Premier League trends, surprises + disappointments so far

By The Athletic FC Podcast

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The Tactical Preview becomes the Tactical Review during the international break, as we look back at the first five weeks of Premier League action. Kate Mason is joined by Rob Green and Duncan Alexander to discuss the trends from the opening stages of the campaign; from expected points, to shot conversion. The panel also break down who has surprised and disappointed them, chatting Leeds and Everton's solid defences to Spurs' slow start. NOTE: This episode was filmed on September 25th 2026. 00:00 Intro 02:45 Are we seeing a return of 4-4-2? 04:30 xG winners and losers so far 07:47 Forest’s slow start this season 10:06 How true are Man United’s current numbers? 14:56 Why is shot conversion low across the league? 18:32 ‘Highest Bidder’ game 23:05 Who has surprised and disappointed this season? 24:26 Leeds and Everton’s defensive systems 32:08 Ranking the top 50 PL players so far 33:10 Do Everton need a ‘standout player’? 36:38 Which other players have stood out so far this season? 38:0

Tags: the athletic, David Ornstein, ask ornstein, england, bellingham, premier league, arsenal, man city, united, man united, la liga, tottenham, spurs, jude bellingham, harry kane, bundesliga, bayern, bukayo saka, luka shaw, chelsea

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