Arsenal put on a real show while Gus Poyet's start at Sunderland could have gone better. Plus an update on the JOE Prediction League.
BullorBear Leagues is a completely new online football betting game, which allows players to set up and run their own personal football predictions league.
You go up against your mates to take down the pot and all the bragging rights that go with it!
Your friends, your game, your league!
www.bullorbearleagues.com
The post international-break round of games can be a bit odd. Players are rested, or injured, and form that was there before the break can either mysteriously appear or disappear. That was a minor worry for Arsenal fans this weekend as their player of the season so far Aaron Ramsey was given a rest on the bench and some fans may have feared that the sensational form that had propelled them to the top of the Premier League table could have deserted them.
In the end, it didn't and Arsenal instead scored four wonderful goals on their way to thumping Norwich. But it wasn't all plain sailing. A nasty knock to the head saw Mathieu Flamini leave the fray, bringing in Ramsey in the first half and by that point Arsenal still only led 1-0 after Jack Wilshere finished off an exceptional team goal
A Mesut Ozil header, of all things, would put Arsenal tow up but Norwich would equalise through Johnny Howson. That did cause a wobble but that man Ramsey steadied the ship with another beauty, his fifth in the league this season, before Ozil nabbed another.
The win keeps Arsenal on top and Arsene Wenger was a very happy man afterwards. His team are playing very well right now, he has a plethora of options and they are scoring goals for fun so he has everyright to be beaming. As Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher pointed out last night on MNF, it is still too early to back Arsenal for the title, but if they can maintain this form against the bigger teams over the next four or five weeks, then the glory days could be back for the Gunners.
Saints alive
Many Manchester United fans were more than a little nervous about the arrival of Southampton to Old Trafford and that trepidation was justified as a spirited Southampton deserved their point on Saturday. Yes it took a late, fairly scrappy, goal to earn a share of the spoils but it was a fair result. True, United hit the woodwork twice and could have won the game but the drive, and ambition, in the closing stages was all from the visitors. The result, on the same week that Alex Ferguson will dominate the back pages with his book launch, is not ideal for David Moyes but there were some positives.
Adnan Januzaj looked good on the same day he signed a new deal and Wayne Rooney was again in decent form but next week's clash, against Stoke, now looks like a must-win for United. Defeat could send the more hysterical 'fans' into apoplexy and that is an added pressure Moyes doesn't need right now.
Black mood for the Black Cats
If David Moyes is feeling down, he can take solace from the fact he's not Gus Poyet. I thought the Uruguayan, with two weeks to work on them, would have his new team in the mood to take on a Swansea side with a dreadful home record. I was spectacularly wrong.
They held out for almost an hour but when Phil Bardsley netted at the wrong end, the doors fell off. Jonathan de Guzman scored a minute later and another six minutes brought a penalty and a third goal for the home side. Another own goal, this time by Steven Fletcher, sealed a miserable afternoon for Sunderland and Poyet.
The defeat is as bad a start as could be imagined and Poyet's massive job of restoring confidence in the group has become even harder. Next up is the simple task of the derby with Newcastle. Who'd be a manager?
JOE’s Prediction League Update
Despite my best efforts, I still trail Andrew Murphy at the top of the BullorBear League with just a week to go. I hauled in a respectable eight points, via seven correct results out 10, but Andrew matched me, so he stays on top with 25.
I have 22, tied with Mark McGann and just behind Brian Connolly as the chase for the dough enters the final week. So far I have been pretty good, if I must say so myself, at picking the results, it is just the pesky bonus points that are costing me. I went for three goals in the Arsenal game and five bookings in the West ham/Man City match. That netted me zero, but if I had reversed those picks (five goals, three bookings) I'd have an extra four points and be in pole position.
I know, if my auntie had balls and all that but all I need is a bit of luck in the final week and victory, sweet, sweet victory, will be mine...
BullorBear Leagues is a completely new online football betting game, which allows players to set up and run their own personal football predictions league.
You go up against your mates to take down the pot and all the bragging rights that go with it!
Your friends, your game, your league!
www.bullorbearleagues.com
