Covid, truncated season and early start, so, should anyone be surprised at the plethora of ridiculous results and outlandish performances thus far. City, United and Liverpool all being trounced and humiliated. And the manner in which West Ham `Leicestered` Leicester and Spurs reminded fans of the Greaves, Blanchflower era with their dissection of Manchester United augurs well for the season ahead. Maybe fans should stay at home, the tea would be cheaper at least.
An out of season transfer window promised much but delivered very little of substance, if you discount Manchester United`s `panic buying` of two, sorry, three wingers. The biggest news, apart from the old news re Gareth Bale was what most of the football world expected, no Jadon Sancho for OT. He has obviously seen United and the state they are in and, what is the German for `not a chance.`
Arsenal
Willian, Cedric Soares, Gabriel – Lille, Dani Ceballos from Real Madrid.
Mikel Arteta`s side continued their pre-Covid-19 improvement into the new campaign, spurred on by the acquisitions of Willian and Ceballos though the arrival from Madrid needs to remove the antics from his game, petulant drops to the floor at the mere suggestion of physical contact. The Gunners seem to have more defensive resolve these days. It will be interesting to see if they can maintain that. The Gunners were the biggest spenders on Deadline Day with the signing of Ghananian strongman Thomas Party from Atletico Madrid and if his photoshopped pic in an Arsenal shirt is anything to go by he will cause a few sleepless nights for opposing players. He might be exactly what Arteta wants to turn his side into title challengers.
Aston Villa
Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Ollie Watkins, Bertrand Traore, Ross Barkley
Dean Smith pulled off a bit of a master stroke when he built on Villa`s splendid start to the season with the loan signing of Ross Barkley from Chelsea. On his day he can be one of the best midfielders in the top flight as capable of a telling pass as he is of getting a goal. Pairing him and Jack Grealish in midfield could pay dividends and Ollie Watkins is doing what he does best, scoring goals, so the future is looking bright at Villa Park, the future is claret and blue.
Brighton & Hove Albion
Adam Lallana, Joel Veltman AJAX, Lars Dendoncker
A mixed start for Graham Potters` men after a clearout that saw 19 players leaving. Highest profile arrival was Adam Lallana but the side needs more substance than Lallana can provide on his own.
Burnley
Sean Dyche must have seen something in his squad that isn`t obvious to the rest of us because the Clarets` squad is looking decidedly lightweight as they set out to underline with three defeats in their opening three Premier League games. A quality midfielder and a centre back were Dyche`s priorities but with no deadline day signings he had to comfort himself with the news that James Tarkowski stayed at Turf Moor despite interest from West Ham.
Chelsea
Timo Wener looks a quality player while Kai Havertz has shown he knows the way to goal. Ben Chilwell is a quality acquisition and proved it with a goal and assists in his first two games. It remains to be seen if the signing of Edouard Mendy from Rennes will solve the goalkeeper problem which is only part of the defensive frailty of the squad that will prevent its forward prowess to bring in silverware.
Thiago Silva – few players over the past fifty years have got anywhere near the level of centre half play for which Franz Beckenbauer was renowned. Thiago Silva has got closer than most. But I`m not sure after the comfort zone of Ligue 1 with PSG he will be able to cope with the incessant pace of the Premier League. A striker and a centre back are Frank Lampard`s main priorites.
Crystal Palace
The signing of Eberechi Eze QPR, and Batshuayi – Chelsea loan, seemed to suggest Palace were preparing for the departure of Zaha but with a day to go in the window the enigmatic forward was still part of the furniture at Selhurst Park.
Everton
The proof of the Toffee`s pudding has been in 12 points out of 12 to see Everton top of the Premier League after four games. But the magic ingredient has not been the scintillating talent we all knew James Rodriguez
was blessed with nor the sudden burst of goals from Calvert-Lewin, nor the step up in quality from Doucoure. Yes, they were the ingredients but the Master Chef who has mixed them up and come up with a winning formula is Carlo Ancelotti. Let`s see where they are come December and I think it will still be in the top four. The addition of Ben Godfrey from Norwich is yet another good sign that CA has everything well in hand.
And while the rest of the Premier League are quaking in their boots at the `new Everton` they will be accompanied by under-fire Jordan Pickford as he mulls on the arrival of experienced Swedish goalkeeper Robin Olsen from Roma.
Fulham
Oh dear! Fulham fans could be forgiven, as they look up from the bottom of the Premier League, if they look at the signings brought in to Craven Cottage and sigh , WHO?
Antonee Robinson, from Wigan, Harrison Reed and Mario Lemina, Southampton, Kenny Tate, Lyon, Ola Aina from Torino and the only name known on these shores, former Everton player Ademola Lookman, on loan from RB Leipzig. It is a sobering thought that already he looks too good for a relegation fight. However Fulham fans will not be overly optimistic that the winger`s goals will keep them in the top flight, six goals in his 58 first team games since he netted 10 in 45 for Charlton, is no cause for optimism.
Several quality players required as the Cottagers face a long winter. Will Ruben Loftus-Cheek, on loan from Chelsea, be the answer? Don`t think so.
Leeds United
Rodrigo Moreno looks a good buy for Leeds and Helder Costa has always been a quality player. Under Bielsa those two, supported by Illan Meslier – Lorient and Jack Harrison, loan from Man City, have already shown they will be a plus for Leeds who have been a breath of fresh air to the Premier League since they frightened the bejabbers out of Liverpool on Day 1.
Leicester City
Tim Castagne Atalanta, Cengiz Under Roma LOAN
City hit the buffers against West Ham but overall kept up the pace of their fine start to the season, despite selling Ben Chilwell but Brendan Rogers knows he cannot rely on the seemingly ageless Jamie Vardy, City`s only real goal threat, and the ever improving Harvey Barnes to stay with the leaders. James Maddison, already established at the King Power, will be the key. He needs support on midfield if he is to steer Leicester to success this season.
Liverpool
It has been business as usual for the Champions, on the field, but, not as we know it, from activity in the transfer market. Yet Jurgen Klopp has sold Rhian Brewster to Sheffield United who, in my opinion, would have been better for Liverpool than Minamino who has proved too lightweight since his arrival at Anfield. We haven`t seen enough of Thiago Alcantara to judge how he will do though the early signs were promising.
Konstantinos Tsimikas appears a work in progress while Diogo Jota has hit the turf running. Klopp`s relative transfer inactivity would seem to centre of the faith he has in the youngsters he did want to keep who made the break through last season but the acid test will be how Klopp maintains the balance between youth and experience as Liverpool defend their crown. It will also be interesting to see how they bounce back from their mauling at Villa Park.
Manchester City
This could well be the most important season in City`s history and might well be Pep Giardiola`s last at the Etihad, if former glory is not restored this season. Ruben Dias, from Benfica, looks like he could be the part-answer to defensive deficiencies but further forward City`s erratic start to the campaign underlined what everyone knew, NO Aguero, NO goals.
Also being without Jesus showed that Sterling for all the improvement in his goal getting is, how shall I put it, he`s NO Aguero. Nathan Ake, overpriced, should be a decent plus for Guardiola but John Stones, should be the long-term central defensive answer though I doubt he will be given the opportunity.
Nathan Ake – has always looked like Ruud Gullit now Pep has given him the stage on which he can prosper. Still only 25 he has been a top-flight player since he made his Chelsea debut at 17. As comfortable in midfield as he is at centre back, where most people see his future, he already has 15 caps for the Netherlands.
Pablo Moreno, from Juventus, and Ferran Torres, Valencia, were top flight arrivals and it will be interesting to see how Pep integrates them into his psyche.
Manchester United
Ighalo – among all the talented players in the United squad Ighalo is the one, true, predator when it comes to scoring goals. His first couple of goals had pundits yelling `fluke` but careful examination showed anything but. He has the mark of Gary Lineker, Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler about him, and they were none too shabby in the goals department were they.
Donny van de Beek seems to have settled well, despite not going straight into the first choice X1, and may be one for the future but as we all know, long-term and patience are not factors that sit well in the `we want it yesterday` mantra that is Old Trafford. Jadon Sancho has been lauded as the answer but such a pantomime to get him in begs the question, `is it worth it.` And what can you say about a club that desperately needs defenders but goes and buys yet another veteran striker, Edson Cavani? Not a lot according to the fans watching Spurs demolish their spiritless boys in red v Tottenham.
Interesting transfer policy on deadline day; buying two wingers’,’,
