League Table Takes A Refreshing Shape

Four games into the Premier League season and we have reached our first international break. This gives teams and fans alike some time to take stock and reflect.

For some, the break has not come at a good time while others will be desperate for it. Not that those teams can do much with their time as every club lose players to their respective countries, some more than others but the Premier League is truly international these days.

Manchester City continue to look ominous after a fourth win in a row which preserves their 100% record and they are still yet to concede a goal . This week, the lambs to the slaughter were new boys Watford who actually fared well in the opening half until City stepped up in the second. They face a difficult trip to South London in two weeks time for a top of the table clash which was set up by the fantastic win for Palace at Chelsea. Incidentally, seeing the reigning champions sitting in 13th position even at this stage is rather odd.

Making up the top four are Leicester City and Swansea City which I am sure many will agree is very refreshing indeed even at this early stage. The Foxes came from behind at Bournemouth to snatch a point and keep up their great start to the season while the Swans beat Manchester United.

As for the other teams you would have expected to be in and around the top four, Arsenal stumbled to a win at Newcastle while Liverpool lost at home to West Ham having previously been unbeaten.

Nine man Stoke succumbed to West Bromwich Albion having had both Afellay and Adam sent off in the first half hour of the game. In another game effected by a sending off, Southampton beat ten man Norwich City.

There was an exciting draw at Villa Park as visitors Sunderland managed their second point of the season against the hosts while there was a bore draw in North London as Spurs continued their failure to impress by being held by Everton.

What can be said of the Premier League is that it is proving to be the most competitive in the world. Fans of Palace, Leicester and Swansea would be more than happy for the season to finish now rather than have to play another 34 games. Who is to say that any of these three will not finish in the top four? One thing is for sure, the so called big teams must do better.

There is a really refreshing feel to the start of this season but as I mentioned last week, the table only starts to take its true form after ten or fifteen games in. There is also a very familiar look to some of the officiating decisions. Last season was one of the worst I have witnessed by those in charge of the game and the way things have begun this season suggest they need help over and above the goal-line technology.

Such technology was brought in to help with a decision that happens so rarely. It begs the question why it was deemed more important than to give a fourth official more power with the benefit of a quick replay for instance. All Premier League games are beamed around the world so a quick look would have shown that Mark Noble of West Ham should not have been sent off this weekend and the Arsenal goal against Liverpool last Monday should have been given, contrary to the comments by Brendan Rodgers.

It has got to the stage that players and managers have no interest in helping the officials in an effort to win at all costs so there has to be a decision by the powers that be to introduce a method of supporting the struggling officials in some capacity.

The game of football is so simple, and so should the officiating.