Chelsea Hot, Manchester United Not: An American Election Special

At the end of a week that saw The United States elect a new president in a landslide election, I wondered whether the Barclays Premier League big four would slip further away from the rest of the pack.

Apart from the top four, it is one of the closest Premier League starts ever with three points separating bottom of the table from a top half place after this weekend’s round of matches.

Join me in my Hot or Not review of all this weekend’s action and find comparisons between Britain’s big four with America’s famous four.

HOT

Arsenal are a bit like Sarah Palin, full of potential and capable of a great performance but a bit rough around edges, capable of spouting garbage (Mr Wenger) and in some peoples eyes, lack a little depth.

Manchester United this season have been a bit like John McCain. An old face, a couple of stirring performances, where they have been well ahead but in the end, they haven’t taken much from their main rivals. That is one point in nine and runner up in an election to be precise.

Tuesday night might not have seen great performances by Palin and McCain but Saturday certainly threw up a cracker between Arsenal and Man United. Arsenal’s 2-1 win shocked some in the football industry but we should all know by now that Arsenal, on their day, are capable of anything.

Samir Nasri has, in all honesty, had a quiet start to his Gunners career but recent injuries allowed the Frenchman a bit more responsibility and boy did he take advantage, scoring both Arsenal’s goals in their 2-1 win.

Neither Nasri goal was the best of the game, however, as that honour went to Man United’s Raphael Da Silva's consolation goal. The youngster took the ball perfectly on his chest before firing a sublime volley past the keeper into the far corner.

I like to promote a youngster here on Hot or Not and Jack Collison certainly looks like a decent player. His finish for West Ham’s opener against Everton was terrific (he bent the ball into the top corner from just inside the box). Remember the name.

Sadly, as you may have heard that goal ended up counting for nothing as Everton fired three goals past Robert Green in the final ten minutes to run out 3-1 winners. That’s three games in a row they’ve scored late and, in some cases later, winners. The Toffee’s were greatly aided in that comeback by Louis Saha. The former Man United and Fulham striker is back in form and scored a famous double.

Saha wasn’t the only player scoring a double this weekend and in fact, it is a bit of a recurring theme. Next up is Liverpool’s Robbie Keane finally scoring that first league goal for the Reds in their 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion. And as the famous saying goes, wait all that time for one, then two come at once. Nobody deserves it more than the hardworking Keane but I wouldn‘t liken him to a bus.

Liverpool are the leagues Joe Biden. A bit of a shock selection for top honours but making people eat their words. Joe Biden joining Barack Obama in the White House and Liverpool joining Chelsea at the top of the Barclay’s Premier League.

Djibril Cisse answered Roy Keane’s criticism after being dropped for breaking a team curfew with Sunderland’s opening goal against Portsmouth. I’ve been really impressed with the former Liverpool man this season. It wasn’t to be Sunderland’s day though, they are really missing Craig Gordon as Portsmouth left it late but walked away 2-1 winners.

This was one of the best weekends I’ve ever seen for goalkeeping. There were great performances by Paul Robinson and Tim Howard but no one could touch Jussi Jaaskelainen

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