Premiership Weekend Roundup: October 15-16

Manchester United v. Sunderland (3-1)
I didn't actually see this game -- Sportsnet showed the Liverpool game instead, and I'm not complaining too much because HI XABI! HI CARRA! -- but it's good to see that they got the win. I have the feeling that the scoreline flattered United a bit, though. There's no question that they're going to miss having Rooney for the Champions League game this week.

Liverpool v. Blackburn (1-0)
Sure, they got the win, and you can argue that the three points is all that matters. But it was hardly convincing, with Blackburn reduced to 10 men for the last hour of the game. And how long is it going to take before Rafa figures out what to do with Peter Crouch? Because pinging every other ball at his head is clearly not working.

Chelsea v. Bolton (5-1)
You know, it all looked so promising at half-time -- at least for those of us who are sick of Jose Mourinho's petulance. I have to admit, though, that his change in tactics to 3-3-4 worked wonders. Hardly surprising when you think of all the talent he's got to throw up front. (It actually reminded me of playing house league soccer when I was growing up, with 3-3-4 the standard formation. One year we even played 2-3-5. And it's all in vogue now, but 4-5-1 would have been absolutely unthinkable then.)

West Bromwich Albion v. Arsenal (2-1)
I'm not gloating. Not much, at least. It's kind of less fun to hate Arsenal when they're sucking as badly as they do this year. (Although I imagine that Liverpool fans are having no such trouble with Everton.)

Ok, I give in: heeeeeeeeee. Suck it, Arsene.

Wigan v. Newcastle (1-0)
Oh, Michael Owen. You deserve so much better than this. Come here and let me comfort you. Alan Shearer's header may have been over the line -- it was awfully hard to tell on the replay -- but there's no question that Wigan deserved the win.

Other results
Manchester City 2-1 West Ham
Birmingham 0-1 Aston Villa
Middlesbrough 1-1 Portsmouth
Tottenham 2-0 Everton