Only 3 Percent of EPL Matches End In A Shock Win

Before today’s two shock results (Portsmouth 2-1 Man United, and Arsenal 0-1 West Ham), how many times this season had there been shock wins? Well, the answer is 19. Out of the 619 matches played this season prior to Saturday, only 3% of those matches featured shock wins (which equates to a shock result once in every 32 matches). Some of you may disagree, but here are the 19 matches that I consider shock wins this season:Middlesbrough 2-1 ChelseaManchester City 1-0 ArsenalEverton 3-0 LiverpoolManchester United 0-1 ArsenalTottenham Hotspur 2-1 ChelseaWest Ham United 1-0 ArsenalBolton Wanderers 3-1 ArsenalFulham 2-1 ArsenalWest Ham United 1-0 Manchester UnitedArsenal 6-2 Blackburn RoversSheffield United 1-0 ArsenalReading 6-0 West Ham UnitedMiddlesbrough 5-1 Bolton WanderersLiverpool 2-0 ChelseaWatford 2-1 MiddlesbroughArsenal 2-1 Manchester UnitedSheffield United 2-1 Tottenham HotspurBlackburn Rovers 1-2 West Ham UnitedEverton 1-0 ArsenalWhat does this say about the English Premier League? By far, shock wins occur far too infrequently. Nineteen shock results out of 619 matches screams of far too many predictable matches. And predictability breeds boredom.What needs to happen to buck the trend? First, more teams need to play attacking football like Reading and go for the jugular in matches instead of sitting back in fear. Second, the top four teams in the four horse race need to move up to a European Super League to allow the remainder of the Premiership teams to face a fair fight and give them an opportunity to win the league. Otherwise the gap between the top four and the teams below will continue to increase even more to the detriment of the league.