The new season is almost upon us and no one is more excited than I am. The first full season I’ll be able to watch for more than 4 years. Many teams looking very, very strong. Surprise packages who many people have no idea about (Brentford). Arsenal Football Club still employ Mikel Arteta so a lot of premium AFTV content on the way. Ah trying to tailor a fitting preview for this coming season is almost impossible but watch me try😼
So the most commonly covered topics in previews are title challenge, top 6, relegation and individual awards but I’m trying to tie this up with a game week 1 preview so I will integrate all those predictions somehow.
The premier league has always been valued for it’s competitive nature but for the past four or five seasons it hasn’t lived up to this standard. Season after season bar 18/19 a team has been running away with the league which has made it so boring. However, this season most teams are looking hard to look past to be honest. I won’t go so much into transfers cause I talked in depth about them in my previous blogpost (check it out🤗) . The top four may look just complete but this is the premier league. We know fully well that Leicester are always in and around there, Arsenal have invested heavily and are also no involved in Europe at all. Teams like Villa have invested heavily and are already good so I don’t know where this notion of ‘top 4 is assured’ has come from. Let’s try to put an angle on this by looking at opening fixtures for each team
Manchester City vs Tottenham (Sunday 15th August, 6:30pm EAT)
These two teams have been in conversation for months concerning a certain English striker but now they have to do their talking on the pitch. This is the most eye-catching match of the weekend as the curtain raises at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium for the second time.
Tottenham. What are Tottenham’s goals for the season really? Behind the scenes they’ve had a horrid pre-season. With manager troubles, striker tantrums you really don’t know what to expect with them. They will also be part of the debuting group for the Europa Conference league and for sure they’ll want to win it. Anything Silverware will do for Tottenham at this point. So walking out for the first time under Nuno Espirito Santos what can Tottenham do not only in this particular fixture but during the entirety of this season. As much as we’ll banter and all that I genuinely do think Tottenham will do well. I think that Nuno will make them a defensive menace and even without Kane and Bale they will cope attacking wise. If Kane stays even better. I think that football has a way of deceiving us at times and as much as it looks very unlikely I do thing that Tottenham could challenge for the Top 4. I don’t think they’ll have enough to see it through but I think that they will be in and around. As for this game, season openers are always the hardest to predict but having season City’s attempt at playing football last Saturday I don’t think it will be a one sided affair.
As for the defending Champions I don’t think they can be placed in any other conversations but the title race. The only question is will they walk it or fight or it. I’m heavily inclined towards the latter I can’t lie. I don’t think they will defend it to be honest not even on the account of their strong rivals but I don’t think they themselves will be as strong as last season. I don’t think Ruben Dias will have back to back colossal seasons and neither will Gundogan. Of course City’s worst is still in and among the best in the premier league. I do think that the addition of Grealish and Kane will help them immensely but I just think Grealish will become the new Mahrez whereas I do think Kane will be the ultimate game changer. So where do I expect the bald fraud’s men to finish ? I think they will still win the league but it won’t be as easy.
As for this game, I literally have no idea. Especially with the dynamic of fans back in the mix. I’m leaning more towards Tottenham but I think i’ll go for a 2-2 draw.
Manchester United vs Leeds United (Saturday 14th August 2:30pm EAT)
The most successful club in England kick off their campaign vs one of their fiercest rivals Leeds United at Old Trafford, Saturday lunch time. What a way to commence what looks to be a very interesting season for the Red devils.
What exactly can we expect from the reds in this game and beyond. There’s been murmurs of new tactics and formations being introduced but I can only think of one lasting strategy; We have Sancho and they don’t. Jokes, jokes. But Ole has confirmed that he will be involved tomorrow and I can’t wait man. I literally can’t. We can finally play with both sides of the pitch😭 For the sake of this post let me put my feet back on the ground. United have made two high profile signings but are still lacking in two aspects in my eyes. Defensive midfield and the managerial position. Eh first day of the season na nikona mabad bad already😂 Let me not open the manager conversation for now. Without a defensive midfielder there is nothing United are doing this season because as good as Varane is he always needed his Casemiro. I tip them for 4th spot to be fair. I genuinely believe Liverpool, City and Chelsea have better squads and better managers (notice I said squad not players) But either way with ballers like Maguire, Shaw, Pogba and Sancho in this squad I still have them in the title race and for the FA cup trophy. For the game itself all I can do is hope that it ends the same way it did when Leeds came to Old Trafford last. Cause with United’s home form and their early season form the odds don’t look so good
Leeds on the other hand as excatly as they were but still under the watching eyes of Marcelo Bielsa. The thing with newish sides and promotion you never really know. It can go one of two ways; either they kick on and throw themselves into a European wrangle or they catch a case of second season syndrome and have a Sheffield-esque season and go back down. So as the only surviving promoted side from last season its hard to predict. But looking at most sides in the competition I do think Leeds have a superior quality squad and a very good manager. With the likes of Harrison, Bamford and Raphinha their attacking prospects are still looking decent. If they are to push on, however, they have to close up their defense. Their defensive stats didn’t look so good last season and with absolute monsters like Lukaku coming back to the league such will not go this season . Of course going to Old Trafford is hard for anyone, them especially after the beating they received last time they were visitors at the theatre. Though I highly doubt the same will be repeated, I do think United will edge it either way, 3-1.
Speaking of Lukaku…
Chelsea vs Crystal Palace (Saturday 14th August, 5:00pm EAT)
Chelsea begin their campaign with a London derby at the bridge. After copping the Super cup trophy mere days ago, they invite fans back to the bridge as they take on Crystal Palace.
I can’t begin to speak of Chelsea without speaking of their recent incoming. Romelu Lukaku re-joined the club of his youth. I know I said it didn’t scare me as much I think it finally hit me. Remembering the millions of chances that Chelsea created last season that luckily fell to Werner. It’s going to be a long season of Lukaku revisionism even though he was abysmal for us. I’m still watching out for that first touch though lol. But Chelsea as a whole what do you think of them? I would honestly say the opposite I said for City. I think we haven’t seen the best of the likes of Havertz, Silva, Werner and Ziyech. Adding Lukaku to all this and their able manager I think they will be the closest challengers to Man City and I think they will be either 1st or 2nd. Though they won’t walk the league they will walk this game.
What to say about Crystal Place. I think there’s just a class of teams which are always in and around the relegation battle but will always survive by the skin of their teeth. The Burnley’s, Newcastle’s, Brightons and Crystal Palace. With a new manger, Patrick Viera, do we expect them to come out more and possibly push for top 10? We can only say this after at least a couple of game weeks. This game however, I think they will take a small thrashing. 4-0 my prediction.
Brentford vs Arsenal (Friday 13th August, 10:00pm EAT)
At the Brentford community stadium the new premier league season commences as the new boys take on traditional giants.
Arsenal, Arsenal. It’s been a while since they were serious and as much as I love bants it’s just getting boring now. The obvious additions to the squad are obviously a good sign but the problems at this club aren’t going to be solved by Ben White and co. In comes the no European football. I just actually clocked this last week. This is actually a really HUGE factor cause essentially they’ll be playing Saturday- Saturday which is such an advantage over their ‘rivals’ For this reason I don’t place them below eighth but I still think Top 4 may be a bit out of reach for now. I do place them in the top four race. As for this game I have no idea how Arteta plans to counteract Brentfords seemigly attacking side.
Speaking of Brentford attacks, have you heard of Ivan Toney??? The thirty goal striker debuts in the premier league as well as in very many fantasy premier league squads including mine🙃. From what I’ve researched we’re getting a make shift Leeds without the crazy fitness. A very attacking side with defensive frailties. Always makes for an exciting game which I think Arsenal will just edge 2-1
Norwich City vs Liverpool (Saturday 14th August, 7:30pm)
Seems like this is the fixture that each of these teams get beginning of the season and Salah always seems to terrorize them each time (fpl tips😉)
Liverpool this season will be looking to do much more than just beating Norwich. After their Embarrassment of a title defense last season their main objective this season has to be to take it once again. But this season is no 19/20. Though their transfer activity doesn’t reflect their ambition the amount of players coming back from injury is immense for them. One of those being the phenomenon that is Virgil van Djik. This coupled with the return of their 12th man, the Anfield crowd, will make them a different force this season to last. But with the aging squad will they be able to sustain this over 38 games? Lets focus on this one
Norwich invite the once glorious reds to carrow road on their first game back. Daniel Farke will be looking to do what he couldn’t do last time and keep his club up. Just like last time, his first bite of the apple comes against Jurgen Klopp’s men. Personally I think they will fall once again, this time 4-1.
This game week also houses many other fixtures including Everton v Southampton, Watford vs Villa, Brighton v Burnley, Newcastle v West ham and Leicester v Wolves.
I’m so sorry if this seems like such a surface preview but to be fair it is game week 1. Expect the quality to increase with each game week. Feel free to contact me whenever on all my social media platforms. If you feel like reading is a hassle and would prefer to hear me speak just listen to mine and Ray’s podcast, we have a preview up👀 My predictions are on there as well.
See you next week and enjoy what this round of fixtures has to offer.
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