VSN's English Premier League Power Rankings - Week 2
By: Rudi and Chrispy
[TABLE="class: grid, width: 750, align: center"]By: Rudi and Chrispy
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[TD="align: center"]1.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Chelsea look like the team to beat right now and show no signs of being beat. Hazard has assisted on every goal except on a penalty which he made to get his first Chelsea goal. There have been some rumblings they might be selling David Luiz before the transfer window closes.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]2.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Everton’s dream start to the season continued over the weekend as they handled Aston Villa with ease. 6 points in their first two games has the Toffees happy as can be headed into their next fixture with West Brom.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]3.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Very lucky to get three points out of their game against Fulham. Rooney suffered a nasty gash that will leave him out of action for four weeks and de Gea had some good and some bad moments.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]4.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Roberto Mancini decided to run out an awful 3-5-2 formation against Liverpool which featured Nigel de Jong and Kolo Toure on the ball a lot of time. City were able to escape with a draw but that was only due to Liverpool’s miscues. I doubt we see this lineup again from Mancini because it was terrible.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]5.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]The Swans have scored 8 goals and given up 0 so far. No matter what way you cut it, that is incredible. Midfielder Michu is having a field day and leads the premier league with 3 goals so far.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]6.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]The Toon ran into the buzz saw that is Chelsea and were not able to come away with any points. Newcastle should be good in the long run and will compete for that final Champion’s League spot. A date with lowly Aston Villa this weekend will surely help.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]7.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Tough luck for Fulham to leave old Trafford and not get a point, they played well enough to earn at least a draw. If they can keep up their play this might be an unbelievable year for them. They still have the Dempsey saga going on which is over shadowing the groups play on the field.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]8.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]A late equalizer let West Brom earn a draw against the Spurs. West Brom look like a team that could be high to mid in the table come season end.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]9.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]AVB’s first two matches as the Spurs manager hasn’t gone the way he had liked, a loss and a draw respectively. The draw was probably harder to swallow since the Spurs where home and pretty much had the game won until a late equalizer from West Brom.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]10.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]The past two games have resulted in 40 shots with only 5 on goal but no goals. But they also have not given up a goal in their two games. Arsenal needs someone to step up or they need to get someone that can score goals…..Clint Dempsey?????[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]11.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Stoke were absolutely dominated in all aspects of the game by Arsenal…expect on the score board. Somehow, someway the Potters managed to fight for a 0-0 draw against the hapless Gunners. It’s not often you can be outshot 17-6 and only hold the ball for 33% of the game and still come away with a point.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]12.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Can’t really say much with their game getting postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. They did however sign Steven Fletcher and Adam Johnson so look for them to debut next week at a very dangerous Swansea City[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]13.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Although they played a much better game than the defending champs, Liverpool were only able to escape with 1 point in the end. Thanks to two gifted goals, the second which was AWFUL, the fans at Anfield were left disappointed after they should have gotten the full 3 points.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]14.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]After getting a win in their first game, West Ham was humbled in their first road game of the year. Swansea sliced them apart in the 3-0 defeat. They will need to cut down on the costly errors if they want to have a chance against Fulham this week.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]15.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Despite the departure of Victor Moses, Wigan were able to scrape together 2 goals against promoted Southampton and get themselves 3 points. For a team like Wigan who will surely be battling until the final weekend to stay in the top flight, 3 points is always a cause for celebration.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]16.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Since Reading’s game against Sunderland got postponed there isn’t much to say here. They don’t play another Premier League game until September 16[SUP]th[/SUP].[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]17.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Not looking too good for Southampton, they played so well last week against Man City but harshly came out with a loss. Then this week they lost 2-0 at home to a Wigan side without Moses.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]18.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Norwich is not off to a very good start, a 5-0 loss at Fulham then they come home and draw against QPR 1-1. They have a tough test coming up next week against the Spurs who are home again and looking for their first win, the game could get ugly.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]19.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]After losing 5-0 in the opener, things didn’t get much better for QPR this week. They fought to a 1-1 draw at Norwich. Next up on the slate: A road fixture with defending champions Manchester City. Good luck.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]20.[/TD]
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[TD="align: center"]Villa opened their goal scoring account over the weekend thanks to a nice strike from Karim El Ahmadi. That was the only bright spot though as they fell 3-1 to Everton and were playing with 10 men for the last half hour of the game. Things don’t get easier as Villa heads to Newcastle this week.[/TD]
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