1
Richarlison heads Spurs misfits in need of renovation
Beyond bedding in four debutants at Brentford, a leading task for Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham is to revive a number of players who were all but given up on by Antonio Conte. Richarlison, who scored just one Premier League goal in his first season at the club, has taken on Harry Kane’s role as striker with James Maddison the new playmaker. Few beyond Conte doubt Brazil’s first-choice No 9’s talent but renovation is required. “He’s got a lot of great attributes and he will always work hard for the team and that’s a good starting point for me,” Postecoglou said, while similarly enthusiastic about the midfield performance of Yves Bissouma, signed last year from Brighton and underused by Conte. Davinson Sánchez replaced the concussed Cristian Romero and looked a different player to the befuddled defender targeted by fans last season. The £100m received for Kane will allow reinvestment but Postecoglou inherited talent he is ready to make use of. John Brewin
2
Chelsea’s wing-backs do wonders for Pochettino
In the last two seasons, Chelsea’s talismanic wing-backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James have started only 11 out of 76 Premier League games, mainly because of injury. The Liverpool game was a reminder that they are arguably Chelsea’s most important players. Whatever the formation – Mauricio Pochettino said it was a back four, the average positions suggested 3-1-5-1 – Chilwell and James are a constant threat in attack. Chilwell had a goal disallowed, missed a great chance and created Axel Disasi’s equaliser. James put in a series of superb crosses, the best of which was swept over the bar by the otherwise impressive Nicolas Jackson. When they play together, Chelsea look like a serious team. Rob Smyth
3
Nketiah suggests he can play a bigger role for Arsenal
Eddie Nketiah will not be kept down. He was stung by Kai Havertz’s selection at centre-forward in Arsenal’s Community Shield win but, rather than sulking, opted to make himself a nailed-on choice next time out. Mikel Arteta was thrilled with his attitude in training last week, rewarded him with a start against Nottingham Forest and promptly saw Nketiah open their league account for the season. Nketiah is a curious case. He is now 24 and no longer green around the gills; he has never quite presented a case to be Arteta’s first-choice centre-forward but has a habit of delivering whenever there is a danger he might drift from view. It is hard to know exactly what his level is: plenty of top-flight clubs below the Champions League contenders would happily help him find out but he has shown enough to suggest he can still help Arsenal’s title bid. Arteta said he expects to vary his starting XI frequently this season and a regular place in the rotation would probably be enough to keep Nketiah happy. Nick Ames
4
Everton’s lack of options in attack comes to fore once again
Groundhog Day for Everton featured woeful finishing, a defensive lapse ruthlessly punished, a third consecutive win at Goodison Park for Fulham and disbelief over the club’s ongoing failure to strengthen its forward options sufficiently. Post-match talk of things looking up once Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fit was another worrying sign of Everton failing to learn lessons. Calvert-Lewin could have been the difference between defeat and victory on the opening day but after two years of varying injury setbacks the centre-forward’s availability should be considered a bonus rather than the foundation for progress. The contrast in attacking options available to Dyche and Marco Silva also needs addressing by Everton. The supporting cast for Neal Maupay were all central midfielders. Fulham introduced Aleksandar Mitrovic, Andreas Pereira and Bobby De Cordova-Reid for Raúl Jiménez, Tom Cairney and Willian respectively and reaped the reward of three undeserved but gratefully received points. Andy Hunter
5
Tonali makes instant impact on dream debut for Newcastle
Sandro Tonali – “He drinks Moretti, eats spaghetti and hates Sunderland” – has not taken long to become the subject of a Newcastle fans’ anthem but the Italy midfielder’s outstanding performance in Saturday’s 5-1 dismantling of Aston Villa explains why. From the moment he volleyed Newcastle’s opener Tonali was superb, making it easy to understand why Newcastle paid £55m for him. “I fell in love watching Sandro play for Milan last season,” said Eddie Howe. “And I think he looks good in a Newcastle shirt.” Although Villa’s own debutant Moussa Diaby equalised, further goals from Alexander Isak (twice), Callum Wilson and Harvey Barnes allied to some fine wing-play on Anthony Gordon’s part left Unai Emery downcast. Villa had some decent moments in the first hour but departed saddened by the serious-looking knee injury which seems likely to deprive them of Tyrone Mings for some time. Louise Taylor
6
Moyes moving on in quest to build new team
“Champions of Europe, we know what we are,” was the tongue-in-cheek chant from the West Ham support at Bournemouth on Saturday, a nod to their Europa Conference League victory in June. Declan Rice aside, West Ham’s starting XI was identical to the one that prevailed against Fiorentina in Prague. West Ham rightly cherish their first silverware for 43 years, but Moyes knows it is time to move on. A date with London rivals Chelsea, two-time Champions League winners, looms this weekend, by which point James Ward-Prowse should be in the building. “You’ll hear all the best managers say that that one is done and I need to move on and find the next one,” Moyes said. “In truth, I am trying to move on and build something with a new team and get a new group of players together.” Ben Fisher
7
Alisson papers over Liverpool’s defensive cracks
The good news for Liverpool is that Alisson has continued his peerless form of last season. The bad news for Liverpool is that Alisson has continued his peerless form of last season. They would rather have waited a few games before finding out what kind of form he was in, but an increasingly vulnerable defensive performance at Stamford Bridge gave them the answer. Alisson denied Nicolas Jackson twice and Ben Chilwell once, all saves that demonstrated his dominance of the penalty area. It’s probably also fair to surmise that, against a less intimidating keeper, Mykhailo Mudryk would have had a surer touch when he went round Alisson in injury time. But the fact Chelsea’s players had so much eye contact with Alisson showed that Liverpool’s defence remains too accessible. RS
8
Dahoud settles in but Brighton need another midfielder
Much to Roberto De Zerbi’s relief, the Moisés Caicedo saga could soon be over. The Ecuador midflelder is closing in on his move to Chelsea for a British record fee of £115m and missed the impressive win over Premier League new boys Luton on Saturday. Yet while the new signing Mahmoud Dahoud performed well alongside the evergreen club stalwart Pascal Gross in central midfield, De Zerbi said the Germany international, signed on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund, can’t be expected to replace Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister on his own. “We need another midfielder if Caicedo leaves. And for me he can leave,” said De Zerbi, who also believes 37-year-old James Milner’s future is at right-back rather than in central midfield. “We need another midfielder with the same characteristics and the same importance because in the Premier League in midfield positions sometimes you need more kilogram, more impact.” Ed Aarons
9
Sheffield United need signings to avoid history repeating
Paul Heckingbottom put it plainly: “Our identity as a team is gone. All I’m bothered about is replacing that or we’ll have to change the way we play a little bit. The best way to probably put it is we only had six lads starting who played the game that got us promoted, so we’ve lost all the goals and assists from the top end of the pitch and how we looked to win the ball back at the top end of the pitch.” The exits of schemer Sander Berge (to Burnley) and alpha-forward Iliman Ndiaye (to Marseille) are the chief losses Sheffield United’s manager bewailed. The lack of ideas and cutting edge in this defeat were evident for a team whose previous Premier League incarnation, three year ago, suffered through its first 17 matches with no win. “All I’m bothered about is us getting the players we want,” Heckingbottom said. “I believe if we do get the players we want, we’ll compete.” The Dutch midfielder Gustavo Hamer has been signed but the last weeks of the window will be crucial if Sheffield United are to survive. Jamie Jackson
10
De Bruyne’s injury concerns a sign of unrelenting schedule
For the second competitive match in a row – no serious person acknowledges the Community Shield – Kevin De Bruyne was forced into a premature exit with a hamstring injury. The 32-year-old clearly has an underlying issue that City will work to get to the bottom of in the hope they can get him playing consistently once more. Before walking off, De Bruyne looked in fine form but is becoming a victim of the overcrowded schedule that is forcing players to accumulate far too many matches. As a midfielder, De Bruyne’s task is a rigorous one and his body looks to be struggling with the workload. If football is putting some of its best assets under excessive strain that results in injury, it might be time to rethink the system. Will Unwin
