Grabbing Our Attention: Week 4 in the BPL

photo by 20after4	via PhotoRee

We drank some beer, watched some football, saw some highlights and even managed to sneak in some NFL this weekend.  In other words, it was just another weekend at the corporate office.  Without further ado, our thoughts on a relatively hum drum week in the BPL:

o Watching Chelsea play Everton made us realize Jose Mourinho thinks it's still 2006 in the Premier League. Frank Lampard and John Terry are not everyday starters anymore. David Moyes was under a similar impression at United, but someone finally mentioned to the new skipper that Ryan Giggs is nearly 40 years old these days....

o Laurent Koscielny is one of the most rash defenders in the BPL. Always one hare-brained decision away from either a red card or a penalty, the only other defender who rivals the Frenchman is Chelsea's own Sideshow Bob.

o Referee Martin Atkinson's poor decision making was illustrated brilliantly when he denied an advantage to Sunderland's Jozy Altidore on a play on which the American scored -- to helpfully pull the ball back for a free kick, which was promptly wasted by the home side. If ever there was a referee who needed to be relegated, it's Atkinson. The guy is a walking disaster.

o Alvaro Negredo is quickly learning the ins and outs of Premier League football. In his first start, the Spaniard was straightened right out by Referee Mark Clattenburg, who helpfully explained that while artfully pretending to be on the receiving end of head and facial injuries may be greeted with a wink wink, nod nod in Spain, playacting is generally frowned upon England.  With the notable exception of Ashley Young, of course....

o Is it just us, or does Manuel Pellegrini always look as if he's just walked out of a horror movie? Truth be told, that's likely how'd we feel, as well, after watching Manchester City play  these past couple of weeks. The kindest thing we can think to say of the new City head honcho is that his starting XI choices strike us as slightly naive.

o Four games in, and who'd a thunk that the most reliable strikers in the Premier League would be Christian Benteke and Olivier Giroud...?!

o Player of the Week?  For us, it's none other than £42 million Arsenal signing, Mesut Özil -- despite the fact his fellow Gunner Aaron Ramsey scored a brace in a weekend featuring relatively few goals. Wasting no time in getting acquainted with his new surroundings and teammates, the German international showed a very deft touch in leading to Arsenal'a first goal, and seemingly completed more passes in the final third of the pitch than the rest of the League combined. Assist leaders, take note: you've been duly warned.  This guy is good.

o And looking at the other team in North London, once again the man scoring the brace was not the one who caught our attention. Gylfi Sigurdsson may have grabbed the glory, but Christian Eriksen looks the real deal for Spurs in midfield.

This is farlieonfootie for September 16.