Liverpool 5 Norwich 0

Incredibly 4 different scorers and 4 completely different assists as well.

• Liverpools defensive stats were amazing.  Norwichs weren’t as bad as expected and showed ruthless finishing rather than a total defensive meltdown
• Sturrudge and Suarez were the only shooting stats of note
• Suarez Agger and Downing led the penalty box touches
• Suarez and Johnson led the chances created
• Downing and Snodgrass were the most forward midfielders

A home game against Norwich isn’t enough data to make a proper assessment on the Suarez/ Sturridge relationship but on this hammering it wasn’t that much of an issue for Suarez having Sturridge there.  How the BBC football correspondent thought he was wide right was beyond me and sorry for those of you put off by my tweet.  To me it looked almost like a 2 upfront although Suarez probably dropped more  to the ball and Sturridge tended not to drift away from the centre.  Its interesting that despite the fact that Suarez was supposedly playing behind Sturridge, Suarez’s average position was  higher up the pitch than Sturridge.  Suarez’s stats were also good and showed no diminution from a pre Sturridge performance.  The next 2 games away to City and Arsenal will be an interesting study of the relationship between the 2.  Gerrard has become an interesting prospect but again with the 2 tough away games its probably not worth worrying about a transfer in.  He’s definitely playing deep but is high up in the last 6 shooting stats.  Lucas or Allen do the screening work and he does seem to get forward but it still seems a bit of a stretch for me as despite the stats.

West Ham 1 QPR 1

A goal and assist from the Coles with Joe scoring and Carlton assisting.  Remy marked his début with a goal and a Taarabt assist.  How West Ham didn’t win was totally beyond me.  The game was a siege with West Ham having 63% possession.

•  QPR seemed to have improved their defensive stats at times at home but away from home there’s no improvements.  This was a West Ham procession and although there was no doubting the heroic nature of the defending in reality you cant win games with these stats and I’m amazed West Ham didnt win.  Great defensive stats from West Ham
•  Reid Chamakh Cole Jarvis and Nolan led the shooting stats
• The same players in a different order led led the pen box touches
• Chances created were Tarrabt Chamakh JCole Diame and Jarvis led the shooting stats
• Jarvis and Taarabt were the most forward midfielders

The Double game week started with disappointment for those fantasy premier league managers with West Ham assets particularly,  defensive ones.   Those fantasy premier league managers who overloaded in that department in the hope of a first game clean sheet were disappointed.  No recovery for Nolan either and although his stats weren’t 2 bad and he certainly was in the box alot,  in the context of this game you would have expected more.  A promising start for Chamakh though who had good shot stats and planty of opportunities to score and chances created stats.    The same could also be said for Remy who only had ok stats nothing really worth mentioning.  In reality he was a spectator in the 2nd half.  With the difficult fixtures QPR face I wouldn’t be rushing.

Newcastle 1 Reading 2

2 goals from Super Sub Le Fondre won this for Reading.  Cabaye continued his good goal scoring record for Newcastle  with a fantastic free kick assisted by Readings disappearing wall and cheapie Marveuax provided the assist.

• Cisse led the shooting stats followed by Le Fondre and Ameobi.
• Ameobi Kebe and  Cisse led the pen box touches
• Jonas and McLeary were the most forward midfielders
• Santon and Kebe led the chances created column
• Good defensive stats from Newcastle for a change.  Readings werent quite as good though

Those fantasy premier league managers who put Cisse in for the Reading opposition would have been disappointed  as he did everything but score.  The stats were promising and with a kind schedule and with him being the focus of the attack he’s worth keeping an eye on.  Budget player Pogrebnyak had ok stats and good opportunities but just couldn’t get shots on target and still looks a viable reserve.  As does Marveaux who produced an assist and has continued to hold his place even with Cabaye and Jonas back as well.    He has a month of game time left before HBA returns.

Wigan 2 Sunderland 3

A game that Wigan had enough chances to come back and win where Steven Fletcher got 2 goals and new Man U loanee Henriquez got on the score sheet as a sub.

•  Both sides had pretty ordinary defensive stats
•  Fletcher had the best shooting stats followed by Boyce and Maloney
•  Fletcher Maloney Boselli and Johnson led the pen box touches
• Chances created were  Maloney and Beaujesour
• Maloney and Johnsonwere the most forward midfielders

First thing to do is take a look at the Sunderland defence here Gardner O’Shea Bramble and Colback.  This is a shocking defensive line and lucky for them they have the excellent Mignolet behind them.  I mean 2 midfielders and 1 of the worst  CBs you could ever see.  What is going on with Bardsley who played 7 minutes?   This is a defence that will concede especially away from home and are worth tracking.  I backed Sessegnon in the “ones to watch” based on his recent shooting stats but today he was poor barely producing any stats and failing to shoot when he let a one on one with the goal keeper become a 1 on 3 by delaying for reasons only he will know.  Steven fletcher had 3 shots and scored twice.  On his day he really can finish but he just goes against my belief that as a general rule you back the people who shoot the most inside the box.  Fantasy premier league managers  may want to have a punt though on Sunderlands good fixtures.  Di Santo who was excellent last week just didn’t get the chances this week and its hard to back someone who cant produce stats against such a poor away defence.  Maloney looks the only Wigan attacking option in my mind.  Although even as a £4.8m cheapie he has Puncheon as competition for the cheap midfield slot.