In what was a fairly mental game on Sunday, what with the comedy misses, all out action, uncharacteristic sloppiness and moments of brilliance, the bottom line was that Manchester United have emerged as the outright leader of this early Premier League table. Their 3-1 home win over Chelsea maintained their 100% record – the only team in all four divisions able to make such a claim – and gave them a 2 point advantage over rivals City.
Having been away for a couple of weeks and missed the previous week of fixtures, it was clear on my return that not much had changed. Reassuring in a way, to be able to go off the sporting radar completely (brilliant husband that I am) and return to it with the comfort and security of everything being as it should.
The only issue with that however, is that with United keeping up the frankly terrifying pace that they set in their first 3 games, the signs for the rest of the league are truly ominous.
There’s nothing that reassuring about the fact that Man United are still demolishing teams with emphatic ease. 21 goals scored in 5 games, a verve and movement to their attack that has not been seen since 2008, and the impressive impact of new signings both at the back and in attack; there are many reasons for United fans to be very pleased with life right now. For the rest of the league, it is a scary thought. Traditionally Ferguson’s men take their time to get going, before clicking into stride around Christmas and hunting down whichever vagabond had the temerity and audacity to set the early pace. If they continue this up for much longer, they could be out of sight before anyone has a chance to do anything about it.
Early season proclamations of supremacy should always be tempered with the reality that there is still a long season ahead and many things can change. The Chelsea Juggernaut looked unstoppable last season until coming off the road in spectacular fashion around November time. City were within a few minutes of keeping up the pace before losing the lead at Fulham and have still shown enough to suggest that they will keep the pressure on – and even the new boys this time have been putting up something of a fight. But I feel confident in stating this:
Early season proclamations of supremacy should always be tempered with the reality that there is still a long season ahead and many things can change. The Chelsea Juggernaut looked unstoppable last season until coming off the road in spectacular fashion around November time. City were within a few minutes of keeping up the pace before losing the lead at Fulham and have still shown enough to suggest that they will keep the pressure on – and even the new boys this time have been putting up something of a fight. But I feel confident in stating this:
Any team that finishes above Manchester United in May 2012 will almost certainly be the Champions.
Speaking of Champions, Southampton have hit the dizzy heights of 1st in the Championship, following an emphatic 4-1 win over Birmingham at the weekend. Saints have never been on a run like this in my life, and to think that one year ago we sat 22nd in League One, the fact that we are now only 4 league places below Arsenal is staggering. I fully expect West Ham to run away with our division, and Leicester will most likely take second place once their new team settles in – but for the time being, and as long as this glorious form continues, no-one will want to face the Saints. COYR!
Speaking of Champions, Southampton have hit the dizzy heights of 1st in the Championship, following an emphatic 4-1 win over Birmingham at the weekend. Saints have never been on a run like this in my life, and to think that one year ago we sat 22nd in League One, the fact that we are now only 4 league places below Arsenal is staggering. I fully expect West Ham to run away with our division, and Leicester will most likely take second place once their new team settles in – but for the time being, and as long as this glorious form continues, no-one will want to face the Saints. COYR!
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Whilst I’ve been lucky enough to do a fair bit of travelling in my time, I’ve yet to visit a country where the global reach of the English Premier League has failed to take hold. Fiji was no different.
Whilst I’ve been lucky enough to do a fair bit of travelling in my time, I’ve yet to visit a country where the global reach of the English Premier League has failed to take hold. Fiji was no different.
Talking to any locals, it was rarely long after identifying myself as English that the question would crop up about which football team did I like. Many of them surprisingly actually knew Southampton; mentions of The Dell, Le Tissier and, incredibly, Egil Ostenstad being high points of the banter. Those who didn’t still had a more than fleeting knowledge of the big guns of the Premier League, and were able to talk passionately about their favourites.
Fiji is primarily a rugby country and right now they are gripped with Rugby World Cup fever – the worryingly lax security at Nadi airport during the Flying Fijians opener against Namibia would be a hijacker’s dream. Want to take a plane for a spin? Just rock up on Sunday during Fiji v Samoa and take your pick. Along with the country coming to a standstill during their national team’s matches – and for me this is one of the truest barometer’s of a countries sporting roots – when you drove past a playing field or park, the kids there would all be playing with the egg shaped ball not the round one. Despite this, even in such a rugby stronghold, the tentacles of the ‘EPL’ had still taken hold. It really is the global game.
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