On The D-List Wednesday our Top 5 list was “Your Top 5 Bold Predictions for the 2010 NFL Season”. I thought I would go in depth into my five predictions from Wednesday.

The Chelsea Express rolls on as the defending champions are the only team with a 100% record; three games, nine points. This start was expected start for the Blues as the first three matches were against West Brom, Wigan Athletic and Stoke City. It gives Chelsea a two point lead over Arsenal and Manchester United and that is something that will be precious later on. Florent Malouda has four goals in three games including bagging another tally in Saturday’s 2-0 W over Stoke City. The stat that should worry teams is that Chelsea hasn’t allowed a goal yet this campaign thanks in part to a healthy Michael Essien back in midfield.

After a nightmarish week Aston Villa is back on track with a 1-0 home win over Everton on Sunday. In the previous eight days Villa was destroyed by Newcastle United 6-0 and then was dumped out of the Europa League by Rapid Vienna at home. It brought heavy pressure on caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald as the rumor mill churned with potential fulltime candidates including USA national team manager Bob Bradley. However the Villans returned to form on Sunday and now find themselves in fourth place in the standings. Villa still looks a little lost without playmaker James Milner who was sold to Manchester City earlier this month.

Speaking of Villa they are joined by fellow Midlands clubs Birmingham City and Wolverhampton in the top seven of the EPL table. City scored twice in each of its first three matches.  Last season the Blues averaged exactly one goal a game. This surge in scoring is surprising considering half of this campaign’s goals have come from the backline. It makes the purchases of Roger Johnson and Scott Dann last summer even that more impressive. Wolves bring a never-say-die attitude to the field every game and lean on hard work to get results. So far it’s worked for Mick McCarthy as his side banked valuable points for what will likely turn into a relegation battle seven months from now.

A Warm Round of Applause for Fernando Torres returning to the scoresheet for Liverpool. The striker still is not fully healthy but he proved that Torres at 70% can still win games as his goal gave the Reds all three points in a 1-0 win at Anfield. When healthy Torres could be the best striker in the EPL, he’s scored 72 goals in 120 appearances for The Pool

Manager of the Week is Roberto Martinez from Wigan Athletic. If you read my previous post, it was critical of Tottenham Hotspur for losing to Wigan. Martinez needed a win in the worst way. After losing its first two matches by a combined score of 10-0, the Wigan manager was thought to be on the hot seat. The three precious points picked up away from home will keep the critics at bay for now.

Lasting Image of the Week is Theo Walcott breaking the net at Blackburn with a goal. Yes, that Theo Walcott who’s known for being fast but inconsistent had a clinical finish that suggests he could be turning into a player that can be counted on for the same type of performance for the English national team. I still need to see more to be convinced.

Game to Watch in Two Weeks: Bolton @ Arsenal (Saturday the 11^th, 9:00am Fox Soccer Channel). The EPL is in the middle of a two week break for international matches. When it resumes there will be a top five clash in north London. In the past Bolton has been Arsenal’s bogey team, whether the Wanderers will continue to frustrate Arsenal will have to be seen. It was announced earlier in the week that Gunners striker Robin Van Persie will be out for weeks with ankle ligament damage.

You’d be surprised how many teams would love to finish fourth in the English Premier League. I’m not talking about clubs that flirt with relegation, finishing in fourth place brings prestige, respect and a birth in the UEFA Champions League.

That birth brings in a large amount of extra revenue through addition home games, more televised matches and increased exposure throughout the soccer world with the possibility of gaining new fans from Alaska to Australia. However the consequences of finishing fourth can be dire and unforgiving.

Tottenham Hotspur are the newest club to experience breaking into “The Top 4”.Spurs made it through a tough qualifying home-and-home series against Swiss club Young Boys to make their debut in the final 32 group phase. Tottenham drew German club Werder Bremen, Dutch outfit FC Twente and the defending champions Inter Milan.

It sets up a couple of dream matches for Spurs and their fans as they get to welcome one of Europe’s most recognized clubs in Inter and the fans make a very rare trip to Italy to watch their beloved boys play in a legendary stadium.

But extra matches and recognition have their price. Spurs won’t be allowed to sneak up on anyone this campaign. They took a place that Liverpool, Manchester City and others thought they were going to get. The extra mental and physical strain will be difficult to handle over the course of the campaign.

Take Saturday for example when Tottenham welcomed Wigan Athletic for a home match at White Hart Lane. The North Londoners were flying high as thoughts of European competition less than three weeks occupied everyone’s mind. Unfortunately for Spurs manager Harry Redknapp (pictured) his squad became complacent and sloppy as Wigan beat Tottenham 1-0. This was the same Wigan squad that lost its first two matches and conceded 10 goals.

There is an element of learning how to deal with the extra matches and hype surrounding a European club and Spurs are only three games into the EPL season. Currently Tottenham have four points, a decent start. Spurs can win all the European matches they want during the campaign but the focus still has to remain on the EPL, unless they win the Champions League only a top four finish will bring them back.

Clubs in the last decade have found how heavy that burden can be. Everton was a surprise fourth place finisher in 2005 but couldn’t get past the qualifying playoff round with Villareal and haven’t been back since.

Newcastle United made back-to-back Champions League appearances but the expectations became too much and beloved manager Sir Bobby Robson was fired leading to a downward spiral that saw the club relegated five years later.

Leeds United is the biggest warning of all.  United made it to the Champions League semifinal in 2001 losing out to Valencia. Leeds seemed to flying high signing big names like Rio Ferdinand and Robbie Fowler however front office turmoil and enormous debt crippled the club and eventually it entered administration (a form of insolvency).

Leeds sold their stadium and needed to have it leased back to them and was relegated twice in the span of four years, all of this after becoming the darlings of European soccer. United were promoted to the second tier of English soccer (The Championship) last campaign and have some stability.

Now Leeds United is the worst case scenario and I’m not saying that it will happen to Spurs. But as some clubs found out, no good deed goes unpunished. 

The EPL experienced the joy of six this past weekend as three clubs won 6-0, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United…yes Newcastle United!

The Gunners tore Blackpool to bits at home thanks in part to a hat trick from Theo Walcott. It was impressive but I’m not sure if I’ll ever be convinced by the winger. His pace is electric but too often his crosses land in the seats instead of the six yard box.

The Blues are the only club in the EPL with a 100 percent record: two games, six points. The most eye-catching stat though is that after a couple of matches Chelsea has a plus 12 goal differential.

I would have never guessed that Newcastle United would have won a match 6-0 in this or any campaign. The Magpies have a history of playing attacking soccer but a result like this hasn’t happened against a Premier League team since the Black & Whites thrashed Sheffield Wednesday 8-0 in 1999. Andy Carroll took over the legendary number nine shirt this season and the 21 year old lived up to all the expectations. The local kid netted a hat trick in front of his hometown crowd sending St. James Park into euphoria.

The EPL again has to face questions about instant replay. Referee Chris Foy missed a Stoke City goal as the Potters lost 2-1 at home to Tottenham. As Spurs striker Peter Crouch was defending his goal line he fell backwards into the goal as the ball struck his midsection. It looked clear cut for a Stoke equalizer but Foy, just four yards away, waved it off.

The technology is there for goal line replay. Have a review booth with multiple monitors in front of an official and allow the booth to be the only way for a challenge. Because of the ref’s mistake Stoke City finds itself in the relegation zone without a point.

A Warm Round of Applause for Fulham, the Cottagers held Manchester United to a 2-2 draw at home on Sunday. Center back Brede Hangeland allowed an own goal in the 84^th minute and it seemed like Man U was destined for three points but Hangeland leveled the score five minutes later going from goat to hero. Fulham has a pair of draws and meets Blackpool Saturday.

Manager of the Week is Manchester City’s Roberto Mancini. The Blues destroyed Liverpool 3-0 Monday. Mancini is required to constantly be juggling a star-studded (and incredibly wealthy) bench while being weighed down by almost unattainable expectations. A Gareth Barry tally and a double from Carlos Tevez put the Citizens in fourth place but would a fourth place finish be enough for Mancini to keep his job?

Lasting Image of the Week is the second goal from Tottenham’s Gareth Bale. The Spurs winger lashed a wicked volley that is an immediate candidate for goal of the season. Bale is playing a more attacking role this campaign moving from left back to left midfield. It’s a move that has worked. The youngster sparkles in attack and has a very bright future.

Game to Watch Next Week Everton @ Aston Villa (Sunday 10:00am, Fox Soccer Channel). Both clubs find themselves in the bottom half of the table and still think they could make a push for European competition for next season. Everton and Villa each need a win to kick start their sluggish beginning.