What Have We Learnt From the Opening Round of Premier League Games?

So the first week of the football season brought thrills, spills and plenty of goals. We're looking forward to the next 37 now!

It may be early days of course, but here's what we have learnt so far about how the campaign looks set to shape up:

Norwich are bang in trouble

Not that we enjoy being the harbingers of doom, but we did feel that the Canaries would struggle this term. They had a great season last time round, but much of that can be attributed to the now departed Paul Lambert. 

Similarly, it is hard to see Grant Holt having the same forceful impact as he did last campaign. Fulham may have looked lively, but in truth Norwich were ripped to shreds by a side tipped for mid-table obscurity. Expect a tricky nine months for Chris Hughton’s boys. 

Swansea are ready to surprise their critics

Here at Route One we – amongst many others – tipped the Swans to struggle. They’d lost their charismatic leader and brought in a managerial unknown in Michael Laudrup. QPR, their opponents, had invested heavily in new players during the summer. There was only one outcome, surely?

A 5-0 drubbing later, and the Swans were singing in the valleys well into the night. New Spanish sensation Michu scored twice and also hit the woodwork, and the platform for the beautiful game that Brendan Rodgers had put into place was well and truly continued at Loftus Road.

Liverpool and Arsenal are both works in progress

You couldn’t accuse either Arsene Wenger or Brendan Rodgers of putting their respective feet up this summer and taking it easy. The Frenchman may have lost his prized possession in Robin Van Persie, and the improving Alex Song by the looks of things, but he hasn’t rested on his laurels. He’s brought in Podolski, Giroud and Santi Cazorla, who put in a really eye-catching display in Saturday’s goalless draw with Sunderland.

Rodgers, on the other hand, has been tasked with reintroducing the silky football he developed at Swansea to the Anfield faithful, who have had to sit through the more ‘direct’ approach employed by ‘King’ Kenny Dalglish. 

And following the Reds’ 3-0 spanking at the hands of WBA, we have to surmise that this is very much a long-term project, rather than an overnight fix.

QPR need to bolster their defence. And fast

The transfer window slams shut in around 11 days time, and it will be painfully obvious to Mark Hughes, his coaching staff, the Loftus Road faithful and the players themselves that defensive reinforcements are required. Messrs Ferdinand, Onouha, Fabio and Hill were torn apart by the pace and trickery of Wayne Routledge and Nathan Dyer, as well as the midfield guile of Michu. 

The Hoops have brought in Jose ‘Eyebrow’ Bosingwa, but expect more to follow if Hughes’s men are to meet their pre-season expectations.

Hazard lights up Chelsea

A £32 million price tag would put a lot of pressure on most 21-year-olds, but it seemed on Saturday that young Eden has taken it in his stride. Despite an indifferent Community Shield the week before, Hazard lit up the DW Stadium with his inventive attacking play. 

We also got a glimpse of Oscar, and there was enough on show to suggest Chelsea could be right in the title race until Christmas at least.

Southampton aren’t just here to make up the numbers

The Man City and Southampton encounter on Sunday was a real crowd pleaser. Plenty of goals, plenty of endeavour and plenty of fancy footwork. And most notably – it wasn’t all from the team in light blue.

Nigel Adkins made a couple of bold decisions – leaving last season’s top scorer Rickie Lambert being the chief one – but what the Saints turned in was a gutsy, flowing performance that suggests they’ll be a handful for plenty of sides this season.

Same old, same old for Man City

And City did what City do well – get the three points when their backs are against the wall. Going 2-1 down to the Saints wasn’t on the agenda, but they did what all good champions do – fight back and get what turned out to be an unlikely victory. The injury to Sergio Aguero aside, things look ominous for the rest of the Premier League this season.

And what about Manchester United? They will be absolutely desperate to get one of their centre halves fit again, after witnessing Michael Carrick getting demolished by Marouane Fellaini in the air for Everton’s winner. And can they get at least two of Robin Van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck into the same starting line-up? Only time will tell...

Whatever happens, stay tuned to Route One for all of the latest football betting banter, tips and news.