Another lip-lickingly good weekend of Premier League football has come and gone as we look back at Gameweek 7. Chelsea takes their place at the top of the table, City and Liverpool gifted us with what can only be described as an instant classic, Ole’s Red Devils hang on by a thread against the Toffees and Bielsa’s Leeds finally walk away with a hard-earned 3 points. Lots to unpack and lots to be excited about. Let’s recap on some of the juicier talking points.
Nobody’s place is guaranteed in Tuchel’s Blues
The one thing Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea squad isn’t lacking at the moment is depth,
with the German manager naming vastly different sides every week. One of the most notable inclusions in this weekend’s 3-1 win against Southampton was the return of Ross Barkley, who many had written off as another prospect who just didn’t really have the gas to make it much further than being a sporadic inclusion in a strong Premier League team. Tuchel stunned many pundits when he named Barkley in his Champions League touring squad midweek and shocked a few more when he subbed him on against Southampton, with the game tied up at 1 goal each. Barkley replaced Ruben Loftus-Cheek who has been side-lined through injury for over a year and is also poised to make a comeback under Tuchel.
Barkley’s impact saw him create the chance for Timo Werner’s goal that sealed the game up at 3-1. Barkley has accepted Tuchel’s challenge and has become a useful option off the bench. He impressed after coming on against Juventus in midweek as well. Tuchel has laid down a marker for some of his bigger names like Ziyech and Havertz.
This Chelsea team wants to win, and there will be no favourites in their pursuit of Premiership glory. Sub-head
Moura the answer for Spurs
Harry Kane almost scored again which would’ve been great for Spurs fans but, alas, the goal he thought he scored was credited to Villa defender Matt Targett as an own goal.
The man of the moment on this occasion for Spurs was the same man who scored a hat-trick on Tottenham’s greatest night of the past 20 years – Lucas Moura – who remains a strangely low-profile player. Sure, that might be due to his own remarkable humility but it’s also to do with his curious goals return. He’s a great man for a Europa League goal against smaller opposition, but in the last two seasons he has scored just seven in the Premier League.
Not really good enough.
His energy and speed, though, are undeniable and with Harry Kane desperately struggling for form, Moura might need to pull his socks up and start setting up a couple more goals.
Spurs might actually have a front three that can compete at the highest level if Kane, Son and Moura can gel. Spurs still aren’t the team to bet on though, sitting at eleventh after a string of really inconsistent performances after their strongest start to a season in over a decade.
An Anfield classic
2-2 was how it ended at Anfield after 90 minutes of some of the finest football we’ve seen in recent memory. Both Liverpool and Man City played some breath-taking football in an end-to-end clash that had us well and truly on the edge of our seats for the entire game.
It was an ‘anything you can do, we can do better’ affair with Liverpool taking the lead after an inspired Mo Salah counter attack which put Sadio Mane in on goal.
Liverpool’s ecstasy was short-lived though with the Cityzens equalising shortly after off the left boot of wunderkind Phil Foden. But then, we were treated to an early goal of the season contender from the Egyptian wizard himself, Mo Salah – who is arguably one of the best players in the world right now. He ducked and weaved and bamboozled 6 City players on his way to beating Ederson off his weak foot from an ungodly angle.
So much for a one season wonder.
Alas, the Kop could only celebrate for a couple of minutes as Kevin De Bruyne equalised off a deflection from outside the box.
Following that both teams tightened up and the game ended odds even. Liverpool and City now sit at 2nd and 3rd respectively behind Chelsea, with everything to play for.
Betting on either side to have a crack at the title is looking a stronger bet each week – however, City’s lack of an out and out number 9 leading their attack may cause them some problems should they wish to close out more games.
Brighton aren’t running out of gas
Brighton were without several key players on Saturday, including the enigmatic defensive midfielder Yves Bissouma, and also found themselves up against the defender they had sold to Arsenal for £50m. But while Ben White held firm for the Gunners, the standout memory from the game was the marvellously dynamic performance from Graham Potter’s side that deserved more, even though clear chances were rare.
Their clarity and consistency have few peers; their level in general play rarely dipped even last winter, when wins weren’t going their way and there were calls for the manager to be sacked. Potter has created a team in his own image, one that operates with supreme smarts and, for all its quality, is not reliant on individuals.
A proper team that almost reminds us of Ranieri’s Leicester in 2016.
If he keeps getting results and Brighton holds on to their position in the top half of the table, few will be able to argue his immense capabilities. When one of the top jobs next comes up there is logically no reason why he should not be near the top of anyone’s list.
A bet on Brighton to finish in European standings? Go on, why the hell not?
Traoré eats bench for Wolves win
Adama Traoré started the season in sensational form but failed to score as Wolves lost their first three games. Now, Hwang Hee-chan, Traore’s replacement forward, has scored three goals, as Wolves have since won three out of four, impressing with his ability to make runs from wide to create clear goalscoring opportunities that he seized – unlike Traore who seems to be flirting with brilliance but is not brave enough to take her home.
When will he rise to the occasion if ever? It’s remarkable how somebody with such immense potential just can’t seem to find his straps. He’s produced some of the most sensational moments in the league over the last few seasons, but they’re about as common as a solar eclipse.
Time will tell if Traore has got the goods for real or not, but we’re betting against him staying in the Premier League long enough for him to prove us wrong.