The EPL is Finally Living Up to the Hype

The English Premier League has always been one which has been subject to a lot of media attention and hype.

That, though was because of the "Big Four"—with their foreign stars and glamorous football. The league as a whole though, always flattered to deceive as there was a considerable amount of negativity or a safety first approach adopted by most teams which made most games look like snooze fests.

That said, this season has been a revelation of sorts.

Not only has the English Premier League produced some fabulous games, it has lived up to all the hype surrounding it. There is a big battle at the top of the table, and the relegation battle is looking very intriguing.

One of the most famous terms used in English football is "blip". When Jose Mourinho was the manager of Chelsea, you would always see Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger stating that they saw a "blip" or a result which could halt Chelsea's dominance.

This season, the feeling is that Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Arsenal in particular have had their fair share of blips. All the credit for that should go to the likes of Hull City and Aston Villa. These teams haven't used the negative tactics which so many supporters of the top four felt tried to stifle the teams that they supported.

The aforementioned teams have energetic British (and Irish) managers who want their teams to attack. In many ways, they have thrown down the gauntlet to the other teams to follow suit because they have proven that the "Big Four" aren't infallible.

The 2003-04 season ushered a period where teams which won the Premier League had to get 90 points or above. Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United managed to do that for almost four seasons. Last season saw the top three teams very close together at the end of the marathon.

Things won't be much different this season. If anything, the top five teams in the table look very capable of challenging each other—of course, the top three in the table as it stands today look like they will take it down to the wire. However, it isn't over until the proverbial fat lady sings and we are quite a distance away from that event happening.

The bottom 10 in the league have seen some very close encounters this season. Only eight points separate Bolton (currently 11th) and West Bromwich Albion (currently 20th) in what has been an absorbing relegation battle. Each result seems to have major ramifications on the bottom half of the table with teams leapfrogging each other at the end of every match-day.

Bryan Robson lead West Brom to safety in the 2004-05 season when many pundits felt that they were out of it by Christmas. Derby County were certainly a spent force by November last season.

No signs of sweeping statements about the title or the relegation battle seem to be appearing from anybody anymore.

The battles usually intensify at the turn of the New Year—and if that trend follows, things will only get more competitive.

This season can do a lot of good for English football as a whole. With teams looking to adopt a positive approach, their respective statuses in continental football will only improve.

Aston Villa look like they might well break the monopoly of the "Big Four", and nobody would have guessed that Hull City and Stoke City would be sitting so comfortably in the table as they are today, with West Brom occupying the 20th position in the table.

All this only points to the fact that the English Premier League is now more competitive than ever. Is that because of the money, or the star players?

Who cares? The English Premier League is finally living up to all the hype and is certainly fast becoming one of the most competitive leagues in world football.