TEAM: ASTON VILLA
There were some real impressive performances this week but obviously nothing more so than Villa’s annihilation of the champions. Albeit they benefitted from a howler from Adrian and three deflected efforts, but the way they bypassed Liverpool’s high line, time and again, was both impressive and alarming for Liverpool, who got torn apart at Villa. Well done also to Tottenham, West Ham, Everton, Chelsea, Newcastle, Southampton, Arsenal & Wolves.
GOALKEEPER: ALPHONSE AREOLA (Fulham)
In keeping with the last few weeks, it’s been extremely hard to pick any outstanding keepers due to he amount of goals that’s been flying in. So it probably comes as no surprise that this weeks keeper lost. However, it wasn’t for the want of trying. Fulham’s been shipping goals so far this season and most were expecting that to happen at Molineux but Areola was in real good form. It’s just a shame his forwards couldn’t get a goal to nick a point his performance deserved. Shout out also to Villa’s Martinez, WBA’ s Johnstone and Southampton’s McCarthy.
DEFENDER: VLADIMIR COUFAL (West Ham)
This is the second week in a row for a West Ham defender, I don’t think that’s ever happened before. However, its crazy to think just three days prior, Coufal was playing for Slavia Prague in the Europa League. He comes to West Ham and with very limited training with his new team and puts in a near flawless performance against the likes of Vardy, Barnes, Perez, Tielemans & Iheanacho to help them to a very impressive 3-0 away win. Well done also to his team mates Balbuena, Cresswell & Ogbonna who was close to winning this as well as Chelsea’s Chilwell, Everton’s Mina Arsenal’s Gabriel, Leeds trio Ayling, Koch & Coooper and Spurs’ Reguilon.
MIDFIELDER: JAMAS RODRIGUEZ (Everton)
He is absolutely loving life on Merseyside. It was another inspiring performance in the heart of midfield, with two neatly taken goals and an assist, to help Everton on their way to a fourth win in a row for their best start to a top flight season in over 40 years. Shout out also to his team mate Doucoure, West Ham foursome Bowen, Soucek, Rice & Fornals, Southampton duo Djenepo & Armstrong, Arsenal’s Saka, Tottenham’s Ndombele, Villa’s McGinn & Barkley, Burnley’s Westwood, Chelsea’s Kante & Newcastles’s Saint-Maximin who was close to winning this.
FORWARD: OLLIE WATKINS (Aston Villa)
This was a pretty easy one. What a way to get your first goals in the Premier League, against the champions in a massive victory that will go down in Aston Villa folklore. Right from the very start he was at it, his running off the ball made a mockery of Liverpool’s high line and he had the finishing to match, to record a thrilling hat trick. Well done also to his team mate Grealish, West Ham’s Antonio, Man City’s Sterling, Newcastle’s Wilson, Sheff Utd’s McGoldrick, Liverpool’s Salah, Wolves’ Neto, Arsenal’s Pepe, Tottenham duo Kane & Son, Everton’s Calvert-Lewin and Leeds’ Rodrigo.
MANAGER: DEAN SMITH (Aston Villa)
There is no surprises whatsoever, especially when you score seven past the current champions. Clearly Smith did his homework on Liverpool’s high line over the past few weeks and concocted the perfect plan to bypass it with the running off the ball of Watkins and Grealish, with Barkley coming from deep and McGinn on the ball threading passes. It was a masterclass. Shout out also to Tottenham’s Jose Mourinho and West Ham caretaker manager Alan Irvine.
UNSUNG HERO: JACK GREALISH (Aston Villa)
Not exactly unsung but with Watkins scoring a hat-trick and rightly getting the plaudits, as well as Barkley’s wonderful debut, you might have just sided away from the Villa talisman who was brilliant on the night, scoring two an assisting three. He undoubtably is their leader, there has always been speculation about him leaving the club, he helped them stay in the league last season and just when you thought he was finally going, he decides to sign a new contract and now Villa are flourishing at the start of the season.
GAME: ASTON VILLA 7-2 LIVERPOOL
The goals flowed from early when Adrain made a poor pass across the six yard box which Grealish pounced on a played across for Watkins to slide home (4) It was soon two when Grealish played Watkins in down the left and he turned inside Gomez and lashed into the top corner (22). Liverpool pulled a goal back when Keita’s run into the box caused confusion and the ball fell to Salah. to lash home (33). But it was soon three from a corner when the ball was headed out to McGinn on the edge of the box and his shot came off Van Dijk and in (35). It was soon four when Villa broke the offside trap from a free kick and Trezeguet cross for Watkins to head home for his free kick (39). In the second half it was five when Barkley picked up the ball on the edge of the box and his deflected shot looped over Adrian and in (55). Liverpool pulled a goal back when Firmino fed Salah who fired in at the near post (60). However, Villa restored their four goal lead when Grealish’s defelcted effort from the edge off the box wrong footed Adrain and n (66). The rout was soon complete when McGinn played a cross field ball to beat Liverpool’s high line again to allow Grealish to ran on with the ball to easily slip past Adrian (75).
GOAL: YVES BISSOUMA (Brighton) v Everton
With the game more or less won and time ticking down, Brighton were still pushing for a consolation. The ball was worked down the right and a cross came in, which was headed out, to just outside the box. It then fell to March who headed to Bissouma a yard outside the box, who took a touch off his chest, then hit a rasping volley, cutting across the ball which flew into the bottom corner, giving the keeper no chance.
FOOL: LIVERPOOL FC
In just four games, they have gone from champions to chumps. I was thinking of giving this to Adrian, then the back-four, then Klopp, so in the end it’s fitting to give it to the whole team. I think everyone is in shock at the result, it was an abysmal display where they seemed off pace right from the very start. Although they can say they were unlucky with three deflected goals, it was the manor of the defeat that was alarming, with poor performances all around. I am not sure if it was arrogance of complacency, but they really need to start with that awful high-line tactic, or a result like this wont just be a one off. FOOLS!
