BPL talking points: Should we feel sorry for Mike Ashley?

And is Joey Barton right when he says Mario Balotelli is a ‘myth’?

As another international break hurtles towards us with indecent haste, it places great importance on this weekend’s Premier League fixtures. Facing two weeks without a game, no club wants to head into that on the back of a defeat. Here are five talking points ahead of this Saturday’s matches as the season starts to take shape.

Can Manchester City get back to domestic bliss?

THERE was more frustration on Tuesday night as Manchester City again came up short in the Champions League. A draw at home to Roma was not the worst result, but it was another missed opportunity, another chance wasted to put down a marker in Europe. Four years into their Champions League life and City still seem uncomfortable mixing with the elite of Europe. Although to be frank, UEFA do everything in their powers to stop City from going toe-to-toe with the likes of Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid by keeping clubs like Arsenal as top seeds and limiting City to a squad of just 21 for this season’s competition. But back on domestic duty at Aston Villa, City can demonstrate why they are Champions of England. Their return of 11 points from six games is OK, but the fixture list has been hard. Against Villa, it’s time to put down a marker of their quality. Yaya Toure needs a goal, Joe Hart, if selected, needs a strong performance, and Manuel Pellegrini would love a resounding win to show Chelsea and Jose Mourinho that the title is not heading to Stamford Bridge as a foregone conclusion.

Are Hull in danger of losing their DNA?

THAT sounds bizarre when Hull City have just secured their best ever league finish, reached the FA Cup final for the first time and played in the Europa League. These are all major high spots in the club’s history. Look at the names in the squad now Ben Arfa, Hernandez, Ramirez, Jelavic, Diame. Most Hull fans would never have dreamt of such an exotic cast list performing in front of them. But will they lose something because of it? Last season, Steve Bruce operated with a very strong and predominantly British squad. They may have lacked in certain areas, but they knew the league and what was required on Humberside. Hull is a working-class city and the Tigers are a proper blue-collar club, who represent their region. Hard-graft, hard work and no quarter given were the elements of Hull’s play that proved successful last season under Bruce. Now the manager has opted for some high-profile names to improve his side and make them more expansive, but will it backfire? Bruce, who is a fine manager, tried this at Birmingham and ended up getting relegated. It would be a great shame if the same happened to Hull. Victory at home to Crystal Palace will be expected, and needed, to quell any early worries.

Is a goal more valuable than a point for Burnley?

THIS is a question you thought would never have to be asked. But here we are in the start of October and Burnley’s last and only goal of the season came at 8.14pm on Monday 18 August. They have picked up three points from six matches courtesy of three goalless draws, but their attacking play has looked woefully short of Premier League standard. As they travel to Leicester, they must somehow find a way of finding the net. If not, when they play against West Ham in two weeks, it will be exactly two months since Scott Arfield’s strike against Chelsea. And just as important, the Clarets’ fans need hope that the season is not going to be a long, turgid and fruitless struggle. A fourth goalless draw would be more profitable, but maybe a high-scoring defeat would be more tangible for the rest of the campaign as goals are what football is all about. It would certainly get this monkey off their back, but if they could conjure a win against a fellow promoted side that would be priceless.

Is Mario Balotelli one big myth?

JOEY BARTON is not afraid to voice his opinions on Twitter. Some are off the mark but one last week could prove to be spot-on. During Liverpool’s Capital One Cup tie against Middlesbrough, Barton tweeted that Mario Balotelli was ‘the biggest myth in football’. We always hear about how much talent Balotelli has, that he can do anything he wants, that he could be one of the best players in the world. It is always hypothetical, it is always a mirage. During his brief Liverpool career, Balotelli has played seven times and scored once, albeit a fine goal against Ludogorets in the Champions League. Yes, everyone deserves a settling in period at a new club, but remember Balotelli is not new to the Premier League. But what the Reds have really needed is for him to take on the role of being top dog in the absence of the injured Daniel Sturridge and he has so far failed, especially in the 1-0 defeat away to Basel in midweek. He has perhaps shown why Liverpool grabbed him for £16 million from AC Milan, and not at a price that fits his supposed ‘ability’. Both club and player need a big afternoon against West Brom to spark their season. Back in 2010 against the same opponents, Balotelli scored his first two league goals for Manchester City in a 2-0 win at The Hawthorns before being sent off. His new club might well settle for the same scenario.

Should we feel sympathy for Mike Ashley?

I can already sense the anger as people digest that possibility, but hear me out. The Newcastle United Chairman has already had numerous chances to dismiss his manager Alan Pardew, but has refused to pull the trigger. Should that be taken as a virtue for a Chairman to continue to support his manager, his most important employee, and not act hastily or in panic? We are always complaining about modern bosses not having sufficient time to work diligently at clubs and instil their own ideas. But on the other hand, Ashley’s biggest customers are the supporters and they are in open rebellion against Pardew. Every time a goal is conceded, the banners and chants come out against him, creating a negativity that cannot help the players on the pitch. Newcastle have won none of their opening six games and won’t hold much hope of ending that at Swansea. But the longer they remain in the bottom three and winless, the harder it becomes to extricate themselves from that position. Pardew palpably will not resign, so Ashley has to make a huge decision support his employee or appease his customers. There are dangers for both and only in May when the season ends can we answer which is the right one.