Matchday 2 - Quick Round Up

Match Day 2 Round Up



Friday 28th August


Crystal Palace 1-4 Manchester City

An interesting game, which started out looking like it would be a close battle, with Palace actually looking good in the early stages. Their new manager, Sage, has them playing some lovely stuff to get up the pitch quickly but they lack quality in the final third. Strand-Larsen is a real weakpoint and the big difference between the two teams was Haaland and Cherki's finishing. Palace have a real lack of goalscoring talent and their midfield lacks defensively. City were able to take full advantage of that to run out comfortable winners in the end.

Starmen:
Haaland - his ability to get a second in the box to get a shot off is second to none.
Cherki - the creative hub of the team as well as scoring two.
Anderson - won the midfield battle easily, though Wharton's lack of effort defensively certainly made it easier.

Flops:
Henderson - badly at fault on the first goal, his positioning was off, though it was hit with enough venom that he might not have saved it anyway, I would have at least liked to see him be in position to try. England's goalkeeping department is extremely weak at the moment with him anywhere near getting caps! His distribution was inconsistent, to say the least as well.
Canvot - thinks he is Beckenbauer but is simply not good enough to play the way he is trying to.
Tomiyasu - tried to deliver a few crosses into the box with his left, but all were poor.



Saturday 29th August


Liverpool 2-2 Nottingham Forest

A well-deserved point for Forest, even if there was a bit of controversy over the second goal they scored, with the penalty award coming from a foul throw and then the argument over whether or not it should have been a penalty. It is bizarre how often foul throws happen and are ignored in the professional game, not just because the officials rarely notice them but also how few players seem to actually know how to do such a basic thing correctly. With the modern academy set up, surely every player making it to professional level should have the basics engrained in them? Back to the game itself, Forest were, surprisingly after their poor performances so far under Glasner, much the better side in the first half. If not for an excellent save from Alisson, they would have gone in at the break with a two goal cushion which would not have flattered them. In the second half, their mentality did seem to have changed a little bit, which often happens in these circumstances when you have a manager that tends towards caution, they let Liverpool take control of the game and that was what cost them the victory. If not for the bit of quick thinking by Delap to take that throw in before anyone from Liverpool had reacted, they might well have ended up with nothing again. Liverpool really need to wake up their defensive mindset, the game is about balance and they lack it right now, being far too focused on attack with little thought to what happens if they lose possession.

Starmen:
Schlager - might not be the best on the ball but he won the midfield battle, which gave Forest control of the first half. It is one of those performances which might not look good in terms of stats, but actually makes a difference in the real world.
Gibbs-White - got an assist and a goal and stood out massively in terms of quality on the ball for Forest.

Flops:
Isak - his goal saved him from it being a disastrous performance by the Swedish striker. His weakness on the ball, turning it over easily after being played in early, was the biggest issue in the first half for Liverpool.
Szoboszlai - I absolutely love the Hungarian, but he was truly dreadful. Liverpool's openness to the counters was down to his lack of defensive awareness. If the full-backs get forward, it is down to the midfield to cover, but he never drops back, only ever goes forward.
Williams - there is a reason why Gakpo was Liverpool's main offensive threat until he was taken off and that was largely because Williams, for all his fantastic effort, is not the best defensively. The first Liverpool goal in particular was an awful error from him.
Aina - does not look like he enjoys the wing-back role that much.


Coventry City 0-1 Hull City

Once again Coventry showed the frailty in defence that characterised their successful Championship campaign. There they had an attack that could outscore the opposition, so it did not matter, but the step up is not easy and they are struggling to create any clearcut chances, let alone score goals. They need to tighten up quickly, before their morale starts to suffer. Hull are fighting for their life and are building up the kind of momentum and belief Sunderland had last season. They are giving themselves a genuine chance of survival in these early games and are beginning to look like a team that belongs at this level, though they do lack a genuine goal threat up top. McBurnie works hard, but there is little chance of him scoring enough goals to make a difference.

Starmen:
Belloumi - despite knowing exactly what he would do when he gets the ball, cut in on to his left, Coventry still struggled to deal with him and he got an assist.
Egan - good, solid old school defending.
Tzolakis - looks like a find similar to Sunderland's Roefs was last season.

Flops:
Grimes - does not look ready for the step up to the Prem.
Stroud - offered very little.
Mendy - looks very good physically, good technique on the ball but full of silly errors defensively. If they are not careful, he will cost them goals this season.


Bournemouth 1-1 Everton

A tough day for Everton, but they managed to sneak a late point thanks to a Tarkowski goal, which cancelled out his woeful defending on the Cherries' goal. Bournemouth look like they are starting to get to grips with the Rose system and have improved massively from the previous week. They do still look weak defensively, which also highlighted Everton's main weakness. The Toffees desperately need someone to put the ball in the back of the net, neither Barry nor Beto offer the clinical edge they need up front. Both teams look like a work in progress, so it will be interesting to see what their teams look like after the window shuts.

Starmen:
Scott - ran the show in midfield and scored the goal for the Cherries.
Evanilson - got an assist, is great at knocking defenders out and holding the ball up but his finishing is desperately in need of work.
Dewsbury-Hall - in a game like this, when your team is not getting enough of the ball, he is excellent as he works so hard for the team.

Flops:
Smith - the veteran is really looking past his best, I doubt it will be too long before Juanlu takes his place.
Barry - should score so many more goals.


Tottenham Hotspur 0-2 Newcastle United

Some signs of improvement for Spurs, going forward, but they still look hopeless defensively, with a weak set of defenders. There is still a lot of work to do for de Zerbi, though it is questionable whether he will manage to do that before his usual tantrums start wrecking what he has done. Newcastle look a decent enough side with potential, but they do need to tighten up defensively, they could easily have conceded a few in the first half, where they were second best.

Starmen:
Hornicek - made some good saves and is looking like an excellent acquisition so far.
Hall - best player on the pitch, his defending is improving and he is always a threat going forward.
Dedic - admittedly Tel is not the most difficult opponent but he dealt with him well.

Flops:
Kinsky - all that spending but they do not look to have sorted the goalkeeper position at all.
de Ven - if only he would stop relying on his pace, he could be an excellent player, but he has no concept of positional sense.
Gray - does not look like a full-back.
Tonali - he is really struggling to get going with Spurs.
Tel - needs to use his brain rather than just running as fast as he can.
Willock - offered nothing.



Sunday 30th August


Leeds United 1-1 Brentford

A very well organised Bees side gave Leeds a real fright and came close to coming away with all three points after yet another good performance by them. Is it because of Andrews or the system they use? We will only know that if he moves on to another job, but right now he is doing extremely well and they look capable of getting a European place the way they are playing. Leeds did well to stay in there in the first half and then get into the game in the second. Their new centre-back, Muharemovic looks a bargain and one of the signings of the season so far (along with Sangare at Brentford), but they do lack attacking thrust within the team. Both teams are well organised and hard working, which should be enough to see neither team struggle this season.

Starmen:
Muharemovic - started the season really well and looks to be a major upgrade in the defence.
Calvert-Lewin - if I was Everton, I would we wanting to find out how Leeds have been able to keep him fit.
Sangare - has been key to Brentford's good start to the season.
Schade - needs to be more clinical, with crosses and passes as well as shots, but he scored in this game.
Collins - a good performance from the Irish defender.

Flops:
Bijol - a very good player, but not at his best and taking him off to change the system improved Leeds massively.
Okafor - needs to do more.
Anthony - can do so much better.


Sunderland 1-0 Fulham

Fulham are trying their best to play like prime Barcelona, but lack the quality of players in the attacking third to make the most of the good work they do. They take a lot of chances at the back and it is often costly when they try their intricate passing out from the back. It is a dangerous game they are playing and it was little surprise that Sunderland were able to sneak a win after an error by Leno. Sunderland looked rattled early on, but did grow into the game as Fulham ran out of ideas.

Starmen:
Mukiele - at times they were very reliant on his solid defending to keep them in the game.
Xhaka - still key for the Mackems.

Flops:
Leno - always dangerous to play this way when you have a goalkeeper that was sold by his previous club due to his inability to cope with it. It was little surprise he made an error leading to the goal.
Garcia - does not look like a finisher at all.
Berge - needs to be better on the ball in this set up.


Chelsea 4-3 Brighton & Hove Albion

A game that should have been stroll in the park for Chelsea after they cantered into a three nil lead in the first half but their defending was shambolic at times and they kept giving the Seagulls hope. Brighton's defending was poor as well, with the three more experienced players alongside Vuskovic looking like the inexperienced kids. Both sides really need to improve defensively if they are to reach their aims for the season. Both are good going forward but terrible at the back, which will hold them back.

Starmen:
Pedro - despite the own goal, he was very good and managed to also put one in the right net as well as an assist.
Palmer - looking like he is back to his best.
Lavia - they have struggled to get him fit, now they just need to keep him fit.
Neto - his deployment as a wing-back shows Alonso's mindset and his willingness to attack.
Gross - the veteran is central to Brighton's play.

Flops:
Chelsea back three - they are all over the place at times and none of them are impressing.
Gusto - a bizarre decision to play him in midfield, he was not good enough in his natural position, playing him out of position just seems sure to end in tears.
Wieffer - awful performance.
Dunk - hard to understand how he is still the mainstay of their defence. He has never been good enough at this level.
Verbruggen - failed to communicate leading to a mix up with Wieffer, but his general all-round goalkeeping was poor. They really need an upgrade between the sticks.


Manchester United 5-2 Ipswich Town

A much closer match than the scoreline suggests, with the main difference between the two sides being Fernandes' quality. It was one of those games that gave both teams a lot to think about and reasons to look forward to the season ahead. For Man Utd, Fernandes looks to have continued as he left off last season in fine form and they look like they are getting their attack together. Though they must be concerned by their defence, which looks shakey at best, especially if trying to keep a higher line. The Tractor Boys can go home satisfied at giving one of the big boys a fright and being competitive, particularly in the first half. They do need to cut out the sloppy errors if they are going to survive this season.

Starmen:
Mainoo - looks to have stepped up a level this season and was very good in midfield.
Fernandes - a level above every one else on the pitch and finished the game taking the match ball home after a hat-trick and an assist.

Flops:
Martinez - made a bad error to gift Ipswich a goal. Looked ropey when playing a high line.
Nunez - another with a bad error to gift a goal, this time for the Red Devils.
Maeda - lots of pace but lacked quality.
O'Shea - struggled to contain Rashford.
Greaves - gave Man Utd the lead with his own goal.



Monday 31st August


Aston Villa 0-1 Arsenal

A really close hard-fought match which will give a lot of confidence to the home side after a major rebuild during the summer. Villa gave the Gunners a lot of problems but struggled to make chances. Arsenal looked a lot like last season's team, solid defensively and happy to just grind out wins without taking the game to the opposition. They are so solid defensively but that is in part due to being so cautious in their approach to games. It was enough to win them the Premier League last season and so it is understandable that Arteta has not looked to change their way of playing.

Starmen:
Jackson - was very impressive leading the line and bringing others into the game.
Suzuki - one error apart, when he let the ball bounce straight off him from a weak shot, he looked extremely assured and very good at kicking.
Saka - got the Arsenal goal and was always a threat.
Rice - a bit more restrained than normal, but he was very good.

Flops:
Maatsen - rash and struggled badly defensively.
Buendia - a lot of Villa's attacks seemed to break down when the ball reached him.
Abraham - lazy. With Villa one down and time ticking away he was strolling about making little effort to chase or press. So many times he just sauntered up to Raya, who was waiting to pick up the ball, allowing him to waste time under no pressure at all.
Tzolis - worked hard but offered little attacking threat.

Written by Tris Burke September 02 2026 00:21:08