Well, feels like it is time for a Premier League update, it’s been 4 weeks and you need to get caught up. There have been some developments we need to talk about so let’s get into it.
Liverpool drops points. So it finally happened. Liverpool did not win a Premier League game in Match Week 9. Liverpool had been on a roll the past few months and it extended into last season as well. The final 8 games from last season and then Liverpool had reeled off 9 straight to start this season. 17 wins in a row in what I think is the toughest league in World soccer. 17 wins in a row……let that sink in for a minute…..with wins over Some of the top teams in Europe. Crazy! They came up against Manchester United last week, a Man U team really struggling and buried way down the table. But Man U rekindled some magic of old seasons and drew with Liverpool 1-1. So, there is hope for the rest of the league, 2 points dropped.
Christian Pulisic announces himself on the world stage. American soccer is always looking for the next American hopeful. The player who will spark American youth players to go pick up a ball and head to the pitch for a game. The player who will lift a nations hopes and dreams and spark our National Team. Maybe that player is Christian Pulisic. A native of Hershey, Pennsylvania with both parents who were soccer players, Christian separated himself early as an elite youth player and in his teens headed to Germany and landed a spot on top Bundesliga team Borussia Dortmund. He was successful in Germany and became one of the youngest members of the USMNT still in his teens. He has shown flashes of stardom and had some special moments, but still was just outside of the elite world players. In the summer, Chelsea (my team in the premier league, big big fan) signed Pulisic to join them in the English Premier League. A big step up in his career. He started strong with multiple starts, but no goals. He hit a little wall the past month and was not getting many minutes. A few strong games coming on as a sub with a few big assists in the last week lead to a start today for Chelsea vs. Burnley. And then this happened.
I want to mark this down as a “remember when moment”. Playing in the toughest league in the world, Pulisic becomes the youngest ever player at Chelsea to record a hat trick, he is still only 20 years old. And a perfect hat trick…score with left…score with right…score with a header. Unbelievable! Wow! Can he continue to develop….can he become a top flight player in the league….can he become the face of American soccer…..can he inspire a generation of young players….well that’s a lot of questions and expectations, but this kid is the real deal. I am pulling for him. Feels he has the drive, talent, and temperament to be that dude! Let’s enjoy the ride.
Big 6 might be in transition this year. There has been a pretty consistent Top 6 teams in the Premier League the past 10 years. Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. This year, it feels like it might only be a Top 4. Tottenham is mired in 10th and the greatest club in Premier League History, Manchester United is 15th. Uff da. Leicester City, shock winner of of the Premier League A few years back is rolling along in 3rd and looking very solid.
Race for the Top 4
- Liverpool. 8-1-0. 25 Points. 9 games.
- Manchester City. 7-1-2. 22 Points. 10 games.
- Leicester City. 6-2-2. 20 points. 10 games.
- Chelsea. 6-2-2. 20 points. 10 games.
- Arsenal. 4-3-2. 15 points. 9 games.
- Crystal Palace. 4-2-3. 14 points. 9 games
Sheffield United, Bournemouth, West Ham and Tottenham round out the Top 10.
The Relegation Zone
We now have enough games to start some trends. There are 8 teams within 3 points of the relegation zone. That’s a lot of nervous and anxious fan bases out there. The current bottom three include:
18. Southampton with 8 Points. 19. Norwich City with 7 points. 20. Watford with 5 points.
Champions League Update
The annual competition of the top clubs in Europe is well under way with teams having played 3 of the 6 round robin matches to date. There are 8 groups of 4 each. The leaders of each group:
- PSG (France)
- Bayern Munich (Germany)
- Manchester City (England)
- Juventus (Italy)
- Napoli (Italy)
- Barcelona (Spain)
- RB Leipzig (Germany)
- Chelsea (England)
High School Soccer Playoff Updates
Regional Championships were held today. Here are your winners in Sectional 1:
Eau Claire Memorial defeated Stevens Point 3-1
Hudson defeated Wausau West 8-0
Green Bay Preble defeated #1 Bay Port in a shootout to advance.
Appleton North took down Appleton West in a shootout as well.
Sectionals Round 1 are now set.
#1 EC Memorial vs. #2 Hudson on Thursday at Memorial.
#2 Appleton North vs. #4 Green Bay Preble on Thursday at 7 in Hudson.