EPL: 5 things we learned — Liverpool in crisis, Man United off the pace and Chelsea’s heavy crown

NO home comforts in the EPL, chasing a title is easier than defending one, Liverpool the latest club in crisis and two more things we learned this weekend.

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Reading league tables after just four games have been played is fraught with peril, though fans of Swansea City, Crystal Palace and Leicester City can be forgiven the indulgence.

How long those sides can maintain their good starts is in question.

But even allowing for early season inconsistencies, patterns are beginning to emerge and reputations are beginning to be made and, as is the way, hastily revised.

No more home comforts

If the start to this season has taught us anything, it is that the concept of home advantage is seriously under threat. Of the 40 matches played to this point, only nine have witnessed home victories, with the away side prevailing on 17 occasions. Of the eight games played on Saturday only the imperious Manchester City took all three points at home, against newly promoted Watford.

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While the sample size remains small, enough football has been played for this to be more than just an early season anomaly, with a home win ratio roughly half of the lowest ever seen over a full Premier League season, back in 1993/94.

There are a couple of things at play here, principle among them the shifting fashions and reactive game plans that are evolving tactics. For much of the previous decade possession, thanks mainly to the exploits of Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, was in vogue. If you own the ball, so the philosophy went, you win the game. Not necessarily so, it turns out.

West Ham’s first victory at Anfield since the 1960s continued the away day trend.

Teams of lesser resources than the bloated Champions League regulars have had to find ways to counter the imbalance, and have decided almost unanimously upon counter attack, keeping it tight in the middle and at the back and absorbing pressure, before counter punching when they can. It is a tactic more suited to away days when the home crowd demands their side be on the front foot.

The 4-2-3-1 formation that most teams now use, or at least a variant of it, also leads to a more compact defensive unit, with creative players with pace needed to operate up top. The death of possession as the be-all and end-all in the Premier League (where, admittedly, it never quite held the religious fervour as in the southern European countries) is perfectly illustrated by Leicester City.

Currently third after four games, before last weekend’s matches they recorded the lowest possession share of all 20 teams (36.3 per cent) and the fewest average passes completed per game (196 — Barcelona’s Xavi would consider that a light day’s work on his own when he ran things at the Nou Camp).

Even the bigger sides aren’t immune to the change in focus. Brendan Rogers’ Swansea side were one of many Barcelona-lights, aping the tika-taka stylings of the Catalans. His Liverpool side had just 34 per cent possession against Arsenal at the Emirates this season, and were only denied victory by the excellence of Petr Cech in the Arsenal goal.

Swansea and Southampton may have restored order a touch with home victories on Sunday, and over the course of a season you would still expect the balance to be reset, but the days of teams bullied by vociferous home crowds and blown away by barnstorming sides operating in the comfort of their own back yards appear to be on the wane.

Slow and steady doesn’t win the race

If possession is no longer the law in football, no one has told Louis van Gaal. Or if they have he hasn’t listened. In his 50th game in charge of the club, the Manchester United manager saw his side lose for the third time in a row against Swansea City, with his side once again ponderous in transition and blunt up front despite controlling the ball.

Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United side have so far failed to inspire.

Wayne Rooney — who has now gone 10 games in the league without a goal — was once more disappointing, with the whole side lacking the zip and intent that characterised their dominance of the league under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Most worrying for United fans, perhaps, was that Van Gaal didn’t see a team lacking pace and goal threat, but one that mastered his game-plan, only to fall foul of a slow reaction to Garry Monk’s tactical change after United went ahead.

“We lost in those five minutes because Swansea changed the shape. It is a big lesson for us,” Van Gaal said. “We have to adapt much more quickly than we have done.”

The same could be said of Van Gaal himself. With only three goals in the first four league matches of the season, he still refuses to accept that he needs reinforcements up top. United’s attacking players look hesitant and unsure of themselves when they have the ball.

This is now his side rather than one he inherited and it doesn’t look to have made any genuine strides forward, despite the lavish outlay on transfers under his stewardship.

Liverpool prove you are only one defeat away from a crisis

What a difference a week makes, especially at this time of year. Before the recent round of matches Liverpool were being feted with praise.

Unbeaten in three matches and yet to concede a goal, defensive stability married with the industry of James Millner and the artistry of Coutinho gave cause for optimism. A horror show against West Ham at Anfield has promoted quick revision.

Now, only favourable decisions prevented defeat to Arsenal (denied a valid goal) and a draw against Bournemouth (Liverpool’s winner against the Cherries should have been chalked off for offside). Hell, they only won at Stoke because of Coutinho’s singular moment of magic in a dour game ...

Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho was sent off in Liverpool’s defeat to West Ham

The heroes or villains narrative of Premier League football doesn’t allow for many grey areas. But wherever the truth lies, it doesn’t get any easier for Brendan Rogers from here. Their next five away fixtures in the Premier League take them to Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City. Dropping points at home to the likes of West Ham will only make that run of games even more pressurised.

It’s easier to win a title than it is to defend one

Alex Ferguson was on record more than once as saying a title defence was an entirely different beast to winning the thing in the first place. Manchester City are currently busying themselves proving their former rival correct.

After a disappointing season last year in which players like Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure and Fernandinho under-performed for stretches when they were reigning champions, they have started this campaign like a train.

Four matches, four straightforward wins, 10 goals scored and none conceded. Meanwhile, down at Stamford Bridge, Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea are unrecognisable (in form if not in personal) from the side that virtually had the title sewn up by Christmas last season. Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

Chelsea’s summer recruitment has left something to be desired, sticking largely with the squad that performed so well last season, and ignoring the wisdom of improving from a position of strength, another Ferguson mantra.

Raheem Sterling’s start at Manchester City has been little short of perfect.

City, on the other hand, have brought in experienced cover at the back, and seen their existing squad members rise to meet that challenge, added pace with Raheem Sterling who, remarkably, seems like he might be actually worth all the bother, and now broken their own transfer record to bring in proven quality in Kevin de Bruyne, who Mourinho could not fit in to his Chelsea team the season before last.

But for all that, however, the psychology of chasing versus defending a position at the summit looks to be at play, too. It’s tough at the top, even for serial winners like Mourinho and Chelsea.

It’s not how much money you have that counts, it’s how you spend it

Crystal Palace and Swansea are leading the charge of the outsiders and are proof that the cash bonanza in the Premier League can be of benefit to any well run club, not just the traditional heavyweights.

The huge TV deal that is distributed across the league has been smartly invested in South London and South Wales. Andre Ayew may have been a free transfer from Marseille but the financial muscle to offer compelling wages to him, as well as retaining their top performers from last season, has played a huge role in keeping the side settled and constantly improving.

At Selhurst Park, the capture of Yohan Cabye for $20m may well prove the buy of the summer, and it is without doubt the likes of Yannick Bolasie would have attracted offers, Alan Pardew able to retain him with the promise of better things to come, as well as competitive wages. Whether either of these sides can challenge the top six over an entire season is up for debate, but solid work off the field has given them a fighting chance.

Originally published as EPL: 5 things we learned — Liverpool in crisis, Man United off the pace and Chelsea’s heavy crown