Chelsea again leading the pack

There will be no Premier League action this weekend as club managers will be praying that their international players will return fit after two matches in ten days for most of their selected players.

These are still early days in the campaign, yet, at this time last season, Chelsea had nine points from three matches and went on to do the double. Portsmouth were at rock bottom, without a point, and eventually got relegated.

This time around, Chelsea are again leading the pack after three games and with a better goal difference than August 2009, having scored 14 goals and conceded none.

After losing the Community Shield match against Manchester United, Chelsea scored six goals against West Brom at home and Wigan away and put two past Stoke at Stamford Bridge.

Florent Malouda has become a fixture in the Blues side as coach Carlo Ancelotti claimed that the Frenchman’s hunger for honours speaks for itself, having scored in every game following the big upset he had with France in the World Cup.

Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham, who finished in the top four last season, are there again even if Spurs suffered a great shock at White Hart Lane after the 0-1 defeat to Wigan.

Last season, Spurs defeated the Latics 9-1 at the same venue.

In 2009-10, Tottenham won their first four league matches but this year they only have four points after three games. Both the Red Devils and the Gunners lost once in three last year. This season, they dropped two points after two wins and a draw.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger must have been satisfied with the three points his side claimed away at Blackburn. All managers in the Premiership claim that it is difficult for sides to play at Ewood Park.

United’s Alex Ferguson also sported a wide grin after his side’s thumping of West Ham at Old Trafford in their last outing as he watched Wayne Rooney back among the scorers.

It is healthy for the English game to see teams like Bolton and Wolves in the top seven.

Both sides are undefeated and the Trotters showed what they are made of at home to Birmingham, coming back from 0-2 down and with a man short to earn a draw.

Wolves continued with the trend of last term, never getting the rub of the green with referees where penalties are concerned. They have already been denied on two clear occasions in three matches.

Everton blues

At the other side of the classification, Everton only managed one point so far, two less than last season at this same period.

In recent years, Everton have been making it a habit to involve themselves very late in the campaign, missing out on a place in Europe by two points last season.

David Moyes, the ‘oldest’ manager at one club in the Premier League after Ferguson and Wenger, seems he has no answer why the Blues persist with their dismal showings in August and early September.

Stoke and West Ham are still without points after three outings. Both strugglers were engaged in hard battles at Chelsea and Manchester United, respectively, in their last match.

Blackpool, who surprised even their own supporters with a dynamic 4-0 win at Wigan in their Premier League debut, are proving that they will be no pushovers and will continue to fight hard to keep their Premier League status.

Spanish manager Roberto Martinez, who had come in for a lot of barracking following the first two matches, started to jump with joy after his boys grabbed all the points at Tottenham last weekend.

Martinez’s 4-5-1 plan at White Hart Lane paid dividends − almost all clubs play the same method when in action away from home.

Some critics said that the Spurs had left complacency to creep in and it was hard for them to regain composure in the game.

Liverpool’s new boss Roy Hodgson had to deal with a lot of criticism after the opening two games as the Reds had to battle to the bitter end to topple West Brom in their next match.

The boardroom battle for the new ownership of the club will continue to leave players and fans in an uncomfortable position until matters are resolved.

However, it is wrong for the fans to compare Hodgson with Rafa Benitez, now with Inter.

After the loss to Atletico Madrid, Benitez told the Italian media that he must be allowed more time with his new team. Rightly so, and so should Hodgson, he needs more time to settle in.

Meanwhile, Chris Hughton’s Newcastle earned their fourth point of the term after a drawn result at Wolves. The Magpies are not a complete team but the early indications say they would not struggle this time to stay away from the drop zone.

Sunderland also went through a lean time but they are currently in seventh heaven following a surprise win over Manchester City.

That is indeed what makes the Premier League the best and why TV companies all over the world continue to pour cash in to watch English football live.

Fixtures

League One
MK Dons-Hartlepool (13:15)
Carlisle-Swindon
Dagenham-Leyton Orient
Exeter-Charlton
Huddersfield-Bournemouth
Notts County-Yeovil
Oldham-Bristol Rovers
Southampton-Rochdale
Tranmere-Peterborough
Walsall-Colchester

Tomorrow
Brentford-Sheff. Wed. (13:00)

Leading standings: Sheffield Wed. 10; Peterborough 9; Carlisle, Oldham 8; Bournemouth, Huddersfield, Brighton, Charlton 7; Colchester, Walsall, MK Dons 6.

League Two
Acc. Stanley-Wycombe
Aldershot-Northampton
Barnet-Cheltenham
Bradford-Port Vale
Burton Albion-Hereford
Bury-Gillingham
Chesterfield-Lincoln City
Macclesfield-Stockport
Oxford Utd-Morecambe
Shrewsbury-Rotherham
Southend-Torquay
Stevenage-Crewe

Leading standings: Torquay 12; Shrewsbury, Rotherham 10; Chesterfield 8; Port Vale, Cheltenham 7; Accrington, Wycombe, Aldershot 6; Stevenage, Burton, Bury 5.

Scottish Third Division
Arbroath-Queen’s Park