For many soccer fans, the summer was both a delightful and depressing time. We had the pleasure of following a thrilling Euro Cup tournament, won in classy fashion by Fernando Torres and Spain. It featured unforeseen upsets, surprising breakout performances and most importantly, exhilarating matches. But such fütbol euphoria proved to be fleeting.
The tournament packed up and left, and players returned to their respective countries and teams. While Europeans had their club seasons to look forward to, we Americans found ourselves feeling empty and hollow, with only the MLS, a collection of second-rate players with day jobs, to console us. Don’t get me wrong, MLS games can be exciting, and the players involved are tough, scrappy and work hard, but for true world-class soccer we must either go south of the border or across the pond.
Today, in an attempt to fill the void left by the Euro Cup’s end, Argus Sports takes you to England for a look at the Barclay’s Premier League, whose season has just gotten underway.
After three weeks of competition, Chelsea sits at the top of the list, where it is expected to finish. The Russian-bankrolled collection of international superstars such as Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard has looked excellent so far, winning twice and drawing once under the leadership of new manager Felipe Scolari, the former head coach of the ever-dangerous Portuguese national team. The Blues, however, will face a tough road ahead of it. This weekend the team takes on Manchester City in a match that will set the tone for the months ahead.
The surging Man City has raised eyebrows of late, as a company known as the Abu Dhabi Group for Development and Investment recently took it over. While the takeover has been met with cynicism, the club has managed to sign one of soccer’s rising stars, Brazil’s Robinho, who, at 24 years old, is already drawing comparisons to Pele.
Also at the top of the Premier League is Liverpool, which has played extraordinarily well despite competing without its two biggest stars, Fernando Torres and Stephen Gerrard. Don’t worry though, ladies, the Spanish heartthrob, Torres, will be back in action this weekend against Manchester United, the winners of both last season’s Premier League and UEFA Champion’s League crowns. Man U has been struggling of late, however, feeling the ankle injury of Portuguese bad boy Christiano Ronaldo.
Starting its season with a disappointing draw against Newcastle, Sir Alex Ferguson’s Red Devils, led by Wayne Rooney, looks to pick up momentum this weekend at Old Trafford. Other contenders this season are Aston Villa, which began its season with a bang against Man City thanks to a hat-trick by striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, and perennial contenders Arsenal, which will look to star strikers Emmanual Adabayor and Robin van Persie for another strong season.
With a bevy of important matches coming up this weekend, the Premier League promises to provide another season of top class soccer, so stay tuned. Cheers!
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