Match analysis week 3: Dmitri Kharine says ...

Hello and welcome back once again to our third week of match analysis! Today Dmitri Kharine and I run through various topics including Chelsea’s new star signings and how they faired in their debut, Liverpool’s continued impressive start to the season, Arsenal’s devastating loss to United and both Manchester Club’s supremacy in the Premier League.

United and City can only be described as goal machines combining for a staggering total of 13 goals scored between them, while Chelsea and Liverpool continue winning but showing their defensive woes. Arsenal on the other hand, have issues in just about every position apart from goalkeeper, with some very smart and fast transfer moves absolutely essential to keep the Gunners afloat.

Game 1: Chelsea 3 – 1 Norwich

GK: Hilario

DR: Bosingwa DC: Ivanovic DC: Terry DL: A. Cole

RM: Ramires CM: Mikel CM: Lampard LM: Malouda

ST: Drogba ST: Torres

Igor: As you can see Chelsea began this game in a 4-4-2 formation, allowing Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres another opportunity to try and create that deadly partnership all Blues fans are waiting for. Once again the lack of a direct right-winger forced Ramires to play out wide, however the young Brazilian had a fantastic game creating numerous chances cutting inside along with the penalty which Lampard converted. Chelsea looked incredibly clumsy in defence and the lack of Petr Cech is still a continued woe for the Blues. A defensive mix up led to Norwich’s goal and in all honesty the score line does not do Norwich’s effort any justice at all.

Dmitri: Of course we also saw the introduction of Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku today, both exciting players that are considered to be the future of Chelsea. Juan Mata looked incredibly dangerous when he came on in the last 30 minutes for Malouda, finding pockets of space and drifting into the middle looking for the ball. He reminds me a little bit of David Silva with his movement and showed great composure to score Chelsea’s 3^rd goal. Torres came trudging off goalless to make way for Lukaku’s entrance into the game and the young lad showed power and hunger for the ball. He was actually lined up in front of an open goal when Juan Mata chose to slot the ball into the corner instead of passing, so either of the new boys could have taken the final goal.

Igor: The introduction of Juan Mata for Malouda spurs an interesting debate, as I believed the Spaniard would play from the right wing, keeping Malouda in the starting XI. Now that position is wide open, perhaps Juventus’ interest in the Frenchman is not unjustified. Didier Drogba’s injury is incredibly unfortunate but will at least make AVB’s decision of playing Torres a little easier for the next few games.

Dmitri: Alex’s mistake last week forced him onto the bench and was a perfect opportunity for Ivanovic to play 90 minutes since his injury. Unfortunately it was Chelsea’s 2 centre backs that were the liability, often miss communicating with goalkeeper Hilario and turning a shoulder to find Norwich’s strikers goal-side. Perhaps it was a lack of concentration from Terry and Ivanovic because the two experienced players should have plenty of tactical awareness and vision.

It is clear Torres must re-invent himself.

Igor: As we have mentioned before, Torres needs an opportunity to play as a free-roaming forward, not a rigid striker. In the past few games, although the Spaniard has failed to find the net, he has still shown promise and key skills required for the free-role position (holding the ball up, turning defenders, linking other players into the game etc) but it is undisputable that playing alongside another forward today forced Torres’ worst performance of the season so far.

Dmitri: Yes it seems that Fernando simply cannot play side-by-side with another striker so it would be interesting to see him playing a deeper role to try and find a way to impact and score goals.

Star man:

Igor: Jose Bosingwa had a terrific game at right back for Chelsea. He opened the scoring with an absolute belter and is one of the few players today who showed any form of creativity and hunger in the offensive third. Well played.

Dmitri: I’m going to say Juan Mata who clearly made an impact upon the Chelsea players and fans. The Spaniard is going to have a bright future with the Blues and a debut goal is the perfect way to elevate that confidence.

Game 2: Liverpool 3 – 1 Bolton

GK: Reina

DR: Kelly DC: Carragher DC: Agger DL: Jose Enrique

RM: Henderson CM: Lucas CM: Adam LM: Downing

FW: Kuyt ST: Suarez

Igor: Liverpool hosted Bolton with a largely unchanged side as only Luis Suarez came in for off-form Andy Carroll. King Kenny is looking increasingly confident with this line-up and there’s no reason he shouldn’t be as Liverpool are now sitting on top of the Premiership. A dominant offensive performance capped by one defensive mistake rounded up a great team effort from Liverpool whose offensive line impressed with a flurry of fast-paced moves and efforts on goal. The only disappointment is Luis Suarez didn’t get on the score sheet as the invaluable striker caused Bolton’s defence problems all the way to his substitution.

Dmitri: The more I watch Liverpool’s newly enforced XI play, the more difficult it is for me to decide where Steven Gerrard would fit in once he comes back to full fitness. Charlie Adam put out another inspiring performance topped with a goal and assist, while Henderson also got on the score sheet. I’ve been tooting Stuart Downing’s horn for the past 3 weeks and the boy is still doing everything right, but he just can’t get on the score sheet!

Where does Carroll fit in this exciting Liverpool team?

Igor: When I watch Liverpool play without Andy Carroll it just keeps convincing me that their record-breaking signing is not good enough for this starting XI. When he replaced Luis Suarez, Liverpool lost that spark immediately – perhaps it’s because he is replacing the Uruguayan superstar but he doesn’t seem to have the technical prowess required to play the fast football Liverpool are showing off currently.

Dmitri: Yes Andy Carroll’s dimension of gaming currently does not compliment Liverpool’s passing style, but he is young and still might have a massive part to play in Liverpool’s future.

Igor: This game also proved to me that so far in the campaign King Kenny has made only 1 mistake, not starting Dirk Kuyt in the opening game. Kuyt is such an important member of Liverpool’s squad and for me is an automatic selection choice.

Star man:

Igor: Charlie Adam was the most influential man on the pitch next to Luis Suarez but the Scot sealed a consistent performance with a goal and assist, top points!

Dmitri: Yes Adam continues to impress as a top distributor, he has definitely earned a place in Liverpool’s starting XI.

Game 3: Tottenham 1 – 5 Manchester City

GK: Hart

DR: Zabaleta DC: Kompany DC: Lescott DL: Clichy

CM: Yaya Toure CM: Barry

RW: Silva FW: Aguero LW: Nasri

ST: Dzeko

Igor: Manchester City’s formation, inclusion of Zabaleta and 2 defensive midfielders entailed a defensive orientation away from home, something that we wanted Mancini to steer well away from in a hope to continue City’s prolific and entertaining offensive football. The defensively minded approach didn’t stop City from making a mockery out of Tottenham as they walked through their defence, giving Edin Dzeko 4 goals and Sergio Aguero 1. The inclusion of new signing Samir Nasri clearly served to enhance an already dangerous front 4 and there’s really nothing else to be said other than Manchester City are a dominant force to be reckoned with.

Dzeko has arrived in shining form.

Dmitri: Last season Manchester City played the same formation but lacked a creative spark to ensure the front 4 dominated and scored goals. There’s nothing wrong with a strong defensive attitude, if your attacking players replicate the kind of form we saw here. Samir Nasri compliments David Silva perfectly as the two twin-like creative wingers twist, weave and form a fantastic partnership with the Aguero and Dzeko. The ability to rotate from one wing to another makes marking them incredibly tricky and both the Frenchman and Spaniard will play a massive role for City this season both in the goals and assists department.

Igor: Well Edin Dzeko has certainly proved all his critics wrong as he bombarded 4 goals past Brad Friedel, what a drumming! He is really showing the ability of a top-tier striker; his movement off the ball, work-rate and clinical finishing ability with both his head and feet make him a devastatingly effective front man if he shows consistency this season.

Dmitri: Yaya Toure has been absolutely shackled into that defensive midfielder role now hasn’t he? I know we discussed keeping him in the centre of the park to allow more freedom for the forwards, but his ability to run from deep is a huge asset and I would still like to see from time to time, the big man dashing forward and putting a belter past a keeper.

Star man:

Igor: Edin Dzeko, you don’t score 4 goals and not get the best player award.

Dmitri: Well Samir Nasri set up 2 of Dzeko’s goals and for a debut he played very well; slotting into the City team without a single issue. So for me, the Frenchman was the best player.

Game 4: Manchester United 8 – 2 Arsenal

Manchester United:

GK: De Gea

RB: Smalling CB: Evans CB: Jones LB: Evra

RM: Nani CM: Cleverly CM: Anderson LM: A. Young

ST: Rooney ST: Welbeck

Igor: Clinical is the word that needs to be used here; United performed like a team with absolutely no mercy as they abused Arsenal’s weak defence and heart. The Gunners tried to fight back but a Wayne Rooney treble, 2 stunners from Young and one a piece for Welbeck, Park and Nani closed an absolute riot.

The Red Devils are terrifying this season.

Dmitri: It is very rare to see Sir Alex not change his starting line-up but it seems he has certainly chosen his starting XI bar the injuries to Ferdinand and Vidic. The midfield was a huge issue last season for the Red Devils but boy has the centre of the park been solidified with Anderson really coming to life and Cleverly maturing with each passing game. Ashley Young once again was simply sensational, scoring 2 beautiful goals and being involved with all the action. Wayne Rooney also had a terrific game, picking up a hat-trick with 2 magical free kicks and a penalty. Not much can be said at the moment to critique Manchester United as they were pretty much perfect today.

Igor: Yes sometimes it’s difficult to analyze a team when they play at such a fantastic standard, but what we can say is that the city of Manchester is a serious contender to have the Premier League and indeed all other major trophies, there by the end of the season.

Dmitri: We do need to mention David De Gea however, who played a very important role in what arguably was the pivotal moment in the match. His penalty save (albeit it was a terrible penalty) and double save not long after helped ensure United kept control of the game. However, he did let a simple goal in through his legs, so I believe we need to see consistency from the young lad as he certainly has the potential.

Star man:

Igor: Ashley Young hands down; what a clinical signing from Sir Alex, the boy is unstoppable at the moment.

Dmitri: Wayne makes those free kicks look so easy when they are anything but. To be able to put 2 of them away is reason enough to take man of the match, but his consistent work rate off the ball to help his side always wins me over.

Arsenal:

GK: Szczesny

DR: Jenkinson DC: Koscielny DC: Djourou DL: Traore

CM: Rosicky CM: Ramsey

RW: Walcott ST: Van Persie LW: Arshavin

Igor: What can be said about a team that just lost 8-2 to their rivals? Arsenal’s team needs major reconstruction as certain players clearly don’t even want to be on the pitch for the Gunners. Manchester United versus Arsenal was a battle of two young sides, one with clear maturity and the other, a great lack of. Arsene Wenger has a long way to go if he hopes to recover this season and finish in a respectable position.

Dmitri: Let’s get this out of the way first of all, Arshavin and Rosicky looked like they weren’t interested in the slightest. The Russian should have been sent off for numerous horrific challenges and unlike United, Arsenal simply did not play for each other. This strikes me as a display for purchase, with players trying to make an individual statement and leave the club before they are subjected to more disappointment. To be honest I don’t blame players like Nasri who want to leave for success and better opportunities and I won’t be surprised if more players pack up their bags and head out the door.

Igor: So it is of the utmost importance that Arsene takes the time to invest in at least 3 players (CB, CM, ST) before the transfer window shuts. There’s not a lot of time left but hopefully he has already been tracking players, because without those key purchases Arsenal will be in a lot of trouble.

Star man:

Igor: Can you give a star man award to a team that lost so badly? I guess Theo Walcott deserves it for showing at least some signs of commitment. Isn’t this the time where veteran players like Robin Van Persie should be stepping up and rallying his team?

This man did not deserve to concede 8.

Dmitri: You might disagree with me, but I think Szczesny deserves a certain amount of praise, coupled with sympathy. Apart from the ridiculous Welbeck goal, the Polish keeper made numerous important saves that could have sent the score well over the 10 mark. But the main reason I choose Szczesny is because to me, he seemed the only player who was proud to be wearing an Arsenal shirt and it’s true, Arsenal are in ruins across every position apart from in between the sticks.

There you have it guys, another incredibly entertaining week. There’s not much to say about Manchester United and Manchester City when they play such terrific football. Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal on the other hand still have a fair way to go before they reach the heights the 2 Manchester teams have set so far this season. If you would like to get in touch, check me out on Twitter @ss4Igor.

Match analysis week 2: Dmitri Kharine says ...

Hello and welcome back to Dmitri Kharine says, a weekly addition to the All in All Football blog where I sit down with the ex-Chelsea, Celtic and Russia goalkeeper to discuss the top 5’s performances, key issues, players and concerns. We will be looking at the sinking ship that is Arsenal, Chelsea’s selection woes, Manchester City’s newly found offensive mentality, and the emergence of Manchester United’s talented youth along with plenty of other points to sink your teeth into! We hope you enjoy reading as much as we enjoyed deliberating!

Game 1: Arsenal 0 – 2 Liverpool

Arsenal:

GK: Szczesny

RB: Jenkinson CB: Koscielny CB: Vermaelen LB: Sagna

CM: Ramsey CM: Nasri CM: Frimpong

RW: Walcott ST: Van Persie LW: Arshavin

Igor: Immediately from this line up we could see squad difficulties Arsenal were facing; no Gervinho and Song thanks to suspension and no Wilshere and Gibbs due to injury – a bandaged team had to put in a shift today. This of course made room for 2 new debutants, Jenkinson and Frimpong, with the latter settling in nicely into the heart of the midfield, showing a burning desire to engage Liverpool’s midfield and protect his back 4.

Dmitri: Yes it is apparent that Arsenal were lacking in players but I still like to believe that having the home advantage and a strong front 3 supported by Samir Nasri would have allowed Arsenal to start the game believing they could have still come out with a win here.

Igor: An early injury to Koscielny forced Arsene Wenger to bring on another youngster, Miquel. A lot was certainly asked of the youngster but he put in a strong shift despite unfortunately flicking the ball into Ramsey’s face (we love face-goals), resulting in an own goal. This injury of course adds to the woes Wenger must face and surely will force his hand in the transfer market while time still remains.

Dmitri: Miquel is fortunate to have come on alongside a player with as much talent as Vermaelen. For me, Vermaelen stands out as Arsenal’s best player today; completely shutting down Andy Carroll, putting in 100% and holding together a back line consisting of two newcomers is incredibly impressive in my eyes and he certainly did not deserve to be on the losing team. I cannot emphasize the importance for Arsenal to acquire players this transfer window – they need cover in almost all key areas, especially centre back, left midfield, and a pure striker.

Igor: Arsenal’s injury concerns are not the only thing that should be worrying Wenger, the same issues are prevalent week in week out as I see a total lack of bodies in the box while the Gunners push offensively. Van Persie, as talented as he is, cannot play the Striker role as he pulls wide in an attempt to play passing football with his teammates. A clear striker must be purchased who can make good use of Walcott and Van Persie’s crossing abilities.

Dmitri: Yes Arsenal certainly have speed down the flanks but there is never anyone there that they can provide to! Andrey Arshavin was especially poor today and really looked like he didn’t want to be on the pitch. I counted numerous shots that were totally misfired, a handful of sloppy passes and plenty of turnovers. It seems to me that when the team is struggling, Arshavin isn’t a player you can call on to be a leader like Frimpong attempted to be today, which I admire in the youngster.

Igor: It was fascinating to see Samir Nasri at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield today; was his selection due to a lack of players available to Wenger, or has his deal to Manchester City broken down?

Dmitri: It is difficult to speculate regarding Nasri’s transfer but what we can say is he performed well, putting in plenty of effort like a true Gunner. However, if I was Nasri, looking around the Arsenal changing room currently would give me no hope of titles or silverware – if there’s a chance to jump ship, I think that now is certainly the appropriate time for the Frenchman to do so; perhaps Arsene might bring in a few fresh faces, but Manchester City as an example, already have everything that is required for Nasri to win trophies.

Star Player:

Igor: When Frimpong received his first yellow card 7 minutes in I thought the boy was going to be an utter catastrophe. While I guessed correctly that he would receive a red card, I couldn’t help but become fond of his eagerness to get stuck in and the leadership that just radiated from him in the middle of the park. He reminded me of a scrappy puppy, feisty and ready to get involved – if Arsene Wenger can tame him, then perhaps we could see something resembling Michael Essien in the future?

Dmitri: As much as I admired Frimpong’s attitude, Vermaelen was hands down Arsenal’s best player today. Although being a an ex-keeper, I have to mention that Szczesny has put in some very good consistent shifts in goal for Arsenal and was incredibly unlucky to concede the first goal. Arsenal have some tough times ahead but there are players in this squad that are of a high calibre.

Liverpool:

GK: Reina

RB: Kelly CB: Carragher CB: Agger LB: Jose Enrique

RW: Kuyt CM: Adam CM: Lucas CM: Henderson LW: Downing

ST: Carroll

Igor: It seemed that Kenny Dalglish did not take our advice and opted to stick with playing his 4 new signings in a bid to let them gel together. Replacing Suarez with Kuyt must have been a fitness issue as the Uruguayan has been firing on all fronts, even scoring after he was brought on in the second half. A strong showing in midfield was let down I feel by their target man Andy Carroll who looked stiff to me; his touch was poor, he got completely shut out by Vermaelen and quite frankly, I was happy to see him come off for Suarez who’s technical ability completely opened the game up for Liverpool.

Dmitri: As I mentioned last week, Liverpool have some incredibly gifted technical players. I am happy to see Dirk Kuyt starting, but wasn’t pleased that Suarez was demoted to the bench, but as you suggested, this must have been a fitness issue. Liverpool’s passing ability in the centre of the park was great, but the nonsensical need to play the long ball to Andy Carroll proved once again, completely ineffective. When Suarez replaced Carroll and Meireles came on, Liverpool tore Arsenal apart; I know that they Gunners were down to 10 men but you could clearly see that Liverpool were much more effective keeping the ball on the ground and at the feet of their technical players.

Igor: Liverpool’s left wing had a fantastic game today with Jose Enrique picking up Man of the Match and Stuart Downing once again showing off that dangerous left foot of his. Both players were incredibly influential and really took advantage of Arsenal’s inexperienced left back Jenkinson, while at the same time ensuring Walcott was nowhere to be seen, which is testament to Jose Enrique.

Dmitri: Yes once again Liverpool’s new boys showed they were worth the big money spent on them. Jordan Henderson was relatively quiet but you can’t fault a boy for a non-eventful performance; he stayed solid in the middle and helped the ball along the channels to the attacking wingers. As much as I want to praise Charlie Adam, I didn’t like his two halfway line attempts; I just didn’t see the point, especially at the beginning of the second half. Stuart Downing put in another great performance and for me he is perhaps the key to unlocking Andy Carroll who once again looked suspect and not beneficial to the style of football Liverpool are trying to play.

Star man:

Igor: Jose Enrique received Man of the Match and rightfully so, his fantastic defensive and offensive contributions cannot be overlooked.

Dmitri: Can I give the star player to the Left Wing? Both Enrique and Downing had a great game but I guess you’re right, Enrique edged it with his defensive work rate; as they say offense wins games, defence wins championships.

Game 2: Chelsea 2 - 1 West Brom

GK: Hilario

RB: Bosingwa CB: Alex CB: Terry LB: Cole

CM: Ramires CM: Mikel CM: Lampard

RW: Kalou ST: Torres LW: Anelka

Igor: Chelsea’s first game at Stamford Bridge was certainly a roller coaster ride for Andres Villas-Boas and the fans. Conceding early due to an uncharacteristic lapse of concentration from Alex completely crushed Chelsea who were then equalled and even bested by the visiting West Brom in the first half. A 33^rd minute substitution taking Kalou off for Malouda summed up Chelsea’s performance for me. A fortunate deflected goal from Nicolas Anelka in the second half brought the Blues to life who proceeded to bag their come back with a fantastic run from Bosingwa setting up French winger Malouda. Despite securing a comeback, there are clear and visible problems in Chelsea’s formation, style of football and starting XI, which we have expanded upon in full detail here. 

Dmitri: It was clear that West Brom’s early goal was a shock to Chelsea’s system as they found it incredibly difficult to settle down. This could be expected from a young team like Arsenal but I refuse to accept this as a reasonable excuse from a team of such a high calibre – they should have jumped right back into the game and we’ve seen what Chelsea can do in the past, simply bombard the opposition. Chelsea’s first clear opportunity came from Ashley Cole in the 41^st minute, in a home game that is unacceptable.

Igor: The first half exemplified my view that Chelsea continue to be too stagnant in the final third. Watching their movement players would literally stop and at times it looked like they didn’t know what to do or where to go. Chelsea’s wide players and full backs were forced to pass the ball from side to side with every cross easily cleared as no one made any attempt at cutting inside and causing a threat.

Dmitri: Yet when Nicolas Anelka scored Chelsea’s first goal, they suddenly came to life? How do you explain it other than Chelsea have some sort of psychological mind block? Bringing on Drogba clearly showed the difference in the strikers at Chelsea’s disposal, with the Ivorian filling into dangerous space with his explosive speed and power; he missed a couple of relatively clear opportunities but it’s difficult to walk into a game and be completely fresh and alert.

The second goal epitomized what I want to see from Chelsea as Bosingwa bombarded the right wing and delivered a fantastic ball towards a well-timed Malouda run. Chelsea came out of the second half with approximately 20 shots; as opposed to the 1 they had in the first half. The relief of scoring the first goal, Ivanovic replacing the disappointing Alex and Drogba coming on for Torres seemed to completely revitalize the Blues.

Igor: In terms of the starting line up, I hope to that Jose Bosingwa is not given a concrete 1^st team role this season. When I watch Bosingwa play I see a fantastic offensive threat, this was of course exemplified with his fine assist for Malouda to take all 3 points. However, he is a liability defensively. Notice last season Bosingwa was used sparingly against teams where Ancelotti knew defensively Chelsea were not going to be threatened extensively. Even though I would love to see Ivanovic play a central role, he is an incredibly effective right back with great offensive and outstanding defensive qualities. Bosingwa is a silky player, but he should not be 1^st team for Chelsea.

Dmitri: Kalou’s embarrassing substitution for Malouda continues to tell me that he is not good enough to be in Chelsea’s starting XI. At the moment I honestly believe AVB is playing the Ivorian because of his age and perhaps believing there’s a possibility he might come to life. In a club like Chelsea where success must come immediately, it is difficult to play youngsters as time is limited, but Kalou is already of age and I think there’s a very small chance that he might suddenly develop into a phenomenal player – this is an example of a player that has reached their peak.

Star man:

Igor: Malouda had a great game down the left wing and rounded everything up with Chelsea’s deserved comeback winner. He was Chelsea’s best man for me.

Dmitri: It’s difficult putting in a shift once a year as a goalkeeper, but Hilario actually stood his ground quite well, making a few important saves. I’m going to be slightly bias here but you can’t argue there’s pressure on the stand-in keeper, so he can have the award from me!

Game 3: Bolton 2 – 3 Manchester City

GK: Hart

RB: Richards CB: Kompany CB: Lescott LB: Kolarov

CM: Milner CM: Yaya Toure CM: Barry

RW: Aguero ST: Dzeko LW: Silva

Igor: I think this is literally the first time I’m going to say this; what an exciting game featuring Manchester City. It is clear that Mancini has stuck by his words and opted for a more offensive approach, which is absolutely no surprise considering the players he has available to him. The Citizen’s front line continued to shine with Silva once again weaving his magic from the hole. Dzeko continued to step up and prove that there’s no need to panic if Tevez decides to leave because currently the boy is firing from all cylinders. I was also pleasantly surprised at Milner’s great performance, replacing De Jong the Englishmen showed his defensive presence while threatening in front of goal, a clear sign of Mancini’s offensive intentions.

Dmitri: The big concern here however, is Manchester City conceding 2 goals. A team that prided itself on a fantastic defensive record (18 clean sheets last season) has suddenly opened themselves up to play attacking football and as a result, will inevitably concede more goals. It is good to see that Yaya Toure has concretely been pushed back to a central holding role as you suggested in your pre-season predictions, I think I only saw him in the final third once in the entire game. This may be considered a loss by some, but let the true attacking players create chances and score the goals while Toure helps the back four to avoid conceding. From a neutral perspective, this new attitude from Mancini is fantastic, but I think there’s a possibility that he might bottle it and go back to his Italian roots and play defensively against the top teams, which would be unfortunate because with this intensity and attitude, Manchester City can win the title.

Igor: Silva had another fantastic performance; I think it’s worth noting that while on paper Manchester City lined up as a 4-3-3, in game it was more of a 4-4-2 actually with Silva cutting inside, like this:

GK: Hart

RB: Richards CB: Kompany CB: Lescott LB: Kolarov

LM: Silva CM: Yaya Toure CM: Barry RM: Milner

FW: Aguero ST: Dzeko

The Spaniard did spend most of his time in the centre, which is exactly where Mancini wants him to be, finding pockets of space and delivering the final pass. He got Manchester City off to a flyer with a goal from this exact position and continued to impress all the way through until his substitution late in the 2^nd half.

Dmitri: Dzeko continues to impress me as the striker continues to grow in confidence and notch up goals. His technical ability for a target man must be daunting for any defender trying to match up to him and he is certainly showing that Manchester City have nothing to worry about if Tevez leaves. It also looks like Aguero will be a fitting partner for Dzeko, as both players linked up very well throughout the game. It seems after a torrid start last season, Dzeko has finally put his game-face on and is ready to prove his worth – perhaps Torres should take notes.

Igor: It is good to see that there’s competition for the left back position as Kolarov began this game. Clichy played very well last week and naturally the left back roll is incredibly difficult to fill effectively, so Manchester City should consider themselves lucky to have 2 players of such high quality fighting for this role.

Star man:

Igor: Well it’s a no brainer for me, Silva has to take it once again. He radiates charisma and his influential touch in the hole creates an opportunity almost every single time, well played.

Dmitri: I’m going to go with Dzeko, he had a lot to prove this season and Mancini put his faith in the young lad who is delivering in spades. He continues to impress and ultimately, if he’s putting the ball into the net, he is doing his job sublimely.

Game 4: Manchester United 3 – 0 Tottenham

GK: De Gea

RB: Smalling CB: Evans CB: Jones LB: Evra

RM: Nani CM: Cleverly CM: Anderson LM: Young

ST: Rooney ST: Welbeck

Igor: Manchester United’s first real test at home was handled perfectly as the Red Devils fought out a balanced first half and then simply overpowered Tottenham with their continued pressure and assault. Of particular note were the impressive performances of youngsters Smalling, Jones, Cleverly and Welbeck who all continue to slot nicely into United’s starting XI and prove that there is plenty of depth in the team.

Dmitri: First of all it was good to see that David De Gea’s confidence didn’t drop as a result of last week’s shaky performance. The young Spaniard showed good distribution ability and safe hands throughout the game. However, it is important to note that nearly every shot I would consider to be “confidence” efforts that didn’t test the keeper, but perhaps this is exactly what De Gea needed and was fortunate to receive the ball straight at his hands all night. Also, the one time De Gea came out to try and collect a cross, he completely mistimed and misjudged the flight of the ball, really showing that he needs to work on crosses.

Igor: I was very impressed by Phil Jones at the heart of United’s defence. I mentioned before that having such a talented youngster would mean an injury to Ferdinand wouldn’t be so catastrophic, but I didn’t imagine that Vidic would be out as well so early on as well. Nevertheless, Jones partnered with Evans and managed to keep almost all of Tottenham’s efforts to long-range scoops over the bar.

Dmitri: Tom Cleverly continued to prove his worth as a starting midfielder in the centre of the park. I really like this boy, he has great footwork and already good vision to keep the ball moving forward – who needs Wesley Sneijder?

Igor: I think it’s pretty safe to say that Anderson has solidified his role as a starting midfielder also. He was certainly out of Sir Alex’s plans for a portion of last year but judging by his current form with that fantastic work ethic and perhaps a newly found ability to score goals, I don’t think players like Carrick will get a sniff when Sir Alex chooses his main starting XI for the big games.

Dmitri: I was thrilled to see Hernandez make a late cameo appearance, most of all because he has been in my Fantasy Football team for two weeks now! In all seriousness, Welbeck had an absolute stormer today, but if the little Mexican can get back to the absolutely lethal form he was showing last season, I think Welbeck would still have to make way for what is Manchester United’s key striking partnership.

Star man:

Igor: I really want to give it to Brad Friedel of Tottenham to be honest! What a performance from the veteran and he certainly didn’t deserve to let in 3 goals. Nevertheless, I think the centre of midfield won the game for United so Anderson gets my pick.

Dmitri: Well in that case I’m gonna go with Rooney because he contributed offensively with a late goal and was all over the pitch putting in a defensive shift, linking other players into the game and providing a constant outlet for his teammates, he is just such a terrific footballer.

Thanks loads for reading! We would love to hear from you so feel free to comment or reach us on Twitter @ss4Igor

Match coverage - Manchester United vs. Tottenham

Overview

Manchester United host Tottenham as they finally kick off their Premier League campaign. The Red Devils are without first choice defenders Ferdinand and Vidic due to injury but there’s a reason Sir Alex stocked up on young defenders and here is the chance for Jones to prove his worth alongside Evans. The midfield and attack stay unchanged, which is no surprise as we still wait for Hernandez to gain full fitness and partner Rooney up front.

Tottenham arrive without Modric suggesting his transfer saga is far from over. Kranjcar takes his fellow countryman’s central role and joins a strong Tottenham side looking to show everyone that they can compete with the big boys.

Team Line-ups

GK: De Gea

RB: Smalling CB: Evans CB: Jones LB: Evra

RM: Nani CM: Cleverly CM: Anderson LM: Young

ST: Rooney ST: Welbeck

GK: Friedel

RB: Walker CB: Dawson CB: Kaboul LB: Assou-Ekotto

RM: Lennon CM: Livermore CM: Kranjcar LM: Bale

ST: Defoe ST: Van Der Vaart

Key Moments

1^st half

0.40 opportunity: Young crosses low trying to find Welbeck but Kaboul matches the striker’s run and clears the ball.

1.55 opportunity: Nani finds Rooney who intercepts Bale’s pass. His header is straight at Friedel.

7.27 opportunity: Cleverly drives a low shot into the bottom corner but Friedel matches it, fantastic save!

13.55 opportunity: Dawson aims a header towards goal but it floats just over, good effort.

20.45 opportunity: Bale has a pop on his weaker right foot but it’s an easy save for De Gea.

27.30 opportunity: Rooney floats in an inviting ball and Young manages to get a header across goal that goes wide narrowly, unfortunate.

36.10 yellow card: Evans goes in rashly and takes VDV out, fair yellow.

38.55 yellow card: Young and Dawson collide in a 50-50 and the referee pulls out a yellow, a little harsh in my opinion.

42.20 opportunity: VDV tests De Gea once again but it’s straight at him, clean handling however, well kept.

46.25 opportunity: Defoe lines up in front of goal and hits it well wide.

Half-time score: Manchester United 0 – 0 Tottenham

1^st half synopsis

Plenty of good football and solid defences made the first half a defensive display. Chances for both sides have been few and far between, with Friedel making the most impressive save of the half. De Gea’s nerves seem to be settling as Tottenham have been doing him a massive favour and hitting balls right at him, allowing for some easy saves.

Let’s hope the 2^nd half brings some more concrete chances.

2^nd half

45.00 substitute: Corluka comes on for Walker, the young lad didn’t seem to do anything wrong but perhaps Tottenham want more experience against Young.

47.20 opportunity: Young turns in the box and aims for the bottom right corner but Friedel makes the save.

48.30 opportunity: Defoe smashes a low drive but De Gea gets his body behind it, no problem.

49.09 opportunity: Lennon does brilliantly to sprint down the right and find Bale lurking in the middle. The Welshman hits his shot wide of De Gea’s left post.

49.59 opportunity: Lennon beats Evra with a questionable shove and finds himself in the box with plenty of time, how he couldn’t find VDV who was in acres of space is beyond me.

53.08 opportunity: Anderson finds Rooney with a lovely one two and hits a direct effort, Friedel stops the shot and Rooney’s rebounded effort, good goalkeeping.

57.20 opportunity: Young smashes a volley from Welbeck’s flick on but it goes into row Z.

60.20 *goal*: Cleverly whips in a cross from the right and Welbeck latches onto it with a beautiful header – Friedel had no chance.

64.00 opportunity: Rooney lines up a free kick from the left side of the box, perfect shooting angle. He hits the target but Friedel once again keeps the ball out.

65.30 opportunity: Rooney lashes at the ball from far out and it goes narrowly over, unlucky.

67.33 opportunity: Welbeck goes for the spectacular with a bicycle kick, but Friedel is there once again!

68.00 opportunity: Manchester United’s corner kick finds Evans who volleys the ball and Friedel gets his hands to it again!

75.45 *goal*: Welbeck serves up a cheeky back heel to give Anderson an easy side-foot finish – 2 – 0!

77.00 opportunity: Friedel saves a one on one against Nani, what keeping tonight!

78.07 opportunity: De Gea comes for a cross and misses it completely, Defoe smashes the rebound off the post, so unlucky.

81.00 substitute: Welbeck, Cleverly and Young all make way for Hernandez, Giggs and Park.

83.00 opportunity: Rooney and Hernandez dive towards Nani’s cross but both miss an open goal, very unlucky.

85.40 opportunity: VDV drives a low effort towards De Gea who parries outward. Tottenham deliver a ball into the box, which lands at VDV’s feet again who shoots again, very greedy.

86.40 *goal*: Ryan Giggs floats a beautiful ball into the box and Rooney unmarked headers the ball into the net, I feel sorry for Friedel who certainly hasn’t deserved to concede 3.

88.40 opportunity: Park makes a dash through the centre but kicks the ground.

89.00 opportunity: VDV lofts the ball well over the bar with his effort – he has been very poor in front of goal tonight.

90.40 yellow card: De Gea fumbles a ball and Defoe plays for the 50/50, catching the Spaniard, the Tottenham striker goes into the book.

Final Score: Manchester United 3 – 0 Tottenham

2^nd half synopsis

Tottenham looked very good in the first 15 minutes of this half, providing strong contention for the Red Devils. However as the pressure mounted Tottenham began to crumble and slowly United took control of the game and punished with 3 goals.

A solid showing by the reigning champions who look fantastic.

Star player: Young had another brilliant game as he continued to dominate down the left flank and provide fantastic distribution to his teammates. Condolences go out to Friedel who played very well and didn't deserve to concede 3.

Team analysis: Chelsea FC - does the formation suit the players?

Hello and welcome back to the All in All Football blog where the game we love is discussed in detail to try and bring food for thought to your debates! Today Dmitri Kharine and I will be discussing Chelsea FC, their squad selection problems, possible alterations to their formations and if their players match their style of play – We hope you enjoy reading.

Igor: Currently Chelsea play the 4-3-3 formation of the Jose Mourinho era:

Team selection from Chelsea vs. West Brom (20th August 2011)

GK: Hilario

RB: Bosingwa CB: Alex CB: Terry LB: Cole

CM: Ramires CM: Mikel CM: Lampard

RW: Kalou ST: Torres LW: Anelka

This formation is supposed to allow an attacking central midfielder (Lampard) to push up and join the striker as both attacking wingers drive at the flanks and either cut inside or deliver the ball to the incoming midfielder or to the moving striker.

Unfortunately Chelsea showed once again during their home again with West Brom, that they are incredibly stagnant – no creativity or movement in the final third forced the Blues to stand still as players waited for the ball to be delivered to their feet.

Only after Nicolas Anelka’s goal in the second half did Chelsea come to life and show some intensity in their movement and passing. Ultimately the Blues have a very difficult time transitioning from defence to offence, something that is absolutely essential when playing the 4-3-3 formations. The ball moves slowly through the centre of the park neglecting the formation’s strongest asset, the ability to spread the ball wide and counter-attack using flying full backs and wide wingers.

Although Chelsea took the 3 points, there is plenty of room for improvement and it is even worth considering other potential options, formations, players and style of play.

We believe these 2 can work together.

Dmitri: Last season there was plenty of debate whether Torres could work alongside Drogba or Anelka. Carlo Ancelotti tried on numerous occasions to find a way to strike an effective partnership between his star strikers, but it seemed his efforts proved ineffective.  I can’t help but feel that they weren’t given enough time and it is necessary to continue trying until Chelsea’s strikers click.

Chelsea have been dominant in the past with the 4-3-3 and it is Andres Villas-Boas’ natural formation, so it’s expected Chelsea would have started in this set up. Let’s not forget that other possibilities at Chelsea’s disposal in the form of 4-4-2 or the Diamond, the latter especially considering they had spells of success with it.

Looking at the starting XI, Fernando Torres once again looked lively and his numerous displays with the ball at his feet suggested that the Spaniard is certainly growing in confidence.

The issue I have is Chelsea did not spend £50 million to be praising Torres’ work ethic, enthusiasm and skill with the ball; he must score goals. Torres is currently still sitting on 1 goal in 20 appearances for the Blues and this is simply not good enough, especially considering he is forcing a proven goal threat onto the bench.

Football is certainly a game of politics and due to Torres’ price and age, he will have priority over Drogba, but I think if you remove all those factors and ask fans who they would prefer lead the front line, the Ivorian would be the clear winner.

Chelsea did not pay £50 million for fancy footwork.

There’s no doubt in my mind that both Torres and Drogba need to play in the centre so it’s useless attempting the 4-3-3 with Drogba on the Right Wing as was opted for in the second half of the Stoke vs. Chelsea game. Torres has been so effective using his great footwork and we all know he has pace, so why not try playing just behind Drogba? This would allow the Spaniard to run from deep and latch onto Drogba’s passes as the Ivorian plays the role of a technical Target Man. We saw against Stoke that Torres is very good at linking other players into the game, so I feel that playing in the hole could be a viable option for the Spaniard as it seems to cater to all the skills and abilities he is showing at the moment. Manchester United play 1 striker (Hernandez) and 1 striker in the hole (Rooney), perhaps the Blues should try something similar.

GK: Cech

RB: Ivanovic CB: Alex CB: Terry LB: Cole

DCM: Mikel

RM: Purchase      CM: Lampard      LM: Malouda

           FW: Torres

                                                                       ST: Drogba

Igor: The issue with the 4-4-2 and Diamond formations however, is that Frank Lampard becomes the odd one out. The 2 central players (let’s take Mikel and Lampard in this example) must resemble or indeed be box-to-box midfielders who can cover the centre of the pitch or your free-roaming forward (Torres) will be required to play a huge part defensively (like Rooney).

When a team playing 4-4-2 or Diamond have the ball, the wingers push out wide and if Frank Lampard were to join the attack centrally, it leaves a huge hole in the middle of the park that is only covered by one player (Mikel). If Chelsea were to play this formation, they would need another I’m not going to say defensively minded player, but someone who will sacrifice some offensive capabilities to be able to help Mikel cover the centre of the park if Chelsea were to lose possession. So as a revision I would propose the following:

GK: Cech

RB: Ivanovic CB: Alex CB: Terry LB: Cole

DCM: Mikel

RM: Purchase      CM: Essien     LM: Malouda

           FW: Torres

                                                                    ST: Drogba

Providing he is fit, Essien has proven that he can contribute offensively while at the same time maintaining a 100% defensive work-rate across the entire match. Playing both Essien and Mikel in the centre would allow 2 wingers to effectively hog the flanks allowing Torres to play a free-roaming role just behind Drogba.

This debate can go full circle because you could easily argue that Chelsea would lose a potent attacking threat in the form of Lampard, but fans must ask themselves, would they rather see Lampard for 2 more seasons or find Torres’ form and have him play at his best for 3 – 5 campaigns.

I love to discuss Chelsea’s options because I feel they have plenty with the talent the squad possesses and think it’s incredibly unfair to suggest Chelsea have only 1 way of playing. Although 4-3-3 is effective, it forces 1 world-class striker onto the bench, something that I strongly feel if AVB could avoid doing, he would do so.

It is criminal that this man starts on the bench.

Dmitri: It would be interesting to see if AVB will always continue using an anchoring midfield player because he could opt to replace in this instance Mikel for a more creative player such as Modric and push him into a central role. To play without an anchor however, would require the entire team to press off the ball (very reminiscent of Barcelona’s incredible defensive work ethic) because if 1 player does not do their part, the team will be exposed centrally due to a lack of the aforementioned anchor. Chelsea will need to purchase a concrete right-winger as well because playing Ramires in that position is not beneficial in the slightest.

Igor: Using Barcelona as the example because every top team aims to be able to play like the Catalonians, everyone has been asking where will Fabregas play in that side – his cameo against Real Madrid in the Super Cup showed that Barcelona can sacrifice a defensive midfielder and play 3 creative central midfielders because of their ability to press in the attacking third.

In our opinion, Lampard is the odd one out.

This is 21^st century football and shows that it is possible for Chelsea to sacrifice Mikel and play for example, Modric in the line-up you suggested above, just as long as every offensive player does their part defensively in the attacking third.

The question we must then ask is whether Chelsea can do this and also it’s obvious that Lampard does not have the legs to be part of a midfield ready to press at that type of intensity.

Ultimately it is all down to time. If AVB is given an opportunity to experiment and find that killer form, Chelsea have the potential to be winners, there's no arguing with that. With such pressure and limited time, it's absolutely no surprise that AVB immediately went with what Chelsea know, regardless of the fact that it does not utilize their 2 best players. 

Thanks for taking the time to read our analysis. We hope you enjoyed the content and perhaps it got you thinking about some new points that you weren’t considering before. If you would like to get in touch, please feel free at my Twitter @ss4Igor and stay tuned for more content and the Gameweek 2 analysis set for release Tuesday lunch time!