Premier League Game Week Four: Things we learned

Massive video games, late targets, new superstars, and VAR controversy. These are the phrases that can be utilized to explain the sport week 4 of the 2023-24 Premier League season. Throughout the ten video games this weekend, we noticed a whooping 41 targets, essentially the most in any sport week this season. The present season has seen loads of the so-called ‘mid-table’ and ‘lower-table’ groups ditch their defensive fashion of soccer for attacking aptitude.

These groups have additionally deployed this technique towards stronger groups, giving us some unbelievable video games. After 40 video games, one factor is definite: regardless of how massive a crew is, they must again their expertise on the pitch to win factors, as now different golf equipment have proven that they’re outfitted to punish any lapse in focus.

Solely 5 groups within the league are unbeaten at this level, with just one boasting a 100 per cent successful fee, showcasing how cutthroat the battle for locations will likely be this season. And with the switch window additionally closing, groups solely have their present squad to assist them ought to their kind flounder or accidents rise.

So, what did we be taught from sport week 4 of the Premier League?

Arsenal get the bragging rights over Manchester United at Emirates 

The largest conflict of the week was undoubtedly Arsenal vs. Manchester United. The Gunners desperately wanted the three factors after their dismal efficiency towards Fulham final week. Arsenal began the sport on the entrance foot and created a number of probabilities however failed to search out the crowning glory.

United’s technique was easy: soak up the stress and hit the crew on the counterattack. And that is what bought them the opening aim as Marcus Rashford bamboozled Arsenal’s defence to attain from a shocking roller previous Aaron Ramsdale. The aim hit a swap inside Arsenal, who solely took 35 seconds to equalise.

The second half was a lot the identical, with each side struggling to search out the successful aim. United scored, however Alejandro Garnacho was offside by the best of margins. In the long run, it was record-signing Declan Rice who scored his maiden aim from a scruffy end to beat Andre Onana at his close to put up.

The aim meant that United needed to go on the offensive with minutes to go. This opened areas for the Gunners, and in a single such probability, Gabriel Jesus discovered himself by on aim. The Brazilian produced a fast cutback that embarrassed Johnny Evans earlier than slotting the ball previous Onana to substantiate his crew’s victory.

Manchester Metropolis win, however VAR makes headlines

Manchester Metropolis thrashed Fulham 5-1 to win their fourth straight victory, with Erling Haaland scoring his first hattrick of the Premier League season. Nevertheless, the sport was marred by a controversial VAR resolution that allowed a Manchester Metropolis aim to face. Regardless of taking part in towards a star-studded facet, Fulham got here out all weapons blazing, matching Metropolis in depth.

The Cottagers additionally managed to equalise inside two minutes after happening. In the direction of the top of the primary half, the hosts gained a nook, which was swung in by Cole Palmer, with Nathan Ake getting on the top of it and scoring previous Bernd Leno. Nevertheless, Metropolis defender Manuel Akanji was simply forward of Leno, and in line with Regulation 11 of the FA handbook, a aim will likely be deemed offside if an opposition participant is obstructing the goalkeeper’s view.

Regardless of this, each referee Michael Oliver and the VAR allowed the aim to face. This aim deflated Fulham’s spirits as Haaland ran riot within the second half.

Brighton and West Ham are to not be taken frivolously

Earlier than the beginning of the season, Brighton and West Ham misplaced a number of high gamers within the switch market. Nevertheless, each golf equipment moved swiftly and promoted new gamers into the position. And the transition has been so easy that each golf equipment have change into even higher regardless of dropping their star gamers.

West Ham United have gained three and drew one, which incorporates wins over Chelsea and Brighton. David Moyes, who has been the grasp of defensive soccer, has created an ideal system that makes use of quick counterattacks by bodily gamers to overwhelm the opposition. Their sport towards Brighton is an ideal instance the place the Hammers scored three targets regardless of having 22 per cent of possession. They continued their kind this week, successful 2-1 away towards newly promoted Luton City.

In the meantime, Brighton bounced again in fashion after their defeat to West Ham United as they took three factors at house towards Newcastle United. Led by their rising star Evan Ferguson, who scored a hattrick, the Seagulls had been at their greatest in assault. Beneath Roberto de Zerbi, the membership have improved by leaps and bounds in the previous couple of seasons.

With 12 targets, Brighton are essentially the most scoring crew throughout the highest 5 leagues after AS Monaco, which reveals how good of a system they’ve constructed.

Tottenham Hotspur look nearly as good even with out Harry Kane 

Ange Postecoglou had an enormous job at his arms when he took cost because the boss at White Hart Lane. On high of that, he additionally needed to see his high participant, Harry Kane, depart for Bayern Munich. Nevertheless, the Austrian recognized for his tactical genius has managed to show issues round on the London membership inside months.

The latest 5-2 away win over Burnley confirmed their brilliance, with skipper Son Heung Min scoring a hattrick. Nevertheless, the star of the present has been James Maddison, who has been the lynchpin of the facet. The English attacker at present ranks second within the league for Anticipated Threats (xT) and fourth in Anticipated Offensive Worth Added (xOVA). He additionally has gained 11 fouls, the fourth most within the league.

Tottenham additionally managed so as to add Brennan Johnson to their squad earlier than the switch window closed. Whereas the Welsh worldwide is clearly not as deadly as Kane within the position, he does have an enormous potential and can give Postecoglou a brand new dimension within the assault.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool present adaptation is vital to survival 

The largest void that Liverpool wanted to fill within the switch window was in the course of the park. Whereas Alexis MacAllister and Dominik Szoboszlai had been added to extend the standard within the attacking midfield areas, Liverpool failed so as to add an elite holding midfielder, failing to signal any considered one of Jude Bellingham, Moises Caicedo, and Romeo Lavia.

They did handle to signal Ryan Garvenberch on deadline day, however he isn’t a real holding midfielder; regardless of this, Jurgen Klopp had mentioned that with these world-class midfielders at his disposal, he might adapt his crew in such a manner that negates the necessity for a quantity six.

And until now, we’re beginning to see indicators of that with Liverpool taking part in fast one-touch passing mixed with excessive intense Gegenpressing to suffocate the opposition off the ball. The assault is in positive kind, with Darwin Nunez beginning to justify his payment and Szoboszlai scoring his first aim for the membership to assist his crew seize the third spot on the desk.

Chelsea hold hitting new lows each week

If one needed to put their cash on which supervisor is more likely to be sacked within the Premier League, then Mauricio Pochetiino’s would fetch numerous bets. After having a dream switch window the place they added a number of gamers that took their whole spending within the final 12 months over one billion, Chelsea have unbelievable managed to change into even worse.

In actual fact, seeing their efficiency thus far this season, it appears to be like just like the crew wants one other one billion funding to enhance. After 4 video games, the Blues sit twelfth on the desk. Their latest video games noticed them lose 1-0 to Nottingham Forest at house. This was in a sport the place that they had 21 pictures on track with an xG of two.13 (in line with Opta) as in comparison with 0.71 of their rivals.

Star signing Mykhailo Mudryk has but to attain his first aim after 20 video games, whereas the dearth of ending and the eros in defence hold mounting. Pochettino is but to search out his greatest beginning 11, and his techniques until now look clueless, with gamers unable to string an inexpensive interval of dominance in any of the video games thus far.