Weekend Premiership Review

Quite a remarkable string of results over the weekend saw an impotent "Big 4" draw a collective blank for the first time since 1993. Chelsea, Liverpool & Man Utd were all held to goalless draws, but the big story of the weekend was the result from Middle Eastlands as Man City trounced a lacklustre and shellshocked Arsenal.

It was a game which both teams came into with low confidence, City having only taken one point from the previous twelve, Arsenal reeling from a resounding defeat at the hands of Aston Villa coupled with a media frenzy about dressing room unrest sparked by quotes from captain William Gallas no less. The mohawked frenchmans bitter ramblings resulted in him being stripped of the armband and left to stew in his own juices back in London. The first goal was to be crucial and at the end of a nervy first half, in form Stephen Ireland put City in the lead and he celebrated in his customary manic tapeworm style. Seriously, he resembles 90's computer game character Earthworm Jim. City would then run rampant and a fragile looking Arsenal without Gallas, Fabregas, Walcott or Adebayor surrendered meekly as Robinho started to pull the strings, a delightful lob from him making it two before a Daniel Sturridge penalty finished off a convincing display.

A significant result no doubt, but does it have much wider implications ? Is this the passing of the torch ? As soon as the Abu Dhabi United Group takeover occurred on August 30 and their statement of intent was made immediately clear when they outbid Chelsea for Real Madrids star player Robinho, I have been positive that the obscene amount of money they look set to invest will result in them getting a top 4 finish by the 2009/2010 season. Not a particularly bold prediction, but I've been surprised by how many of my friends have disagreed with me.

The common theme amongst these friends of course is that they are all fans of "Big 4" clubs and over the last decade have dined on a constant banquet of success. They have a slightly arrogant complacent belief that the status quo will be maintained and that the name value of their clubs gives them almost a divine right to be in this exclusive upper echelon of the Premier League. Naively, not one of my Arsenal or Liverpool supporting mates felt that Man Citys new found wealth posed any threat to their "Big 4" membership. They have argued weakly that they won't be able to attract decent players to the club and that money isn't everything ! I suggest that anyone who believes that, doesn't comprehend the modern game. Aside from first team regulars in the "Big 4", Real & Barca and the Milan clubs, I think Man City will be able to get pretty much anyone they want. Money does talk and if you're on 30 grand at Bayern Munich or 40 grand at Valencia and suddenly Mark Hughes sidles up to you and says "fancy quadrupling your wages", then it'll take a strong/foolish man to decline. People have debated with me that all this means is that a bunch of mercanaries will come to Man City, that people who genuinely want to win trophies will look elsewhere. A nonsensical argument I think, all it will take is a couple of big names and then a snowball effect will occur as people will soon buy into what Hughes & his arab backers are building.

I thought back in August, that Arsenal and Liverpool were most vunerable to being the one to be inexorably bullied out of the "Big 4", but Liverpool have started the season very well, appearing to be true contenders for the league and picking up that championship habit of winning even when playing badly. That leaves Arsenal. With the latest rumblings of dressing room discontent, plus Wengers staunch refusal to spend any cash, their position amongst the elite is certainly under threat.

Personally, when the takeover first occurred, I welcomed the fact that some fresh blood may be intergrated into the mix at the top and thought it would be funny to see City rattle the big boys with rumours of outlandish bids for Ronaldo, Torres, Fabregas et al in the offing. However, with my team Villa showing such promise, with a young, pacey, predominantly English team masterfully coached by Martin O'Neill, I can't help but feel that we must finish in the top 4 this season, otherwise it may never happen. Villa finally ended their shamefully horrendous run of 11 consecutive home losses to Man Utd and thoroughly deserved the draw. It could have been more, but referee Chris Foy bottled the big decision and didn't give a penalty and send off Nemanja Vidic for his shirt pulling and desperate lunge on Gabriel Agbonlahor.

I'm sure many will disagree, but Cristiano Ronaldo is the most overated "free kick specialist" in the game. He scored one amazing set piece last season, fair enough. He put two of them away against Stoke, but a suspect Thomas Sorensen should have done better. Thats it. Yet, every free kick Man Utd have, we're subjected to this dramatic Jonny Wilkinson style pacing back. Then we have the unorthodox wide legged stance, the camera will close in on his rodent face, his giant adams apple will bob up and down as he imperiously surveys the scene and we'll get the usual hyperbole from the commentators about how he's such a threat from this range. Bollocks. You watch him, 19 out of 20 times, he just smacks it aginst the wall. I'd thought this before, so when watching the game, I was concerned that I'd perhaps cursed it and that he would conjure up some wonder goal, but sure enough, three attempts were ploughed against the wall. He was pretty ineffective throughout the game actually, was subbed, then gestured to the Villa Fans that he was No.1 as he went down the tunnel. I don't mean he swore at them, he literally was motioning that he is the best. You may suggest that it is smart of him to use this particular one finger salute as it is unlikely he'll get into trouble for it, but I would suggest the same thing I said last week - he's a wanker. In fact, it would come as a major surprise to me if Ronaldo can go a week without saying or doing anything wankerish.

Chelsea & Liverpool were both held to stalemates, with Scolari suggesting that Newcastle had employed 'parking the bus' style tactics to grind out a draw, whilst Benitez insinuated that his players were tired after their international exertions. The disgruntled duo are therefore still locked together at the top.

Two teams whom I've predicted will go down exposed me as a poor pundit by picking up wins. Bolton picked up a great win at the Riverside, quite a surprise seeing as Boro were undefeated in 5 Premier League games. I still don't rate Megson and think they'll struggle for goals, but record signing Johan Elmander being back on the scoresheet could prove crucial. Meanwhile the Hammers got their first win in 8, away at Sunderland. The Black Cats have been poor at home, but I think Keane will turn it around, I can't believe some of their fans are calling for his head, because so far he has done a great job with them. They were huge points for West Ham, but the key thing for them will be the transfer window and whether the Icelandic owners will sell key players if significant bids come in for them. Gudmundsson claims that they won't, but if say, Tottenham come in for Robert Green to replace Ronald McGomes or Arsenal knock on their door for in form Matthew Upson, I wouldn't be surprised if they were to relent. Either way, they are still in big trouble, although the form of Upson for club and country will be of some encouragement to Zola.

The third team I tipped for the drop, West Brom, looker a surer thing for relegation, losing an important clash against Stoke. Similar to Wenger in his way, Mowbray has a laudable philosophy about his team playing great football, but the reality is that it is not producing the results and the danger is that if they don't stop the rot soon, then they will become the first club to be isolated from the pack. I'm sure in a perfect world, Tony Pulis would have Stoke stroking it about, with free flowing stylish total football being served up at The Brittania Stadium, but he realises that for now, the Potters have to play to their strengths and its reaping dividends.

Like his former United colleague Keane, Incey Wincey Guv'nor is starting to feel the pressure as he finds his Blackburn team second bottom of the league following defeat to Tottenham. When you look at Blackburn message boards and see that his regime is being likened to that of the abominablely bad Brian Kidd, then alarm bells start ringing. With Santa Cruz & Warnock possible Man City transfer window targets, Ince must be feeling concerned. Tottenham hauled themselves back out of the drop zone with a stirling performance from Aaron lennon. I've always thought that if he added a few more goals to his game he could be better than SWP, so it will be interesting to see if he can continue his fine form. Coco the Gomes luckily got away with a couple of classic flapping clangers and despite Redknapp replacing the goalkeeping coach mid week, I can't see him keeping faith with the Brazilian doofus beyond January. Much has been made of the Spurs fans ironically cheering him, but to be honest, when he's cost them so many points, he should realise that he needs to put in a string of commanding performances to earn their trust and just get on with it.

Finally, Portsmouth and Hull fought out an exciting 2-2 draw. I'll finish the column with another little prdiction & rant, why not ? I think Portsmouth will struggle and don't think Tony Adams is up to the task. As commendable as it is that Adams has turned his life around and overcome his alcohol addiction, I feel that this new intelligent, thoughtful persona he tries to project is all a bit false. I remember a few years back seeing him on this Soccer Saturday feature and he was playing the piano and remarking that Caprice was a 'fascinating woman and just a friend'. Well, he can try and come across as intellectual as he likes, but to me he just seems to be a rather smug, pious individual who I don't think he has the nous for management. He had an appalling time with Wycombe, getting them relegated in his year there, leaving them floundering in mid table of League 2 on a terrible run of form, citing 'personal reasons' behind his departure. Yeah, he realised he wasn't good enough. Now that he's spent a short spell learning coaching methods in Holland and worked under 'Arry he obviously considers himself a real student of the game and ready for top level management. We shall see.