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Better late than never - it's either this or some more stuff about England's game with San Marino.
We've come to the first break of the Premier League season and things have worked out perfectly for Manchester City and not so well for Champions Chelsea, who suffered a shock defeat at home to Crystal Palace last weekend, only Jose Mourinho's second loss at Stamford Bridge in 100 Premier League matches.
Palace, Leicester City and Swansea City surprisingly make up the rest of the top four, with Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool enjoying decent, but hardly brilliant, starts to the season.
With the transfer window now closed the teams are set as summer ends and autumn and winter creep up on us. But which players hold the power ahead heading into the international break?
We all know who the best players are but defining those with the power to shape events in the Premier League is not so simple - so we've created The Independent's Premier League Power Rankings.
Ahead of every round of fixtures in the top-flight our team of experts get together to define the 17 players who hold the power.
Rather than being based on who the best or most talented footballers are, it's defined by current form, league position, next fixture and any other factors which could influence events.
Players move up and down the rankings, battling to be number one. Some will drop out and new entries will emerge. You might not agree (in which case let us know why) - but that's half the fun.
Three weeks into the season there are already some trends developing and we've seen some major changes in the players picked.
These are the 17 most important players in the Premier League right now...
Show all 17 1 /17Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 17) Dusan Tadic (Southampton) new entry Had started the season slowly but showed he is getting back to last season's form with an excellent double as the Saints picked up their first win of the season against Norwich. He scored four goals and seven assists last season but the Serbian will want to improve on those totals in 2015-16. Last fixture: W - 3-0 - Norwich Next fixture: West Brom (a)
Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 16) Bafetimbi Gomis (Swansea) new entry Wilfried who? Jefferson Montero and Andre Ayew have taken much credit for the Swans' brilliant start but the powerful Gomis just keeps scoring. Nine goals in his last 10 Premier League matches stretching back to last season Last fixture: W - 2-1 - Man United Next fixture: Watford (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 15) Manuel Lanzini (West Ham) new entry Mark Noble would have been in this spot but the Hammers' captain was very harshly sent off at Anfield after a brilliant performance and will miss the next game. Lanzini looked quick and sharp all afternoon at Anfield, providing Dejan Lovren with the latest of his horror shows. Last fixture: W - 3-0 - Liverpool Next fixture: Newcastle (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 14) Pedro (Chelsea) - down 3 The former Barcelona man has hit the ground running at Chelsea with a goal and two assists in his first two matches in Blue. But Chelsea have hardly been convincing in either match, not through Pedro's efforts, and he'll face what should be the toughest test of the three matches so far with a trip to an always imposing Goodison Park. Last fixture: L - 1-2 - Crystal Palace Next fixture: Everton (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 13) Callum Wilson (Bournemouth) - up 3 The quick striker continues to prove he is cut out for life in the top flight with a spectacular goal to make it four in his last two matches. Wilson scored at Carrow Road last season in a 1-1 draw but these are the kind of games Eddie Howe will be looking at if the Cherries are to survive. Last fixture: D - 1-1 - Leicester Next fixture: Norwich (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 12) Salomon Rondon (West Brom) - up 2 They were against just nine men for just under an hour but were pretty much the inferior side at the Britannia, as they failed to capitalise on the advantage and create real chances. But the Venezuelan is starting to show he could have been a very astute signing by Pulis with a goal and an assist in his two Premier League matches. Last fixture: W - 1-0 - Stoke Next fixture: Southampton (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 11) Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) - down 1 Had, and missed, his very best chance of the season when he raced through one-on-one. Looked tired, low on confidence and like he was thinking about it too much when he fired straight at Tim Howard. Sunderland is as good a place as any to get a goal - and Kane needs one soon Last fixture: D - 0- 0 - Everton Next fixture: Sunderland (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 10) Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace) - up 3 It wasn't a vintage performance by the Frenchman who failed to get on the ball as much as he can do, but it was controlled as Palace defended stoutly against the might of the champions. Probably should have scored in the first-half but Alan Pardew's team have won three out of four in a brilliant start to the campaign. Another tough test to come. Last fixture: W - 2-1 - Chelsea Next fixture: Man City (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 9) Eden Hazard (Chelsea) - down 2 Another very poor performance by last season's Player of the Year, who looks out of sorts and extremely fatigued. Chelsea will be hoping the international break affords him some rest - they desperately need him to get back to his best. Last fixture: L - 1-2 - Crystal Palace Next fixture: Everton (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 8) Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City) - down 3 His brilliant start come to a grinding halt on the South Coast. After four goals in his opening three matches the winger was hauled off at half-time by Claudio Ranieri following an anonymous performance (though he was wrongly called offside and a goal should have stood). Last fixture: D - 1-1 Bournemouth (a) Next fixture: Aston Villa (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 7) John Stones (Everton) - up 2 This kind of thing always seems to happen. Stones, the man whom Chelsea chased relentlessly throughout the transfer window, will next go up against the very club that wanted him so badly. Last fixture: D - 0-0 - Tottenham (a) Next fixture: Chelsea (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 6) Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) - non-mover A non-mover after a pretty low-key performance against Watford, where Raheem Sterling took the limelight after scoring his first goal for the club. Despite only scoring one in four this season, he remains the most dangerous striker in the division. Last fixture: W - 2-0 Watford Next fixture: Crystal Palace (a)
Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 5) Jermain Defoe (Sunderland) - down 1 All jokes about personal assistants aside, Defoe remains Sunderland's best hope at staying up - and yet one of the best poachers in the division appears to be playing a deeper, more creative role. Defoe is a more rounded, and slower player, than he previously was, but his strength has never been creating for others - Dick Advocaat needs Defoe to be the one on the end of passes, not the other way round Last fixture: D - 2-2 - Aston Villa Next fixture: Spurs (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 4) Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) - down 1 Not at his best against Newcastle but still very clearly Arsenal's most important player - Arsene Wenger's lack of transfer activity this summer only makes him more so. Last fixture: W - 1-0 - Newcastle Next fixture: Stoke (h)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 3) Christian Benteke (Liverpool) - down 2 An afternoon to forget against West Ham, but this Liverpool team have so far looked better away from home, where the Belgian gets a bit more room to use his pace and power against defences high up the pitch. Old Trafford is next. Last fixture: L - 0-3 - West Ham Next fixture: Man United (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 2) David Silva (Manchester City) - non-mover The best attacking midfielder by a mile in the division, Silva is in a league of his own in England. Sterling took the praise against Watford but Silva will be the man Palace need to stop first if they are to continue their great start to the season Last fixture: W - 2-0 - Watford Next fixture: Crystal Palace (a)
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Premier League Power Rankings - Game Week 5 1) Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) - up 7 This is not a reflection of how well the captain has played this season, because he hasn't. At all. Will likely return to club football as England's all-time leading goalscorer (a rather hollow record as he has just one in World Cups), Rooney faces a massive question mark over whether he is the man to lead United from the front, or if he would be better off back in a deeper role. What better place to prove the doubters wrong (again) than by performing against his biggest rivals. Last fixture: L - 1-2 - Swansea Next fixture: Liverpool (h)
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