Usual Suspects set the Early Pace in the Premier League

With half a dozen games gone already in the Premier League this season it seems remarkable that there have been very few drawn matches – just four draws from a total of 56 games to the end of the weekend Sunday 20th September.

Stoke City in tenth place have been involved in half of the drawn matches and are the only team in the top ten who have drawn a match, along with Bolton, Wolves, Birmingham, Hull and West Ham in the bottom half.

What so few draws in the Premier League means remains to be seen at this stage but for those who enjoy watching the best that English football has to offer, it has been great to enjoy watching games that has resulted in one of the teams winning. What the lack of draws does mean is that teams have been winning and losing and with that, the gap between top and bottom of the Premier League is already beginning to emerge, with the usual suspects setting the pace.

Chelsea are leading the way so far this season, with six wins from six matches and they look the most likely Premier League champions at this stage of the season. They have scored fifteen times and have only conceded a total of three goals and following Man City’s defeated at Old Trafford, are the only team left with a 100% record in the League this season.

Three of the so-called ‘big four’ teams in the Premier League are back in their usual places, with Man Utd joining Chelsea in the top three, but the battle for 4th place looks likely to continue all season. Man City’s multi million pound investments look to be paying dividends early on as they occupy the fourth place but this position could be the most interesting battle of the season with several teams all capable of finishing in that elusive Champions League place. Arsenal has been the other side that have made up the ‘big four’ in recent years but they can expect competition from all of Tottenham Hotspur, Man City, Aston Villa and Everton.

The relegation battle it’s fair to say has not taken full shape yet, but already the warning signs are abound over teams such as Portsmouth, who are odds on favourites to go down even at this early stage. They have played six and lost them all so far which does not inspire too much confidence around Fratton Park and they must know that they simply must win soon or face the inevitable consequences and Pompey boss, Paul Hart, now heads the sack race betting market as first Premier League manager to leave this season.

Four points above them sit Hull City, who survived last season by the skin of their teeth and look destined to be in a season long fight to do the same. This also applies to Blackburn, although it is not altogether certain why they have started so badly under boss Sam Allardyce.

It is not too surprising to see Bolton amongst the early relegation candidates but it is to see West Ham. They have lost three of five games so far this season, including two at home and already West Ham fans are asking questions of manager, Gianfranco Zola. Whilst relegation favourites and Premier League new boys have started the season excellently, with a haul of nine points, becoming the first newly promoted team to win their first three home games since Blackburn Rovers in 1992.

It is too early in the season to make comprehensive predictions, however, it would be a fool who would back Pompey to stay up and Hull look just as likely as them to go down.

As far as the top end of the table is concerned, it is impossible to write off Man Utd, even without Cristiano Ronaldo, especially with Wayne Rooney seemingly appearing to have taken over the goal scoring mantle the now Real Madrid player left at Old Trafford. However, under Carlo Ancelotti, Chelsea look good and whilst they have been slapped with a transfer ban, their squad should be strong enough to see them through this season whilst Arsenal and Liverpool are not without a shout.

The only certain thing is that the Premier League provides plenty of excitement for fans and between now and May there are sure to be plenty of twists and turns at both ends of the table. The other certainty is that any fan who enjoys doing football accumulators each week can back the big four safe in the knowledge that they are likely to yield a profit.