I think it is fair to say that none of the ‘big four’ are in the best form at the moment. Arsenal are actually outside the top four places, Manchester United have dropped points in three of their last six games, Liverpool have drawn four of their five league games and Chelsea, as we know, have only one once in their last five league outings. 

All this means that Liverpool top the table despite the fact that they have dropped eight points in the last few fixtures. I will repeat that. Eight points have been dropped in the last month and yet they still top the table by the odd point. How is this the case? 

Well, like I have already mentioned – the chasing pack have been poor of late. For whatever reason, Chelsea have found it hard to win at home and dropped points on the road for the first time last night against Everton. It was another case of a team failing to go top of the table when given the chance.
All this leads me to ask whether any of these teams want to win the Premier League? Is it their highest priority right now? Would teams rather conquer Europe? Of course these are questions that we won’t have answered, but it does make you wonder.  

No team is taking this league by the scruff of the neck and it could lead to the closest title race in years. Whether this is a good thing, I’m not sure. Do we want three or four teams in the race? I appreciate that I am asking more questions than I am answering, but that’s where I want your views. 

The most frustrating thing about all of this, about Chelsea being disappointing at home, about dropping points at Everton and about missing out on the chance to go top, is that it has let Manchester United back in. After a poor start to the campaign, they were playing catch-up with the rest. 

However, Liverpool and Chelsea have affectively let them off the hook by drawing too many games. As much as points on the board are always more comforting, should Ferguson’s men win their two games in hand, they are level with Chelsea. That’s annoying.
Only a few weeks ago I was debating on this very site whether the title race had turned into a two horse race between Liverpool and. I was comfortable with that, the football odds fancied Chelsea in this scenario. However, after too many disappointing results, the team everyone fears when it comes to a title run in, Manchester United, are right back in the hunt. Hell, even Aston Villa think they have a chance. Aston Villa!  

Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team need to start realising that the Premier League is more important that anything else. They need to realise that a run of 8-9 wins on the trot could potentially win them the league. Other teams are slipping up so often, it really could be the difference.  

Slight rant from me today I’m not even sure any of it makes any sense, but let me ask one more time – does anyone actually want to win this league? Because it doesn’t seem like it right now.

By Thomas Rooney – A sports writer who blogs about football betting

Filed under: Rants