Skip to content

Premier League: David Moyes coping well with tricky United baptism

Image: Robin van Persie and David Moyes: capable of winning more silverware for United, says Jeff

Such has been the focus on David Moyes' opening days at Manchester United that even 'The Special One' has become 'The Silent One' in the build-up to this Premier League season!

Tough
At the other end of the table everybody will say that Crystal Palace and Hull are favourites for the drop and I would add Sunderland to that list. Paolo di Canio is volatile and unpredictable as a manager and while they've brought in a raft of players, some of whom like Emanuele Giaccherini have a good pedigree, you can't say that of them all. There had to be some changes but the jury is out on how successful those changes will be and without Simon Mignolet and Danny Graham (and it looks as though Lee Cattermole is on his way out, too) then they could be in for a tough ride. The other manager I fear for is Mark Hughes at Stoke because he has a bit to prove after what happened at Queen's Park Rangers. He's a top guy and I like him a lot but there doesn't seem to have been the money available that there has been in previous seasons.

Jeff's early season wish-list

End the Strictly Come Dancing/WWE fiasco that goes on in the penalty area at every set play: Players wrapping arms around each other and wrestling opponents to the ground has just got to stop. I'd love to see referees clamp down hard on that in the opening weeks of the season rather than turn a blind eye to what is clearly visible to everybody. Award penalties when it happens and it will mean that good movement in the box is rewarded rather than stopped unfairly. Clubs to show more patience with managers: I heard recently that Martin Allen is already under pressure at Gillingham. How can that be? He got them promoted last season - they won the title and were never out of the top two. How can he possibly be under pressure after two league games at a higher level? So I hope that's wrong and I hope we don't see any dismissals within the first two or three months. I hope we see as many goals as we have in the last few seasons: Last season's Premier League tally was only three short of the record, so let's hope for games in the vein of West Brom 5-5 Man Utd. Oh, and it would be nice to see Hartlepool score their first league goal of the season soon!

Jeff's Gem of the week

Rickie Lambert: Anybody who watches Southampton will tell you that he is an outstanding striker with a wonderful touch and a great eye for the goal. He's talismanic for Southampton and a lot of people couldn't understand why he was overlooked for England honours for so long. The only possible reason was that his roots were in the lower leagues. On Wednesday I thought his goal struck a blow for lower league football but for everybody in any walk of life who has come from modest beginnings but has the determination to prove what can be achieved with raw ability and hard work. His smile after he scored was just fantastic. I dare Roy Hodgson to leave him out of his squad now - and I don't think he will!

Around Sky