In watching many of the pregame shows and analysis before the opening kickoff to the English Premier League, we were reminded how the opening matches were going to be critical. If Aston Villa failed to get a result in its first match, for example, Alex McLeish would immediately come under fire among the club's supporters who didn't want the ex-Birmingham manager in charge in the first place. (His side drew, by the way, against Fulham.) We were informed that it was also critical Kenny Dalglish's side hit the ground running, and that the pressure could mount on the under-pressure Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. Folly, really -- it's the first round of games in the new season and already we're talking about "clash crunches."
Then again, you never how we'll look back on nine months' worth of fixtures, of points gained and dropped, come next May. While watching Liverpool versus Sunderland, I thought back to how Bolton claimed it was relegated in the 1997-98 season, with Everton surviving on goal difference, because of a goal being disallowed at the Reebok Stadium (the referee didn't have a clear view as to whether the ball had crossed the line) against the Toffees. That match happened Sept. 1.
Point is, you really never know when a solitary point can make the difference -- and it's what makes the first day of fixtures so engrossing, even amid some of the silly media hype.
Liverpool and Arsenal, two of the big teams in action on opening day, won't have any relegation worries this season. But both teams ended Saturday with disappointment, more so for Arsenal than Liverpool. Here's how it went down.
The Reds kicked things off first and gave their supporters cause for optimism, even though they ended in a 1-1 draw against Sunderland. Dalglish will no doubt want to bottle the energy and creativity his players showed in the first 45 minutes. The fluency of football they demonstrated belied the fact that King Kenny was starting four new players -- Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson, Sanchez Jose Enrique and Stewart Downing -- purchased during the summer transfer window. Adam, sitting in front of the back four, played the role of quarterback to perfection, distributing the ball and starting most attacks. Downing was a menace down the left flank, and made a terrific run on the right after being fed by an excellent early ball by John Flanagan. Downing finally burst into the middle, at the top of the box, only to see his effort smash off the crossbar.
It was a more familiar face, Luis Suarez, who was the best player for the Reds, full of energy and going between onside and offside positions to keep Sunderland's back four on their toes. The Uruguayan, who just returned to training this past week after his Copa America campaign, missed a penalty in the opening minutes of the game after Kieran Richardson fouled him in the penalty box. But Suarez atoned in the 12th minute, when he got on the end of an Adam free kick. It's a scene Liverpool supporters will likely be seeing a lot of this season, with Adam feeding the ball to Suarez and Andy Carroll. On this occasion, the Scotsman hit the ball in with plenty of pace, and Suarez helped it home with his head.
Liverpool will feel the victim of some bad luck. In the 21st minute, Carroll brought down an Adam cross with his chest and blasted the ball into the net, but the goal was disallowed for what must be said was only the faintest of touches when Carroll pushed Anton Ferdinand.
In the preseason, the main concern for Dalglish's side was conceding goals. Liverpool didn't come under too much pressure on this day, so we can't glean too much from Saturday's performance, but the 18-year-old Flanagan, for one, did look shaky at times. In the 57th minute, Ahmed Elmohamady launched a ball across the pitch to the left side, where Sebastian Larsson hit the sweetest of volleys back across goal into the side-netting. (His right foot was pretty much Sunderland's only weapon on the day.) There was nothing Pepe Reina could have done. Not so with Flanagan, who was caught ball watching. (This just minutes after he was sloppy and gave the ball away to Larsson, who served up a free header to Asamoah Gyan.)
Liverpool's energy was like a tire with a slow leak from then on. Sunderland was able to push forward a bit more, Suarez -- still not at full fitness -- was pulled in favor of Dirk Kuyt, and the Reds resorted to a lot of high balls to Carroll. Downing all but disappeared, and Sunderland's Lee Cattermole (a hothead on a yellow since the 27th minute) did well to close down Adam.
It's early doors, of course, and as Liverpool's new players develop more of an understanding with each other, we should see more of those first-half displays.
Arsenal's sad display
Meanwhile, Wenger's men drew 0-0 with a Newcastle side that should have been ripe for the taking after losing Enrique to Liverpool and Kevin Nolan to West Ham. But it spoke volumes about Arsenal's situation that the announcers made the point it was a blessing the Gunners started on the road so they could be spared any potential jeering from the frustrated supporters at the Emirates.
No matter, Arsenal put up a limp effort. A lot will be made of Gervinho being sent off in the 76th minute after he slapped Joey Barton on the side of the head. A lot will be made of how Barton play-acted in the way he fell down, and a lot could be made of Gervinho's simulation in the box after Ismael Cheik Tiote's challenge. Plenty will be made of the fact Barton should have been sent off, instead of receiving a mere yellow card, for instigating the confrontation by pulling Gervinho up from the back of his shirt. Then again, a lot could also be made for Alex Song being sent off earlier in the game for stomping on Barton's ankle, a flagrant foul that the officials failed to see.
But none of that changes that Arsenal failed to find the back of the net (there wasn't even a shot on goal by the Gunners in the first half) and that one of Wenger's players once again lost his cool against Newcastle (Abou Diaby saw red last season for pushing Barton and Nolan as the Gunners let a four-goal lead slip away). Saturday's altercation should have ended with Gervinho keeping his cool and Barton being sent off. Yes, the referee blew it, but Arsenal played right into Barton's hands. Again.
The absence of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri couldn't be ignored in this match. Fabregas, the player with the most assists among all the top leagues in Europe during the past season, is reportedly finishing up a transfer to Barcelona, and Nasri looks to be headed to City. Without them, the Gunners failed to impress for most of the match, and now they've got to host Udinese in the Champions League on Tuesday and Liverpool on Saturday, then away to Udinese and Manchester United.
It's the kind of run of matches that requires experience, yet Arsenal couldn't even find a way through Newcastle. There were bright spots: Center backs Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny were very good, as was Alex Song, aside from his disgraceful stomp. Occasionally, Arsenal showed flashes of its trademark quick one-twos, such as when Robin van Persie fed Aaron Ramsey, whose early ball to Theo Walcott was one of the team's rare shots on goal.
But in the end, it was a disappointing show for a team missing its two star players (along with the injured Jack Wilshere). Saturday marked Arsenal's 125th season, commemorated by a new crest on the players' jerseys. The question is whether this campaign will be memorable or forgettable. We know which category the first match falls under.