The Conference League is a difficult clash which has not added much pressure to David Moyes after a difficult domestic season, but the clouds seem to be lifting. New signings were made to bolster the ranks and they dropped just two points from three matches, putting the Hammers second behind Manchester City. Things could hardly get any better. One problem Moyes will soon face is European football, which hampered West Ham’s league form last season.
Picking up points in winnable matches, such as Friday’s trip to Kenilworth Road, will be crucial in limiting its impact. Last season, West Ham were yet to pick up a point, picking up just four of their opening seven games. They have a foundation to build on this time around and Luton’s first Premier League game at Kenilworth Road is a tough prospect, but a confident West Ham side will not want to lose what they have worked so hard to build. will lose
Cameron Archer started this season on the bench for Aston Villa as they were beaten 5-1 at Newcastle on the opening day of the Premier League.
The England Under-21 striker, who scored twice in this summer’s European Championship win in Georgia, had hoped to break into Unai Emery’s first team but joined Sheffield United for £18m. His new manager Paul Heckingbottom will be hoping the striker can match Michael Carrick’s 11 goals and six assists in 20 games for Middlesbrough last season.
Heckingbottom has brought in eight new, mostly inexperienced players since winning promotion, but as Sheffield United prepare to face Everton in an already crucial six-pointer at Bramall Lane, the Blades continue to feel the loss of the two midfielders they sold. Sander Berge and main striker Iliman Ndiaye. They will have to hope that Archer will at least address the hole in attack created by the departure of the Senegalese player. Given Middlesbrough’s campaign this Championship, Carrick will certainly miss the striker, who scored four goals in 14 appearances for Villa. Louise Taylor
Ben Mee won the Supporters’ Player of the Season in his first year in west London but is yet to start his Premier League campaign as injury ruled him out of the opening three games. He returned in midweek to play against Newport in the Carabao Cup, leaving Thomas Frank to make a decision this weekend. Nathan Collins and Ethan Pinnock have been his central defender so far, with Frank switching from a back five to a back four this season.
The manager is unlikely to return to three central defenders, mainly because the change in formation was due to the absence of Ivan Toney, so the question is whether he dares to drop Collins or Pinnock to bring in the extra experience of Mee. a team it has none. Joachim Andersen’s equalizer last weekend showed that Brentford have a soft underbelly that Mee could help solve. WU
Ange Postecoglou says he is in a “discovery phase” during his Tottenham tenure, explaining why nine changes were made for the Carabao Cup second-round tie at Fulham. As well as discovering the limitations of his wingers at Craven Cottage, where the start of the season was marred by performance and defeat on penalties, the Spurs manager received further signs of the importance of James Maddison just four games into his career at the club. . . Maddison was the only one on the Fulham bench and only entered the game in the 82nd minute when Postecoglou tried to avoid spot kicks. The creativity he injected into Spurs’ win at Bournemouth three days earlier was sorely missed, as was his ability to find the silverware he needed. The first setback of Postecoglou’s reign was complacency and he will await Maddison’s reaction against a Burnley side yet to pick up a Premier League point. Andy Hunter
Chelsea have not earned a reputation for financial foresight over the past year, but they deserve credit for spotting Nicolas Jackson’s potential. In the summer, after Manchester United paid £72m to sign Rasmus Højlund from Atalanta, Jackson is looking for value for money after leaving Villarreal for £32m.
The striker may have some unusual edges, but he won’t mind if he is responsible for solving Chelsea’s problems in the final third.
The 21-year-old’s all-round game has impressed – causing Liverpool and West Ham plenty of problems with his pace, power, movement and link-up play – and he showed the instincts of a poacher when scoring from close range last time out. . win of the week over Luton. Mauricio Pochettino hopes Jackson’s momentum will continue when Chelsea host Nottingham Forest. Jacob Steinber
While Manchester City’s eventual title rivals Liverpool and Arsenal dropped points, Pep Guardiola’s cool-eyed winning machine won three out of three games.
This despite the departures of Ilkay Gündogan and Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne being ruled out of Burnley’s opening night first half until next year due to injury. But City are as astute in the market as their neighbors Manchester United, with Jérémy Doku (wide man) followed by Wolves’ Matheus Nunes.
That means Guardiola will once again have the quality of a formidable squad and, with Fulham arriving with four points from three Premier League games, it should be the Catalans’ 201st win in the competition. Jamie Jackson
“He will be the future of the club,” Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi said of his new signing Carlos Baleba.
The constant hype surrounding the Seagulls’ player recruitment means there is ever-increasing pressure on arrivals, regardless of their reputation. Many are already planning to earmark the Cameroonian for a big money move in two years. In the near future, the 19-year-old will naturally replace Moisés Caicedo, who made an excellent performance in midfield and won a record transfer to Chelsea. Baleba scored only 19
