English Premier League opening weekend

This weekend was the opening weekend of the EPL, and it started with a few good matches. To start off with it is extremely encouraging that ESPN2 has picked up games for this years EPL. But is that at the cost of losing Champions League, which is now at Fox Soccer Net. Most basic cable providers are idiots and don't have Fox Soccer Net on its standard cableing setup. Cableing setup was just now made up by me by the way.

Chelsea 2-1 Hull
With that being said it was extremely encouraging to see some more football on the basic cableing setup this morning. Oh ya. Basic cableing setup. Chelsea and Hull City played this morning on ESPN2 and was largely uninspired football. Chelsea really should have put Jozy's future squad away but Hull hung in there. At least until Didier Drogba accidentally crossed one into the net. It was an obvious accident goal and what makes it even better is that in the post game interviews, Drogba admitted it was a cross. It isn't that Chelsea didn't deserve the win, they dominated play and possession to the tune of almost 70% in their favor, they just failed to finish unlike Arsenal.

Everton 1-6 Arsenal
Maybe this game should have been covered by basic cableing setup (there it is again) instead of the boring Chelsea match. Having this game featured would have taken the EPL to another level of respect in the States because of its electric play and finishing. Arsenal has basically been talked out of the top four though this summer because its lack of major signings, its major personnel loses, and Man City's major spending spree. In traditional Arsene Wenger style, he refused to go out and break the bank for a superstar that might in the long run ruin the beautiful chemistry that his young gunners have. After today, he looks like a genius because his young guns got the job done along with his plug and play central defensive signee Thomas Vermaelen. The losses that Arsenal "suffered" this summer included Adebayor and Toure. Toure was a popular Gunner and many fans were sad to see him go, but Adebayor had overstayed his welcome and Wenger got a good price for him. Both went to the supposed new EPL powerhouse Manchester City. On top of Adebayor and Toure, Man City also loaded up its already talented roster with the likes of Man U's Carlos Tevez, Gareth Barry, and Roque Santa Cruz. Personally I think they will have problems keeping all the strikers happy.

Blackburn 0-2 Man City
Man City looked smart signing Adebayor as he nets one in his opening game. Man City didn't just bolster their attacking game though and it showed throughout the game when the home side Blackburn was on the attack. Shay Given, Kolo Toure, Micah Richards and Gareth Barry all put in the work to make sure the new look Man City's debut was a clean sheet. We will keep track of Man City throughout the year to see if the spending spree was worth it. Anything less than a top four finish would seem like a waste of money to me and probably thousands of hopeful Blues supporters.

Portsmouth 0-1 Fulham
Important to note that recently extended "Deuce" Clint Dempsey had an assist. Technically he shot it and it deflected off of Bobby Zamora but whatever. It looks like his successful summer with the national squad has paid off.

The other matches really weren't of note other than Wigans 2-0 victory at Aston Villa.

I hope soccer fans in the U.S. can more closely follow the EPL this year. Soccer seems to be on the rise after this excellent summer. I am pretty sure that on ESPN's top ten plays there were soccer goals a few times too. What a shock. I could really care less though if the MLS succeeds or fails. If they aren't going to put forth a successful and entertaining product it doesn't deserve to compete with the EPL or any of the other major European football leagues. Why would I want to watch the Crew vs. the Fire when I could have Chelsea, Manchester, Arsenal, Liverpool, Fulham, etc any given Saturday from Fall through the Spring. I guess the MLS holds us over during the summer months. Whatever. Americans.

P.S. I will probably say soccer because we will be blogging about the NFL, NCAA, and Highschool football too so it just makes everything easier to say soccer and football instead of football and handegg :)

Jared