Ten surprises of EPL season: Aaron Ramsey, hot and cold City, Southampton surprise

THE Premier League is 10 weeks in, and Fox Sports' Adam Peacock has picked 10 things that have caught his eye so far.

IT's a mad season: we know this.

Among the madness, many a surprise.

Here's 10 of them after the first 10 games of the Barclays Premier League season.

1. THE WELSH WIZARD

Maybe it's just a rule the Premier League will always have. Welsh wizard. Ryan Giggs held the mantle for the best part of two decades, and as age slowed him, Gareth Bale came along.

Then Bale headed of for some paella and a hairstyle competition with Ronaldo, and hey presto, Aaron Ramsay all of a sudden becomes one of the best in the league.

News_Rich_Media: Aaron Ramsey bags his tenth goal of the season as Arsenal down Liverpool, while Chelsea suffer a shock loss and Manchester City strike seventh heaven against Norwich.

How sudden? His first 148 Arsenal appearances yielded just 10 goals and with it, the oil' inconsistent tag.

The last 19 matches has seen him score 12 times, and he's now got more confidence than Biff Tannen on a racetrack.

2. OLIVIER!

Yeah it is a surprise to see Arsenal five points clear and Ramsay with that Welsh wizard hat on.

But how good has Olivier Giroud been?

News_Rich_Media: Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud says technical improvement and confidence are responsible for his rich vein of form which he will look to continue against Borussia Dortmund in Thursday morning's Champions League fixture.

The 13 million purchase from Montpellier had the unenviable task of replacing Robin van Persie last season. 17 goals for the campaign was OK, but this season he's slammed home eight times already, plus provided a number of telling assists (like to the Wizard in Dortmund) plus the statistically immeasurable - wonderful link up play.

Kinds helps when you're getting Hyatt-like service, but he's giving more than many thought.

3. SOMETHING ABOUT BAINES

Yes, Manchester United's position of eighth raises eyebrows, but with such a tight title race, it can be fixed with some astute work in January.

But is attention focused where it shouldn't be?

News_Image_File: Manchester United's manager David Moyes targeted Leighton Baines, but is he what he needs?

David Moyes' fascination with Leighton Baines seems to be verging on the focus Pat Healy and Ted Stroehmann put on Mary, in Something About Mary.

Which is all well and good, just wipe that off your ear, sorry. Where was … oh, yeah, it's all well and good to want a player like Baines, but LEFT BACK IS NOT THE BIG PROBLEM. Surely energy and money is better off spent in the middle of the park.

And say they do get the flowing locks of Leighton barrelling down the left flank at Old Trafford. Patrice Evra will take it really well and not cause a commotion whatsoever. Just search Evra + South Africa 2010.

News_Rich_Media: The biggest and best show boats from round 10 of the EPL.

2. JFK

It isn't a surprise to see him on this list. The reason he's on it is because it took the Director of Football at Newcastle this long to make a complete arse of himself. Again.

Kinnear got the gig in the off-season and outlined his plans in one of the highest great comedy routines on UK radio's Talksport - which was superbly summed up by the Daily Mirror.

News_Rich_Media: The top five saves from round 10 of the EPL.

Since then, he's been under the radar a little, until revelations last weekend he inquired about the services of Birmingham's Shane Ferguson. Nifty Shane is on loan at St Andrews. From Newcastle.

What do Newcastle fans think of him? Well, they call him JFK. His middle name isn't Fred.

5. GOING NORTH DOWN SOUTH

Southampton were one bad Artur Boruc bounce away from being second after 10 games.

Sixth will do and nobody outside St Marys Stadium saw this coming.

More organised than a battalion of soldiers with OCD, it is about to get tougher for Mauricio Pochettino's side - Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City and Spurs await before Santa Claus gets here.

News_Rich_Media: Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic scores after just 13 seconds against Southampton.

You can't argue with the start though - 4 goals conceded! The foundations have been set for an unprecedented season.

6. SERENADING SUAREZ

Go back to the Melbourne Victory friendly.

Made the point that night he looked like a man who had to give up masseuse duties with the Swedish women's volleyball team to attend his Aunty's 70th.

He wanted out, but however Brendan Rodgers chewed his ear off (yyyyyessss, try the veal!) it worked.

News_Image_File: Luis Suarez of Liverpool is loved by the Anfield masses again.

Luis loves Liverpool again. Liverpool loves Luis again. What transfer?!?

Wait. A trip to Uruguay awaits next week. Weird things tend to come out of his mouth when home.

Mr Rodgers, ready the pep talk … OK.

7. MARTINEZ, NOT STIRRED OR SHAKEN

News_Module: FS football promo FOX

Is the true indication of David Moyes not what happens at Manchester United, but what becomes of Everton?

Roberto Martinez was not the universal choice - he'd just seen Wigan relegated - but the way they've started suggests the Spaniard just needed a better bunch of players to show his ability.

one point off second is a great start. It'd be an even better finish.

8. NORWHAT?

Really, 22 million pounds for … what?

Chris Hughton brought in three strikers with pedigree but Norwich has a whole have playing like mutt's.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel, Gary Cooper and Johan Elmander have one goal and six shots BETWEEN THEM!

7m pound Midfielder Leroy Fer has gained most notoriety for his Sportsmanship of the Year Nomination against Cardiff.

Already the goal difference looks like a Uni student's toilet in O-week and you get the feeling bad things are about to happen to the likable Mr Hughton.

9. FALLING FOR THE OL' QPR TRICK

So lemme get this straight - a Premier League club buys everything that moves in an off-season and on paper look fantastic.

Except when they start playing they look as strong as a wet paper bag.

News_Image_File: Former Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway lost his job after a poor start to the season.

Not even Harry Houdini can save them, and they are duly relegated, poisonous dressing room and all.

So what do not one, but two Premier league clubs do this season?

They see the QPR template of last season, and duly copy most of it - buying over a dozen players each.

Then it goes to pot, both managers get sacked and they are in survival mode by September.

Bravo, Crystal Palace and Sunderland. Bravo.

News_Rich_Media: Highlights from Manchester City's 7-0 win over Norwich.

10. THE DARK SIDE OF THE BLUE MOON

Manchester City …. Whoooo are you, who, who, who, who …

At the moment, we don't know, and it's a bit of a surprise the regular flashes of brilliance haven't been maintained across the opening 10 games.

IF you haven't checked out the latest edition to the Fox Football stable, what are you waiting for?

Episode Four of the Fox Football Podcast is now live. Herald Sun chief football writer David Davutovic makes his debut alongside regulars Adam Peacock, Simon Hill and Daniel Garb.

All the big A-League issues, including ref blunders, Muscat's initiation, Heart's failures, F3 derby brilliance, plus plenty of fodder from London, with an eye on Manchester United's clash with Arsenal on the weekend, are some of the highlights of 30 minutes well worth listening to.

You can check it out here at the iTunes store, subscribe, and share your rating!

And if you're an Android user, you can find the pod on the iPP Podcast Player app.

News_Image_File: Manchester City's Argentinian striker Sergio Aguero (R) celebrates with Samir Nasri.

Who are they? The team that scores 12 goals in three days, the last five of which guarantee progression from the Champions League group stage (finally!) and belts Manchester United?

Who are they? The one defeated by Cardiff and Aston Villa?

They'll find it very hard to win the league with three more losses over the next 28 games to bottom half teams.

We really wanna know.