Seven reasons why the Premier League season has started with a bang

07 October 2009 01:34
The Premier League has always labelled itself thebest in the world and, finally, it is beginning to live upto the hype. More goals this season than everbefore, fewer draws and enough controversy to filleach day's back pages 10 times over. [LNB]We may only be seven weeks into the 2009-10campaign but the two-week gap for internationalfixtures is a welcome chance for everybody to drawbreath. [LNB]Here, Ian Ladyman looks at seven reasonswhy England's domestic competition is the envy ofSpain, Italy and the rest.[LNB]1. THE DOOR'S OPEN...City, Spurs and Aston Villa can beat the Big FourCrack the top four?: Harry Redknapp[LNB]The Premier League has been dominated for so long by Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal thateverything had started to become rather predictable. [LNB]Sky Sports would even make them play each other onthe same day and call it 'Grand Slam Sunday'. [LNB]Now, finally, this group is under threat. ManchesterCity have arrived with millions of petrodollars andenough big-name forwards to fill a five-a-side team ontheir own. [LNB]Harry Redknapp fears nobody not even thetaxman and his Tottenham side have already rolledover Liverpool and given United a fright. [LNB]In the Midlands, meanwhile, Martin O'Neill isadvancing Aston Villa's cause with a team full ofyoung Brits.[LNB]Villa and Tottenham have threatened to gatecrashthe party before, of course, as indeedhave Everton. [LNB]Had it not been for a stomachbug spreading through their squad beforethe final league fixture of the 2005-06season, a few Spurs players wouldprobably already have ChampionsLeague appearances on the cv. [LNB]This time, however, theassault looks like being moresustained. City, for example,are already in the top fourand will spend again in theJanuary transfer window. [LNB]They must be the firstteam in Premier Leaguehistory to make it sohigh without any decentfull backs. No, on secondthoughts, Liverpoolhave been pulling offthat trick for years.[LNB] 2. ZERO TO HEROCraig Bellamy is so good he has even got Robinho worried As Arctic Monkeys sang, 'When it comes to acting up, I think I could write the book.'Well,so could Craig Bellamy. [LNB]The fiery Wales captain upsets people wherever he goes but thesedays it's sometimes for the right reasons. Leaving aside the way he made his mark on theface of an invading fan at Old Trafford three weeks ago, it has been Bellamy'selectrifying football that has mostly caught the eye.[LNB]I'm No 1: Bellamy has Robinho worried[LNB] Manchester City fansturned their noses up when Mark Hughes boughtBellamy in January for £14million. They didn't needhim, they sniffed. They already had Robinho, thePremier League's most expensive footballer. [LNB] Ten months on and Robinho is sidelinedwith an injury while Bellamy goes fromstrength to strength as City's mostimportant player. There will be no shifting'Bellers' from his left-sided station whenRobinho is fit, and in World Cup year it isdebatable whether the Brazilian willstick around and wait for his chance. [LNB]A move to Barcelona is a distinctpossibility in January.Meanwhile, Liverpool managerRafa Benitez must wonder whyhe ever let Bellamy go. TheSpaniard has Albert Riera onthe left side of his midfieldthese days. Enough said.[LNB]3. NO DOUBTING THOMAS... Arsene Wenger's latest find has been a hit at both endsBack to front: Vermaelen has been a hit with his surges upfield[LNB]Who's Thomas Vermaelen? Thatwas what most Arsenal fans wereasking when Arsene Wengerbought the 23-year-old Belgianfrom Ajax via loan club RKCWaalwijk as a replacement for KoloToure in the summer. [LNB]Well, they know who he is nowand so do Everton, Wigan andBlackburn the teams the centraldefender has scored against in theLeague this season.  [LNB]Presumably Standard Liege,the Belgian side against whomVermaelen hit the net in the ChampionsLeague during the Gunners'dramatic fightback from 2-0 down,already had a decent idea abouthis prowess. [LNB]We love defenders in this country who can score goalsbut not many do it from25 yards and with such style andplacement. [LNB]Wenger certainly has a reputationfor locating obscure talent.Maybe he should sit next to SimonCowell on X Factor. Come on, hehas got to be more entertainingthan Cheryl Cole.[LNB]4. TRAVEL SICKBurnley great at home, rotten on the roadIt's not just the richer clubsshaking up the traditionalhierarchy. In Lancashire'sindustrial heartland, littleBurnley are writing a story all oftheir own. [LNB]With a weekly wage ceiling of£15,000 a man, Burnley hardlyhave any right to sit alongsideChelsea and Manchester City. [LNB]But, in contrast to an away recordthat makes Britain's Davis Cuptennis team's look passable,Owen Coyle's Claret and Bluetitans are four from four at home. [LNB] Home comforts: Owen Coyle's side have a 100 per cent record at Turf Moor[LNB]They have already sentManchester United, Everton,Sunderland and Birmingham backto Turf Moor's tiny away dressingroom wondering what on earthhad hit them. [LNB]With a game against Blackburnlooming large, Burnley will alsobe involved in a new PremierLeague phenomenon the NorthLancashire derby. [LNB]These are fierce games, as tribalas any in the British Isles. I can tell you're not convinced, but justwait and see what happens atEwood Park a week on Sunday.[LNB]Coyle, of course, will love it. He isalready a candidate for managerof the year and turned downCeltic to stay at Burnley in thesummer.Sometimes just sometimes the good guys get what theydeserve.[LNB]YOU SCORE, WE SCORE...Best form of defence is attackIn the PremierLeague, it seems the1-0 scoreline is a littleold fashioned.To win by a singlegoal used to thrillcoaches across thecountry. [LNB]The value ofclean sheets and allthat. But with thelikes of GeorgeGraham banished tothe TV studios, thingshave changed. Therehave been 229 goalsin the league so farthis season and thatincludes miserly oldBirmingham, whohave scored only fourof them. [LNB]The topscorers arepredictable enough,with Arsenal having scored 24 andLiverpool 22. Butmerit marks also goto Sunderland (16),Manchester City (15)and Tottenham (19). [LNB]And let's not forgetour new friends atBurnley, who seem tolet teams score asmany as they likewhenever they playaway from home. [LNB]How generous.It's also good to knowthat if you need acouple of extraminutes to nick agoal, referees thisseason, especially atManchester United,are happy to oblige.[LNB]The board the fourthofficial holds up toindicate added timeat Old Trafford mightas well feature aquestion mark.[LNB]BRUCIE BONUS for SunderlandSir Alex Ferguson'scarping may havetaken some of theattention away fromSunderland'sachievement indrawing 2-2 atManchester United,but those who werethere will not forgetit for a while.[LNB]Too often in recentyears, teams havegone to Old Traffordto put 10 menbehind the ball andhope that fate andfortune are on theirside. [LNB]This is not theSunderland way,though. Steve Brucesent his team outwith two big men upfront and frightenedthe life out of thePremier Leaguechampions. [LNB]A few people havewondered if Bruceis all bluster andbouffant but he hastaken the step up tothe next level in hisstride. He is a manflourishing underthe spotlight.Move over SirAlex there is anew candidate foryour job.[LNB]AND FINALLY...England expectsWorld Cup glory?: John Terry[LNB]When all the fun ofthe league is overnext May, the WorldCup finals await another month oftorture to make usturn our backs onthe national sportonce again. [LNB]But could it bedifferent this time?Despite the factFabio Capello'sEngland team donot have a decentgoalkeeper, rightback or leftmidfielder and onlyone world-classstriker, it appearsthey have a chanceof improving on asorry record inmajor finals.[LNB] John Terry and the lads haveswept all beforethem (if you countBelarus andKazakhstan) and atlast have a coachwho can spare thecountry fromhumiliation. Andthat, comparatively,is reason foroptimism.[LNB] Ukraine v England live! Sign up to watch the World Cup qualifier with MailOnlineManchester City progress report: Sportsmail takes a look at the story so far for the Premier League's big spenders Fabregas exit fears return as Barcelona prepare summer swoop for Arsenal starShut Fergie up for good! He's goaded refs for years but now they've had enoughMARTIN SAMUEL: Thanks to Fabio, we don't need to watch from behind the sofa [LNB] Explore more:People:Harry Redknapp, Steve Bruce, Rafa Benitez, MARK HUGHES, CRAIG BELLAMY, Owen Coyle, George Graham, Albert Riera, Alex Ferguson, Fabio Capello, ThomasVermaelen, Cheryl Cole, John Terry, Simon Cowell, RobinhoPlaces:Liverpool, Chelsea, Birmingham, Barcelona, Wales, Kazakhstan, Spain, United Kingdom, Italy, Ewood Park

Source: Daily_Mail