S7M2: The only way is...

Damn did I miss that.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder and all the other cliches, but there is no feeling quite like the countdown to the first whistle being blown in a season. Pristine grass, stadium bursting physically and spiritually, new players, managers and kits, and for most....hope.

This season, for the first time, the season kicked off under floodlights and took a record-equalling 94 seconds to get going. The breathless pace continued through to a late win for the Arsenal, keeping the rebellion under wraps for another week at least.

Liverpool were next up and showed that defending was low on the priorities list for teams during preseason. Anfielditis - the disease that only allows you to move forwards.

Chelsea then took the baton and promptly used it to bludgeon themselves in the face, or more accurately bludgeon Burnley players in the legs. Twice. Huddersfield ruined F. de Boer's arrival on these shores to go top of the league, and the Wazza fairytale was completed, scoring the winner on debut again at Goodison Park. I have nothing to say about the Southampton-Swansea game.

Things reverted back to a more normal place after that - a Pulis team scored off a set piece, a plucky promoted side played above themselves for 70 minutes before eventually being swatted away by the City juggernaut and Man Utd & Spurs won comfortably.

According to twitter, Man Utd will now win the league. They did look good, but it's fair to say that West Ham are not the most testing of sides, especially once you get in front. Let's see how things play out in the next few weeks.

So, for the first time this season, let's get statty:

This week 27 people played
Number of people screwed by Friday night games: 1 (FT)
Most popular predicted results: Chelsea & Man City WINS (27/27)
Most disputed result: WBA vs Bournemouth (13-9-5 split)

Highest odds: Andrew Feneley's Mum (711/1)
Lowest odds: Steven Daniels (84/1)
Average odds: 368/1 - very low scoring week

Best predictor: David Silverman (8/10)
Worst predictors: Loads of you (4/10)

Best predicted result: Man City WIN (27/27)
Worst predicted result: Burnley WIN (0/27)

Everyone's scores:

No leaderboard until Matchday 3 remember guys #oldskl

To this week's predos:

Swansea vs Man Utd - MAN UTD
Bournemouth vs Watford - BOURNEMOUTH
Burnley vs WBA - BURNLEY
Leicester vs Brighton - LEICESTER
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace - LIVERPOOL
Southampton vs West Ham - DRAW
Stoke vs Arsenal - ARSENAL
Huddersfield vs Newcastle - HUDDERSFIELD
Spurs vs Chelsea - SPURS
Man City vs Everton - MAN CITY

Good luck guys, keep publicising the blog - had a few new players joining this week!