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We were treated to another exciting weekend of EPL action, although the trend of clean sheets has continued leaving many fans wondering where the attacking nature of the league has disappeared to. Along with all the action on the field, the transfer window is quickly coming to a close and there has been extreme speculation floating around concerning some big names and the top clubs. It all adds another level of entertainment to the game we love so much. With that, it is time to take a look at the weekend recap to see who made the front headlines and what boots those players cal their weapons of choice. This is the EPL Weekend Recap.
Bryan Byrne is the founder of SoccerCleats101. Got a question about boots? Hit up Bryan on Twitter.
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No. 1 – Gareth Bale and his F50 adiZero Move to Real Madrid
After weeks of speculation, Gareth Bale’s transfer to Real Madrid has finally been confirmed – and for a world record fee! The combo of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale is absolutely frightening and they are sure to be one of the most deadly duos on the planet.
But, in an odd twist they will also be competing against each other in the war of the brands. Cristiano Ronaldo is the lead weapon in Nike’s advertising campaigns, with the dynamic Portugeuse star having his own signature CR7 range of boots and apparel. Bale, on the other hand, is a key adidas player. Over the past 12 months, he has taken on a leading role and sits just behind Lionel Messi in the number of appearances in adidas campaigns. On his feet, Bale actually wears the same boot as Messi – the F50 adiZero- but he is yet to get his own personalized pair. I expect this change over the next few months as he takes center stage at the Bernabeu.
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No. 2 – Three Games, Three Wins, Three Goals for Daniel Sturridge
On the anniversary of Bill Shankly’s 100th birthday, Liverpool put on a polished display to record their third successive 1-0 win on the young season. It actually leaves them sitting top of the EPL table having not conceding a goal to date.
But what is more impressive is the fact that Daniel Sturridge has been the player responsible for all three goals. The former Chelsea striker has become a key player at Anfield and these three strikes alone have raised his stature within the clubs history. On his feet, Sturridge has been sporting the new Nike Hypervenom Phantom, and they seem to be adjusting to life on his feet pretty well. The agility boot has become a prominent boot with young English players of late and that is sure to continue with players like Sturridge getting center stage.
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No. 3 – Giroud Solid in Puma evoSPEED 1.2
Having not spent a penny so far this summer, Arsenal and Arsene Wenger has been continually criticized. After the opening day home loss to Aston Villa, it all seemed to reach a boiling point with the fans, yet the Gunners have a 100% record since that loss. And Sunday’s 1-0 win over their arch-rivals, Spurs, is sure to keep the fans slightly more at ease. Spurs have been free spending, so this win will have brought more joy than usual to Arsenal.
Olivier Giroud has put up with a lot of criticism of late, but he was the one that popped up to score the winning goal in the game. The French man is currently signed up with Puma and has been wearing the evoSPEED 1.2 through the start of the season. Built with speed in mind, they are a boot designed for players with an attacking nature. If Giroud continues his fine scoring form from the early part of the season, I expect to see his role as a Puma ambassador increase substantially.
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No. 4 – Steven Fletcher Scores in New Umbro Boots
Last week, Fletcher announced that he would be wearing a new pair of Umbro Geometra Pro II for this season. It serves as a fresh start for the Sunderland striker, who suffered a pretty nasty ankle injury last season. That pretty much ended his season, but he returned to action this weekend in style.
Coming off the bench, Fletcher bagged a great header, something he has earned a reputation for being pretty deadly at. It wasn’t with his feet, but he did seem to be playing confidently in the Geometra boots. Expect to see plenty of Fletcher over the next few weeks as he returns from injury and gains som additional playing time – and there will be some goals placed into the bottom corner wearing the Umbro boots. Note that the Geometra is designed as a control boot, with the ECZ offering players an additional level of control along the instep.
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No. 5 – Crystal Palace Win - Dwight Gayle Front and Center
It was a long overdue EPL victory, but finally Ian Holloway lifted his Palace side into a win and their first 3 points of the season. It had been something like 3,000 days since Palace last won in the EPL, so I’m sure it was enjoyed by all the crazy fans at Selhurst Park.
One of the key figures in the game was a player that actually played in the 9th tier of English football a few years back. Dwight Gayle has one of those unforgettable stories, where he rose through the ranks from a semi-pro team to scoring the winning goal in an EPL fixture. Gayle, like Daniel Sturridge, is another young player wearing the Nike Hypervenom Phantom. We don’t have official confirmation that Gayle is a signed Nike athlete, but if he continues to score key goals this season I am sure Nike will come knocking!
