PL hits and misses: Spurs shining under Ange Postecoglou but Arsenal yet to show growth from last season
Sky Sports' football writers review the weekend's action as Spurs impress, Arsenal slip up and Manchester United's issues remain. Plus: Mauricio Pochettino liberating Chelsea? Andoni Iraola may need to adapt and both Brentford and Crystal Palace need a striker...
Sunday 27 August 2023 09:22, UK
Arsenal yet to show growth from last season
If Arsenal have designs on going one better than last season and lifting the Premier League for the first time in 20 years, Mikel Arteta will need to plug the holes in his leaky defence - especially at the Emirates.
Their remarkable habit of conceding inside the first minute at home - they have now done it three times in nine Premier League matches in 2023 - cost them in the draw against Southampton last season and did so again against Fulham.
Incidentally, Fulham are the only top-flight side since the start of last season to keep fewer home clean sheets than the Gunners.
Arteta's array of creative midfielders and versatile forwards again dug their team-mates out of a hole on Saturday - only for the defence to crumble yet again.
It's early days, but the evidence that Arsenal are a more complete side than last season - and therefore more realistic title contenders - is yet to be provided.
Joe Shread
Spurs revitalised but do they need another striker?
Tottenham may have continued their unbeaten start to the season under Ange Postecoglou with a 2-0 win at Bournemouth, but it was a frustrating afternoon on the south coast for Richarlison. The Spurs striker should have scored in the first half, was booked for a needless tackle in the second, and was mocked by the home fans throughout before being substituted in the 60th minute.
It's one goal in 2023 for the Brazil international. Replacing Harry Kane is an impossible task and the 26-year-old can't be expected to reach the levels of his former team-mate, but he looks extremely low on confidence and badly out of form.
- Bournemouth 0-2 Tottenham - Match report and highlights
- How the teams lined up | Match stats
- Live Premier League table | Fixtures | Results
Ange Postecoglou's attempt to fill the void left by Kane has been to make Tottenham more fluid and versatile in attack. Richarlison, Heung-Min Son and Dejan Kulusevski have been given the licence to interchange positions, and the three of them have combined well at times so far this season. They may not individually be able to replace Kane's goal tally over the course of the campaign, but six goals in three games - as well as the addition of a proper playmaker in James Maddison - suggest Spurs' new style is working.
However, you cannot help but wonder whether a new striker would take them to the next level. In his post-match press conference at Bournemouth, Postecoglou backed Richarlison to start scoring. But with the transfer window closing on Friday, will Tottenham be tempted to spend some of the money received for Kane on a forward? The problem is - who's realistically available?
Dan Sansom
Moyes adding frightening quality to steely West Ham
Games like this do not usually go David Moyes' way.
His record away from home with West Ham against the traditional big six is diabolical - 28 games, zero wins, 24 loses.
Elite teams usually find a way through the rigid and reliable Moyes block. Although Brighton are not officially deemed a traditional big-six side, they deserve to be based on their football under Roberto De Zerbi.
Moyes spoke of "needing to do something different" to end a 12-game winless run against Brighton and although it was not a major tweak in style, the mix of defensive organisation and destructive counter-attacking made this a day to remember for Moyes. He now possesses a side that have all the classic Moyes characteristics of desire, physicality and power but it's mixed in with an abundance of quality that gives West Ham a real edge when venturing into the final third. Chelsea found that out. Brighton did too.
The second goal at Brighton emphasised that point.
Jarrod Bowen's willingness to sprint almost a full-length of a football pitch to join a counter-attack was a remarkable in itself but to then steady himself and find the quality to find the perfect touches to score a mesmerising goal was different levels.
Moyes has made an art-form out of beating teams in the bottom half of the table at West Ham, if he now makes a habit of beating the big boys, well, there could be more exciting days ahead for a fan-base riding the crest of a wave.
Lewis Jones
Pochettino liberating Chelsea
Mauricio Pochettino recalled this week one of his early games in charge of Espanyol when he took his team to the Nou Camp and staged a famous victory against Pep Guardiola's Barcelona en route to masterminding the team's LaLiga survival.
That 2-1 win in February 2009, earned thanks to two goals from midfielder Ivan de la Pena as Espanyol ended a 27-year wait for a victory at the home of their city rivals, announced Pochettino's arrival as a coach and was a springboard for dragging his new team out of the relegation zone to safety.
- Chelsea 3-0 Luton - Match report and highlights
- Forgotten man Sterling gives Pochettino era lift off
- How the teams lined up | Match stats
There was no complacency from Chelsea on Friday, however, as Pochettino's side were polished in overcoming Luton.
Pochettino acknowledged that the door may not be fully closed on Romelu Lukaku's future at Stamford Bridge if a deal cannot be reached to sell him before the end of the window, although the player is eager to leave and unlikely to prove the answer to the team's goalscoring woes unless his relationship with the club improves.
The head coach said the club remain in the market for another attacking option but only if a player of his profile becomes available. This is certainly a work in progress, but even with the current spate of absentees, there is enough in these early weeks to suggest the only way is up under Pochettino.
Ben Grounds
Man Utd win but vulnerability obvious
Manchester United deserve credit for extricating themselves from such a tricky situation and it is understandable if Erik ten Hag prefers to put the focus on the character of his players, while match-winner Bruno Fernandes talks of a team capable of great things.
That is not the overriding emotion when watching United's chaotic performances thus far this season. Fortunate against Wolves and punished by Tottenham, there was little evidence that those warnings had been heeded here, either in terms of team shape or urgency.
"I am very pleased with the comeback," said Ten Hag afterwards. "The leadership, how we stayed calm and composed, stuck to the plan, stuck to the belief and turned it around. We played very good football and out of our plan and our rules, we scored very good goals."
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Asked about the fragility of his team, he replied: "Every team has areas where they need to improve and definitely we also have some. But you can see that this team has good character, good personality. There is a good spirit and energy. They found a way to win."
The expected-goals data suggests that only Fulham, Luton, Bournemouth, Everton and Wolves have conceded more chances than United this season. It has not stopped them picking up six points out of nine but nor is it sustainable for a side with their ambitions.
Adam Bate
Goalless Everton's troubles deepen
Things are going from bad to worse for Everton.
The late 1-0 home defeat to Wolves means they remain pointless, goalless and bottom of the Premier League. There is no doubt that the Toffees are in deep trouble.
Sean Dyche's side have lost their opening three games to a league season for the first time since 1990/91, while it is the first time they have lost their opening three such games without scoring a single goal.
Everton did come close to celebrating their first goal of the season against Wolves but wasted four big chances, while Abdoulaye Doucoure had a goal ruled out for offside.
It means Everton have failed to score in 17 Premier League games since the start of last season, with only Bournemouth failing to hit the back of the net on more occasions (19).
This profligacy must change if Everton are to avoid a relegation fight this season.
Dyche and Everton fans were given a glimmer of hope at the final whistle that help is on the way. Udinese striker Beto is due on Merseyside on Saturday night ahead of a medical before joining the club in a £25.7m deal.
The Portuguese will have to hit the ground running, especially considering Everton's next Premier League game is at fellow strugglers Sheffield United, in what already feels like a pivotal game in the battle against the drop.
Declan Olley
Brentford and Palace could do with late striker gift
When Kevin Schade rolled in a wonderful curling effort to put Brentford 1-0 up against Crystal Palace, Brentford's need for a striker late in the window was lessening.
But as Palace grew into the game and with only Kean Lewis-Potter available to come off the bench and impact a game which the Bees ended up drawing, you could see why they have put in club-record bids for Nottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson and Fiorentina's Nicolas Gonzalez in recent weeks.
"It would be good. That extra little more offensive option we lack," said Frank at full-time when asked about new additions next week, after seeing the normally reliable Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo fail to create or convert chances against Palace.
The same could well be said for Crystal Palace's front line. "Like every team, we're looking for options,'" Roy Hodgson said even before the Brentford game. The Eagles have now scored twice in three games, with one for Odsonne Edouard.
Both teams currently resemble sides in a mid-table mesh where they are neither looking towards the top seven, nor in threat of relegation. What happens to their striker department in the final days of the summer window could define which direction their progress goes this season.
Sam Blitz
Iraola's exciting Bournemouth may need to adapt
Andoni Iraola is still looking for his first win as Bournemouth head coach since replacing Gary O'Neil in the summer, but there's no need for Cherries fans to be concerned - yet.
Despite a 1-1 draw against West Ham at home on the opening weekend and back-to-back defeats by Liverpool and Tottenham, Bournemouth have shown in all three games just what Iraola will bring to the club.
A forward-thinking manager seeking to implement a fearless, high-intensity style of play, Iraola not only got former club Rayo Vallecano promoted to LaLiga, but he also secured consecutive mid-table finishes and beat Real Madrid and Barcelona last season. His football is fun to watch and he certainly has the ability to produce a tactical masterclass to beat some of Europe's best sides.
However, there is an issue he will quickly need to address. The Spaniard has seen his sides now fail to keep a clean sheet in each of his previous 17 games across all competitions (14 with Rayo Vallecano, three with Bournemouth). It's the longest run of his managerial career.
His start to life on the south coast has been a clear sign of what to expect. Premier League football is unforgiving and although Iraola's philosophy is exciting, he may need to tweak his methods soon to produce results.
Dan Sansom
