Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
It is said that Manchester United’s current style of football actually has fans reading work emails rather than looking for ways to follow the ‘action’.
The latest bore draw at Old Trafford even had the Red Devil’s manager, Louis van Gaal, lamenting that Suarez or Aguero would have been scoring regularly with the number of chances his Reds are creating.
He can hardly blame the loss of Wayne Rooney to injury as the most prolific goalscorer on his books is Juan Mata with four goals this term, twice the number of his once prolific captain.
There was mild amusement a couple of weeks ago when Leicester City took advantage of slips from other top teams to reach the summit of the world’s most popular league, no doubt pleasing their Thailand owners.
This was quickly followed by nods of wisdom when a draw against Manchester United allowed Manchester City to regain the lead, with many predicting this was the start of the Foxes’ fall from grace.
Yet one more week in and there they are again, having doubled their earlier lead. Admittedly two points is hardly significant at this stage of the season yet, with Pellegrini at Manchester City bemoaning his injury crisis (he can still field a handful of players that cost him more than £100million) and other sides unable to show consistency, allow the Foxes to dream.
Anyone who has watched the recently released film, I Believe in Miracles (that documents the meteoric rise of East Midlands neighbours, Nottingham Forest, as they claimed the league before conquering Europe on two successive seasons), can sit and wonder just how far Leicester City can go.
While club coach Claudio Ranieri is still trying to ensure his players keep their feet on the ground by focusing on avoiding relegation, European qualification is looking a distinct possibility if they can keep their key players fit.
Jamie Vardy has received the plaudits for defeating Ruud van Nistelroy’s Premier League record of scoring in 10 successive matches (the Dutchman’s record ran across two seasons in 2003), although he was unable to equal the 83-year record of 12 games back-to-back held by Jimmy Dunne whose non-stop scoring helped Sheffield United in 1930-31.
The former non-league, now England, striker has hit the back of the net 13 times during this run to make him the most prolific player in the league – closely followed by team-mate Mahrez who just bagged a hat-trick to take his own tally for the season into double figures.
That the Foxes top the table is remarkable enough, yet to consider that they were rock bottom 12-months ago marks an incredible turnaround.
Vardy must have partied hard in celebration yet it was the Chelsea squad’s nightclub outing that hit the headlines – although it was sanctioned by Jose Mourinho who agreed that his players needed some bonding in a local nightclub. However, with John Terry present I hope the newcomers to the squad left their wives and girlfriends at home – and noted the time he left!
Mourinho always has something to moan about which tends to water down any valid claims, although it is difficult not to have sympathy for the rejected penalty appeals and offside goal that led to Bournemouth claiming their ‘most historic victory’, thereby becoming the first promoted side to claim a win at Stamford Bridge since 2001.
However, that outweighs the problems he clearly has within the squad. The return of Thibaut Courtois demonstrated the difference a world-class stopper can make as the last line of defence – just look at how important David de Gea is at Manchester United.
The downturn in performance of Eden Hazard, described in the summer as better than Messi and Ronaldo, and Cesc Fabregas, have been well documented. Yet, it is the lack of interest shown by striker Diego Costa that appears to be hurting Chelsea the most. Appearing as a second-half substitute he only looked interested in picking scraps with the opposition.
Mourinho seems to have called time on his experiment with Radamel Falcao, drawing the same conclusion as Van Gaal, although in Loic Remy he has another proven scorer who has poached important goals despite his limited game-time.
Chelsea languish in 14th position, 14 points shy of Champions League qualification and only three above the relegation zone. Too good to go down? How many times has that been said only for a team to be in the Championship the following season? It can’t happen, surely?
For me the most incredible statistics are that the Blues have lost eight of their 15 matches and ‘boast’ a goal difference of minus seven! Statistically, they are now the worst reigning champions in history!
Can you imagine the same happening to Barcelona while Eibar sit atop La Liga? The pure quality of the football elsewhere is better but it is the unpredictability and passion that makes the Premier League so watchable.
