New Premiership Order? Not Likely
A new wisdom has been unleashed thanks to Chelsea’s defeat by Aston Villa.
It relates to the narrowing of Premiership standards coutesy of £300 million in new television money.
Last season’s middling teams have been able to spend a little more on better quality players, meaning that there will fewer walk-overs this campaign.
The evidence is already to hand. Villa caned Chelsea. Portsmouth gave United the fright of their lives. City succeeded where Portsmouth just failed and took three points from the champions. Fulham scared Arsenal and held on against troubled Spurs.
Villa, Everton; City and Newcastle are enjoying the start to the season. Everton have topped the table and sparkled when turning over Tottenham at home. Villa gave Chelsea a terrific battle last weekend and fully deserved their victory, being stout in defence and fast and alert in attack. City topped the table too and finally emerged victorious in a derby match. Newcastle, sitting in sixth place, are transformed and nothing like the toilers of last term.
Also strengthening the argument of the Premiership’s new dawn, is the stuttering form of last season’s top two. United have eight points from five games. The largely negative press of the opening three weeks of the season however, testifies to the team’s struggle for top form.
Chelsea captain John Terry admitted that his team were not playing well last week but was pleased that results were going in their favour. Chelsea then fell flat on their faces when they went to Villa Park.
So is this proof that a new order is taking shape in the Premiership?
Not likely! Every season throws up teams who begin with enterprise. One year it is Ipswich. The next, it is Wigan and so on and so forth. That’s what makes the Premiership interesting.
Nevertheless, Liverpool and Arsenal are standard bearers of the ancient regime and have started the new season with panache too. Few will trust United and Chelsea to be trailing the leaders substantially when autumn moves to winter?
The Premiership may seem more competitive this season but over the course of a long draining system, the prizes and the plaudits will go to the clubs with the bigger squads of the most talented players.
United and Chelsea will return.
