The eagerly awaited 2013/14 Barclays Premier League season is upon us and one must hope it will not be as mundane as last season. Only Manchester United fans will beg to differ on that one! At the very least the opening round of matches provided us with some rest bite from the media frenzy surrounding the futures of Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez and Wayne Rooney respectively, which in all honesty is becoming more and more tedious every time they're mentioned. Thankfully the football on the pitch gave us a reminder of what we have spent the last couple of months longing for. Champions Manchester United and new boss David Moyes began their season at Swansea City, while his successor at Everton, Roberto Martinez and Stoke City manager Mark Hughes also began life at their new clubs.
Same Old Arsenal?
No major signings, frustrated fans and inconsistent play The biggest story of the weekend would be that at the Emirates as Arsenal were beaten 3-1 by Aston Villa which did little to quell the frustration among the Gunners faithful. No trophy in eight years and a lack of a marquee - well any - signing has piled the pressure firmly on the shoulders of Arsene Wenger who also lost defender Laurent Koscielny to a second bookable offence in the defeat. Aston Villa however, were outstanding and asked serious questions every time they broke forward, signs that certainly bode well as they attempt to avoid a repeat of the relegation battle they endured last term. Arsenal's frustrations were condemned with - what they felt was - a poor refereeing display from Anthony Taylor. He correctly awarded the penalty to Villa in the first half, but the decision to award another spot kick in the second was more contentious as it could be argued Koscielny got a part of the ball before the man. Nonetheless it was a less than impressive start for a side who will likely be scrapping for a top four finish come the end of the season. It could however be a blessing in disguise. The unrest from the supporters following the final whistle on Saturday could push Wenger into action in the transfer market. This summer Arsenal have been linked with the likes of Rooney, Julio Cesar, Stevan Jovetic, Cesc Fabregas, Bernard and more recently Luiz Gustavo who opted to sign for Wolfsburg instead of a move to north London last week. Arsenal must not panic. It is the first of many games to come and while it was not the ideal beginning, one defeat does not mean anything. Arsenal are arguably three to four major signings away from being Premier League contenders. For Wenger though, he faces a sizeable battle already, with more questions it seems than answers.