Well, the EPL has dropped the puck and started! Cue much excitement! We have had 4 games (2 weekends) and we are beginning to see the league flesh out a little. Here are a few of my own personal thoughts on how the teams look.
First of all, my own team, the Phoenix.
Whilst I have not seen them play, I have been in touch with people who have, and read up on them and how they have done.
Well, at the moment, the Phoenix are 3 wins from 4. Starting with a win against Basingstoke, with Ed Courteney on fire, then a close-fought game with Swindon with the Phoenix winning by the odd goal, followed with another close win against Sheffield. Unfortunately, Milton Keynes rolled in, spoiled the party, and ended the Phoenix' perfect start. Apparently, though, the Phoenix' import contingent did not step up to the plate, and MK managed to play an excellent, tough game against Manchester and rattled the squad. Still, it was another odd goal affair.
Milton Keynes, tough team, sensible coach known to Manchester fans in Nick Poole, and a settled squad that is uesd to playing together. One of the EPL's perennial thereabouts team, only squad with a 100% record. Will be near the top of the pile come the end. Will the finish above the Phoenix? Maybe. Nick has a lot of experience at this level. Whilst Manchester has a good team, their experience at this level is limited.
Basingstoke. Same record as the Phoenix, 3-1. Good solid team, and expected to be fighting for silverware. Lost to Phoenix on opening night, then rolled into Guildford and stamped on the Flames. Follwed with another weekend of happy hunting. A close game at home against last years surprise champions, and then a comfy 6-1 win against Romford.
Guildford. The "chequebook" team. A title that might well end up being passed to the Phoenix or Basingstoke! However, Guildford is similar to MK, there or thereabouts all year. Solid team, some excellent players, and a good winning mentality. However, this year. they currently have a 50% record. Losing their opening weekend games, against MK and Basingstoke, but last weekend enjoying victories against Swindon and Slough.
Swindon. Solid team that is hard to play against. Competent team members, but lack the budget of some of their rivals. Opened the season with a 6-1 win against Romford, but then just lost to the Phoenix, followed by a 4-2 reverse to Guildford, and a 10-2 kicking from Bracknell.
Bracknell. Lost a lot of players from last years thank to the ownership crisis which nearly sank the team over the summer. However, some quick and sensible recruiting. Starting with Claude Dumas. Who has been in the UK game since we used rocks for pucks! The squad itself has some sensible imports, and a list of good young Brits, and has the potential to upset a lot of people. So far, a big loss to Slough (9-0) followed with a better result later (5-7) coupled with a 5-2 turnover from MK. However, Bracknell did thump Swindon...
Sheffield. A squad that is doing its best under the shadow of the more moneyed Steelers. Has a squad that once boasted Ron Shudra, one of the UK's biggest names in the game. But now led by the more than capable Jon Rowbotham, the Scimitars are proving to be a difficult squad to beat. Opening weekend saw wins against Peterborough and Romford, the following weekend saw them lose to The Phoenix, then bounce back with a 2nd win against Peterborough. However, they have since lost their first goalie, Paul Jones to a hip injury. Surgery will keep him out until the new year at the moment!
Slough. This team suffered a whole-sale clearout of players. Once the ever-green Moria was released and ended up just up the road in Basingstoke, he enticed several of the Jets critical players, such as Nicky Chinn. However, the new coach Peter Russell has built a tough squad that lies second in the table. An opening night 9-0 win over Bracknell has been followed by wins over Peterborough and a second over Bracknell. Broken by an OT loss to Guildford.
Peterborough. Last year saw this team claim pretty much all the silverware, including the cutlery off the table! However, that overstretched the club financially, and this year has seen the pain kick in. Several of the squad had to be cut and cheaper alternatives brought in, and the results have suffered accordingly. Not getting beat by much, but currently on an 0-4 record.
Finally. Romford. Like Bracknell, had ownership issues which rumbled on so long that the whole squad effectively is brand new. Also, assembled on a budget, and it looks like a tough year. On paper, a great team. Lots of promise, but like Peterborough, 0-4. With a worse goal record. It is still early, and maybe they can turn things around, but at the moment, look like odds-on for the bottom slot.
So, the table at the moment.
place Team Played Win Loss Points
1 Milton Keynes 4 4 0 8
2 Slough 4 3 1 7
3 Manchester 4 3 1 6
4 Sheffield 4 3 1 6
5 Basingstoke 4 3 1 6
6 Guildford 4 2 2 4
7 Bracknell 4 1 3 2
8 Swindon 4 1 3 2
9 Peterborough 4 0 4 0
10 Romford 4 0 4 0
How do I see the league shaping up? Well, Fully expect it to be Manchester Basingstoke and Milton Keynes making it the top 3, followed next by Slough, Guildford and Sheffield, with Swindon and Bracknell staying close, then the basement made up by the teams there now. I am, of course, ready to be proved wrong!
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