Fulham vs Arsenal August 24, 2013

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The alarm sirens for Arsene Wenger's reign will be screeching if Arsenal lose back-to-back opening league matches for the first time since the inaugural Premier League season 21 years ago. If they surrender as meekly as they did against Villa then Fulham can record successive opening Premier League victories for the first time.

But the Gunners reminded everyone that they're not far short of being a really good team when they won handsomely at Fenerbahce in the Champions League on Wednesday. Arsene Wenger has been overly-cautious in the transfer marker so far, but some of the criticism of him has bordered on the hysterical.

Fans have rightly been frustrated that big-name signings have been mooted yet no deals have been forthcoming. But it's not Wenger's fault that Liverpool wouldn't sell Luis Suarez. The Anfield club told me last week the Uruguayan was never going to move to the Emirates.

weekend, top up their Oyster cards, and get on the Underground for the 30 minute journey down to Craven Cottage, where Fulham awaits, well-rested after their Opening Day win at Sunderland.

With such a thin squad and a very short turnaround time, there's not a whole lot to say about this game, lineup- or tactic-wise, that we didn't see Wednesday; Kos is out, Flamini won't be signed in time for the game, and otherwise it's more or less status quo. Arsenal don't have a lot of options right now, so what you saw Wednesday is likely what you'll get Saturday.

The Cottagers made the perfect start to their 2013/14 campaign last weekend, with a 1-0 victory secured on the road at new-look Sunderland.

Martin Jol will be delighted to be off the mark away from home, but will also be aware that Fulham are historically stronger in front of their own supporters than they are on their travels.

They will hope that proves to be the case this weekend, with it important to establish, and then maintain, early momentum.

Arsenal will feel that they have the wind back in their sails following an impressive 3-0 victory over Fenerbahce in their UEFA Champions League qualifier in midweek, but that success has only served to paper over old cracks.

Wenger remains firmly under the spotlight after failing to bolster his ranks this summer, and a 3-1 reversal at the Emirates on the opening day saw Gunners supporters make their feelings clear.

Speculation suggests it could be a busy couple of weeks in north London, with Arsenal likely to spend big before the window closes, but they need to ensure that they get things right on the field if events off it are to become less of a distraction.

Fulham vs. Arsenal 
English Premier League
Saturday, 24 August 2013
4.45AM PT/7.45AM ET/11.45AM BT

Sunderland vs Fulham August 17, 2013

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Paolo Di Canio has worked diligently to stamp his authority into a struggling Sunderland squad. The team have rarely played free-flowing, attack-minded football across the last few years, but the Italian boss is looking to change that.

Jozy Altidore enters the Premier League season in fine form. His hat-trick during USA’s 4-3 comeback win over Bosnia and Herzegovina is the perfect confidence booster ahead of the campaign.

Expect the battling forward to lead the line with Emanuele Giaccherini and Adam Johnson in a front three that possesses real incision. With Stephane Sessegnon sitting behind Altidore, the Black Cats finally have a threat that will make knees tremble.

While many Sunderland supporters would settle for a pleasant mid-table plod through the campaign, they are equally realistic that yet another year of transition awaits.
The appointment of Martin O'Neill in December 2011 was supposed to herald a much-needed period of stability, yet within 16 months he was gone, with his side precariously close to a return to the Championship.

“Fulhamerica” visits Jozy Altidore‘s Sunderland in a U.S. special Saturday. The red-hot 23-year-old striker is set to make his Sunderland debut, his first in the English Premier League since his failed Hull City stint in the 2009/10 season.

Just like in the Stoke City vs. Liverpool matchup, both these clubs finished in relatively disappointing positions. Last year’s hot start for Fulham (including a 5-0 defeat of Norwich on Opening Day) fizzled out as they relied heavily on Dimitar Berbatov for goals. The end of the year brought fatigue, which led to them being sucked into the relegation battle before outsidee help saw them pushed up to 12th place.

Sunderland were very much in the relegation tempest, finishing just above the drop zone in 17th thanks largely to Wigan’s league failures down the stretch. Paolo Di Canio, brought in with seven games to go to inject some fighting spirit into the squad and avoid relegation, has signed a whopping 10 new players this summer, including Altidore. Many of them, like Emanuele Giaccherini and Vito Mannone, could not just make appearances Saturday but start as well.

Altidore is on a blistering hot streak this summer in international play for the United States, and Di Canio would love for his new signing to carry that success over to his team as well. Jozy bagged a hat-trick against Bosnia-Herzegovina to spur the United States to a stunning comeback just two days ago, making it five consecutive matches Altidore has scored in for the United States.