1. City unquestionably the most talented side in the Premier League
It gives an insight into the unpredictable nature of this year’s Premier League when you consider that — almost halfway through the season — Everton and Southampton are the two teams with the best defensive records.
Before today, that accolade had been held by Arsenal, but the Gunners’ defence looked anything but solid as they were blown away by Manchester City, conceding six goals in the process — an extremely rare statistic for Premier League leaders to be on the receiving end of.
The outcome of the game was further evidence that — when they’re on song — City are the best team in the Premier League, yet the fact that they have also dropped points against Cardiff, Stoke and Sunderland among others cannot be overlooked. Arsenal, by contrast, for all their faults, seem more adept at dispatching weaker clubs.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side appear to have difficulty breaking teams down away from home — somewhat bizarrely, they seem to lose their customary ruthlessness on their travels. Consequently, while they undoubtedly have the most talented side in the Premier League, this significant failing may well prevent them from triumphing come the end of the season.
2. Chelsea are a team on auto-pilot
At the start of the campaign, if you’d offered Chelsea fans a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League and a position two points off the league leaders at this point in the season, most would have gleefully accepted such circumstances.Yet despite their relative health in terms of the table, all is not well at Stamford Bridge.
The London side have not been playing especially impressively of late, and they lacked conviction once again amid their unconvincing and somewhat fortuitous 2-1 victory over an ordinary enough Crystal Palace outfit.
Quite why their star players have looked off key so consistently is difficult to ascertain, but the acquisition of a top-class striker in January would surely, at the very least, inject a bit more confidence into the team.
3. Stephen Ireland the pick of the Irish players in dour Hull-Stoke encounter
Roy Keane was in attendance at the KC Stadium to see a total of five Irish players in action — Glenn Whelan, Stephen Ireland, Marc Wilson, David Meyler and Robbie Brady (who didn’t start the game but came off the bench midway through the second half) — as Hull drew 0-0 with Stoke.
And Keane won’t exactly have been encouraged by what he saw, with both Meyler and Whelan substituted following relatively quiet displays.
Ireland, however, stood out to a degree, providing wit and ingenuity on occasion, as he looked one of the few bright sparks in a game largely devoid of inspiration
Indeed, the 27-year-old was even somewhat unlucky not to get on the scoresheet — he followed up Peter Crouch’s rebounded effort and converted into the empty net, only to be marginally (and correctly) ruled out for offside.
It’s consequently tempting to wonder if (and perhaps hope that) one of the purposes of Keane’s appearance tonight was to meet Ireland after the game to discuss the possibility of an international return.
4. Martinez looks the real deal
Skeptics questioned the wisdom of Everton appointing Roberto Martinez as manager in the summer, with the suggestion being that someone who had overseen a club’s relegation was not fit for a top job.
Yet the scant resources afforded to the former Wigan boss during his time there was the real reason for the team’s failure to maintain their Premier League status, and the club’s current struggles in the Championship cast Martinez in an even greater light.
Despite being without one of their key players of recent weeks, the suspended James McCarthy, they ultimately easily brushed aside Fulham 4-1 today to go fourth in the Premier League — just four points behind leaders Arsenal.
And Martinez’s managerial acumen, coupled with the presence of stars like Romelu Lukaku and Gerard Deulofeu, means few would be overly confident in betting against the prospect of Champions League football at Goodison Park next season.
5. Clarke sacking epitomises the harsh nature of life as a Premier League manager
News tonight that Steve Clarke has been sacked as manager of West Brom will come as a shock to most football fans, though looking at it from one particular perspective, it’s far from a huge surprise.
The decision is part of a larger trend in which life as a Premier League manager is increasingly beginning to resemble the footballing equivalent of Russian roulette.
Apart from (arguably) Arsene Wenger, it is difficult to identify one boss whose long-term future is completely secure.
Clarke oversaw the club’s eighth-place finish last season — a remarkable achievement by West Brom’s standards. In addition, just over a month ago, he masterminded a superb display that saw West Brom come within seconds of beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge — and they would certainly have achieved this feat were it not for an ill-judged refereeing decision in their opponents’ favour amid the game’s dying moments.
However, as is often the case when a side experiences any sort of vaguely disconcerting losing run (in West Brom’s case, four straight defeats), their manager invariably takes the brunt of the blame.
So where does this leave the club? The situation may turn out for the best, as was the case following Nigel Adkins’ similarly harsh sacking by Southampton last season, but the decision is an extremely risky one, especially when you consider Clarke’s track record and reputation as one of the game’s top coaches.
