Manchester United’s Attack Falters

Manchester United’s underpowered attack was a major concern during their opening weekend loss to Hull. Michael Carrick’s limited options in the attacking department were exposed as Benjamin Sesko failed to feature in pre-season, while Matheus Cunha was completely ineffective as a false 9. Hull’s back three enjoyed a quiet lunchtime as United failed to threaten their opponents, with Cunha not embracing the physical battle and Sesko being equally ineffectual when brought on. Carrick needs to get Sesko up to speed and sell Zirkzee soon, freeing up funds to find a better alternative if United are to compete this season, especially with the false 9 tactic looking flawed.

Source: i.guim.co.uk

Tigers Delight in Tzolakis’s Debut

Manchester United’s lack of effort in front of goal was unfortunate for Hull goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis, who had an impressive debut between the sticks. United should have made a greater effort to test the £20m signing from Olympiakos, but instead, Tzolakis was able to carry out his duties with ease, instilling confidence in the defence in front of him. If he continues to look so calm and assured, Tzolakis could prove himself one of the smartest signings of the season.

Source: i.guim.co.uk

Brentford Scores a Bargain

Mamadou Sangaré’s excellent performance on his debut for Brentford against Tottenham raised questions about why the league’s bigger clubs are not willing to look further afield for signings. Brentford paid only £39m for Sangaré, yet it seems inevitable that there will be clubs willing to pay double the price if he has a good first season in England. Sangaré dominated midfield, even with Spurs able to field upwards of £175m worth of talent in Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, and his performance was a testament to the value for money that Brentford got in signing him.

Dewsbury-Hall Shines for Everton

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s guidance was instrumental in Everton’s performance against Crystal Palace, and his superb strike beyond Dean Henderson underlined the quality of a player who will be crucial to Everton’s aspirations. Dewsbury-Hall wants to be better than last season, not just in terms of goals and assists, but in his overall play, and he is confident that he can mix it together and make a significant impact for Everton this season.

Watkins’ Legacy in Jeopardy

Ollie Watkins’ decision to consider an approach from Al-Hilal has raised questions about his legacy at Aston Villa. Watkins has scored 108 goals and made himself one of the most popular players in the club’s Premier League history, but his absence from the team for their opening game against Brighton has sparked debate about whether he is still committed to the club. Villa claim they are not close to any agreement with Al-Hilal, having rejected more than one offer from them, but the situation remains uncertain.

Isak Struggles on Return to Newcastle

Alexander Isak’s return to Newcastle was a disappointing one, as he struggled to make an impact on the game against Liverpool. Isak was booed at every touch, crunched by Lewis Hall in the tackle, and sent his only real chance of note into orbit, and it remains to be seen whether he can turn it on and be the player that convinced Liverpool to spend £125m on him last summer.

Ipswich Combat Set Pieces with O’Shea

Ipswich Town manager Gary O’Neil demonstrated the changing nature of the Premier League by choosing to play the tall centre-back Dara O’Shea at right-back to counter the threat of set pieces. O’Neil believes that aerially, the Premier League is a test now, and having three centre-half types in your back four helps you from set pieces, size-wise. In the first season since Pep Guardiola departed, the top flight is already shifting away from his neat, passing football to a different beast.

Wright Laments Martinelli Treatment

Ian Wright has questioned Arsenal’s treatment of Gabriel Martinelli, who was left out of their squad for their opening game against Coventry. Martinelli turned down a move to Galatasaray last week after Arsenal had agreed a fee with the Turkish club, and Wright believes that no one at the club has spoken to the 25-year-old to discuss his future. Martinelli has done enough with this squad to be treated with a little bit more respect than he’s being treated with at the moment, according to Wright.