The Best…..

At the time Luca Cigarini's volley for Napoli against Milan on Wednesday looked like a spectacular goal but nonetheless a consolation goal. It turned out to be anything but a consolation as Napoli tied the game up only seconds later. Spectacular it certainly was – as clean a strike from just outside the box on the drop, as you are ever likely to see.

And as it turned out Napoli were not finished with amazing comebacks and actually went a step better on Saturday when they rebounded from 2-0 down against Juventus to win 3-2. Marek Hamsik scored two and Jesus Datolo the other as Napoli recorded their first way away to Juventus in 21 years. New manager Walter Mazzarri has three wins (including two away from home) and a draw in four games.

One old adage is that you are at your most vulnerable to losing a goal when you have just scored one. In Spurs’ case on Saturday it was a little bit different. They had just gone behind to a Robin Van Persie goal and straight from the kick off the ball was lazily given straight to Cesc Fabregas. Fabregas went for the jugular and ran straight at and beyond a leaden-legged Spurs defense.  He went from the half way line to the edge of Spurs’ penalty area before slotting the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Arsenal up by two and the game was over.

Bolton suffered a four goal thrashing from Chelsea in midweek Carling Cup action but promised it would be different come Saturday when they locked horns again. It wasn’t. Chelsea strolled to another four goal win with the final goal coming from a cheeky training ground routine that saw the ball move from Anelka to Deco to Lampard without touching the ground and then eventually to Drogba who administered the coup de grace.

Mario Balotelli was a one-man wrecking crew on Thursday as Inter jumped into a 4-0 half-time lead against Palermo. The youngster had to leave the game early in the second half and Inter had to withstand a Palermo fight back that at one point reduced the gap to a single goal before substitute Milito sealed a 5-3 win. Nevertheless, Balotelli offered an extended glimpse at how good he could be.

Honorable mentions……

Genoa have been struggling lately with only one win in six Serie A games and allowing 16 goals in the process. They finally got back to winning ways on Wednesday when they beat Fiorentina 2-1. Former Juventus wide man Raffaele Palladino got Genoa back on track with a mischievous backheel that left Fiorentina keeper helpless.

Two very well taken volleys by Manchester United’s Dimitar Berbatov and Stoke City’s Matthew Etherington against Blackburn and Wolves respectively.

Best forgotten…..

After a 2-0 win over Manchester United last Sunday it seems that rumours of a Liverpool recovery were largely unfounded. After losing two players to red cards and the game 3-1 to Fulham, Liverpool returned quickly to the ICU late Saturday afternoon in a condition that causes the red side of Merseyside great concern.

It is tough to figure out Wigan. They have beaten Burnley (at Turf Moor), Chelsea and Aston Villa as well as drawing with Manchester City. In fact they have the fourth best record against top half opposition based on points per game average. But when it comes to bottom half of the table teams no team comes close to Wigan for futility. They are averaging only 0.60 points per game – Portsmouth are the next worse at a point a game.

Stat facts…..

Arunda Dindane became the first Pompey forward to score a Premier League goal this season and he felt so good about it he went on to score a hat trick. It was the first hat trick from a Portsmouth player since Benjani Mwaruwari notched three against Reading back in September of 2007.

With a goal against Napoli on Saturday David Trezeguet took his Serie A goal tally to 130 and his grand total to 166 for Juventus in all competitions. He is now just one short of all-time great Omar Sivori’s club total of 167. Sivori is Juventus’ fourth top scorer of all-time.

Sampdoria manager Gigi Del Neri just cannot put one over on Juventus. The 5-1 pasting was the 13th loss to Juventus in his career and the other game was a draw.

Robin Van Persie has now scored in the last six Premier League games for Arsenal. It is by far the Dutchman’s most consistent scoring run. Before this his best was three goals in three games in November 2005 (Sunderland, Wigan and Blackburn).

Borussia Mongengladbach traveled to previously undefeated Hamburg and left with all three points. The 3-2 win was Mongengladbach’s first at Hamburg since 1995. Canadian striker Rob Friend scored the winner with eight minutes to go.

Burnley’s 2-0 win over Hull City means they already have 5 home wins in 6 games and only Manchester United (16) have collected more points at home.

Tim Cahill picked up his first Premier League booking of the season. He went into the game against Aston Villa having committed 26 fouls without receiving a yellow card – a league high this season. He broke his duck in the 53rd minute and the world is once more unfolding as it should.

Stuttgart have not being having an easy time of it lately so a scoreless draw against Bayern Munich brought a little bit of joy. Up to Saturday Stuttgart had lost every competitive match played in this month of October.

What was said….

Javier Zanetti keeps on rattling up appearances for Inter.

The financial plight of Rangers but there is still no white knight in sight.

Marlon King has been charged with more criminal offences than he has scored Premier League goals – 13 to 12.

Rob Hughes looks at what Michel Platini thinks European soccer can learn from US professional sports and his politicking with the European Union.

The Wall Street Journal’s Dave Kansas takes a look at the blue and red sides of Manchester.

Perhaps this might provide a momentary distraction for Liverpool fans – Robbie Fowler on target down under.

A look at what became of the 1990 Nottingham Forest side.

When you don’t have much to write about there is always a top ten list to fall back on. Jeff Powell compiles two all-time lists – the top UK managers and the top world managers. Only Herbert Chapman makes it from the pre WW2 era and the only non-European is Luis Cesar Menotti. Let’s just say that Powell’s top ten lists will never make the all time best top ten lists!

Coming up this week…..

Back to European action with the Champions League on Tuesday and Wednesday and a cavalcade of Europa League matches on Thursday. 

On Thursday Real Salt Lake takes a 1-0 first leg advantage to MLS reigning champions Columbus Crew.