Oh yes!!!!! The football is back!!!!!
All the expectations, disappointments, and indeed brilliance was back last weekend as England's elite league got under way, with what was some what tentative start by most standards.
Yes there were outstanding performances, and none more so than Manchester City new-boy Sergio Aguero.
The new £38 million man got his City career off to an astonishing start as he came off the bench for thirty minutes against newly promoted Swansea and set about destroying their resilience by scoring two and setting up another as City strolled to a 4-0 opening fixture win to get their title challenge off to the best possible start and cement the fact they mean business for real this time round.
City dominated the play in advanced area's whilst Swansea played nice stuff but without any conviction or end product, but showed the league exactly what they will be about this season.
But it wasn't until the little Argentine, this time not Carlos Tevez, but Aguero entered the frey as it was looking more and more frustrating for the Blue's of Manchester.
They had just taken the lead through Dzeko moments earlier but it wasn't until Aguero came on that City really flexed their muscle's and he certainly took centre stage.
His first was a simple tap in from two or three yards, then he flicked the ball over the keeper and somehow managed to keep the ball in, but also in the same lunge set up Silva to make it three.
Then in the last minutes of the game he picked the ball up around 35 yards out, was given space to drift in by the lax Swansea defense and he duly obliged with a thunderous shot which crashed in the corner to round off a very impressive 30 minute debut.
City's neighbours United struggled past a resilient West Brom side who had pegged back the Champions after Wayne Rooney's opener, but almost inevitably United somehow got their win as they seem to do so often without particularly playing to well.
Optimistic Liverpool fans would have been left ruing several missed chances in their opening game, especially being at Anfield against a Sunderland team that was totally new-look.
Luis Suarez was back for the Red's fresh from his virtuoso performances for his country helping them lift the Copa America just a couple of weeks ago, and he certainly looked fit as he charged down the defender, went clear through and was crudely bought down by Richardson as he was rounding the keeper.
Yellow for Richardson, penalty for Liverpool which Suarez promptly smashed into row triple z as he failed to put the home side ahead.
It wasn't long though before he made amends as he nodded in a free kick from Charlie Adam as Liverpool totally dominated the first 45mins.
Sunderland came out refreshed after the break and pushed the home side further and further back and were rewarded with a sublime equaliser from new boy Seb Larsson as he scissor kicked a cross which flashed past Pepe Reina. They deserved the equaliser and Liverpool didn't really have an answer. Point was fair result. Sunderland would have been the happier camp though.
The other 'Big Guns' also faltered as both Chelsea and Arsenal were both held to goalless draws by Stoke and Newcastle respectively.
Arsenal had a more eventful game as their new striker Gervinho was red carded for a fracas involving, who else but the ever involved Joey Barton.
The scouser felt the Arsenal man had dived to try to win a penalty, he was actually clipped in the box but DID go down in about thirty five stages to make a meal of it. Barton grasped him by the collar and told him his version of events and got a slap for his input. Gervinho then saw red and the game drizzled out to finish 0-0.
Barton was stamped on by Song in this game also, Song has now been charged by the F.A for this.
Fulham hosted Villa at Craven Cottage but this was also a game dominated by the defensive parts of the two sides as this encounter also ran up zero goals.
Relegation candidates went head to head in the first 'Six Pointer' of the season as Wigan welcomed promoted Norwich City to town, both teams battled hard and Wigan broke the deadlock from the spot after 21 min's. But their lead didn't even make it to half time as the visitors pulled level on the stroke of half time to ensure no 'Let's Be Havin' Ya' rally cries from Delia Smith from the stands.
The game failed to bare any more fruit for either team in the second period and yet another two sides shared the spoils as this one finished 1-1.
Two more relegation baited teams went head to head at Ewood Park, Blackburn took on Mick McCarthy's Wolves team. Blackburn's Manager Steve Kean had been quoted as saying that their aim over the next 4 or 5 seasons was to make the Champions League places....yes you read that right....CHAMPIONS LEAGUE, not CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!
This opening day defeat saw them take the lead on 20 mins, only to be pegged back two minutes later by a force full Wolves side. It ended 1-1 at the break only for Blackburn to concede two minutes after the re-start and hold on to pick up a very good three points against one of their rival's down at the bottom.
The only other game that was played was Championship Champions Q.P.R hosting Bolton at Loftus Road.
Unfortunately for the promoted club, Bolton showed the gap between even the 'mid-table' sides in the top league and the new clubs who will be in a season-long relegation battle.
Cahill curled in the opener and pick of the goals, and reporters being told that 'he does that every week in training' by his team mates after the game.
So, first game down, and on the opening games showings it does look like the club's from Manchester will be definitely setting the pace..........
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