Best signing
We can sit here and overanalyze this situation to find a smart solution, but sometimes the simplest response is the best. Step forward Erling Haaland. Since joining the Premier League, the Norwegian striker-bot has scored 18 goals in 13 outings, or once per 58 minutes, he’s been on the field.
This is crazy. His mobility and finishing are unprecedented in soccer, leaving opponents unsure of how to stop him. Those at the World Cup will be relieved they will not have to confront him because Norway did not qualify. On the flip side, he will be rested for the second half of the season.
Forgotten signing
Given the number of forwards they have on the bench, it is not unexpected that the Wolves have had difficulty scoring. Ral Jiménez has not played since August, and Pedro Neto sustained an injury at the beginning of October. The summer employment Sasa Kalajdzic was acquired for £15 million from Stuttgart and made his debut in a 1-0 victory over Southampton.
However, he was withdrawn at halftime with cruciate ligament damage that necessitated surgery, and it is uncertain when he will return. Bruno Lage felt compelled to seek out goals as a free agent. Diego Costa was brought in and made his debut against West Ham on 2 October; the following day, Lage was fired. Costa has not scored yet, but he has been ejected.
dismissal least unexpected
At the time of writing, six Premier League clubs had changed managers, but this accolade goes to Scott Parker. After struggling to get Bournemouth into the Premier League, he lasted only four games. A 2-0 victory over Aston Villa, who have since fired Steve Gerrard, set the tone for a promising season.
Then reality hit and 16 goals were conceded in three games, culminating in a 9-0 loss at Anfield and a P45 in the post. He had spent his time between defeats bemoaning that Bournemouth was “way short of where we need to be” and “barely had any defenders”, two thinly veiled criticisms of the club’s transfer business. Gary O’Neil took over and went six games unbeaten to prove that Bournemouth was not too far short after all.
Most demoralizing defeat
Wolves 0-4 Leicester. The wolves had 21 shots and failed to score. Danny Ward was not even tested. Leicester, on the other hand, scored on their first four attempts. The home crowd sang about how bad the team was and directed their ire at members of the organization’s leadership. It was a reminder of their distinct lack of attacking threat and the fact that they will spend the entire season fighting relegation. Few individuals remained until the conclusion and those who did so solely to express their disgust.
World Cup break most anticipated
In league play, Liverpool has disappointed. There have been far too many draws, along with losses to struggling Nottingham Forest and Leeds. Jürgen Klopp has expressed optimism that a stronger Liverpool team will emerge from the World Cup. There have been forming and fitness problems from the back to the front, causing the manager to scratch his head on numerous occasions.
The following week, Cryssio Summerville scored a late winner at Anfield to make matters worse for Jurgen Klopp’s team. Klopp is unenthusiastic about the World Cup, allowing him to concentrate on guiding Liverpool to the top of the English Premier League.
Elite group
Arsenal is the best, which appears to be the simplest way to evaluate this. Few would have predicted such a result, but Mikel Arteta’s careful building over the past few years has been the catalyst for the club’s success, as evidenced by the transfer deals that brought Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to the club.
In 14 Premier League matches, the only blemishes on their record are a loss at Manchester United and a draw against Southampton. They are genuine title contenders for the first time in more than a decade and appear more resilient than the Gunners of previous seasons. Manchester City is hot on their heels, so they must now demonstrate that they can keep up.
Biggest disappointment
Cristiano Ronaldo’s efforts for Manchester United have been pitiful, ranging from relative incompetence on the field to an outright refusal to play. Worry not, CR7 fans; it is not his fault that the club “betrayed” him; he has no respect for Erik ten Hag, and nothing has changed at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure in 2013. Consequently, he has scored once in the league. He returned to Manchester as a legend, but he will almost certainly leave in January after tarnishing his legacy for the sake of a fragile ego and ludicrous sense of self-importance.
