Head to Head: The 2013 Transfer Window

After a hectic transfer window and a tight start to the season for all the top teams involved, we were unfortunately all slapped with an international break.

Nightmares of injuries to our top players aside, there was only one thing we at the Spot Kick could possibly have on our minds once the transfer deadline day hangover had worn off. It’s that almighty time in which we pass on judgement and make bold claims and predictions about all the top clubs in the Premier League.

Welcome. To. TRANSFER JUDGEMENT DAY!!

Out of My Arse – Two Halves Make a Whole

Over the past few weeks a lot has been said about the bipolar performances of “first half Arsenal” and “second half Arsenal”. This stick was once again brought out to beat the dead horse after the 2-2 draw against Liverpool.

Unfortunately, the stick may have been a bit hasty. What we saw in both halves was actually a fluent Arsenal side that repeatedly created chances for themselves up front, but also managed to repeatedly create chances for their opponents at the back. The positive? Both of those managed to last the whole ninety minutes.

No Bravery: Liverpool’s Spirit Shames the Manchesters and Arsenal

If you had told me three days ago that Liverpool would lose to United and Arsenal had drawn at the Etihad, I would not have expected to feel as despondent as I did after the Super Sunday that certainly lived up to its name.

After the super-sized clashes, the big sides took part in a lot of patting themselves on the back. The outmatched United applauded their team for stealing a win at Anfield, and City and Arsenal were both content with a draw (though City were probably feeling a bit disappointed). But that’s the thing: it seems the only side that was willing to play to win on Sunday was Liverpool.

Post Transfer Window Concerns: Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, and QPR

Perhaps I’m becoming forgetful, but I feel like this summer transfer window brought about more shuffling of players than previous seasons.  Sure we’ve seen Chelsea go on a splurging rampage, and then City, and now we’re seeing the ramifications of that as all the clubs do their best to try stay afloat in the league.  We’ve seen so many changes with AVB and Brendan Rodgers taking charge and respectively overhauling their teams, Arsenal losing the best player of last season as well as (the evidently less) important Song, Chelsea splurging some more, and QPR quite literally buying a new team.  Now I won’t give a ridiculously long breakdown of every single team like I did in my previous article, but rather, I’ll just go through the ones I think had the most changes, and who I think could struggle (or in Liverpool’s case, are already struggling) as the season develops.