There are defensive issues for Arsenal, Bournemouth, Chelsea and Manchester City, while Fabinho shone for Liverpool The Dozen: our pick of the weekend’s best photos You have to wonder what was going through the minds of the Arsenal hierarchy over the summer when they belatedly decided that David Luiz was the answer to their defensive issues. There is no doubting the positives of the Brazilian’s play; David Luiz can change games with his passing and prowess in the opposition box but his propensity for switching off is there for all to see. Unai Emery played three defensive midfielders at home against Tottenham, and one suspects he has limited faith in his defence, as proved by the counterattack for the opener,...
Cahill shows his worth to Palace, Lacazette proves Emery’s odd one out again and Wilson could be the signing of the seasonIt will not end the culture war between Newcastle fans and Mike Ashley, but victory at the Tottenham Stadium might just lift a few suspicions over Steve Bruce. In the first half, Newcastle were the team with greater vigour, and Joelinton’s finish for his goal followed a fine pass from Christian Atsu. Bruce does not enjoy comparisons with Rafa Benítez, but players such as Atsu, Miguel Almirón and Sean Longstaff might just be allowed greater freedom to express themselves under his supervision than they were within the Spaniard’s rigid tactics. Having taken the lead, plenty of last-ditch defending was...
The only two sides to win both Premier League games so far meet on Saturday at Anfield, where Arsenal have a terrible recent record they can only improve onBurnley should feel flattered. After giving their usual feisty performance at the Emirates last weekend and slipping to the inevitable narrow defeat, Sokratis Papastathopoulos suggested Arsenal’s next game against the league leaders might be slightly easier.Theoretically that should see Arsenal’s fans travelling to Merseyside on Saturday in good spirits, though don’t bank on it. If Liverpool are easier to defend against than Sean Dyche’s bottom-half battlers you would never guess it from Arsenal’s recent results at Anfield. Last season the Gunners lost 5-1. The season before that it was 4-0 to Liverpool,...
Ljungberg and Trossard make instant impact, Wilson has Liverpool quality and Rodgers leaves ‘young Frank’ on back footThe inclusion of Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson against Burnley a week after they became the first pair of teenagers to start a Premier League game for Arsenal since Paolo Vernazza and Matthew Upson in 1998, was more evidence of Unai Emery beginning to trust his young players. That may have something to do with the promotion of the former under-23s coach Freddie Ljungberg to become the Spaniard’s assistant, with Willock particularly impressive alongside Matteo Guendouzi in midfield. The 19-year-old played in a more advanced role in the opening day win over Newcastle and shows how Emery is tapping into the former Sweden...
Midfielder delivered hugely encouraging debut against Liverpool in a team selection that showed Chelsea can and will compete this seasonThe first all-English Uefa Super Cup final served a dual purpose for Frank Lampard. Victory, he had considered beforehand, would not only etch another trophy into Chelsea’s history but instil in his young team the confidence that they compete at Liverpool’s level this season. There would be no trophy, only more pain for Lampard in a Super Cup final, but his team left Istanbul in the knowledge they can and will compete.After the misery of Old Trafford on Sunday and more distant memories of defeats as a player in the Super Cup games of 2012 and 2013 Lampard was desperate to...