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Tuesday August 17, 2010

Chelsea's Off To A Great Start...

Tottenham Hotspur 0 Manchester City 0

Big-spending Manchester City's top-four credentials were no clearer after a Jekyll-and-Hyde performance in their opener at White Hart Lane.
City somehow survived a first-half Spurs onslaught as Joe Hart fully justified his new status as City and England number one with a succession of world-class saves to deny Jermain Defoe, Tom Huddlestone and Benoit Assou-Ekotto, while Gareth Bale also hit the post.
City's multi-million-pound summer signings failed to shine in the opening 45 minutes but improved after the break, with Shaun Wright-Phillips having their best chance, although Bale missed a golden opportunity to snatch victory for Spurs.

Aston Villa 3 West Ham United 0

Kevin MacDonald was left to take charge after Martin O'Neill walked out as manager earlier in the week but Villa put all that disruption behind them with a commanding performance.
Ashley Young and Marc Albrighton ripped the hapless Hammers to shreds, Stewart Downing was named man of the match and Villa were unfortunate not to have won by double the scoreline.
Albrighton, who made his England Under-21 debut in midweek, was given his first start and he looked right at home while West Ham failed to handle Young's pace and movement.

Blackburn Rovers 1 Everton 0

Rovers' striker Nikola Kalinic grabbed the winner to stun Everton at Ewood Park.
The industrious front man took advantage of a misdtake from goalkeeper Tim Howard in the 14th minute and that was enough to give his side victory.
Everton went into the match with high expectations as they a fully fit squad to call on. Instead they failed to get going and it was only late in the match goalkeeper Paul Robinson was tested.
Blackburn remained solid throughout with Morten Gamst Pedersen and Phil Jones taking control of a crowded midfield.

Bolton Wanderers 0 Fulham 0

Fulham made a low-key start to life under Mark Hughes after holding on for a point at Bolton Wanderers on the opening day of the season.
Wanderers dominated the contest and were unlucky not to secure all three points when Stuart Holden struck the post in the 78th minute.
Johan Elmander was also denied on several occasions by Cottagers goalkeeper David Stockdale, who had been selected by Hughes ahead of Arsenal target Mark Schwarzer.

Sunderland 2 Birmingham City 2

Birmingham City scored two goals in the final 12 minutes to secure a draw against 10-man Sunderland in their opener at the Stadium of Light.
Darren Bent gave the hosts the lead from the penalty spot in the 24th minute after Stephen Carr fouled Fraizer Campbell, and the veteran full-back headed the ball over his own keeper 11 minutes after half-time to put Sunderland two up.
By that point the hosts were already a man down following two yellow cards for new captain Lee Cattermole in the first half and the visitors eventually took full advantage, with Scott Dann heading in a soft first and Liam Ridgewell grabbing the equaliser two minutes from time.

Wigan Athletic 0 Blackpool 4

Blackpool towered over the Premier League after a sensational return to top flight life as they destroyed Wigan Athletic.
The team Ian Holloway has constructed on half a shoe-string proved to be too well organised, too determined and frankly, too good for a Wigan outfit bereft of any quality.
In their first appearance at the highest level since 1971, Blackpool struck three times before the break to effectively wrap up the points in quite staggering fashion.
New-boy Marlon Harewood scored twice after Gary Taylor-Fletcher had put the visitors in front. Alex Baptiste profited from more suspect goalkeeping by Chris Kirkland to ensure Wigan were well and truly squashed by this group of Tangerines and draw ironic chants of "Bring on the Arsenal" from the visiting supporters, who head for the Emirates next week.

Wolves 2 Stoke City 1

A moment of brilliance from David Jones and a debut goal for Steven Fletcher handed Wolves a deserved season-opening victory over rivals Stoke City.
The pair struck in quick succession just before half-time in a fierce derby at Molineux, Jones brilliantly flicking and volleying in a free-kick and Fletcher turning in from close range.
Stoke replied with a powerful Abdoulaye Faye header but missed record signing Kenwyne Jones, who hit the bar early on but limped off after 13 minutes.
The Potters made life tough for Wolves in a full-blooded second half but the hosts created, and squandered, the better chances.
In the end victory was just reward for manager Mick McCarthy, whose side attacked with verve despite missing last season's top scorer Kevin Doyle through injury.

Chelsea 6 West Brom 0

Double winners Chelsea fired an early warning to their title rivals as Didier Drogba smashed a hat-trick in their opening-day thrashing of new boys West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge.
Florent Malouda set the Blues on their way after only six minutes, with Drogba's free-kick extending the lead on the stroke of half-time.
It was more one-way traffic after the restart, as the Ivory Coast striker netted from close range with Frank Lampard making it 4-0 just after the hour.
Drogba's deflected effort and a last-minute strike from Malouda sealed an emphatic win for the champions, who put last week's 3-1 defeat by Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley firmly behind them.
Despite being outplayed, West Brom and their manager Roberto Di Matteo, the former Chelsea midfielder, deserve credit for continuing to display some good passing football, but which tellingly lacked a cutting edge in the final third.

Liverpool 1 Arsenal 1

On Sunday morning, Jose Reina's late own goal enabled Arsenal to snatch a draw from a thrilling opener at Liverpool.
The Liverpool goalkeeper saw the ball rebound off him after Marouane Chamakh had hit the post in the final minute at Anfield to cancel out a David Ngog strike.
The goal was reward for a late spell of Arsenal pressure but it was unfortunate for Liverpool, who had survived most of the second half unscathed after the sending off of Joe Cole.
The big-name summer signing from Chelsea was dismissed on his league debut for a lunge on Arsenal debutant Laurent Koscielny.
Koscielny himself also received a red card, but not until moments before the final whistle when he earned a second booking for handball.