Premier League
We start at Goodison Park where 100% starters Chelsea travelled to Everton who had drawn their opening two games from winning positions. Martinez's men have a good recent record against Chelsea, beating them last season and generally being a thorn in Chelsea's side in the past few years. Everton are never easy to beat but conceding a 2-1 lead to Leicester and 2-0 lead to Arsenal in the last 10 minutes of those games is showing cracks in that normally solid back-line. That was breached inside the first minute of the game. Chelsea new boys Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa linking up, not for the first time this season, with devastating effect. Two minutes later, they had another when Eden Hazard slipped Branislav Ivanovic through to put them 0-2 up inside three minutes! Kevin Mirallas though did grab a goal back before the break after flowing Everton move. Chelsea didn't let up as they moved two in front again. The unfortunate Seamus Coleman deflecting Eden Hazard's cross past Tim Howard at his near post. This was followed by a heated altercation between Howard and Costa. Costa was riled up by Everton's handling of him and tussled with Coleman previous to this. After the goal he celebrated in front of the Irishman to the anger of Howard, but neither were sent off thankfully. Within two minutes or so it was 2-3! Steven Naismith scoring for the third game in a row, an incredible match! Yet, another sloppy goal let Everton down. Poor marking gave Nemanja Matic space to drill home a fourth from the edge of their penalty box. However, Chelsea seemed just as lackadaisical at the back as Everton. Samuel Eto'o came off the bench and scored with his first touch as an Everton player, against his old club! This was extraordinary to watch, maybe not so much for Martinez and Jose Mourinho. But, once again Everton were caught sleeping as Chelsea's incisive and intricate passing cut them open once more. Ramires walking through to poke a fifth goal in 10 exhilarating minutes at Goodison. Costa grabbed his second, showing assured composure and confidence, 3-6 Chelsea. If there are better games this season than this one, then we are in for one hell of a season. Although if the defending is anything like this again, Alan Hansen will be begging to return to Match of the Day!
Elsewhere across the country, a hapless Manchester City were caught out by Stoke at the Etihad due to Mame Biram Diouf's solo special. Stoke being just the third team in the last three Premier League seasons to beat them at their home ground, the others Chelsea last season and Manchester United the year before. Liverpool reacted to disappointment at City to wipe the floor with Spurs again! Mario Balotelli had flashes on his debut, but the stand out moment was a brilliant goal from other new man Alberto Moreno. Wilfried Zaha encapsulated a week of turnarounds at Crystal Palace. Neil Warnock returning to Selhurst and the Premier League, whilst Zaha returned to his stomping turf and scored a dramatic late equaliser to spoil Newcastle's chance for three points. A lacklustre Arsenal were held by a determined Leicester who showed they can match the best in the league with Leonardo Ulloa thumping a header in to cancel out a first league goal for Alexis Sanchez. There were also wins for Aston Villa, Southampton, Swansea and QPR. Then there was a boring old draw at Turf Moor, Burnley being held by a brave Manchester United who pick up their second point of the season in a pitiful performance, slightly brightened by the appearance of one Angel Di Maria.
So Chelsea, Swansea, Aston Villa and Manchester City, on goal difference, currently fill the Top Four spots with Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal just behind. Burnley, Palace and West Brom are the bottom three, whilst Everton, Sunderland, Leicester, Newcastle and Manchester United still look for that elusive first win. For me, Swansea have been really impressive so far, as well as Chelsea. But, Swansea were strugglers last season, mostly down to Europa League football, but now have a solid base to their side and are back to their old selves. Chelsea vs Swansea should be a tasty affair, a Swansea win could open up loads of avenues in the fight at the top of the league!
Deadline Day
Deadline Day was once again frantic, unpredictable, surprising and expensive! Manchester United, Arsenal and Hull City were the teams in the centre of big deals, some good and some questionable. Hull put together a surprising array of deals which put together make to look a very good side. Loan deals for Hatem Ben Arfa and Gaston Ramirez were clever and profitable for their attacking force. A record fee for striker Abel Hernandez will be answered after appearances soon. But the best deal for me, £3.5 million for Momo Diame from West Ham. Diame is an all-action midfielder who has bags of skill and an eye for goal. He often impressed me when playing for West Ham and I think he will be a real miss for the Hammers who already are struggling for firepower in attack, then sell Diame?? Along with Ben Arfa, Ramirez, Jelavic and Huddlestone controlling from deep, Hull could be a tough team to beat this season.
Arsenal needed to make additions due to injuries and vacant holes in their squad, we all knew that! However, it seems every year it comes down to deadline day and Arsenal are scrapping around to see who becomes available. Danny Welbeck was an addition this deadline day, following Manchester United's astonishing loan acquisition of Radamel Falcao. This annoys me. Don't get me wrong, I am happy with Welbeck and will back him in an Arsenal shirt. Although, every year Arsenal cannot constantly make these late deals because of other teams doings, like Ozil last year and Welbeck this year. If Bale didn't go to Madrid, Ozil wouldn't have left, same with Welbeck and Falcao. As well as the ever publicised empty defensive midfield vacancy at Arsenal once again not answered, added with the lack of centre halves, Arsenal have missed priority positions. Rumours of moves for Sami Khedira, Lars Bender, William Carvalho, Mataja Nastastic and Sokratis never materialised and now Mathieu Flamini and Mikel Arteta will be put in battles with the likes of Yaya Toure, Nemanja Matic, Juan Mata and Cesc Fabregas. This is a risk and a missed chance to really step up the squad to challenge for titles. In big games they may get out muscled like last season, but the additions they have made our positive and good business. Despite, Wenger again not sufficiently using resources fully and necessarily correctly, Arsenal still have a good enough team to mix with the best and be up there come May.
Best of the Rest
Jason McArthur- Wigan to Crystal Palace
Sandro- Spurs to QPR
Niko Kranjcar- Dinamo Zagreb to QPR
Eduardo Vargas- Fiorentina to QPR
Toby Alderweireld- Atletico to Southampton
Daley Blind- Ajax to Manchester United
Morgan Amalfitano- Marseille to West Ham
Benjamin Stambouli- Montpellier to Spurs
Kevin Doyle- Wolves to Crystal Palace
Zeki Fryers- Spurs to Crystal Palace
Signing off- sjt
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