Monday, August 25, 2008

EPL: Round 2 - Gerrard!



Week 2 saw another amazing winner for my beloved posers, Liverpool. This kind of reminds me of Green Bay’s 1999 when Favre opened the season with 3 amazing 4th Quarter comebacks and emotional wins that had the entire league clapping. But, I was sitting there wondering why they were always in such a bind in those games – knowing that they were there because they were not very good.

Liverpool has gotten away with playing very poor football 2 weeks in a row against 2 teams that are not anywhere near the title mix. They have two wonderful winners in the late minutes to steal victory from the jaws of defeat. But why are they behind 80 minutes into the game at home against Boro? Good question. Victory, but not by much.

Meanwhile, at Wigan, Chelsea unleashed the genius of Deco again as he scored on a beautiful set piece and quickly showed that when there is a kick to be taken, Ballack and Lampard might want to take a powder.

Deco Compilation from his days at Barca…



And now the games of Round 2 for the Big 4 in England

Fulham 1, Arsenal 0 as the Gunners drop 3 points in a London Derby against maybe the weakest of the city clubs. Fulham scored on a corner kick in the 1st half, and despite pressure throughout from Arsenal from Van Persie and Adebayor. There is certainly some fear amongst the Gunners fandom that they may be a piece or two short throughout the club and that it could be another year of rebuilding for Arsene Wenger.

Liverpool 2, Middlesbrough 1 as a game that lacked class for 70 minutes proved to have an amazing conclusion at Anfield. Mido, the sometimes fat Egyptian striker, came off the bench and scored from distance for Boro, but almost as if the script was written, Carragher scored in minute 85 with a fortunate deflection and Gerrard scored a goal that would be the goal of a lifetime for most on the final kick of the match, but for Liverpool’s captain, it was just another notch on his belt.

Chelsea 1, Wigan 0 where Deco scored in the first 5 minutes. In 4 seasons with Barcelona, Deco had 13 goals. In 2 games with Chelsea, he has scored twice. Wigan put huge chances on the goal during this game, but the headgeared Peter Cech was up to the challenge. He was very good, but he still looks like he has lost his baseball. Big Phil gets 6 out of 6 points in his first English Campaign.

And finally, Manchester United 1, Portsmouth 0 on Monday Night Football on the South shore. In their last 5 trips to Pompey, United was 1-3-1, so they will be very pleased to take their group down there and leave with their first win of the season. Darren Fletcher scored from tight against David James for the games only strike, and then United just put Pompey in the meat grinder. A clinical result for the champions as they never looked in trouble in a tough setting with half of their squad out of action.

Story of the week: Tottenham still hopes to keep Manchester United from adding Berbatov. But as ugly as it is getting, and as poor as Spurs have started, expect Sir Alex to get his guy (again) and for United to just get richer

Standings after Round 2:

Chelsea 2 Games Played: 6 Points (0 Points Dropped)
Liverpool 2 GP: 6 Points (0 PD)
Manchester United 2 GP: 4 Points (2 PD)
Arsenal 2 GP: 3 Points (3 PD)


This Weekend’s Round 3 Menu:

Saturday, 11:30 Newcastle at Arsenal – Fox Soccer
Sunday, 7:30 Tottenham at Chelsea – Setanta
Sunday 10:00 Liverpool at Aston Villa – Fox Soccer
Manchester United – off for UEFA Super Cup

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