Does it seem as if the season never ends? Imagine if you were a player. In years of the World Cup or Euro tournaments it really doesn't seem to end at all. But surely, this one has been very different hasn't it? With few teams shopping in the transfer market and new rules regarding the size of a roster and so forth there has been a big change for certain. The result is that the teams expected to challenge for the top honor are very much like the teams that ended the previous season in May. Don't let that fool you as it is quite likely that a flurry of transfers before the end of the month could change the fortunes of some of them.
With big name players expressing their subdued interest in the new season such as Tevez telling the world he may not play much longer or Drogba's low key approach ahead of the opener even after their defeat in the Community Shield. The strange dance of Bellamy and Mancini makes you wonder what is behind all of that. Mancini, putting all his faith in the new signings and willing to dismiss the guy that was one of his most reliable and productive players from a year ago. It is a bit of turmoil fostered by the big spending at City in their search for the combinations that would bring them success. Do they go for Milner and close that deal too?
But has Man City blundered with Balotelli? That will be a question you will hear more of in the months ahead. His move to City is another huge gamble (think Robinho) and Mancini will have his hands full with this young man. His attitude and huge ego could cause trouble not to mention that his signing has made one of their best players of last season excess baggage (Craig Bellamy). For City to put so much money on this guy and push out proven players in the process truly is a big gamble. Mario says he's the best player in the world if you can imagine that and apparently some think it may be the case. Balotelli is a great combination of skill, speed and power, but the best player in the world? That simply isn't realistic and most would say he's got a very long way to go to live up to his own assessment of himself. Who is right? We'll find out soon enough.
On the other hand what is it with Bellamy anyway? Can you imagine any other club in the league that had a man go out game after game and deliver the goods as he did last year (double digit goals and assists) be pushed out the door? If Bellamy does continue an active role somewhere else you can be certain the press will dig for the dirt as to how and why he's been thrown away. How about Stephen Ireland? Much the same story there too. And the mess with Robinho. I'd really like to see City rise to the top just for a change but have they sown the seeds of discord? Watch for this as the season goes along. It is almost a certainty to impact their season.
Does Mark Hughes have a chance to succeed at Fulham? Sure, Hodgson did a fine job there but remember they only finished 12th last season and yet he was regarded around the league as being the new savior. Foolhardy? Credit to Roy and Fulham for their success in the Europa League but their league play certainly didn't account for the accolades. Fulham has developed an aversion to success when playing on the road and that must change for them to finish in the top ten. Hughes must find a reliable goal scorer since despite their success last season Fulham's total goals scored in the league was anemic and they won only once on the road. That must change or they will flounder and could find themselves on the cusp of a relegation fight. To add to his concerns it looks nearly certain that he is also about to lose his number one keeper.
And the mess with O'Neill at Villa: good grief, the guy moved from Celtic to Villa with a great deal of fanfare. Did he really accomplish much or was he not given much of a chance? We'll probably never really know the facts but it is likely he was at the end of his rope regarding transfer funds and such. The loss of Gareth Barry last year (probably a blessing in disguise) and now the pending move of James Milner, the lack of funding to compete in the market and so on poisoned the waters for O'Neill in his view. But, did he really deliver for the club? Three successive 6th placed finishes all with just barely over 60 points won. Spending millions after that initial success and rise from the second half of the table for an improvement of a single point simply isn't getting the job done. Frankly speaking the only reason they managed to hang on to 6th last season was the collapse of Liverpool. The rise to 6th was an accomplishment for Villa, no doubt, but that is where they have stalled under O'Neill.
Add to that the loss of Barry and now Milner too and O'Neill's reign seems to have resulted in the return of Villa to a perennial mid-table or worse finisher. Look for them to battle and likely fail to finish among the top ten. Birmingham may be England's “second city” as they say but in soccer they are no where near that status.
Here's another to watch; Sunderland. Steve Bruce gives up on the huge potential of Kenwyne Jones being frustrated far too often with his inconsistent play. One match he's a world beater, the next it's as if he didn't get his boots on the right feet. Bruce has brought some new blood to the club and don't be surprised to see them rise in the table. Could go the other way of course but that's why they play the games afterall. The Black Cats could be this season's Birmingham City.
And of course Newcastle's return to the top flight is sure to produce a great deal of interest not to mention the press focus on what they believe to be the reason for their downfall. Few clubs have gone down and bounce right back as Newcastle have done although West Brom has made a habit of it. The Toon face a very big challenge right out the gate with their Monday visit to Old Trafford. Look for Newcastle to surprise in the early stages of the season. For them the challenge will be to stay up.
Round 1 has some really great matches on tap: Spurs v Man City opens the new season in the early game on Saturday and we also see Liverpool face the Gunners in the first big test for Hodgson at Anfield. Yes, it is a long way to May, 2011, but during the season there are matches that really are pivotal events and these clubs all face the new season with one of them right at the start.
So how did it play out then?
Spurs blitzed City in the opening half and may well have led by three or more at halftime had it not been for the good fortune and superb play in goal of Joe Hart. City would have, and perhaps should have been thoroughly embarrassed as Tottenham ran riot. The game made me think of David O'Leary as he watched the collapse of his Leeds years ago saying “chances, chances, chances” and anyone that has played the game knows exactly what he meant. You create them, great. But if you fail to take them you lose. Spurs avoided that, but it has to be seen as two points dropped as City rallied a bit in the second half to see the match end in a scoreless deadlock at White Hart Lane. Hugely disappointing for Spurs after their opening half display. And likewise for City after their investments of hundreds of millions of dollars to fund their rise in the league gets off to a disappointing start.
Aston Villa stung the Hammers 3-0 on goals from Downing, Petrov and Milner (in what may be his last game at Villa). Villa owner Randy Lerner blasted Man City on their pursuit of Milner after the match.
Talk about stinging the opponents in the opener Blackpool waltzed to a 4-0 victory at Wigan in their very first Premier League game on a double and an assist from Marlon Harewood and single goals from Gary Taylor and Alex Baptiste.
And the sting turned into a welt with Chelsea's 6-0 thumping of West Brom at The Bridge. A hat-trick from Drogba, a double from Malouda and single goal from Lampard did the damage. The reigning champions won the title last year by scoring a record 103 goals. After this crushing victory one could wonder if that record is in jeopardy this season.
Birmingham City battled back after going down 2-0 at Sunderland for a 2-2 finish. The Black Cats went to 10 men just ahead of the break when Cattermole saw his second yellow and the lead at 1-0. A Carr own goal extended their lead before goals from Scott Dann and Liam Ridgewell earned the draw.
Bruce must be livid to have the points in hand only to see them dribble away.
Wolves defeated Stoke 2-1 on a terrific free kick from David Jones and Fletcher added the second before Faye pulled one back for the Potters. Stoke also lost recent club record signing Kenwyne Jones on an injury in the early going.
Blackburn were gifted a goal and victory at Ewood Park when Everton keeper Tim Howard dropped the ball in the area and Kalinic was on hand to stick it in the net. That was bad news for Moyes but since it came early (14) the real message was that without Tim Cahill on the pitch the Toffees weren't able to recover. Yes, Howard made the rare mistake here, but his team also had an hour and a quarter and were not able to score a goal to at least get level. That was the real bad news.
The final match of opening day ended in a scoreless draw between Bolton and Fulham. Stuart Holden nearly won the day for the Wanderers in the 78th but his low drive came back off the post. It is more than just interesting to note that Mark Schwarzer did not appear in goal for Fulham which might signal his move to City is on. David Stockdale was in the net for the Cottagers and did a credible job earning a clean sheet in the process. If this game is a true indicator perhaps Hughes has the keeper he needs to fill the void when Schwarzer moves on but he still faces a more troubling question that has become a part of the culture of Fulham: poor performance on the road.
Fulham won only once in the league in away games last season. For that matter they scored only 12 goals in those away games and only two other sides did worse in that regard (Stoke and relegated side Portsmouth). Mark Hughes still has to find the answer to that question and when he does it will solve the other as well (how to win on the road).
At Anfield for Hodgson's league debut on his new home ground the opening 45 was a bit ragged by both sides but a few chances did result. The half would end dramatically as the Reds managed to mount some sustained pressure as time wound down but Joe Cole's attempt to stop the outlet pass with his diving challenge resulted in a red card to ruin his and Hodgson's league debut. His victim, was stretchered off but did return to open the second half.
The Reds took the lead in the 47th with a brilliant strike from a tight angle by Ngog after some clever play between Johnson and Kuyt to keep possession at the edge of the area ahead of Kuyt's pass to set up the opportunity. For the next ten minutes an exuberant Liverpool kept the Gunners pinned in their own end before Arsenal found their way again.
In the 81st minute Agger took a Rosicky shot in the face and had to be helped off the pitch so Liverpool were now playing with 9. Hodgson found himself in real jeopardy here since just three minutes before he had used his third and final sub to bring on Torres. Agger returned ahead of stoppage time just in time for Reina to make the save of the game on Rosicky's rising shot just managing to tip it over the bar. Only minutes later Reina would challenge for a dangerous Rosicky cross that ended up hitting off the post and bundled it over the line as he attempted to gather it up after the rebound off the post for the OG and a 1-1 draw.
Ten man Liverpool had done well and frustrated the Gunners for most of the match. For Reds fans a very disappointing end to a match that would have been an envigorating victory having played half of it down a man. Not lost on the fans in the Kop was the fact that Arsenal had beaten them three times last season, twice in the league and the Gunners were the team that bounced them out of the League Cup too. Losing this 'victory' over this rival in this fashion was a bitter pill.
Man United finished Round 1 with a thorough whipping of Newcastle at Old Trafford on goals from Berbatov, Fletcher and Giggs. The Red Devils had near total dominance of the ball for most of the match and with that in mind it was a bit surprising they managed to only win it 3-0. Newcastle did a bit better in the second half but couldn't find a way past Van der Sar.
So who impressed in this opening round? For me, it had to be Joe Hart in goal for City. His performance may have decided the near term future of several other players as well: does City continue the pursuit of Schwarzer? Why would they should be the question. How about the future of Given who may have lost his starting role with Hart's terrific performance. Plus, since Capello was in the stands Hart's stellar performance is likely to be the most significant of the opening weekend not only for his club, but country too.
Drogba's hat-trick? A great start for a great player but not as significant as Hart's performance.
How about Spurs? Their dominance in the opening half was impressive to be sure but all that resulted in no goals. Some will say oh well, its early days and so forth but in the end after such a terrific effort against a quality team they dropped two points on their home ground. Remember that next May.
