Gameweek 8 review: Premier League
It has been 8 weeks since the Premier League, and we have seen some great football so far. This week, I have decided to take a look at the 10 matches which happened on Gameweek 8, and analyse what this means for each team.
Ready? Let’s start
Brighton Vs Burnley: 0–0
Burnley would be quite satisfied with this result, but surely Graham Potter will be wondering what they could have done better. Burnley have been in a bit of a pickle, but they will be happy with this draw, considering Brighton are quite dangerous when it comes to attacking. The man of the match for me has to be Nick Pope, who pulled off quite a number of saves.
Southampton vs Newcastle United: 2–0
Newcastle United weren’t very dreadful, but they just didn’t seem to be able to make things happen, even with the likes of Callum Wilson, Sean Longstaff, Allan Saint-Maximin etc. Southampton, however, silenced all the doubters who thought they wouldn’t be able to continue their great form without Danny Ings, by pulling off a great performance. My man of the match is Theo Walcott, who has impressed on loan at the Saints, and bagged an assist on Saturday.
Everton vs Man United: 1–3
What has happened at Everton??? The Toffees started the season in electrifying form as they marched to the top of the table, but in recent weeks they have been much like the lacklustre Everton of the past. As for Man United, they put on a great performance, like they always do when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s job is on the line. As a Red Devils fan, I still see things which can be improved at the club, and at this point of time after a rollercoaster 18 months, I don’t really know whether Ole is the manager we need or not. However, keeping negatives aside, the man of the match has to be Bruno Fernandes, who has been scintillating for quite a while now, regardless of the team’s performances. Oh, and a shout-out to Edinson Cavani for scoring his first MUFC goal.
Crystal Palace vs Leeds United : 4–1
The Premier League IS unpredictable, but i never though that Bielsa’s men would lose this one, and by a 3 goal margin. Both teams have played decent football so far this season, but Crystal Palace totally dominated Leeds. It was a thrilling performance from the Eagles, and their attackers ripped through Leeds United’s defence. Patrick Bamford, however, maintained his goal streak as he put one past Guaita in the 27th minute. the man of the match for me has got to be Eberechi Eze, Palace’s new signing, who got a goal and an assist on Saturday night, and was simply great to watch.
Chelsea vs Sheffield United: 4–1
Finally, Chelsea’s squad seems to be gelling together, as they trashed the Blades 4–1 after an amazing performance. New signings Ben Chilwell, Timo Werner and Thiago Silva all scored goals as the Blues’ squad finally lived up to expectations. Sheffield United are having the second season blues, and must pull themselves together if they wish to avoid relegation. The man of the match for me is Chelsea’s new Moroccan signing Hakim Ziyech, who has been sensational for the Blues so far. If only he had moved to Manchester United. *sigh*
West Ham vs Fulham: 1–0
My my. So much late drama occured in this match. a 91st minute winner, and then a missed panenka penalty six minutes later! It certainly wasn’t the liveliest of matches from the looks of it, but West Ham will be pleased to take the 3 points. Seriously, since when did David Moyes’ tactics work so well? Anyways, the man of the match for me is Tomas Soucek, who won the match for the Hammers.
West Bromwich Albion vs Tottenham: 0–1
Another match left to the last few minutes. This result may not seem like much, but it is crucial to the Spurs’ top 4 qualification, or even their potential title challenge. After a couple of great deals by the North Londoners in the summer, they have been in pretty good form, and look so impressive some pundits are claiming they could even challenge for the title! As for West Brom, there’s nothing much to say except that my prediction earlier this year was correct. The Baggies are struggling to survive in the top tier, and it would take a miracle for them to avoid the drop. The man of the match has to be Harry Kane, after he scored his 150th goal in the Premier League, and became the 10th person to do so. And he’s only 27. Amazing.
Leicester City vs Wolves: 1–0
This result surprised me more than the Leeds’ loss, but not as much as the Man City vs Liverpool match, which i will come to later. Anyways, Leicester City are now top of the league! Deja Vu, anyone? While it may seem like the match was a one-sided affair, you’d be surprised to know Wolves had more possession of the ball AND more passes. This just goes to show how good Brendan Rodgers’ team is. As for Wolves, I’m quite sure they’ll bounce back in the next match. Hopefully. My man of the match is Wesley Fofana. He’s 19, but defends like he’s played in the PL for years. Brilliant.
Man City vs Liverpool: 1–1
Wow. What a disappointing result. Man City were the dominant side, but Liverpool managed to keep the fixture a draw. On the plus side, we are finally seeing a City side similar to that of that phenomenal 17/18 side, which will certainly up the ante of the title race. Liverpool, meanwhile had a decent performance, but should probably stick to playing either Firmino or Jota. We all know that Scouser fans are proud of their Brazilian frontman being a ‘defensive’ striker, but playing as a false 9/CAM really isn’t his forte. My man of the match will be Ederson, who managed to pull of a couple of great saves to keep it 1–1.
Arsenal vs Aston Villa: 0–3
oh.my.god. After losing the last two matches, I wondered whether Aston Villa were capable of beating Arsenal. Let’s just say I am quite relieved that my prediction was totally wrong. The Villans had a wonderful performance on Sunday, as they swept aside a lacklustre Arsenal side, and showed us glimpses of their mind-blowing performance against Liverpool 4 matches ago. At this rate, I would not be surprised if Aston Villa get to play European football. Personally, I wouldn’t mind if they even won the league! Mikel Arteta’s side, meanwhile, were a shade of themselves, as they remain inconsistent and excruciating to watch. My man of the match is Ollie Watkins, who was particularly amazing as he bagged a brace and glued the Villa front three together. It also helps that he got a lot of points for my FPL team.
So, that’s all for this week’s review of Gameweek 8. Hope you enjoyed this article, and see you next week for Gameweek 9’s review. Adios!
