There are a few new faces in the English Premier League this season, and they've been pretty impressive thus far.
22-year-old Belgian Simon Mignolet (above), deputizing for the injured Craig Gordon in Sunderland's goal, has hardly put a foot wrong, looking both composed and athletic. Black Cats manager Steve Bruce understandably shopped for a more experience keeper when Gordon went down with a wrist injury, but Mignolet's performances to date have put the manager's mind at ease.
"I'm very new to all this and it is a big challenge for me, playing for a big club in the Premier League so soon in my career," Mignolet told the Sunderland Echo.
"But I hope I have proved in my performances so far that I have a future at this level and at his club."
Matthew Gilks of Blackpool has been in particularly sharp form, earning himself a call-up to the Scottish national team after just a few appearances in the Premier League. I watched him at Stamford Bridge and, though his side had a very difficult afternoon, Gilks himself continued his great run of form, keeping the scoreline fairly respectable on a day when Chelsea could have scored 10 - no exaggeration.
Meanwhile, Jussi Jaaskelainen's bizarre sending-off against Birmingham handed a chance to red-faced, red-haired Adam Bogdan (below). The young Hungarian finished that game in impressive style, and though his side endured a difficult day against Arsenal at The Emirates, he was faultless and made a number of good saves.
While new faces appear, familiar ones wait in the wings. We're still yet to see Shay Given play this season, and Mark Schwarzer's return to Fulham's goal was not a happy one. He was the victim of one of the most blatant (but not violent) fouls on a goalkeeper you're ever likely to see. El Hadj Diouf never took his eyes off Schwarzer as a long ball plummeted into the box, deliberately running into the Aussie and knocking him to the ground as the ball tumbled into an empty net. How the referee missed it is a mystery, but it cost Fulham a goal and ultimately two points.
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