Alan Smith’s Expert Analysis: Premier League GW2 Predictions & Player Assessments

Arsenal’s Areas for Improvement

I think the obvious one would be Gyökeres because it was a quiet game for him last week, de Ligt marked him well, and he didn’t get much service at all. So at home, with Arsenal hopefully playing better than they did at Old Trafford, he’ll see more of the ball and maybe have some chances.

It’s a chance for him to introduce himself to the Arsenal fans in a league fixture at home, so you’d hope that he could get involved. I’m not saying he’s got to score or anything, but I think Arsenal fans want to see what he’s going to bring, the difference he’ll bring to that starting XI.

Leeds’ Impressive Start

It was a great start for them against Everton, and it was positive. They weren’t afraid of the challenge, buoyed on by those fantastic fans up at Elland Road, and really positive, took the game to Everton. As I say, an underwhelming Everton side on the day, on the night, especially in that first half and Leeds eventually got that break, with the penalty.

To get 3 points on the board, especially with the fixtures they’ve got coming up, Leeds, that was important, and it just gives them a good start, and the ability to build a little bit of confidence, which you desperately need as a promoted team.

In the top flight, and the players, the individuals, and as a team, they need to feel that, yeah, we can compete at this level, because you lose your first five games or whatever, and you think, well, we’re just not good enough. We’re gonna get relegated again, but they need results like that to give them that hope and belief.

Prediction

I’m gonna go for an Arsenal win, 3-0.

Arsenal 3 – 0 Leeds United

Le Bris vs Wenger Comparisons

I think Wenger was a bit of a one-off. He came into this country, and not many had heard of him, but he had a great platform to build from with that back four, and then obviously the likes of Vieira and Petit came in. Bergkamp was already there.

He wasn’t a tactician, Wenger, so Le Bris, I think, probably differs from him. Most coaches, 99% probably, differ from Wenger in that he didn’t work on tactics on the training ground. He got the best players and allowed them to express themselves.

But for Le Bris, having got them promotion in fine style, to talk about adopting a positive attitude, they certainly did against West Ham, and they were quite canny with it, weren’t they, with that counter-attacking tactic against the Hammers, which worked perfectly. So a great start for him, and Sunderland.

Burnley’s Pressure

It’s a big game, isn’t it? It’s a big game at home against one of the fellow promoted teams. If they don’t win it, you talk about belief, confidence, it’ll take a hit. So you’d expect them to come out all guns blazing.

I mean, in a controlled way, Scott Parker isn’t one of those gung-ho types of managers, but everybody at Burnley will be aware of the importance of this fixture. They’ve seen Sunderland get off to a great start. And they’ve seen Leeds do it. So the pressure’s on those players, and they’ve got to handle it; they need to win here. Pure and simple.

Prediction

I’ve got Burnley down – because of their desperate need to win it, 2-1. I’ve got them down to win this one.

Burnley 2 – 1 Sunderland

Brighton’s European Hopes

They’ve got to aim high, haven’t they? After the recent seasons they’ve had, when they’ve done ever so well, top half of the table, you’re looking at Europe, but of course, you’ve got maybe seven or eight clubs that you’ve got to finish ahead of. You think of the top three – Liverpool, Arsenal, Man City, and you’ve got Chelsea, then you’ve got Newcastle, Villa, Spurs. So can they finish ahead of one of those? That would be a tough ask.

I would think not. But Baleba is an important one. It looks like he’s gonna stay there for another season. So that is important, and it looked like a good performance against Fulham for the most part. He’s got lads that know that league, he’s brought one or two in. They’ll be gutted, obviously, about conceding the late equaliser, but in terms of the style of play, it was decent for Hürzeler.

Late Goal Issues

It’s a strange one, though. I mean, they’ve got experienced lads at the back, with Lewis Dunk and the like. So it’s one of those anomalies that I’m sure they would have, as coaches that have spoken about, whether they’d have addressed it with the players, I don’t know.

I’ve been involved in teams where you keep conceding goals late on, and you’re thinking, what is it? Are we taking a step back? Are we trying to be a bit too conservative to hold on to what we’ve got? I mean, Hürzeler teams are normally quite proactive, so that would have been a blow, but if it’s a trend from last season, then it’s something they’ve got to work on. So we’ll see if he can address it.

Prediction

Well, I think with Everton and the new stadium and everything, and the poor result at Leeds, I think Grealish shall start, and maybe the Frenchman Barry might start, but I think they need somebody like Grealish on that pitch to get them playing in the final third. And I’m gonna go for a home win. I’m gonna go for 2-0 Everton win.

Everton 2 – 0 Brighton

Newcastle’s Isak Dilemma

I think sometimes you’ve got to stand firm if you don’t agree with something. You can’t be bullied by the situation or by the player. It’s a gamble. Sometimes it’ll be costly, but you’ve got to take it on the chin. I mean, if Isak comes back into the fold, you’re going to hope that he’ll knuckle down and become the player that he was before, if he’s playing with a sulk, and what have you, then they’ll have to drop him, and then you’ve lost out on that money, and you’ve lost out on the player.

So it’s such a difficult situation for Newcastle, but they haven’t got the replacements in, so they just can’t afford to let him go. If they did, without any replacements with Callum Wilson going as well, that would be poor management, I think, and for Eddie Howe, it’s just a nightmare start to the season, isn’t it?

They were the better side against Villa on the opening day, but this will be a tough one for them, and the last thing you want in this whole situation is it to dominate the football club and the city. But once they step out onto the pitch, those players will forget about it once that first whistle goes.

Liverpool’s Perspective on Isak

Fans might have a view, given how he’s handled this saga, certain fans. Football being what it is, I think Liverpool would say, well, that’s Newcastle’s concern, and Isak’s relationship with Newcastle. If he comes over to us, it’s a different matter; it’s a clean sheet, he’s our player, and if he misbehaves when he’s a Liverpool player, that’s a different situation. But as I said, football being what it is, I think that’s over there, and we’re over here, type of thing, and it won’t bother them too much.

Prediction

I’ve got it down as a 1-1. I think with the Isak situation, sometimes the players will react positively, wanting to show that we’re not a one-man team, and those fans will be urging them on. Liverpool, as we saw against Bournemouth, do give you a chance, but I’ve got it down as a 1-1.

Newcastle 1 – 1 Liverpool

City’s New Signings

Reijnders was the player of the match on the night for me. He was spectacular, I thought. You know, with Kevin De Bruyne gone, he kind of can step into that role. He’s a brilliant passer of the ball. He sees the picture so quickly and he can score a goal. So I mean, it’s the perfect debut for him. He’s gonna be a big favourite there, I think.

James Trafford didn’t do anything wrong at all. He got a clean sheet, he was decisive, collected some crosses well, and made some good saves. The stories with Donnarumma seem to be getting louder, so it might be that he comes in to Man City, but I mean, James Trafford is still only a young lad, so he’s a great one to have as a backup.

Spurs’ Top Five Chances

This whole Eze transfer, if they lose out on him, and he goes to Arsenal. Following Gibbs-White, that episode is a blow, and it leaves them a little short. They’re certainly going to do a lot better than they did last season. They would take fifth place; they’d snap your hands off now for it, to be honest.

Prediction

I mean, because Spurs have got a good record, haven’t they? However, I don’t think it will continue. Got a good record at the Etihad, but no, I’ve got 2-0 down to the home team, to City.

Manchester City 2 – 0 Tottenham