Power Ranking Premier League Managers After Weekend 18-20 October
Welcome to the second edition of the Premier League Power Rankings, in which all 20 Premier League managers' performances over the previous fixture—and the 2014/15 Premier League season overall—will be scrutinised and subsequently ranked in descending order.
Unsure of the criteria? This is what I stated in last matchday's ranking:
"The ranking will be based on the manager's overall successes and failures: taking into account the resources available to them, their side's league position and points total, their tactical decisions and playing style, their comments in public... the list is endless.
Their job safety—in terms of board, fan and media satisfaction/pressure—will also be considered.
It is largely based on this season only, with the game week analysed given particular emphasis in terms of any fluctuations in the rankings.
However, past achievements—whether at the manager's current club or a previous one—are always a factor to consider in both of the above criteria. After all, just as with players, it can shape how we view them."
Clearly, there is much to consider.
Intrigued? Read on to see if Jose Mourinho's top spot can be taken away from him, or if Harry Redknapp can get his bottom off the, well, bottom.
20. Gus Poyet (Sunderland)
1 of 20
Last Week: 14th
Differential: -6
Gus Poyet, like his side on Saturday, takes a battering in this week’s rankings as he falls six places to rock-bottom.
The 8-0 loss at Southampton was the joint-second heaviest defeat in Premier League history. After recording their first win of the season against Stoke last week, the Uruguayan predicted ahead of the visit to St Mary’s that “I can’t see too many goals in the game,” as tweeted by B/R:
"Gus Poyet’s unfortunate prediction before Sunderland lost 8-0 at Southampton. http://t.co/BE0T57kbHR pic.twitter.com/XjolOY3gYW
— Bleacher Report UK (@br_uk) October 20, 2014"
To be fair to him, it’s not the only thing he got wrong.
Poyet will rightly receive patience after last season’s end-of-season escape from relegation—inspired by Connor Wickham, who is currently bizarrely shunted to the left-wing—but overall it’s unclear if he is really taking Sunderland forward or not.
His team selection against Arsenal will be fascinating.
19. Alan Pardew (Newcastle United)
2 of 20
Last Week: 19th
Differential: 0
"You’re Not Nineteen Forever," sang The Courteeners in a song of the same name, and how depressingly true that is.
Unless you’re Alan Pardew, of course, who equally depressingly remains in that position in the rankings despite Newcastle United finally winning a match.
It may seem harsh, but his side's performance was far from pretty.
Besides, as the Englishman reflected to the BBC in his post-match interview, Newcastle are “still in a position [they] shouldn’t be” in: the relegation zone.
Until that changes, Pardew’s position in this ranking probably won’t too much, either.
18. Harry Redknapp (Queens Park Rangers)
3 of 20
Last Week: 20th
Differential: +2
Harry Redknapp almost moved out of the bottom three of the rankings, despite defeat at home to Liverpool, with his side displaying far more gusto in a 4-4-2 formation.
Bobby Zamora regularly out-muscled Dejan Lovren, before Eduardo Vargas’ introduction brought added speed and goal-threat as the striker's efforts were undermined by defending you cannot pin on the manager.
But then Harry's big mouth intervened.
The vast improvement shown in the game has all but been forgotten following Redknapp and Adel Taarabt’s war of words this week, with the Englishman branding the attacking midfielder “three stone overweight,” as per The Independent, in his post-match press conference.
His chairman is less than impressed, as shown in a statement on the club's website.
17. Sean Dyche (Burnley)
4 of 20
Last Week: 16th
Differential: -1
It is with great sadness that Sean Dyche falls to within a place of the bottom three.
However, as the only Premier League manager left without a win this season, sympathy cannot go on forever.
Especially when it's illogically based on his wonderful voice.
Home games to West Ham United are the type of matches Burnley need to be getting points from if they are to have any chance of survival, but, in fairness, Dyche wasn’t too wrong when stating to the BBC: “We were dominant first half and created enough chances to go ahead.”
His side enjoyed 17 shots and 47 per cent possession; signs of improvement—boosted by the return of Danny Ings—are there.
16. Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)
5 of 20
Last Week: 11th
Differential: -5
After a summer of excitement and pre-season predictions of a title challenge, Arsenal are this season’s biggest underachievers so far. Yet another draw—their fifth in eight games—means a return of only 11 points, which is half of Chelsea’s.
Moreover, the failure to sign adequate defensive cover in the summer meant left-back Nacho Monreal started at centre-back in the home draw to Hull.
Arsene Wenger was right, perhaps with a glance at Manchester United and Liverpool, to point out that “other teams have bought many defenders and concede goals as well,” as per BBC, but it is impossible to have any sympathy regarding defensive injuries for a side that only has only six senior defenders in the first place.
That said, it is not all doom and gloom: Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck are in sparkling form, Arsenal undoubtedly dominated the game and at least they are not losing.
Turning one point into three on a more regular basis is surely only a matter of time.
Isn't it?
15. Roberto Martinez (Everton)
6 of 20
Last Week: 18th
Differential: +3
It is no coincidence that Everton looked like the side of last season once again with Ross Barkley and Seamus Coleman both returning to the side after injury.
It also helped that Roberto Martinez went back to basics, bulking up the midfield and allowing Romelu Lukaku to thrive in more central areas.
The Toffees now have four more winnable games to climb the table: They can ill-afford more squandered points if they wish to challenge for fourth once more.
14. Mark Hughes (Stoke City)
7 of 20
Last Week: 16th
Differential: +2
Welshman Mark Hughes climbs a couple of places after his Stoke City side inflicted defeat on Swansea City in an intriguing match. The two sides are actually level on points now and neither should be worrying about relegation with the attacking riches—at least in comparison with some sides—at their disposal.
Hughes would have climbed higher had it not been for his typically blinkered quotes after the match.
He undoubtedly had a point regarding the penalty given away when Ryan Shawcross wrestled Wifried Bony to the floor (not enough of them are given), but he seemed to ignore his own hypocrisy when claiming the Ivorian hit the ground “quite easily,” as per the Daily Echo, before staunchly defending Victor Moses after Angel Rangel’s soft-as-a-pillow nudge led to the second penalty of the game.
13. Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham Hotspur)
8 of 20
Last Week: 7th
Differential: -6
Mauricio Pochettino is this week's biggest faller without doing an awful lot wrong.
Fine margins indeed: Tottenham Hotspur were a converted Roberto Soldado penalty away from equalising against Manchester City at the Etihad for the second time in the match, and who knows what would have happened from there.
But even though his side “always believed it was possible to get a point,” according to the Argentinian, as per BBC, it was not to be, as Sergio Aguero served up yet another big-game thrashing for the north London side.
A transitional season seems certain, but at least Pochettino will be learning which players he can trust in the long-term.
12. Brendan Rodgers (Liverpool)
9 of 20
Last Week: 13th
Differential: +1
In surely one of the worst Liverpool performances of the Brendan Rodgers era, the Reds somehow escaped Loftus Road with a precious—and highly dramatic—3-2 win.
Rodgers himself admitted his side were lucky, telling the BBC that "QPR definitely deserved something from the game.”
He was also right to recognise that "Joe Allen and Philippe Coutinho coming on gave us a technical lift”—both will surely start versus Real Madrid, Wednesday—in a more cohesive second-half, at least offensively.
It may be a win that sets Liverpool on the right track again, but they need to rediscover an identity to finish in the top four once more.
11. Louis Van Gaal (Manchester United)
10 of 20
Last Week: 12th
Differential: +1
Like Rodgers, Dutchman Louis van Gaal moves up one place in this week's ranking.
His side's 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion was arguably the opposite of Liverpool’s win over QPR: unconvincing result, progressive performance, as Manchester United put the Baggies under spells of intense pressure in the second-half.
However, even though Stephane Sessegnon and Saido Berahino took their goals brilliantly, the suspect defending remains, with Phil Jones caught far too high up the pitch for Berahino’s breakaway.
Overall it is still difficult to tell where United are currently at: They aren’t far away from being a good side (which, arguably, they should already be with the quality they possess), but equally seem exceptionally vulnerable, which may explain why they are yet to win on the road this season.
10. Paul Lambert (Aston Villa)
11 of 20
Last Week: 7th
Differential: -3
The Scot falls three places, hanging onto his top-half spot by the skin of his teeth, unlike his side.
It is difficult to be too harsh on Aston Villa when they have played last season’s top five teams consecutively.
But the fact they have failed to score in the last four suggests their early [delete as applicable] proficiency/luck in front of goal has inevitably run out.
Indeed, according to WhoScored, they have averaged only 1.5 shots on target per game, which is only half of the next fewest side’s (Burnley) amount.
There will be no excuses with an easier run of fixtures ahead.
9. Neil Warnock (Crystal Palace)
12 of 20
Last Week: 10th
Differential: +1
Paul Lambert’s loss is Neil Warnock’s gain as the Yorkshireman climbs a spot despite losing a second straight game.
Crystal Palace could not repeat last season’s shock win over Chelsea but were certainly not embarrassed as only superb goals from Oscar and Cesc Fabregas sealed the win.
Warnock was left fuming after the game as he predictably blamed the referee, as per BBC, for Damien Delaney’s sending-off: "The one thing I've not missed when I've been doing media work is refereeing performances like that. I thought he was influenced today. He had four Chelsea players around him."
Given Delaney decided to tug back Loic Remy when already yellow-carded and only moments after his side had gained an advantage through Cesar Azplicueta’s red card, the 65-year-old should perhaps direct his anger at his defender.
8. Steve Bruce (Hull City)
13 of 20
Last Week: 15th
Differential: +7
This week’s biggest climber is Steve Bruce, a manager who now appears to be exacting the most out of his group of players.
In Abel Hernandez and Mohamed Diame, he has two attacking players with no shortage of power, pace and technique between them.
They will trouble any defence, let alone a makeshift Arsenal one.
A top-half finish must be the aim, with a draw in the repeat of last season’s FA Cup final testament to that.
7. Nigel Pearson
14 of 20
Last Week: 6th
Differential: -1
The Leicester bubble seems to have burst a little since that astonishing 5-3 win against Manchester United, with only one point from three presentable games versus potential relegation candidates in Crystal Palace, Burnley and Newcastle.
With the exception of the solid 1-0 win at Stoke, Nigel Pearson’s side’s best performances so far in the Premier League have come against the big boys, which he will need to correct with Swansea and West Brom next.
Still, at least he didn’t decide to lambast his opposition manager this time.
6. Garry Monk (Swansea City)
15 of 20
Last Week: 5th
Differential: -1
Monk is lucky to hang on to his place in the top-six after only two points from five games since being named August’s Manager of the Month.
It remains a decent start for Swansea, however, who will surely recover the results their playing style deserves.
Meanwhile, Monk’s refreshing comments, as per the Daily Echo, regarding diving earn him plenty of brownie points: “For me, Moses has cheated the referee into making that decision, and he should be punished for that, for clear cheating.”
He is a man of principles, even fining his own players for simulation, and that is to be admired.
5. Alan Irvine (West Bromwich Albion)
16 of 20
Last Week: 8th
Differential: +3
Another spirited display in the 2-2 home draw with Man Utd from his West Brom side, who currently look a long way from the relegation certainties many (including myself) felt they would be after Alan Irvine’s appointment.
As I mentioned in the last column, his usage of Saido Berahino in a striking position has proved inspired, with the 21-year-old already hitting six goals in eight games.
It surely cannot be long before Roy Hodgson takes notice of his former club’s starlet and hands him an England cap.
The rest of the team, meanwhile, remain as industrious and organised as ever.
Keep it up, Alan.
4. Sam Allardyce (West Ham United)
17 of 20
Last Week: 4th
Differential: 0
Sam Allardyce, like his side, remains in the top four after an impressive 3-1 win at Burnley.
It was perhaps more vintage Allardyce than we've recently been accustomed to, with two headed goals from crosses – but you have to credit how advanced the English full-back pairing of Aaron Cresswell and Carl Jenkinson were in superbly creating the two goals which took the game away from Burnley.
Three points was the perfect birthday present for the 60-year-old.
3. Manuel Pellegrini (Manchester City)
18 of 20
Last Week: 3rd
Differential: 0
Manuel Pellegrini moved to a 4-2-3-1 formation after successfully switching to it in the win over Aston Villa, and it paid dividends as David Silva and Sergio Aguero ran the game, with James Milner and Jesus Navas providing natural width outside them.
That said, the complacency which seems to plague his side, as evident by Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw in Moscow, nearly caught them out again, but Roberto Soldado could not convert his penalty to produce a similar score-line.
However, in Aguero, City have the most devastating player in the league—following Luis Suarez’s departure to Barcelona—to ensure any game can be won at any moment.
2. Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)
19 of 20
Last Week: 1st
Differential: -1
His Chelsea side remain five points clear but Jose Mourinho slips a place in the rankings.
In truth, it has far more to do with who tops the list than any failings of the Portuguese, who cannot do any wrong at the moment.
He was perhaps a little premature to dub Cesc Fabregas’ superb second-half strike as “goal of the season,” but he was certainly correct when describing it as “pure art,” as per Sky Sports.
The goal was reflective of a change in style compared to last season’s more defensive performances: Mourinho now has the players at his disposal to win with style.
And that is truly ominous.
1. Ronald Koeman (Southampton)
20 of 20
Last Week: 2nd
Differential: +1
Ronald Koeman overtakes Mourinho to claim the No. 1 spot, after his side demolished the hapless Sunderland to remain third in the league.
The Dutchman is as classy in management as he was as a player, admitting to BBC that Santiago Vergini’s bizarre own goal to open the scoring hugely helped his side: "I was surprised after 20 minutes about the score, 2-0 up and we didn't start the game well. Sunderland were dominating and we had problems. The own goal gave us a little bit more confidence and we woke up after that."
Regardless, the manner in which his side ruthlessly dispatched their opponents suggests this Southampton side may have kicked on sufficiently once more amid a change of management to perhaps have an outside chance of a Champions League-spot challenge.
