Is La Liga about to get interesting?

One major gripe against La Liga’s appeal in recent times has been the unrelenting stranglehold that Barcelona and Real Madrid have held over Spain’s top division. Not since Rafa Benitez’s Valencia in 2004 has a side managed to threaten the dominance of Spain’s big two.

Equally, many have derided the one-sided nature of matches featuring both Barca and Real – dare we say it, making La Liga “boring” and “predictable” (well, I subscribe the latter, at least).

However, if the early weeks of the season are anything to go by, then this season could prove a little tougher for coaches Tata Martino and Carlo Ancelotti.

Barcelona’s opening day demolition of a woeful Levante apart (and they were really woeful), the top two have had to endure some much closer encounters against their La Liga counterparts – none more so than on Saturday evening.

Firstly, Barca survived a scare against an impressive Sevilla with the visitors coming from 2-0 down to level late on at the Nou Camp only for Lionel Messi to weave his magic in the 93rd minute and create a tap in for Alexis Sanchez – maintaining Barca’s 100% early season record.

Meanwhile, Gareth Bale (you may have heard) marked his Real debut with a goal but it wasn’t enough to beat a stubborn Villarreal team who are now level on points with their Madrid rivals with 10 points from four matches.

It would take a brave man to bet against another Barca-Real one-two in 2013/14 (I certainly won’t be) but the rest of La Liga are likely to offer a much sterner test for the pair this time around and ensure for a much more competitive season.

That Gareth Barry is alright, ain’t he?

Sometimes in football you get a reputation and it sticks.

Unfortunately for Gareth Barry, his career is tainted by two enduring images. Firstly, for being the player ex-Liverpool boss Benitez wanted to replace Anfield favourite Xabi Alonso with (Benitez could have replaced him with Andrea Pirlo and people would’ve moaned). And secondly, for being outstripped by Mesut Ozil in the 2010 World Cup when Barry’s fleet of foot replicated that of a man trudging along in quick sand as the German raced clear and helped to compound England’s woes.

Pace has never been Barry’s forte, mind. He is though a player who reads the game exceptionally well and distributes the ball with understated simplicity. It were these attributes that made him one of City’s shingling lights last season (oh, and a place in the coveted JAFB Team of the Year, of course).

It was therefore a little surprising to see Manchester City allow Barry to move on loan to Everton during the Transfer Window. What was less surprising was the way in which Barry slotted in with ease to the Toffees’ midfield and helped to keep the diminutive presences of Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Andre Schurrle largely at bay during Everton’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea.

At 32 Barry is no spring chicken (and may yet get slower – perish the thought) but the former Aston Villa captain could prove one of the shrewdest buys of the summer.

Is the Premier League boring?

The Premier League is often described as the best and most entertaining league in the world.

That assumption is subjective, of course. Depending on where you’re from and who you support, you’re likely to have a different opinion.

One thing the Premier League has always been associated with, however, is goals. And lots of them. Just take the final weekend of last season, for instance. A mammoth 36 goals were scored across 10 final day games – including a bonkers 5-5 draw involving West Brom and Manchester United.

This season, though, has got off to a rather tentative start – emphasised further still by a drab 0-0 encounter between Southampton and West Ham on Sunday – and the self-proclaimed “best league in the world” is lagging behind in comparison to some of its big-name rivals.

Just take a look at this table I knocked up (“knocked up” being a good way to describe it).

This could all turn out to be an early season blip (let’s hope so, right?) but, for the moment, the Premier League is far from the best league in the world. In fact, it’s a little bit boring.