FOX Soccer's lead analyst reflects on the Premier League weekend.
We saw another great weekend of football in England with some really great performances and results. So let’s start this week with what I took away from the games and then we’ll get to a couple of your questions. Speaking of, you can find me on Twitter at @warrenbarton2 and send your questions to me at @FoxSoccer. I can’t answer them all personally, but I do appreciate them, and I’ll pick out a few each week to address right here.
1. Robin van Persie has taken Arsenal and put them on his shoulders.
He was the man of the match for me on Saturday, and he has not only accepted the role of being a captain — which comes with incredible pressure and scrutiny — but embraced it. That performance against Chelsea set a record, with him getting 28 goals in 27 matches, and it showed what an impact this man has on the team. You have to remember this is still a very young Arsenal side, and I do think getting older heads like Mikel Arteta and Per Mertesacker in there have calmed things down. But what you are seeing from van Persie is skill and determination. He was just head and shoulders above everyone else.
Everyone knows the injuries he’s had, and that’s always been a question mark. However, no one’s ever questioned his ability. He’s learned from his mistakes and added an element of maturity to his overall impressive game.
2. It was a bad week for John Terry and Chelsea needs to address this.
I don’t want to get into the off-field issues, because they’re simply allegations and I don’t think that’s proper. But these are very serious charges, and the situation has clearly affected him. We saw the same thing two years ago with Wayne Bridge and this is a very difficult thing for any player. Any distraction at the highest level, in any sport, takes you off your game, and you get nailed. That happened Saturday. Arsenal isolated Terry, and preyed on his concentration. John is a very physical, strong defender one on one, but you go either side and he’s vulnerable. He’s not the quickest or most agile player, and right now, he’s a bit like a boxer who’s got a weak spot. Teams are going to hammer the soft spot on the field and Arsenal did exactly that on Saturday.
This is going to be a problem for Chelsea. They’ve relied so much on the older players — Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Petr Cech — that making a change there is going to be tough. But teams are going to look at that tape and plan around him. Andre Villas-Boas has to figure that out immediately or suffer the consequences on the pitch.
3. United showed character and the resolve of a champion.
United are back on track, grinding out the results. They didn’t have a lot of the ball or many chances, but they have the will to win and the men who get the job done. ‘Chicharito’ is a natural finisher, and in the six games he’s scored in, they went on to win. He’s a machine who knows where to go, and how to get it done. But this game said a lot about United’s character. It was questioned by City. By going to play a strong team like Everton, and matching them and getting a win is the form that wins you titles. United can still dial it up under adversity and get the job done.
4. Manchester City is balanced and has ‘true’ impact players.
You saw against Wolves that City have the quality and the depth in their rotation to overcome obstacles and change games. Vincent Kompany gets sent off, and it looks like a game of nerves at 2-1, but then Adam Johnson comes on and makes a difference. Mario Balotelli also did a fine job Saturday also coming off the bench. They have men like that who can come on, score goals, relieve pressure or just keep the ball. They look very balanced right now.
Now let’s get to some of your questions. Many of you have asked: what’s wrong with Bolton?
I’ve played with teams that are expected to win and those that are just hoping to survive. The difference is confidence. When Bolton was winning last year, everyone was confident and bought into Owen Coyle’s system. It’s when you lose that — and you’re not at the world-class level in a tough league — that you get figured out.
Bolton’s leaking goals, they have no concentration and they don’t have any impact players. But more than that, they are caught between wanting to play the “old” Bolton way, which was long-ball, route one, and Coyle’s philosophy. They need to find a happy medium to right things there between the two.
A lot of you wondered today after seeing Spurs beat QPR: is Gareth Bale back?
I actually think there’s more to come from him. He’s shown a lot of strength of character, and you see the goals he scored today, especially that third one, and that’s the quality he’s capable of. The thing is, the expectations on him, being so young, were enormous, so I think it’s a testament that he’s been able to brush off the injuries and get back to doing what he does best. I was talking to Gary Speed the other day, and he told me he thinks Bale’s one of the best he can remember, which to me speaks volumes. Speed played with Ian Rush, Mark Hughes and Ryan Giggs, so that’s very complimentary. I think the rest of the Premier League is going to look at today’s game and be wary of him.
Finally, my old club Newcastle United plays Stoke City on Monday afternoon, and while that’s on another network, you can also follow that on Twitter at @FoxSoccerTrax.
I’ll be honest, I’m a little apprehensive about this game. Stoke are a very good team and while Newcastle have defended well, I think Steven Taylor and Fabricio Coloccini are going to come under real threat. We saw last week against Blackburn that Newcastle have the character to come back, but I’m also concerned because the same guys have been playing every game and I wonder if there’s some fatigue there. If Newcastle can come away with a point from the Britannia, they’ll be happy — and so will I!
See you right here next week and don’t forget to tune in on Tuesday for the Champions League. Thanks so much as always.
