Ten Things We Learned From the Premiership This Week 09.23.07

By: Daryl | September 23rd, 2007

Tevez scores against Chelsea

Big spending in the summer may have made the Premiership a little more open, but now a certain Russian billionaire’s dissatisfaction with big spending will probably open it up even wider, as the insanity at Stamford Bridge will surely have a detrimental effect on Chelsea’s performance. What was once a powerful yet predictable points machine is no longer a sure thing.

But the Stamford Bridge soap opera wasn’t the only thing that happened, there were also a few games of football.

Here are 10 Things We Learned from the Premiership This Week:

1. Rafa is rotating the title away
You’d think he might have learned his lesson after last weeks goalless draw with Portsmouth, but no. Rafa welcomed Birmingham City to Anfield by leaving Fernando Torres out of the starting eleven again. The result was another 0-0 draw for Liverpool and another two points dropped.

2. Arsenal are all grown up
For the last few seasons we’ve been hearing how Arsenal is a team in transition, how they’re building for the future. On Saturday they looked like men. Very scary men. Emmanuel Adebayor got himself a hat trick with Cesc Fabregas looking arguably as good a player as Patrick Vieira ever was.

3. Theo Walcott needs to play some football
Yes, he’s young, but he looked strangely nervous playing on the right wing on Saturday. It might be time to start worrying about the lad. Yes he’s been to a World Cup, but for all his reputation he’s played very little league experience. I’d advocate a loan spell back to a Championship club.

4. The Mourinho story is the best thing that could have happened to Martin Jol
The pressure’s off Martin Jol a bit. Not because of Spurs‘ results (a 1-1 draw with Bolton won’t change Daniel Levy’s mind) but because this Mourinho business has taken the spotlight off of the “Jol under pressure” stories.

5. It’s time we started taking Aston Villa seriously
They’ve got Martin O’Neill in charge, they’ve got bags of talent going forward (Agbonlahor, Moore, Young, Carew, Maloney etc) a solid midfield and – with the signing of Curtis Davies – a stronger defence. Now Villa are getting results too, adding a 2-0 win over Everton to their 2-0 win over Chelsea.

6. Roman Abramovich isn’t much of a coach
Apparently Abramovich was coaching Michael Essien on his passing last week. Today Michael Essien’s passing was awful, way below his usual standard. So Abramovich might want to look into hiring a coach instead. Apparently there’s this really successful Portuguese guy who’s suddenly become available, maybe Abramovich should give him a call…

7. Tevez and Rooney can’t play together
I know they played together today, and I know Tevez scored. But Man Utd still looked like a team playing with two second strikers who like to come deep.

8. Money can’t buy you luck
Avram Grant’s (short?) reign at Chelsea needed a bit of luck and a decent result at Old Trafford today to get everyone pulling in the same direction. He got neither. Jon Obi Mikel’s sending off wasn’t completely outrageous (it was at least a booking and I suspect the red was because it was sort of two footed) but it was very unlucky. He could easily have just got a yellow and no one would gave complained. That basically changed the game, and then the penalty awarded for a foul on Saha (again, not a horrible call, but definitely unlucky) sealed the Man Utd win.

9. Fulham are the team to watch
If you want to see goals then go watch Fulham. There’ve been 26 goals in Fulham’s first 7 Premier League games, an average of (calculating…) 3.7 a game. And two of those games have been 3-3 thrillers, like Saturday’s against Man City.

10. When one England striker gets fixed, another gets broken
After a long spell out with a broken ankle, Dean Ashton is looking like his old self again. A goal in each of his last two games for West Ham (including a consolation goal against Newcastle today as the Hammers lost 3-1) should get Steve McClaren’s attention. Which is just as well because Michael Owen limped off with a groin strain for the second time this week.

Bonus Learning!
11. The referee’s decision is NOT final
If you’re wondering where all Chelsea’s luck was today, then wonder no longer. It was all at the Madejski Stadium with Reading as they beat Wigan 2-1. When Wigan’s Jason Koumas was upended by Reading’s Ivar Ingimarsson, referee Keith Stroud pointed to the spot. As anyone who’s ever argued with a referee know, that is that. Protest all you like, no one is changing the man’s mind. Except for his assistant. After a brief consultation with his flag waver, Stroud awarded Wigan a free kick on the edge of the box instead. Koumas’ free kick hit the underside of the bar and then bounced clear. And if you’re wondering where this upturn in Reading’s fortunes came from, look no further than Rob at Reading Offside.

Did you learn anything from the Premiership this week? Let us know in the comments…