THE Premier League is taking a back seat this weekend to make way for the FA Cup, but the fans were entertained by the midweek matches. After game week 18, Arsenal still lead by five points to Manchester City, with both teams still having a game in hand over some of the title chasers.
Whilst it might be fun to talk about the title race, it is best to use this opportunity to discuss the few managers in the hot seat. The managers are Graham Potter, Frank Lampard and Juergen Klopp.
Graham Potter had a good start to his tenure at Chelsea. One has to wonder whether the excellent form at the beginning is due to his managerial acumen or if the players are still playing the Thomas Tuchel way.
The last five games resulted in three losses, one draw and one win for the club. Not a champions-winning form or a team competing for a Champions League spot. With the club’s spending this summer, Chelsea should be in the top four positions of the league. Instead, they are sitting in the 10th spot.
The spending continues this January transfer window. It is expected of Potter because he inherited a squad from Tuchel, and the current signing reflected how he would like the team to play.
Usually, the red side of Merseyside will be the topic of discussion among journalists or pundits. However, we need to address the blue half today. The situation has gone out of control for Lampard in Everton.
Four losses and one draw in the last five games in the league see the club at the bottom three and one point from safety. Lampard is still the man leading from the dugout. Maybe Farhad Moshiri does not want to add Lampard to the list of ex-managers that the club still pay.
Everton drew with the mighty City away from home but got spanked by Brighton at Goodison Park. Even with the English pairing of James Tarkowski and Conor Coady, this club cannot keep a clean sheet.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin needs to stay fit to ensure the club have a fighting chance to stay in the Premier League. A relegation six-pointer is on the horizon with a match against Southampton in Goodison Park this weekend. A defeat against Southampton; expect a new manager in the dugout for the game against Arsenal in the following week.
On the red side of Merseyside, one might think that Klopp is free from criticism after experiencing only one defeat in the last four games. The Reds were on a winning streak in the league before the defeat against Brentford.
Naturally, this caused a lot of scrutiny of the squad from the press. At the Gtech Community Stadium, the Reds lacked the heart and running to compete with the all-action team of Brentford. With the midfielder still looking thin, one might wonder whether the signing of Cody Gakpo was necessary for the fight for fourth. Suppose Liverpool miss out on the Champions League spot this summer.
In that case, the Anfield faithful can kiss the dream of seeing Jude Bellingham goodbye.
Liverpool’s midfield is so thin that Harvey Elliot, a 19-year-old player, is expected to fill the gap weekly.
Elliot is not Bellingham, and the occasion is too early for him to shine. Elliot has become the target of the club’s fans for his poor performance, but he is not the one to blame. The blame should fall on the manager and the management.
The planning should have started after the last league title, but Klopp is too loyal to his current players. Hence the club are in the position they are in. Safe to say Klopp lacks the winning factor after winning!
