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The Good, The Bad and The Ugly from this past EPL weekend…

Published by Ian John on September 27, 2010

The Good…

1. Manchester City fans will be happy. Not only did they inflict Chelsea’s first defeat of the season, but they had the joy of watching Didier Drogba be substituted and could spend the afternoon gloating that they had more money than Chelsea, which is something of a novelty. Carlos Tevez strike was a clever goal, but Mancini’s tactics were a tad negative. However they got the result City wanted, so you cannot fault them.

2. Stoke City fans will be delighted with their win at Newcastle which moved them out of the bottom three. A lot if made of the physical nature of Stoke’s game but let us be aware, they were much better than Newcastle in every department. Not just headers and throw ins.

3. West Ham : Well done Avram Grant and his happy Hammers on their excellent 1-0 victory over Spurs. Much needed and well earned. They need a few more performances like this to move them away from the bottom of the table however.

The Bad

1. Liverpool’s first goal against Sunderland is contentious to say the least. If it had happened for Sunderland, rather than against them, I don’t think Roy Hodgson would have been so quick to dismiss it as a defensive error. Steve Bruce has my sympathies here, but then again, I think back to the Beachball last season and that sympathy is quickly diminished.

2. Manchester United’s defending. Whisper it quietly, but it is a bit shambolic at times isn’t it? Vidic is a class act but without Ferdinand around him, United look really vulnerable in defence at times.

3. Merseyside football : Liverpool 4th from bottom, Everton bottom and Tranmere bottom of League One. It’s joyous living here at the moment.

The Ugly

1. Arsenal’s performance at home to West Brom. Samir Nasri apart, the Gunners looked out of sorts against West Brom who could, and should, have been 4-0 up at one point. Arsene Wenger’s insistence that the goalkeeping situation at Arsenal is fine and dandy seems to be backfiring in spectacular fashion and this results adds more weight to the notion that Arsenal, as good a team as they are, are not yet strong enough to win the title.

2. Refereeing once again. Forget the incidents at Anfield, there are others that defy explanation. Dedrick Boyata bodychecks Didier Drogba blatantly in the penalty box, no penalty. Robert Huth does it to Andy Carroll far less obviously and it is a penalty. I don’t mind if the referees deem them both a penalty, or both not a penalty, but you can’t have one being a penalty and the other not.

Team of the Week : (4-4-2)
1. Robert Green (West Ham)
2. Seamus Coleman (Everton)
3. Nicky Shorey (West Brom)
4. Manuel Da Costa (West Ham)
5. Vincent Kompany (Man City)
6. Youssouf Mulumbu (West Brom)
7. Nigel De Jong (Man City)
8. Samir Nasri (Arsenal)
9. Darren Bent (Sunderland)
10.Carlos Tevez (Manchester City)
11. Chris Brunt (W.B.A)

Image Courtesy of ***ajx14 *** on photbucket.com

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