Well, that’s it! After 2 months of kicking balled socks around your home, and trying (in vain) to fixate yourself on another sport… Footie came back – with a bang! The opening weekend of the Premier League season crushed the football world's lazy illusions and predictions surrounding the forthcoming season.
Arsenal’s gifted youngsters silenced their critics in emphatic style at Everton, coming away from Goodison Park with not just 3 points, but a +5 in their goal difference column. The Gunners hammered 6 past Tim Howard – 1/6 of what the American international conceded in the entire last season, and the Toffees could only muster a solitary Saha goal in reply.
Arsenal equalled the opening day goal record set by Liverpool against Crystal Palace in 1994 playing some sumptuous football. All departments looked solid and classy – their tackling, distribution and finishing oozed a style and confidence surprising for a team that has received so much negative press. Belgian centre-back had a wonderful debut, his powerful header capping a match where he was always first to the ball; his tackles were inch-perfect, and Arsenal fans will be hoping that their worries surrounding the loss of Toure were for nothing. More promising for the North London faithful, though, were the performances of their midfield. Criticised by many in the press (Footie Frog included) as lacking bite and some years from being the finished article, Denilson and captain marvel Cesc Fabregas enjoyed an afternoon of total control. The former scored a superb 20 yard strike, while the latter pulled the strings expertly in midfield, grabbing a brace in the process.
The Saha goal was of little consolation to the Everton fans, who saw a distinctly unimpressive defensive performance from their side. This was mainly because Jo Lescott - who had said prior to the match that he wasn’t in the right mindset to play - played. Failing to deal with the barrage of Arsenal crosses and set-pieces, he looked equally uncomfortable following the probing Red runners. With unusual lapses in concentration and skill, the England international was seemingly elsewhere in his mind… perhaps on a different pitch wearing a lighter shade of blue?
lsewhere this weekend…
Man Utd proved Footie Frog right in one respect. Last entry I mentioned the importance of attacking creativity to the Red Devils’ season. They showed little of it against Birmingham, scraping a 1-0 win at Old Trafford. The United excuse will be that they had several stars out, but their front 4 (Berbatov, Rooney, Nani and Valencia) was their first-choice attack and it struggled badly. Far from the fast, fluid attacks of last season, United looked scrappy and disjointed. Whether the return of England international Carrick and the often-frustrating Anderson will herald a massive change we will have to wait and see…
Liverpool and Chelsea looked similarly weak. Tottenham battered the former at White Hart Lane, with sterling displays from debutant Bassong, who headed the winner, and the quickly-becoming fan favourite Palacios. Liverpool looked second-best all over the park, with several injuries and a quick scan of a bench containing academy and distinctly average players proving their worrying lack of strength in depth.
Chelsea’s blushes meanwhile, were spared by a Drogba double – a Ronaldo-esque free-kick in the first half, and a 92nd minute cross dropping over helpless Hull ‘keeper Myhill, to prevent the Tigers from grabbing a point at the Bridge. With 27 shots, and goals coming from a set-piece and mis-aimed cross, the Blues need to work on converting their chances if they want to secure the title for which they are favourites.
Sunderland (1-0 at Bolton) and Man City (2-0 at B’Burn) got off to their expected winning ways with debut goals from Darren Bent and Eman Adebayor respectively, Villa surprisingly fell 2-0 to Wigan, thanks to a sublime volley from Hugo Rodallega, a deflected Zamora goal saw Fulham scrape past depleted Pompey, whilst promoted Wolves and Burnley lost 2-0 to Stoke and West Ham respectively – welcome to the Premier League echoing around articles in the press.
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