English Premier League, Weekend Review: Learning More About Manchester City

Manchester City continues to improve each week. At least, they offer reason to think they've improved. Last week, they deflated a streaking Bolton side, showing unexpected creativity while doing so. While that creativity was curbed at Upton Park on Saturday, the production was actually better, showing some greater cutting edge in the final third, posting a 3-1 win at West Ham. Most noteworthy, as it concerns City's continued ascension: They posted that result without Carlos Tévez.

Granted, West Ham has the worst defense in the league (having allowed 30 goals through 17 matches), but this is a City side that has already been shutout five times this season. All the talk about how Tottenham Hotspur can't keep a clean sheet? The last time they did so in league was against City. For most of this season Tévez has been the only goal scoring threat, so to score three with the Argentine suspended is more bad news for the rest of the league. City's a team intent on defending (second best rate in the league) who has found a want to score without their captain. It looks like they're staying in the title race.

Elsewhere In Title Contention

The same cane be said for both Spurs and Chelsea. We talked more about the weekend's marquee match here and here, but we've yet to stop and consider the implications of Tottenham's 1-1 Sunday draw with their London rivals. Taking the glass half-empty approach, you could see title credentials in both teams. Spurs were the better team against the defending champions, if only marginally so. They would have been hard done had Didier Drogba's late penalty kick been converted.

For Chelsea, while they were so close to grabbing three, they have to be happy with the resilience shown at the Lane. After going down 15 minute in, it would have been easy to give in, particularly as Spurs pushed for a second before half. But the Blues regrouped and came out strong, and just as Spurs started to regain a grip on the match, Drogba blasted his equalizer through Heurelho Gomes. Given the nature of the goal, Spurs supporters can argue they should have gotten three, but that's the point. Chelsea got a point where they should have give three. This will prove to be a great point earned.

Clint Dempsey put six shots on goal Saturday. Clint Dempsey, and Fulham, put zero shots in goal on Saturday as the Cottagers played to the 10th draw of the season. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)

On An iPhone, Snooze Never Stops

A fact I relearn every morning. After this weekend, I wonder if Everton and Fulham aren't made up of Apple people, too. It seems like both clubs keep hitting snooze on the season.

I know Fulham is without Bobby Zamora, something I shouldn't keep overlooking, but everybody has injuries. Arsenal's at the top of the league without the services of Robin van Persie, and don't even talk to a Chelsea supporter about your club's injury problems. If Fulham's debilitated without Zamora and that's contributing to results like Saturday's 0-0 against Fulham, that's a reflection of the club, not a result worth of an asterisk. What happens if, after coming back, Zamora gets hurt again in late winter? Will the refrain begin We wouldn't have gotten relegated ... Even with Wigan at the edge of the drop, that's where Fulham is headed. The Cottagers have 10 draws in 17 matches.

And speaking of Wigan, the Latics got a 0-0 at Goodison, further developing Everton's relegation credentials. The story for the Toffees was the same: decent play in their third, very good play in the middle, and zilch in the attacking third. Louis Saha looked less embalmed this weekend, but consider he's look like an unnamed character from a George Romero movie, the French striker has a long way to go to be influential. This weekend, he was not, part of the reason why Everton was drawn by Wigan at home.

Joining Them In Their Lucid Dream

Birmingham City's similar to that of Everton and Fulham. Last year they were decent, certainly not carrying the appearance of a relegation-destined club. Now, they're going through who matches against drop zone dwellers without registering a shot on goal. How is that even possible against Wolves? Wolverhampton's a very willing, sometimes able team, but going a whole match without generating a chance against them? In a derby? For a Birmingham City team that's become used to giving dull performances, this was their worst outing of the season.

Gerard Houllier had reason to smile after Saturday's result at Villa Park, giving fans a reason to forget to controversies of last Monday. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Maybe You're Right, Honey - Let's Use The Map

Injuries had set Aston Villa adrift, and as the Lions approached the drop, fans were starting to lose patience with Gerard Houllier. Not that I've disagreed with them, pointing out that Villa seems to have take a step back since Houllier took over. Of course then Villa had to go and get Ashley Young, Emile Heskey, Barry Bannan, Nigel Reo-Coker and Carlos Cuellar back. I suppose it doesn't take a football savant to figure out them might have had something to do with Villa's 2-1, derby win over West Bromwich Albion. And so us Houllier doubters are given reason to shut up, and for Villans show kept the faith, the jump from 16th to 14th is a small but welcome return.

Newcastle also had a mini-turnaround this weekend, continuing Liverpool's woes away from Anfield. The Reds have one win and five points away from home this year, a total that's better than only West Ham and Wolves. On Saturday at St. James', Liverpool fell behind early, equalized on a somewhat freakish play early in the second (a ball bouncing off Sol Campbell's back to Dirk Kuyt) before their defense broke down twice late, giving up goals to Joey Barton and Andy Carroll. The 3-1 Magpies win moves the Toon to eighth, one spot ahead of Liverpool.

And then there's Bolton, rocked on their heals by Blackpool and Manchester City. The Trotters resumed their winning ways on Sunday with a 2-1 over Blackburn, a result that ends their ten-match winless streak versus Rovers. With Mark Davies having seen a second yellow early soon after halftime, Bolton had to score both goals while a man down, with a smooth strike from Stuart Holden giving the Trotters a 89th minute winner. The three points kept Bolton in sixth, now one point behind Spurs.

My Slippers Work After Midnight

And then there's Blackpool, who have quietly gone undefeated in four matches. I say quietly because Blackpool's early season exploited where sounded by trumpets. Somewhere along the way we got used to the Tangerines, and like toddlers with toy fatigue, we tossed them aside. Now, after Blackpool's 1-0 win at Stoke City on Saturday, Ian Holloway's team is back in the top half of the league, sitting 10th with 22 points. In fact, all three promoted teams have exactly 22 points, with West Brom sitting 11th.

There's still the sense the Blackpool could crumble. They lack depth and talent, and at some point squads are going to stop overlooking them as well as adjust to their very open style of play. That style was a factor on Saturday, as Blackpool's long diagonal passes floated over the uncertain strides of fullbacks Danny Collins and Robert Huth. While Blackpool used DJ Campbell's early second half goal to get three from the Potters, you have to think Stoke, like the rest of the league, will be better prepared the next time around.

Results

Aston Villa 2-1 West Bromwich Albion (Downing 25', Heskey 80', Scharner 90') - Two assists for Marc Albrighton as Villa moves to 14th, Brom falls to 12th.

Everton 0-0 Wigan Athletic - Everton only two points above Wigan, a.k.a. The Drop.

Fulham 0-0 Sunderland - Team have combines for two goals in their last five meetings.

Stoke City 0-1 Blackpool (Campbell 48') - Stoke has two points in their last three matches, falling from eighth to 12th place.

West Ham United 1-3 Manchester City (Touré Yaya 30', Green o.g. 73', Johnson 81', Tompkins 89') - Hammers now three points back of 19th place.

Newcastle United 3-1 Liverpool (Nolan 16', Kuyt 50', Barton 80', Carroll 90') - Magpies one of eight league clubs with a positive goal difference, +1.

Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Blackburn Rovers (Muamba 65', M. Diouf 87', Holden 89') - Holden returns from two match injury absence to record his second league goal.

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Birmingham City (Hunt 45') - Sylvain Ebanks-Blake sets-up match's only goal, helping to snap Brum's four match unbeaten streak.

Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Chelsea (Pavlyuchenko 16', Drogba 70') - Drogba has 90th minute penalty kick saved.