Premier League results have gone crazy since the new season started with yesterday a remarkable case in point but why?
We enjoyed a wonderful but totally unexpected result at Leicester but then came the 6-1 humbling of Manchester United at Old Trafford and the 7-2 thrashing of Liverpool by Villa.
Last weekend we smashed Wolves and the Foxes gave Manchester City a 5-2 hiding…so just what is going on and what are the reasons?
ClaretandHugh sought some answers from its Facebook Group. Here’s some random comments!
- They’re not “crazy” it’s just the end of “upstreak” for some teams and end of “downstreak” for the others.
- Two things. Home team no longer has vocal support so fear for the away team has gone. I was talking to a Villa fan earlier and he was saying that his team get a lot of stick from fans which has also gone. The home advantage, very short pre season with little real competition not being able to go abroad. Some teams have had good transfer windows where they can afford it. Teams seem to be more concerned with scoring goals than defending.
- I was watching the Leeds v Man City game yesterday, it was like basketball. We attack and then you attack, they seem to have forgotten how to defend!
- It’s abundantly clear that some players are enjoying the freedom of playing football without the fan pressure so you’re seeing some players excel under these conditions, whereas others enjoy the pressure so it’s completely messed up the squad balances
- Looks like some players and teams better navigate through the pandemic than others (absence of fans, overall psychological pressure etc.). Plus, some teams are particularly affected by incredibly tight schedules.
- All the teams playing the high press, teams starting to find ways to beat them, City and Lverpool dominate the ball so much no one ever got at their defence, now they have both been exposed a bit, possession means nothing now its how quick you counter
- Can’t make head nor tail of it to be honest. But starting to think Moyes should become a relatively hands-on Director of Football, to enable Irvine to be our Manager. His percentages rivalling Sir Trev’s unless I’m mistaken.
- In our case, don’t you think it might just have something to do with the fact that for the first time in two seasons we’ve got a more or less fully fit squad and can play our players in their correct positions?
- Football’s nothing without fans though apparently. Better than ever the games now
- No pressure from fans, no atmosphere. Subconsciously, players treating it as a training session. No way, would these set of results yesterday and probably City v Leicester etc, be the same, with fans present. Unreal atmosphere, unreal football.
Could just be randomness throwing up results like the ones we’ve seen this weekend, Hugh.
Happening to often in comparison to previous times for me Lee
And no one mentioned the fact most teams now seem to have real competition for places. Just look at the 100 million plus three we have sitting on our bench. Players know if they don’t perform 100% they will lose their place in the team.