WE'RE five rounds into the Barclays Premier League season and there's a different feel to the competition's leaderboard.
With north London sitting pretty at the top, and Manchester United in unfamiliar territory down in eighth spot, Fox Sports Football expert Mark Bosnich runs the rule over the top sides and grades their start to the 2013-2014 campaign.
ARSENAL
I have not seen a smile on the face of Arsenal supporters I know for eight years – not since they last won a trophy.
They know, along with all of us, that Mesut Ozil has made them title contenders. If they can secure one more signing in January, they can win the league. They’re a completely different side to the one we knew – it’s not all to do with Ozil, but he has brought the belief.
Aaron Ramsey has been phenomenal as well.
Against Stoke on the weekend I noticed something different about Arsenal. When they went 2-1 up, their defence and goalkeeper snuffed out any type of chance. Normally, they’re like spectators and marvel at their football, get caught on the break and their mentality changes.
They were a great side before Ozil, which is why it was so frustrating that they didn’t buy for so long.
For me, they can win the title and one more signing makes them favourites.
BOZZA’S VERDICT: 8/10
It's a mouth-watering weekend of derbies on Fox Sports as we bring you the Barclays Premier League, Serie A and La Liga for the first time.
Join Adam, Bozza and Robbie for coverage of a massive night of Premier League coverage, kicking off with the north London derby, before tuning in for the Madrid derby for breakfast on Sunday morning, then the Turin derby for dinner to round out the weekend.
Heaven for football fans!
Saturday night
Tottenham v Chelsea, 9.45pm (EST) Fox Sports 3 HD
We've got a different looking top six to start the season.
Manchcester United v West Brom, 12.10am (EST) Fox Sports 3 HD
Southamton v Crystal Palace; Hull v West Ham United; Fulham v Cardiff City; Aston Villa v Manchester City: VIEWER'S CHOICE
Swansea v Arsenal, 2.30am (EST), Fox Sports 3 HD
Sunday morning
La Liga: Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid, 6am (EST), Fox Sports 3 HD
Sunday night
Serie A: Torino v Juventus, 8.30pm (EST), Fox Sports 1 HD
Stoke City v Norwich, 10.30pm (EST), Fox Sports 1 HD
Sunderland v Liverpool, 12.50am (EST), Fox Sports 1 HD
Tuesday morning
Everton v Newcastle, 5am (EST), Fox Sports 1 HD
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
They haven’t sat on the Gareth Bale money, but the one that cost the least, the Danish international Christian Eriksen from Ajax, could be their real gem. Andre Villas-Boas has now found his No.10 – someone who can unlock the tightest of defences.
Speaking of defences, they’ve conceded one in all competitions – absolutely phenomenal. They had a great win mid-week in the Capital One Cup. They’re looking very strong.
I think AVB can mould this group of signings together even though he’s taken on a lot. If you compare them with Arsenal, the starting XI is even, maybe Arsenal shade them. But they’ve got superb squad depth. He learnt a lot at Chelsea about man management, who he needs to keep happy. Man management is so important these days. He’s a very good man, an excellent coach and let’s not forget, it was his team (no disrespect to my old teammate Roberto Di Matteo) who won the UEFA Champions League against Bayern Munich.
Their grade would be the same as Arsenal, but for their performance against their north London rivals.
BOZZA’S VERDICT: 7.5/10
CHELSEA
I think Jose Mourinho has realised he hasn’t got as good a team as he had way back when and I think that’s why he went so defensively at Manchester United.
They had a bit of a rocky patch losing at home to Basel in the UCL and at Everton, a game they perhaps should have won.
I think they’re still searching for their ideal formation and best form but watch out for them, because Mourinho has experience winning titles and knows what it takes, not just in England.
Losing Marco Van Ginkel this week is a massive blow, and the question remains about Juan Mata, but Mourinho has made it clear that Eden Hazard and Oscar are his first two choices. Whether or not this will bite him in the January transfer market, is to be seen. It’s hard to imagine Mata will want this in a World Cup year, but Mourinho’s the boss and he’s got to listen to his boss.
Another problem for him is Samuel Eto’o, Fernando Torres or Demba Ba are going to score the goals they need – they’re not pure finishers. A lot of them are living in the shadow of Didier Drogba, but they’ve got to step up and make the most of their own qualities.
But, if I was an opponent, I’d still be worried about Chelsea because they’re creating a lot of chances.
BOZZA’S VERDICT: 7/10
MANCHESTER CITY
They absolutely dismantled Manchester United last week. Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure are two of the keys; Jesus Navas was excellent; Samir Nasri played the best game I’ve seen him have for the club; Negredo up front.
They’re a top team, but their big problem is not in the big games. It’s in games like the one against Stoke, where they probably should have lost. The game this week against Aston Villa away. Manuel Pellegrini will want to win these games, because they can be the difference in the title race. The big games take care of themselves and there aren’t too many teams that play better in big games.
Losing against Cardiff with a 1-0 lead: they’ve got to come to terms with these games against teams who will run all day, never give up, put high balls in the box. They need to make sure they become ruthless.
BOZZA’S VERDICT: 7.5/10
LIVERPOOL:
Superb start, best start in the EPL since Roy Evans was in charge, but still a work in progress. Even the most ardent Liverpool supporters realise they aren’t in the title race.
They slipped up last week, with Brendan Rodgers playing four centre-backs. I don’t think so, Brendan. You can’t experiment like that in the Premier League.
Luis Suarez is back, which evens out the loss of Philippe Coutinho. But a few players have to pick up their game after two losses on the bounce, including Iago Aspas.
They’re still not quite the finished product, but Rodgers is starting to put his mark on the side. It will be interesting to see if they can maintain pace in the race for the top four.
Would have given them 8 had they won last weekend against Southampton.
BOZZA’S VERDICT: 7/10
EVERTON:
Roberto Martinez has stamped his authority as quickly as anyone.
He’s an excellent young manager who worked wonders at Wigan, moved on and arrived at a club missing a number of stalwarts like Tim Cahill, Phil Neville, now Fellaini. But he’s a great believer in his system and is very adaptable. There hasn’t been a game where they have had less possession than the opposition.
It was a fabulous win against West Ham, they’ve got a real gem in Leighton Baines, who they’ll hope to hold onto in January.
It’s been a superb start but you’d expect nothing less. Even under David Moyes, they were rarely out of the top six or seven, but he’ll take them to the next level.
BOZZA’S VERDICT: 7/10
MANCHESTER UNITED:
They’ve had a very tough start – and the draw wasn’t easy either. That’s no excuse, it’s their worst start in nine years. But the bottom line is, they will pick up.
People don’t consider that the conditions will worsen. At the moment, the sun is out, the pitches are great, not too wet, not much wind and the better football sides are coming to the fore. But in England, you play across all conditions and you’ve got to have an economical and realistic system for all conditions, including when it’s windy and rainy. Manchester United have that, in abundance.
They struggled against Liverpool, they didn’t really show enough against Chelsea and they were dismantled against Manchester City. They’re still in Sir Alex Ferguson’s shadow, and David Moyes’s imprint will start slowly but surely, although they did get burnt in the transfer window. They’ll learn from that and make a few signings in January.
At the moment, a good win to come back and beat Liverpool in the Capital One Cup. They’ll say it’s not how you start, but how you finish. But they’ve got a lot of work to do.
Michael Carrick and Maroune Fellaini are the two for me to play in the middle, but it depends on who is around them. Last week, for example, Antonio Valencia got it all wrong tactically and wasn’t tracking back. Ashely Young tucked in defensively but he’s not there for defence, so he basically did nothing. Shinji Kagawa is in a similar position to Juan Mata. At the back, they need to take more responsibility too.
They looked a lot out of their depth last week, but don’t write them off.
