Saints leave Sunderland in Hell

During the International break, it seems an eternity of a wait for football fans before club football returns, when it eventually did, it didn't disappoint.  The Premier League was action packed with some stand out performances, some for the wrong reasons.  The focus this week is on St Mary's as high-flyers Southampton hosted Sunderland who picked up their first win last time out.  I expected to see a tight affair as Sunderland showed last season they can match the big teams and up their game when they need to.  Southampton have exceeded nearly everyone's expectations, certainly mine, they had wholesale in the summer but have seemed to not only replace them but somewhat improve on last season's heroics.  What followed was beyond what anyone could've predicted, well maybe everyone except Ronald Koeman.  The Champions League was also back this week as the English teams fate in the competition took shape.

Premier League

As Southampton went into this encounter, they had already started exceptionally.  Unbeaten at home, with a 4-0 win over Newcastle the stand out performance.  New signings have embedded brilliantly and already shining in the Premier League, especially top scorer Graziano Pelle and assist assassin Dusan Tadic, both imports from Koeman's home of Holland.  Sunderland have been busy spenders in the last few transfer markets, but their signings have not hit the ground running like the Saints'.  Jozy Altidore, Emmanuele Giaccherini, Jack Rodwell, Sebastien Coates and Santiago Vergini have been notable players to not fully immerse themselves in the Premier League. 

Southampton have a new manager and new squad but still play the same free-flowing, attractive and attacking football.  Today happened to be the day where everything went right, or in Sunderland's case, wrong.  Southampton are one of those teams that rarely let teams get back in games once they hit the front, but Sunderland didn't seem to even try and do that, this was emphasised by the somewhat bizarre or extraordinary own goal from the right boot of Vergini.  Sunderland carelessly lost the ball in midfield, a trend that followed for the rest of the game.  Morgan Schneiderlin latched onto Pelle's flick, Wes Brown blocked the Frenchman's run and the ball looped up and straight to Vergini who unbelievably volleyed the ball past Vito Mannone into the net.  To be fair to Vergini, it was a great finish, one Gus Poyet would be proud of in any other situation other than it resulting in an own goal.  The second was not technically as superb as Vergini's but, just purely farcical for Sunderland.  Will Buckley had time to get the ball away, as he tried to find Sebastian Larsson, he turned around and had the ball ricochet off his heel as Steven Davis ran past a couple of defenders and squared for their main man Pelle.  2-0, careless and abysmal defending from the visitors, after 18 minutes, they were out of sight.  Southampton showed the best of their abilities for their 3rd goal.  Jack Cork started the move, Pelle held it up and brilliantly picked out Tadic.  Tadic tricked with the defence and picked out Cork who slid in his first of the season, 3-0, game over already.  In the second half, Sunderland were merely lambs to the slaughter, Liam Bridcutt was unfortunate to run into a saved Pelle shot.  Any teams that use the 'International commitment' excuse for results can look at Southampton and immediately dismiss it for any other case.  Pelle, Tadic and Schneiderlin were amongst seven players to represent their country, yes seven of their match-day squad, five of them started with Tadic and Pelle looking as if they never went.  Pelle added to his ever-growing reputation with another, Tadic added to it after a howler from Mannone.  Victor Wanyama and Sadio Mane added off the bench to embarrass, humiliate and severely hurt Sunderland's fans, players and Gus Poyet.  It was an utter shambles from start to finish, inexcusable defending and quite frankly no work rate from the majority.  Sunderland took a step forward against Stoke City but now have taken at least five steps back.  Southampton though were exceptional.  Despite the awful defending, you cannot take anything away from the Saints who, at this time, are indeed in heaven. 


The Rest
Arsenal 2-2 Hull City
Burnley 1-3 West Ham United
Crystal Palace 1-2 Chelsea
Everton 3-0 Aston Villa
Manchester City 4-1 Spurs
Newcastle 1-0 Leicester City
QPR 2-3 Liverpool
Stoke 2-1 Swansea City
West Brom 2-2 Manchester United


Champions League

In Europe, it has been topsy-turvy so far for England's sides.  Chelsea and Arsenal are in good positions to get through as they won this past week.  Chelsea oozed quality and control in their 6-0 win over Maribor, exemplified by Eden Hazard's masterful second goal.  Arsenal got away with it in Belgium.  With 88 minutes gone, Arsenal were on the way to one of the most embarrassing European nights in recent times for an English side.  Anderlecht had hit the bar at 1-0 up and I proved costly, a fantastic volley from Kieran Gibbs and Lukas Podolski's close range finish turned it around on Arsene Wenger's birthday.  Liverpool were completely outclassed by defending champions Real Madrid.  Cristiano Ronaldo with the pick of the goals, but Mario Balotelli ended up making headlines for the wrong reasons, just ask Pepe who got Mario's shirt at half-time!!  Manchester City continued to flop as they blew a 2-0 lead in Russia and draw with CSKA Moscow, they must wait for a do or die clash in Rome for second place against AS Roma.


Goal of the Week (European Edition)

With the UEFA Champions League taken into account, there was one that stood out and if you've seen it, I doubt you could disagree.  Of course it's Mr.Ronaldo at Anfield:

Signing off- sjt