Premier League Sport Week 4: Issues we discovered

Massive video games, late targets, new superstars, and VAR controversy. These are the phrases that can be utilized to explain the sport week 4 of the 2023-24 Premier League season. Throughout the ten video games this weekend, we noticed a whooping 41 targets, essentially the most in any sport week this season. The present season has seen loads of the so-called ‘mid-table’ and ‘lower-table’ groups ditch their defensive fashion of soccer for attacking aptitude.

These groups have additionally deployed this technique in opposition to stronger groups, giving us some unimaginable video games. After 40 video games, one factor is definite: irrespective of how massive a workforce is, they should again their expertise on the pitch to win factors, as now different golf equipment have proven that they’re geared up to punish any lapse in focus.

Solely 5 groups within the league are unbeaten at this level, with just one boasting a 100 per cent profitable fee, showcasing how cutthroat the struggle for locations will probably be this season. And with the switch window additionally closing, groups solely have their present squad to assist them ought to their type flounder or accidents rise.

So, what did we be taught from sport week 4 of the Premier League?

Arsenal get the bragging rights over Manchester United at Emirates 

The most important conflict of the week was undoubtedly Arsenal vs. Manchester United. The Gunners desperately wanted the three factors after their dismal efficiency in opposition to Fulham final week. Arsenal began the sport on the entrance foot and created a number of possibilities however failed to search out the of completion.

United’s technique was easy: take in the strain and hit the workforce on the counterattack. And that is what bought them the opening aim as Marcus Rashford bamboozled Arsenal’s defence to attain from a surprising roller previous Aaron Ramsdale. The aim hit a swap inside Arsenal, who solely took 35 seconds to equalise.

The second half was a lot the identical, with either side struggling to search out the profitable aim. United scored, however Alejandro Garnacho was offside by the best of margins. Ultimately, it was record-signing Declan Rice who scored his maiden aim from a scruffy end to beat Andre Onana at his close to put up.

The aim meant that United needed to go on the offensive with minutes to go. This opened areas for the Gunners, and in a single such probability, Gabriel Jesus discovered himself via on aim. The Brazilian produced a fast cutback that embarrassed Johnny Evans earlier than slotting the ball previous Onana to substantiate his workforce’s victory.

Manchester Metropolis win, however VAR makes headlines

Manchester Metropolis thrashed Fulham 5-1 to win their fourth straight victory, with Erling Haaland scoring his first hattrick of the Premier League season. Nevertheless, the sport was marred by a controversial VAR determination that allowed a Manchester Metropolis aim to face. Regardless of enjoying in opposition to a star-studded aspect, Fulham got here out all weapons blazing, matching Metropolis in depth.

The Cottagers additionally managed to equalise inside two minutes after happening. In the direction of the top of the primary half, the hosts received a nook, which was swung in by Cole Palmer, with Nathan Ake getting on the top of it and scoring previous Bernd Leno. Nevertheless, Metropolis defender Manuel Akanji was simply forward of Leno, and in keeping with Legislation 11 of the FA handbook, a aim will probably be deemed offside if an opposition participant is obstructing the goalkeeper’s view.

Regardless of this, each referee Michael Oliver and the VAR allowed the aim to face. This aim deflated Fulham’s spirits as Haaland ran riot within the second half.

Brighton and West Ham are to not be taken flippantly

Earlier than the beginning of the season, Brighton and West Ham misplaced a number of high gamers within the switch market. Nevertheless, each golf equipment moved swiftly and promoted new gamers into the position. And the transition has been so clean that each golf equipment have change into even higher regardless of dropping their star gamers.

West Ham United have received three and drew one, which incorporates wins over Chelsea and Brighton. David Moyes, who has been the grasp of defensive soccer, has created an ideal system that makes use of quick counterattacks by bodily gamers to overwhelm the opposition. Their sport in opposition to Brighton is an ideal instance the place the Hammers scored three targets regardless of having 22 per cent of possession. They continued their type this week, profitable 2-1 away in opposition to newly promoted Luton City.

In the meantime, Brighton bounced again in fashion after their defeat to West Ham United as they took three factors at residence in opposition to Newcastle United. Led by their rising star Evan Ferguson, who scored a hattrick, the Seagulls had been at their greatest in assault. Beneath Roberto de Zerbi, the membership have improved by leaps and bounds in the previous few seasons.

With 12 targets, Brighton are essentially the most scoring workforce throughout the highest 5 leagues after AS Monaco, which exhibits how good of a system they’ve constructed.

Tottenham Hotspur look pretty much as good even with out Harry Kane 

Ange Postecoglou had a large job at his palms when he took cost because the boss at White Hart Lane. On high of that, he additionally needed to see his high participant, Harry Kane, depart for Bayern Munich. Nevertheless, the Austrian identified for his tactical genius has managed to show issues round on the London membership inside months.

The latest 5-2 away win over Burnley confirmed their brilliance, with skipper Son Heung Min scoring a hattrick. Nevertheless, the star of the present has been James Maddison, who has been the lynchpin of the aspect. The English attacker at present ranks second within the league for Anticipated Threats (xT) and fourth in Anticipated Offensive Worth Added (xOVA). He additionally has received 11 fouls, the fourth most within the league.

Tottenham additionally managed so as to add Brennan Johnson to their squad earlier than the switch window closed. Whereas the Welsh worldwide is clearly not as deadly as Kane within the position, he does have an unlimited potential and can give Postecoglou a brand new dimension within the assault.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool present adaptation is essential to survival 

The most important void that Liverpool wanted to fill within the switch window was in the midst of the park. Whereas Alexis MacAllister and Dominik Szoboszlai had been added to extend the standard within the attacking midfield areas, Liverpool failed so as to add an elite holding midfielder, failing to signal any certainly one of Jude Bellingham, Moises Caicedo, and Romeo Lavia.

They did handle to signal Ryan Garvenberch on deadline day, however he’s not a real holding midfielder; regardless of this, Jurgen Klopp had mentioned that with these world-class midfielders at his disposal, he may adapt his workforce in such a approach that negates the necessity for a quantity six.

And until now, we’re beginning to see indicators of that with Liverpool enjoying fast one-touch passing mixed with excessive intense Gegenpressing to suffocate the opposition off the ball. The assault is in advantageous type, with Darwin Nunez beginning to justify his payment and Szoboszlai scoring his first aim for the membership to assist his workforce seize the third spot on the desk.

Chelsea preserve hitting new lows each week

If one needed to put their cash on which supervisor is prone to be sacked within the Premier League, then Mauricio Pochetiino’s would fetch numerous bets. After having a dream switch window the place they added a number of gamers that took their complete spending within the final 12 months over one billion, Chelsea have unimaginable managed to change into even worse.

In truth, seeing their efficiency thus far this season, it seems just like the workforce wants one other one billion funding to enhance. After 4 video games, the Blues sit twelfth on the desk. Their latest video games noticed them lose 1-0 to Nottingham Forest at residence. This was in a sport the place they’d 21 pictures on the right track with an xG of two.13 (in keeping with Opta) as in comparison with 0.71 of their rivals.

Star signing Mykhailo Mudryk has but to attain his first aim after 20 video games, whereas the shortage of ending and the eros in defence preserve mounting. Pochettino is but to search out his greatest beginning 11, and his ways until now look clueless, with gamers unable to string an affordable interval of dominance in any of the video games thus far.