Football Comment: Far too early for Chelsea to think of invincibility
Chelsea looked really strong yesterday and, if everything goes their way, Jose Mourinho’s side should go on and win the title. But we all know the Premier League does not work that way.
I don’t think rival managers would have been sitting at home hoping Chelsea didn’t win because a six-point gap at the summit would mean their own title ambitions would be ended. So let’s not kid ourselves, nothing is being won and lost in October.
Ten years have passed since Arsenal lost their invincibility status at Old Trafford and there has been a lot of talk this week about Chelsea having the credentials to replicate that. Maybe, but it is far too early to be saying Chelsea are the new invincibles.
At this stage of the season, Arsenal would never have thought they would go the whole season without losing and believe me, it will only be on Jose’s agenda when they have won the title in April and have four games left.
Striker Didier Drogba came in for the injured Diego Costa at Old Trafford and scored his first Premier League goal since March 2012. Physically, he still looks the part.
Should he be really tested with pace and strength, he might not just quite have it but he certainly does not look an imposter in a Chelsea shirt. The movement and execution of his header was vintage Drogba and he still has enough for what Chelsea need him for this season.
Manchester United are improving, definitely. There is more stability and the newcomers are now Manchester United players rather than people they have just signed. With that in mind, Louis van Gaal can now demand a certain type of performance from them, the honeymoon period has certainly gone and on the whole I think they have got their mojo back.
It was a disappointing result for Spurs at White Hart Lane yesterday and I think patience is crucial at Tottenham. I think Mauricio Pochettino is probably the right man but I don’t think he has the right group of players. They are too heavily weighted on the creative side rather than the dogged.
Midfielder Scott Parker was a big player for Spurs for a while but that sort of player does not appear to be the type they want now – a run of the mill worker. All of a sudden they had the Gareth Bale money to spend and they bought all this creativity and they are missing a cog or two.
A lot of the so-called creative players they have at the club don’t come up to the expectation of what Tottenham want to be and that is a top-four side. They don’t score any goals and don’t seem to contribute assists, yet they are the creative element of the team.
While the West Ham bandwagon rolls on, there are a few question marks over Manchester City at the minute. Top of the table teams need a lot of different people contributing and over the last few weeks because Sergio Aguero has had a hot period, others have dropped a little bit and that’s worrying for Manuel Pellegrini. But I still think it is between Manchester City and Chelsea.
QPR play tonight and they need a win, although Aston Villa will fancy their chances going to Loftus Road. A win will not save QPR, it will be no miracle cure but it would just lighten the atmosphere, which is crucial.