The battles at the top and bottom
of the Premier League are starting to take shape now that we are 15 games into
the current season and I have picked out a quartet of managers with names
beginning with "M" that may well be contesting some of those vital league
positions.
Moyes versus Mourinho
This battle may yet develop into
the close contest many thought it would be at the start of the season but
thanks to Manchester United’s dreadful (by their own standards) start to the
season, David Moyes is struggling a bit and United are already playing catch
up. Jose Mourinho, despite a much healthier league position and return of
points, hasn't had it all his own way either. Just when Chelsea look like they
are really hitting their stride and playing great football, they throw in a
lazy draw or unlikely defeat and at the time of writing, remain 5 points behind
early pacesetters Arsenal.
However, there is still plenty of
time for the Moyes v Mourinho battle to take shape, if not this season, then
over the coming seasons. Both managers are adapting to a new environment
(albeit Mourinho is a little more familiar with his) and really have their
hands full in attempting to deliver silverware for their expectant supporters this
year. Most pundits believe that the league season is already over for Man
United (who sit 13 points off the top of the table) and although there is an
almighty gap to make up, history tells that they don’t often “get going” until
January anyway. Most pundits also believe that they need to buy 3 or 4 world
class players in the January transfer window.
Mackay versus Meulensteen
At the time of writing there is
only 1 point and 2 league positions separating Fulham and Cardiff City (1 point
better off), so although new Fulham boss Rene Meulensteen is fresh to the fray,
this battle is already in full swing. Fulham, frankly have had a dreadful start
to the campaign and although many believe Martin Jol is a highly competent manager,
the body language from both him and his team had been very, very poor in the
month prior to Jol’s unfortunate but inevitable sacking. Fulham have already
shown considerably more fight in Meulensteen’s first 2 games in charge and are
perhaps unlucky to only have 3 points to show for their efforts.
Cardiff City have only 1 win in
their last 9 games and despite some impressive performances (a win against Man
City and a draw with Man United), the Welsh team now seem to be finding the
Premier League as tough as they might have expected when they got promoted. Malky
Malkay (perfect initials for this episode) hasn't just had to contend with
getting his team to perform on the pitch but also issues behind the scenes,
with a chairman who although undoubtedly has put money into the club, very much
has his own way of doing things.
