look about it as we get closer to the ten game mark which is supposed to give us the clearest picture of how things will develop.

Brendan Rodgers' Time is Up at Liverpool

The rumours about Brendan Rodgers' future as Liverpool manager began as far back as April when his side limply went out of the FA Cup Semi Final to Aston Villa, but this still feels a strange juncture at which the decision was made to remove the Northern Irishman from his position.

There are definitely some arrogance around Rodgers and an almost undeserving belief that he has been surpassing expectations at Liverpool, but I also think he is a better manager than those who love revising history would care to admit.

He almost took Liverpool to the title behind some breathtaking football and while some will point to Luis Suarez being the main source for that, I would hesitate in diminishing Rodgers' role in the 2014 season. He got the best out of Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge that season to complement Suarez and it was only a bit of naivety that prevented Liverpool winning the League in the final three games when they were big favourites to do that.

That game with Chelsea when Liverpool pushed on for goals when a draw would have sufficed is perhaps the one moment Rodgers would love to go back in time and adjust his own tactics you'd think and it would have made him virtually untouchable at Anfield right now.

He made mistakes- the signing of Mario Balotelli was never going to work as a replacement for Suarez, but a long-term injury to Daniel Sturridge was bad luck.

Liverpool are not that far off the top four places so I think the timing was strange, but I guess someone, Jurgen Klopp, has given the nod he is ready to return to management and the owners believe he can get more out of the squad that has been put together. Klopp looks the perfect fit for Liverpool as someone who made some impressive signings on a small budget at Borussia Dortmund, but was also capable of replacing big players that were sold.


It is much harder to see where Rodgers goes from here- perhaps he takes the David Moyes approach and look to manage abroad because the only way is down from Liverpool in the Premier League. He is still young enough to come again, but not many managers get more than a single shot at the very big clubs in a single country and Rodgers might be best to rebuild before returning to England.

You can understand his disappointment- he was three games away from becoming a Liverpool legend yet eighteen months later is out of the door at Anfield and now being widely criticised for his tenure.

I think it is harsh that his performance is being downplayed in hindsight, but that is football these days when managers go from one extreme to another in a very short period of time. Rodgers can just make a quick call to his friend Jose Mourinho to understand that as he exits the limelight for the foreseeable future.

Weekend Football Thoughts 2015 (September 26-28)

We have just about got through the first two months of the 2015/16 season and the domestic League tables are beginning to make sense now.

This week we will see a number of teams turn their attention back to the Champions League before what looks like a very big weekend of Premier League football and a true 'Super Sunday' for the neutrals to enjoy.

On with the stories that have come out of the weekend football.

Time for an Expanded Video Replay System?

I am sure I am not the only football fan out there that has been enjoying the Rugby World Cup which is currently taking place and it is a sport that has embraced technology to help get the decisions right.

I am not a big fan of going to the video for almost every little detail, I think the referees have to keep the human element in the game, especially as some of the rugby matches seem to last an eternity when the video is employed constantly.

So I don't think I would want technology to ruin the flow of a football game going forward with everything being checked, but it might be time for 'offside' decisions to be reviewed.

The three decisions in the Tottenham Hotspur-Manchester City game that the linesmen got wrong were almost inexcusable, with or without the video technology. Even if it was employed at the moment, the above image saw the linesman directly in line with Kyle Walker yet he still missed it which makes me wonder what exactly he was doing/watching and that has nothing to do with the video technology.

It's not close enough to give the linesman the benefit of the doubt like the Kevin De Bruyne could be argued for, and the later decision allowing Harry Kane's goal to stand was almost as baffling considering he was inside the box and the rest of the players, bar the goalkeeper, were clearly standing outside of the 18 yard line.

Some people will use the 'speed of the game' as an excuse, but the Kane goal came from a direct free kick so there was no 'speed' that could have affected the linesman decision, while the above decision was simply ridiculous.

My biggest concern with video technology has to be slowing down the game and just killing the flow that makes football exciting. Maybe a challenge system like that employed in the NFL or the professional tennis tours can be put into football, especially for these matter of fact incidents like an offside or a goal being scored but anything more than that and you know the Premier League will change a ninety minute game into one that lasts much, much longer.

Manchester United Finally Back on Top of the Premier League

Ever since the formation of the Premier League, Manchester United have been considered a title challenger or a team that will certainly spend time at the top of the Premier League. The earlier result at White Hart Lane on Saturday gave the club the chance to reach the summit of the Premier League for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson departed in May 2013.

Manchester United weren't going to miss that opportunity against Sunderland and a 3-0 win saw them move to a position fans were very familiar in seeing the side under Sir Alex Ferguson.

I can't deny that it was exciting to see the League table with Manchester United leading the way, but there is a long way to go for a title challenge to really develop.

Firstly I think Manchester United are perhaps a point short in what they should have earned from the opening set of fixtures, the two points dropped against Newcastle United the key. Of course teams will drop points in a competitive League like the Premier League so that isn't a big concern and it is all about finishing above 19 other teams no matter how the points are earned.

Second, I am looking forward to seeing where Manchester United are come November 1st.

Why? The next four Premier League games before that date sees Manchester United travelling to Arsenal, Everton and Crystal Palace while hosting Manchester City and it will give everyone a much truer picture of whether Louis Van Gaal can put a title challenge together.

If Manchester United are still on top of the Premier League on that date in a little over a months time, I will truly begin to believe they can win the title this season.

The Return of Daniel Sturridge comes at a Crucial Time for Brendan Rodgers

After a really positive start to the Premier League season, recent results had left Brendan Rodgers under serious pressure as Liverpool manager with rumours racing that they are looking for his replacement.

Injuries and poor signings haven't helped the cause, but the return of Daniel Sturridge might have come at a critical time for Liverpool and Rodgers.

It was Sturridge who scored twice to help the side beat Aston Villa 3-2 at Anfield on Saturday and finally having someone at the end of the creativity should have Liverpool moving in a positive direction. Sturridge is the best fit up front for what Rodgers is trying to do with Liverpool and his goals might have eased the pressure on the manager, but he has missed chunks of the last twelve months.

Keeping Sturridge fit might be the big link between Rodgers being in or out of the dugout at Anfield in the foreseeable future and I can bet the manager has no intention of making his striker available for the England European Qualifiers that are played in a couple of weeks.

This was always seen as a big week for Rodgers with the Merseyside derby ending it before the international break and Sturridge might just be the man to earn him a reprieve if the rumours of an imminent sacking were to be believed.

Callum Wilson's Injury could be a Major Blow to Bournemouth

When teams come up from the Championship, the hardest task might be finding a player that can consistently score the goals at the Premier League level that can help them avoid relegation.

It doesn't always work as Queens Park Rangers found out despite having Charlie Austin up front, but it is still a huge help for these promoted teams to have someone who they can rely upon.

Bournemouth looked to have their striker in Callum Wilson with some suggesting he might be in line for an England call-up, but unfortunately he suffered what looks like a long-term knee injury on Saturday.

Missing Wilson for considerable time will be a big blow to Eddie Howe and the next two months are critical for Bournemouth to find a way to keep churning out the results in his absence. Glenn Murray has experience at the Premier League level, but he doesn't have the pace of Wilson nor is he a player that wants to get behind the last line of defence by playing on the shoulders of defenders and so Bournemouth have to make some big adjustments.

The winter months are approaching and it could be some dark times for Bournemouth who have a difficult portion of their fixture list upcoming following the game with Watford next weekend. Losing Wilson through those months might be the catalyst to The Cherries slipping into the relegation zone and it will be a big task for Eddie Howe to get them out of trouble barring huge investments in the January transfer window.

I do enjoy the football Bournemouth try to produce, but that isn't enough to survive in the Premier League if there isn't much of an end product there without Wilson.

Can Barcelona Overcome Lionel Messi's Two Month Injury?

Unlike the Premier League in England, the Spanish Primera Division doesn't have the same level of competitiveness and that means any downturn in form from the likes of Barcelona or Real Madrid gives the other a distinct chance to win the title.

Atletico Madrid might have something to say about that considering they were Champions just two seasons ago, but really most people expect either Barcelona or Real Madrid to win the title in Spain.

Losing Lionel Messi for up to two months could be a huge dent for Barcelona despite the form they ended last season. They have struggled to match that to open this season with Lionel Messi and having to do without their talisman might give Real Madrid the impetus to create a lead in the Division that will be tough to overturn in the second half of the season.

Real Madrid haven't exactly been in flying form themselves with injuries to key players in their squad perhaps hindering them from picking up momentum, but this is a great chance for Rafa Benitez to pull away from Barcelona. There is just one point separating Barcelona from Real Madrid and it will be interesting to see where that stands when Messi returns in early December.

Weekend Football Thoughts 2015 (September 12-14)

Another round of Premier League fixtures is in the books and it has to be said that it was a weekend when many of the top teams just underlined their ability to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

Over the next month of the season, I expect to see the entire League settle down and begin to take shape and this weekend looks to be the first step towards that process.

As I will try to do on a weekly basis, here are a few thoughts that have come out of the weekend games.

Is the Chelsea Title Defence Already Over?

It is hard to imagine that the image above is from only four months ago as Chelsea won the Premier League title and then came into the new season as the favourites to win it again.

I opened up my last 'weekend thoughts' post talking about Chelsea in crisis so some may think I am 'picking on them', but it is clearly one of the strangest collapses that you could have imagined.

A 3-1 loss to Everton means Chelsea have conceded at least twice in every League game they have played this season, while they have matched the total number of goals conceded in the first five games as they had conceded up to December 3rd last season.

Last season they spoke about Chelsea going unbeaten in the League thanks to a really strong start and they didn't lose a third League game until the 18th of May, yet they have matched that number of losses already.

Jose Mourinho isn't happy and there seems to be some discord between him and the rest of the squad and Chelsea now sit a huge 11 points behind leaders Manchester City.

So is the title race over for Chelsea already? I don't want to rule out a team that has been close to the top in each of the last two seasons, but I can't see Manchester City allowing a virtual four game swing against them, even at this very early stage of the season. It isn't just Manchester City, but both Arsenal and Manchester United have a healthy lead over Chelsea after five games and it will take something special for The Blues to turn this around.

I'd be very surprised to see Chelsea win the League title now, but I do expect improvements, although I don't know what Mourinho will do if Chelsea were to be beaten by Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. The lack of a response from the Chelsea squad to their recent struggles has to be a huge concern for the manager and the fans and the rumours about the unhappiness of Mourinho at Stamford Bridge refuse to go away.

This is definitely an issue to keep an eye on.

Can Sergio Aguero Stay Healthy Enough to Lead a Manchester City Champions League Challenge?

If the rumours are to be believed, Manuel Pellegrini might be moved on as Manchester City manager regardless of what he achieves in the Premier League this season, but a Champions League challenge may see the owners change their mind.

It seems to be an open secret that Manchester City would like to line up Pep Guardiola as the next manager if the Spaniard decides to leave Bayern Munich next summer as expected. That kind of move will be all about improving a poor record in the Champions League despite the money Manchester City have spent.

The image of Sergio Aguero limping off and missing a vital Champions League game has become one that is far too familiar to Manchester City fans than they would like to see. I personally think he is the best striker in the Premier League and possibly the best Number 9 in World Football, but Aguero never seems too far away from missing serious time.

The tackle from Scott Dann wasn't very clever to knock Aguero out of that game at Crystal Palace and the subsequent visit of Juventus and it does feel Manchester City only go as far as their leading man can take them.

Aguero has a very strong record of 19 goals in 28 European games for Manchester City, and the drop off to Wilfried Bony is a big one that Pellegrini won't want to have to use too often. The one big question mark about Aguero is whether he can get through a full season and Manchester City fans will be desperate he can do that as they look to at least make the Quarter Finals of the Champions League for the first time.

Watford's Defence Laying the Foundations for Avoiding Relegation

There have been so many new faces signed for Watford over the summer that it was always going to be expected that they would have some teething problems gelling together.

That might be part of the reason Watford have struggled for goals in their early Premier League games, but the defensive shape looks to be spot on and could form the foundation of a successful season.

The 1-0 win over Swansea City highlighted that shape as they managed to hold out against an in-form team despite playing large parts of the second half with just ten men. Watford managed to keep a third clean sheet in five games and maybe they won't need to score as many goals as a team like Bournemouth to survive the drop.

If they can start scoring goals, Watford could soon find themselves climbing the table rapidly and the defence will get a lot of credit for that if they can also maintain their level.

Getting knocked out of the Capital One Cup might be a bonus for Watford and they have a decent set of games coming up before the next international break to get some serious points on the board.

Brendan Rodgers on the Brink of the Sack

That is what the rumours were suggesting in the wake of the Manchester United loss for Liverpool on Saturday, with some even reporting a potential board meeting on the Sunday.

The last eighteen months have been a rollercoaster for Rodgers- if Liverpool win the Premier League at the end of May 2014, Rodgers would be nigh on untouchable at the club, or at least afforded more time to get things right.

However, Rodgers doesn't have the silverware to back him up and Liverpool look to have slipped since exceeding expectations in 2014, while my one criticism of the manager has to be the poor signings he has made.

For every decent signing made like Daniel Sturridge or Philippe Coutinho, Rodgers has bought the likes of Rickie Lambert, Mario Balotelli, Lazar Markovic or Dejan Lovren.

That is where Rodgers has failed for me, but I think he does deserve time to try and turn things around once his key players are back fit and healthy. Rodgers missed Sturridge and Jordan Henderson at Old Trafford, although the bigger worry might be the change in his style of play since purchasing Christian Benteke.

Of course you should adapt to get the best out of a player, but my concern would be why has Rodgers bought players that simply don't fit what he wants to do. Surely a manager should purchase those who fit his system, not change everything around for a single player bought?

If it was for Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi you might change things, but Rodgers has purchased some really average players and the lack of attacking quality against Manchester United would have been the most disappointing thing for the Liverpool fans who had made the trip up the M62.

The next month is critical for Rodgers- we all know Liverpool had a tough fixture list to start off the season, but they play four straight home games after the trip to Bordeaux in the Europa League and Rodgers has to oversee four wins. That might give his team some real momentum to take into the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park prior to the next international break.

On the other hand, fail to get the results required and that two week gap between Everton and Tottenham Hotspur might just be the time the board will look to make their change.

I'm Beginning to Warm to Tim Sherwood

When Tim Sherwood took over at Tottenham Hotspur and later moved on as manager of Aston Villa, I didn't think he was much more than a short-term fix for clubs.

That was the extent of his man-motivation abilities, and I wasn't convinced about him as a manager at all.

Now I am not saying I suddenly think he is the next coming of Sir Alex Ferguson, but I have begun to warm towards Sherwood thanks to his very honest appraisals in his press interviews.

Look at that face- there is no hiding the disappointment, 'gutted-ness' and frustration that Sherwood had having seen his Aston Villa team blow a 0-2 lead at Leicester City to lose 3-2.

I think that will sit well with the fans- it's nice to see a manager who feels the pain as much as the fans would have in that last thirty minutes and there is no bullshit around what Sherwood feels. Aston Villa will be hoping he can start turning around some of the results too, but I will admit I actually like Sherwood and the passion he does show for his teams.