The Premier League 6ix Biggest Takeaways
"I want to get back to being obsessed with football. Just football 24/7 and nothing else and focus on top performances and goals and assists"
I’ve always enjoyed when players explain their decision to choose a certain kit number and their reasoning goes something along the lines of, “I took 19 because I wanted 10 but that was unavailable but 1+9 equals 10 so it made sense.”
The 3rd matchday in the Premier League coincidently comes to us with 3 red cards. If you add 3 red cards to the 3 representing the matchday week that gives you 6 and as homage to this numeric poetry, we’ll tackle 6 high-level points of the matchweek.
Manchester United comes to us this as week as the first big team to unprofessionally give up a 0-2 lead early to a heavy underdog in Nottingham Forest but stage a valiant comeback to win 3-2. These sorts of games are paradoxical because on the one hand, a team that goes down 0-2 within 4 minutes of a match should be scolded but on the other hand, a team that returns from 0-2 down to win deserves praise for showing character.
Offensively, Forest are very good, the front three of Morgan Gibbs-White, Brennan Johnson and Taiwo Awoniyi is a major problem for Premier League defenses. The pace and dynamism in this front-three screams goals and with Morgan Gibbs-White especially, Forest have a player who can deliver a very dangerous ball.
Bruno Fernandes is staking his claim for best midfielder in the league this season. Involved in all 3 goals in 3 totally different ways, the range in Fernandes’ offensive chance creation and goal scoring game is outrageous. One penalty, one assist off a creative set-piece, and my favorite, a long distance shot which Matt Turner could not catch ends up with Marcus Rashford, back on the left-wing, to open a square pass to Eriksen. We have to keep an eye on Bruno Fernandes this season.
Chelsea punched in against Luton Town, especially Raheem Sterling who played absolutely out of his skin. When asked after the match to give his thoughts on his blazing hot performance Sterling said, “I want to get back to being obsessed with football. Just football 24/7 and nothing else and focus on top performances and goals and assists.”
If you missed Raheem Sterling’s performance, the easiest way to describe it is determined. Sterling picked up dangerous positions on the right wing, playing at times in the same pocket you see Mohamed Salah occupy.
Chelsea’s formation and tactics as a whole have taken an awesome turn under Mauricio Pochettino. I especially enjoy when it’s unclear to me what position a player is playing, Ben Chillwell and Enzo Fernandez mainly. Malo Gusto plays in a more so traditional right-back role but on the left Levi Colwill, who’s showing shades of Saliba, plays both left-back and left-centerback allowing Chillwell to play some left-back and some left-wing. But Enzo Fernandez also plays some left-wing, while also popping up in the 6 to collect the ball deep and initiate the build up.
Maybe Luton is not the appropriate opposition to judge Chelsea against but so far this season they have become extremely fun to watch.
Speaking of fun to watch, Tottenham continue to play fluid free flowing football. Three games in and Manchester City’s crown of most interesting fullbacks to watch is under threat.
James Maddison’s role as well may be the 10 with the most freedom to operate and create in the league. One could argue the 2nd half victory against Manchester United in the previous matchweek was born from Maddison finding more space and freedom to run with the ball and initiate Spurs’ intricate offensive patterns.
Destiny Udogie, who lacks all the qualities I usually seek out in a fullback, has impressed me immensely. A lot of teams, especially the big ones, think their fullbacks are sophisticated and smart in their tucked-in midfield play but Udogie, at 20 years old, is doing this at such a mature and high-level. His excellent play is undeniable.
Can Tottenham keep this up? I genuinely don’t know, I’m still amazed that a team can lose its greatest player of all-time, replace him with Richarlison, and be equal on goals scored with Haaland-led Manchester City.
I don’t think Arsenal is still carrying their end of season slump from last year, I just think Fulham are really good. Arteta is trying to be innovative with Arsenal’s back line, especially with Partey at right-back. It’s a brilliant experiment, if you’re going to ask your right-back to tuck in and act as a midfielder why not just play a midfielder in the right-back slot and get away of the tactics.
This more innovative 4-3-3 shape is enjoyable to watch and although I’m enjoying the innovativeness I wonder if it’s this unorthodox formation that may be causing some of the mistakes in play by Arsenal. A general lack of experienced understanding or routine from this formation can cause errors like that of Saka, but if the team sticks to this shape the players will inevitably adapt.
With Manchester United at home next week I’m buzzing with excitement to see if Arteta sticks to this new formation or if he reverts back closer to the tried and true shape that was so successful last season.
Manchester City struggled hard to score against Sheffield United, like really struggled. It was obvious watching the Sheffield United CBs they had one agenda on their plate and that was, do not get bullied by Haaland.
Without KDB and Gundogan, its slightly gone under the radar the the major gap in creativity and chance creation that has just left Manchester City. Rodri is leveling up his game immensely and Foden looks sharp as well but I feel there’s something about Foden’s game that Pep Guardiola doesn’t really enjoy that’s preventing him from being more of a focal point in the offense.
It could just be that Julián Álvarez is a better option upfront with Haaland or it could be more complicated instructions that ordinary viewers are just not privy to that Foden is not following.
One of the biggest questions I’d like to try to answer once the transfer window closes is will Liverpool be good this year? I heard Gary Neville make a very interesting point which should be highlighted and that’s that Liverpool have the most settled and longest serving back 5 in the league right now but they look the least comfortable together.
This of course could be put down to the lack of cover in front of the defense but I’m not sure if having Caicedo or Declan Rice in midfield would have necessarily settled captain Virgil Van Djik, an experienced and seasoned defender, from such a reckless and rash red card challenge.
I was hard on Jurgen Klopp last season, even though the team ended up finishing 5th and just 5pts outside of the Top 4. Liverpool missed Diaz and Darwin Nunez was still very raw and a project-player but this year there can’t be any excuses.
In a way, it feels like Jurgen Klopp is the least creative manager of the big teams. The German’s team plays a cut and dry 4-3-3, there’s no fancy CBs slotted in the fullback position like you see at City. Cody Gakpo in a Havertz fashion did play in midfield but this felt more like a forced move than one made out of experimentation.
If this is Jurgen Klopp’s last season as Liverpool manager, it will likely come down to his inability to reinvent and rejuvenate his once Premier League and Champions League winning squad.