Seven games into the season and the Premier League’s new boys are finding their feet. Pre-season predictions of instant relegation may yet come to pass but at this stage the three promoted sides are holding their own and all are well clear of the relegation zone.
An opening day defeat to Spurs followed by a one-nil reverse at Huddersfield was followed by three straight wins that had the black and white fans strutting about like league veterans rather than new boys.
A defeat at Brighton was followed by a creditable draw against Liverpool which left Newcastle in the top half of the ladder. Matt Richie (above) has provided the assist for four of Newcastle’s seven goals so far but has yet to really make his mark. No Newcastle player features in the list of top-20 passers and Rafa is still searching for that first-choice line-up.
That is in stark contrast to the other end of the country, where Chris Hughton at Brighton knows exactly who makes his strongest team.
Six players are ever-present so far and there are signs that the Seagulls are making headway. Two of the mainstays are centre-back pairing Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk (left), who are throwing themselves in where it hurts to protect their goal.
Most pundits had Brighton down for an immediate return to the Championship and the opening day defeat to Manchester City didn’t change anyone’s mind. But that 0-2 loss has been put into perspective by City’s subsequent results, including 6-0 over Watford and 5-0 thrashings of Liverpool and Palace, and Brighton’s wins over West Brom and Newcastle have given real reason to think they can avoid the drop.
Results at The Amex will be crucial to their survival, along with consistency from key players. Brighton’s summer signings were unknown to all except the club’s recruitment team but they have settled in well and it could end up being a decent season if they can just start firing in front of goal.
Huddersfield Town had to wait for the play-off final to cement its place in the Premier League. That left manager David Wagner with less time to complete his transfer business but he still got players in early in the summer.
Aaron Mooey (left, with Wagner) completed a permanent move after his loan at the Terriers last season. The Australian is vital to the way they play and his 553 touches so far this season mean that only 11 players in the league have seen more of the ball.
Until conceding four goals against Spurs in round seven Huddersfield had given away just three goals in six games, and goalkeeper Jonas Lössl has four clean sheets. Wagner has pledged to play free-flowing attacking football, which will win his team lots of admirers. Those tactics are fine against small clubs like Crystal Palace, who were dispatched 3-0 on the opening day but when the big boys come calling, Huddersfield Town will need a lot more in their defensive locker.
Far from occupying the bottom three places, the new boys of the league have consolidated nicely. Newcastle United leads the way in ninth place while Huddersfield is 11th and Brighton 14th, and the pressure on all three has been eased a tiny bit by the fact that Crystal Place looks to have an early lock on one of the three relegation spots
The real tests are yet to come for the new boys and there will be many twists and turns before the season is out. Benitez and Hughton have managed at this level before and will know what lies in wait but it is still new territory for Wagner.
I expect Newcastle to survive reasonably comfortably, Brighton to stay up by the skin of its teeth but Huddersfield to swallow its pride and have an immediate trip back down to the Championship.
by Ian Hine
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