Tweet
Mid Season Premiership Roundup
So we are back in business again in the Premiership as the contenders shape up to do battle with 19 games played. There are 5 points between the top 3, a drop of 4 points and then 9 points separate 4th and 16th, so it still is pretty much all to play for!
Chelsea are the team in pole position, Steve Talbot desperate to be the best club in London and with his astute workings in the transfer market improving the squad most weeks guiding the Blues to the summit. Chelsea didn’t make the strongest start but you have to go back to round 9 to find their last defeat, away at Burnley. 10 games unbeaten later sees them 3 points clear at the top. Firmino and Fati up front are both in double figures for the season, with De Bruyne and Leao supporting their efforts. A couple of draws in recent weeks have halted their charge but this team will be there or thereabouts.
Man United are just on the shoulder of Talbot’s men, and have continued to frustrate manager Steve Outten with their inconsistency at the early part of the season. The cogs all seem to be working more often than not though, and youngsters Gavi and Moscardo have been outstanding in midfield for them. Both the top 2 look like they are heading out of the Champions League which makes this contest even more intense.
The noisy neighbours at Man City are 2 points further back in 3rd. After 12 games though, they were looking like they were walking to the title, with 10 wins and 2 draws. A disastrous next 6 saw a draw and 5 defeats, and a victory in round 19 secures their 3rd place. Manager Nick Lovell will be wondering what actually happens when they go on one of these horror runs when the rest of the time they look invincible. They will hope to have steadied the ship with the last game and will push the other two all the way. Vlahovic and Kane continue to be deadly up front.
4th, and another 4 points to Arsenal, and Darren Humphris. Arsenal were looking strong until round 13 when a crushing defeat at Stamford Bridge pulled them up. An amazing run of 5 consecutive draws saw them slowly drift out to 9 points from the top but they will look to push again in the second half of the season. Goals have been a little short at Arsenal this time and Humphris will be grateful for the goals of Michael Olise who has supported Gimenez. Gvardiol looks like a good addition to the defence.
Spurs have climbed to 5th after a dismal start which saw them closer to the bottom than the top of the table not so long ago. 4 straight wins in this packed table has propelled them back into the European spots, and 2 points behind their North London rivals. The arrival of De Jong from Real Madrid seems to have sparked Steve Bergwijn who can’t stop finding the back of the net in recent weeks and Boniface has lead the line well on his own. 11 points feels like too much to make up to really challenge for the title again but this side can do some strange things…
Blackburn Rovers have been thrilling to watch this season, rolling out some vintage legends on the pitch and taking plenty of scalps along the way. Ben Yedder leads the race for the Golden Boot with 15, and Fekir and Guimares have ran the show for Rovers in some games. 5 games without a win have just checked their progress though and they will need to tighten up defensively to make a challenge from 12 behind
Also on 29 points and 12 behind are Aston Villa, another team who have looked fantastic some weeks and pretty poor others. 3 straight wins have put them back on track and manager Keith Drummond has dipped into the transfer market to strengthen recently as he looks to consolidate a European place for the Villains. Paul Pogba and Gabriel Jesus will be likely to be a big part of that push.
Currently occupying the last of the European spots on 28 points and on goal difference are Southampton. Saints were on fire in the early part of the season and looked like they really were going to challenge, but another inconsistent run has seen them slip back to 8th. Strikers Isak and Thuram have looked a threat and they will always be capable of turning anyone over on their day
Newcastle are in 9th and have had a very similar season to Blackburn - exciting in attack, scoring the same amount of goals as Chelsea, but conceding almost as many at the other end. Pulisic has been the star striker but all of the forwards have scored and the OAP defence team has shuffled forward effectively at times. They don’t seem to have enough consistency to mount a serious challenge from here, but they’re worth a watch every week.
Leeds manager Tim Davey will be pretty happy with his team with their 10th position, after a huge period of rebuilding at Elland Road, which certainly isn’t finished yet. Cherki has undoubtedly been the star performer and has looked like a future legend, and Davey’s persistence with his young keeper Taylor has been admirable, so this is probably a position he would take if offered it at the half way mark.
Liverpool were so close to winning the title this year and like Spurs found it heavy going in the first part of the season. 3 wins from 4 have pushed them closer to the top positions and Graeme Edwards will be keen to maintain the recent upturn and get back where they belong. Some of the star signings haven’t quite found their feet at Anfield with captain Mudryk a one man team at times for the Reds. They will improve, no doubt, and another team who will accept nothing less than European qualification.
Burnley have looked far more solid this season as Simon Hill shrugged off the horror of last season where they were far too close to the danger zone for his liking. He has started a rebuild with a couple of promising youngsters coming through in Panucci and Mendonca, and Boadu has been in good form up front. A touch of the Arsenals with 4 draws in six sees them slip to 12th but they will look to make sure they keep above the relegation battle.
Another set of Clarets in 13th, and West Ham, whose fortunes have been remarkably similar. The Hammers started well, but again a poor run has checked their drive a little. Palmer and Konate show promise in attack and Alisson has kept them in matches with some goalkeeping heroics. Manager Todd Fortune will want more from his players though and will look to climb into the top half.
The returning messiah Rob Brunton has made Crystal Palace a tough team to play against and they sit in 14th position. They have taken points from teams from all sorts of positions and once again Adama Traore has led the line with power and goals. The football world was stunned with Brunton’s 95 million capture of Martinez from Real Madrid, a striker who will undoubtedly create problems for defences in this division and could just help the Eagles soar.
Wolves have slipped to 15th after a fantastic start which saw them flying high. 1 win in 6 for them has not helped and they will be keen not to join their fellow promoted clubs in the relegation zone. Guedes and Pedro are as dangerous as anyone but the defence seems to be the issue for Wolves and unless they can address it may be their downfall.
In 16th come Barnsley, who have battled away in this territory for what seems like forever. They have some bright moments this season, taking some big scalps, but ultimately have lost too many tight games. Maximiano in goal has been kept busy and Doucoure has impressed in midfield, but Barnsley will be happy to stay out of the mire if they can.
Cardiff in 17th have rallied of late, with only 1 defeat in 6, giving their fans some hope to cling onto as they climb out of the bottom 3. They would take that now as the second season in the top flight has generally proved harder for the Bluebirds. Thiago has been their main man with 12 goals and more of them will be vital for survival.
Leicester, another side in their second season back in the top flight, and another struggling. They have found points hard to come by and Areola has been watching the goals fly past him. Dolberg has worked hard in attack and Kante continues to pull the strings but it will be a fight all the way for the Foxes
Bristol City, promoted last season look like they are going back to the Championship at this rate - again a great adventure and some notable victories for the Robins but overall they have lost far too many games to hope to stay up. Munir started with a flurry of goals that seems to have dried up. They will look to strengthen in the auction and that might just help them but its a long road from here for all of the bottom 3
And poor Sheffield United prop up the table. The Blades have struggled all season and unless they have a miracle run they will also be back in the Championship next season. Gosens has performed heroics at the back for them but the midfield and attack particularly have not been up to the Premiership level.
Comment