Quarterly Reports

It's been another roaring start to the Barclay's Premier League, and with all of the Big Four having battled eachother, it's time for a quarterly report card of this season's title contenders. Oh, and Liverpool.

ARSENAL
Until Sunday, it was a realistic prospect that the title may have been returning to London. To Arsenal. It seemed all their promise and potential was finally coming to fruition. Goalfests against Everton, Blackburn, Wigan, and a convincing drubbing of rivals Tottenham put Arsenal into the category of "serious contenders," at one point just three points off Chelsea's pace.

Arsenal were flying. But Chelsea were steamrolling.


Sunday's battering at the hands of Didier Drogba and company, combined with the halting of Robin Van Persie's stream of goals by a serious injury have put Arsenal's chances at a Prem title in the locker for another year.


GRADE:

B-
COMMENTS:
Arsenal may have the speed and precision to befuddle most of the Premiership, but they've failed the quarter's two tests against the blue and red halves of Manchester, and bombed their Midterm against Chelsea. They're still boys, and too often their pretty patterns and exsquisite play are muscled off the field by the men of the league.


LIVERPOOL

After the Fernando Torres show helped Liverpool to wipe the pitch with early lesser opponents, their season has fallen apart following his and Gerrard's injuries. To everyone's bemusement but their own, Liverpool have been playing the EPL class clown, and find themselves hopelessly behind in the title race and out of the Champions League.

Without Xabi Alonso pulling their already loose strings, and an injury list that has prevented Liverpool from fielding their best XI all year, Liverpool are at sea. Wins in the big games against Manchester United and Everton are all that keep Rafa Benitez tied to his job, and just a few more dropped points will serve as the severance.
From the management to the field, this club has reached a crossroads, and it is time for a shakedown.Three successive wins against United remind us all of their potential, but seven wins in fourteen games this season is unacceptable for a team with a legacy like Liverpool, and soon even the most loyal Liverpool supporters will be calling for Rafa's head.

GRADE:

C-

COMMENTS:

Liverpool have had very good results here and there this quarter, but their performance has been abysmal overall. Injuries do play a part in any slump, but a team such as Liverpool should have sufficient depth to cope without their biggest stars, and it's been revealed they don't. There is extra credit still to be had in an FA Cup victory, but this season is already one to forget for Liverpool.

CHELSEA

Chelsea has been the EPL's star pupil by a long ways thus far. Two years of near misses and last second heartbreak have been firmly put in the past by Carlo Ancelotti's arrival. Chelsea's vast resources are again paying dividends after a three year deferral to Manchester United, with a squad deeper than the Dead Sea to attribute to their success. Didier Drogba's mini-revival and his new found compatability with strike partner Nicolas Anelka have also played an important role in the teams ability to find the net so routinely.

They have met every opponent with equal workmanlike efficiency and strength. They allowed Arsenal to run in circles with the ball for much of their recent encounter, and then strode forward with a purpose and soundly and smoothly squashed the young Gunners. The victory against their North London rivals showcased Chelsea's newest, and most champion-like, asset: the ability to win in every way. They have the muscle and personality to duke it out in physical matches, the defensive capability to keep out the best attacks, and the forwards and creativity to flow right through you.

GRADE:

A-

COMMENTS:
Chelsea's record is near impeccable so far this campaign. Only two losses blot their otherwise extraordinary campaign. They have beaten all three of their biggest challengers, but only one of these wins has been away from Stamford Bridge, and they face the reality of losing Didier Drogba and Michael Essien to the African Cup Of Nations for four weeks in January. If they withstand their big away games in the second term, and escape the Drogba-less January with their lead intact, it is unlikely they can be touched. However, there is a certain triple champion who will not go quietly...

MANCHESTER UNITED

United still show the resilience and profesionalism required to be a champion, but they may be missing some of that big game ability they were once renowned for. In fairness, they've beaten Arsenal and City at home and proved their famous resilience through several injury time winners and equalizers. But on the road against Chelsea and Liverpool they were outplayed and outmatched. Torres highlighted United's defensive frailty -- they've allowed twelve goals in fourteen games. This is not the same United backline who went sixteen games straight las campaign without conceding.

On the other side of the coin, they've still been able to produce offensively sans Ronaldo and Tevez. They've even put together some masterful performances, but it is the get-out-of-jail-free card Ronaldo provided so many times before that they've missed in the darker moments. While they've certainly proved they can cope weekend to weekend without his services, his prowess for finding the net on the big occasions, at times from nothing, have seen them drop points where last seasons United wouldn't have.

But this is Manchester United. Clive Tyldesly famously said "They ALWAYS score," in 1999. Only Scholes, Giggs, and Neville remain from that treble-winning team a decade ago, but the magic Sir Alex Ferguson can conjure seems never to die. This is the team never to count out, and Chelsea will do well not to feel comfortable at any point, not when United chases you.

GRADE:

B
COMMENTS:
United have remedied the Ronaldo hangover better than many would have guessed. Their football is still beautiful, and they still win. Chelsea have set the bar incredibly high thus far this season, but the second half of the season is where United always kick it into higher gear. The evergreen Ryan Giggs can still dictate games, Rooney has indeed done the best job possible in filling Ronaldo's boots, and Berbatov has finally come good. Sir Alex refuses to fail -- nothing but excellence will do for United, and they still have plenty of time.