The highlight of the summer for every football supporter is the release of FourFourTwo‘s season previews that went through each division from Premier League to League Two in great detail before predicting where every side would finish.
When the Premier League went into hibernation back in March as Covid-19 gripped the globe, there were suggestions that the season may never be played to a conclusion and that we may not see live football for months. ‘Project Restart’ put an end to lingering hopes that Liverpool might have somehow been denied a first league title in 30 years, as the Premier League returned in late June in bio-secure, empty stadiums that made it clear that regardless of what is happening in the rest of the world, the show must go on. The new season is kicking off only 48 days after the last one ended and the later than usual start means that the fixture list looks more congested than ever – bigger clubs with bigger squads will surely be at an advantage.
Jurgen Klopp’s side romped to the title through breath-taking counter-attacking and sheer bloody-mindedness brought about by coming so close the year before. There looks to be a lack of funds to strengthen from a position of power but the emergence of a talented group of young players means that the squad should remain fresh. Putting up a 95+ points total for a third season in a row will be some going though.
Spending power has never, and will never, be an issue for Manchester City under the ownership of Sheikh Mansour and they have already added to a squad that disappointed at home and abroad last season. Pep Guardiola has never remained at a club for as long as the fifth season he is about to enter in Manchester, an indication that he still believes in the project that enticed him to England in the first place.
Chelsea have been the most active side in the transfer market as they try to bridge the gap in quality between the top two and the rest. Frank Lampard’s side will be in competition with Arsenal, Man United and Spurs for the last two Champions League spots as all look to be in fairly competent shape after underwhelming for large parts of last season.
A group of teams just below the top six look exciting but their comparative lack of resources combined with less chaos at the ‘top six’ will probably prevent them challenging for top four. Wolves and Leicester have established themselves as the best of the rest over the past couple of seasons but Southampton showed more than enough after lockdown to suggest they will be up there with them. Everton have backed Carlo Ancelotti in the transfer market but time will tell if owner Farhad Moshiri has finally found the right manager.
Chris Wilder and Sheffield United were the surprise of last season as they defied expectations to finish in the top-half. The second season is usually more difficult but they’ll have enough to be comfortable. Brighton, West Ham and Crystal Palace all had inconsistent spells last season but all look like they are good enough to avoid a relegation battle.
Burnley and Newcastle don’t seem like particularly harmonious environments at the moment and that could see them much closer to the relegation zone than they’d like to be. Villa survived on the final day of last season and should be buoyed that Jack Grealish looks set to stay, but they were both leaky in defence and stingy in attack in 2019/20.
Of the promoted sides, Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds are the most exciting. They were brilliant across their two seasons under the Argentine in the Championship as their high-tempo football finally got them back to the top flight after 16 years away. West Brom are intriguing under Slaven Bilic but lack a genuine goalscorer as of now and whilst Fulham have one in Aleksander Mitrovic, they struggled to impress in the second tier until it came to the play-offs.
The transfer window remaining open until well into October means that clubs have an opportunity to see just how bad they really are before splurging on new talent and making these predictions look terrible.
20. Fulham
Fulham’s last spell in the top-flight saw them go through three different managers, spend over £100 million on players and finish bottom of the league with relegation confirmed by April. Scott Parker was the last of those three managers and has successfully guided them back to the Premier League in his first full season in the role. Their 2-1 win over London rivals Brentford in the play-off final at Wembley was the crowning glory in a season that was not always straightforward and saw the former England and Spurs midfielder learn a lot. A lot more learning will need to take place this season as the Cottagers don’t look to be tight enough at the back or have enough goal-scoring alternatives to Aleksander Mitrovic in attack to survive.
Parker’s side struggled to set the Championship alight last season despite spending heavily on the likes of Ivan Cavaleiro and Anthony Knockaert and hanging on to star players Mitrovic and Tom Cairney. They were far more pragmatic than the side that went up through the play-offs in 2018 under Slavisa Jokanovic and often looked to use possession to hang on to leads rather than carve teams open. Having Mitrovic upfront was the key to Fulham’s success; the big Serbian scored 26 goals in 40 appearances as he once again proved he’s far too good to be playing outside of the top tier.
However, the play-offs saw Parker show some real promise as both a tactician and a motivator. They bossed the first leg of their semi-final against Cardiff without Mitrovic as Bobby Decordova-Reid and Josh Onomah were given the freedom to dominate proceedings. In the final, Joe Bryan credited his manager for spotting that Brentford goalkeeper David Raya left much of his goal exposed from long-range free-kicks, the full-back took advantage to open the scoring at Wembley. The aftermath of the play-off final appeared to show that Parker has developed a real team spirit at Craven Cottage, in stark contrast to the collection of individuals that took Fulham down in 2019.
Marek Rodak started the season as Fulham’s back-up keeper but showed more than enough when he was brought in to the side in October to suggest that he deserves a shot at the Premier League. If new loan signing from PSG, Alphonse Areola is to take his place it would suggest Fulham may not have learnt as many lessons from their first promotion as their other business suggests. Michael Hector had a transformative effect on the defence when he was finally eligible to play in January following a loan move from Chelsea that was completed after the August deadline, and he will need to be at his best this season as Tim Ream looked out of his depth at this level in the past. Bryan is far better going forward than in defence at left-back and Parker seemed unsure of who his best right-back was – a new face would be helpful.
The midfield was comfortable in possession and adept at winning the ball back, thanks to the industry of Harrison Read. Read’s permanent signing from Southampton is handy but Parker will need more imagination from Cairney and new loan signing Mario Lemina if Fulham are going to create enough chances for Mitrovic. Keeping the main man fit will be vital as although they won the play-offs without him, it is hard to see the supporting cast scoring many goals in the Premier League. More is needed from Cavaleiro and Knockaert.
The transfer business so far looks a lot smarter than the summer of 2018. Antonee Robinson is a good signing for a cut-price fee and could easily take Bryan’s place in the team by season’s end. More signings like him will help create a more unified squad and also set Fulham up well for another year in the second tier if it comes to it.
Whilst Scott Parker did so well in helping his side to play-off glory, there are still a lot of questions regarding the effectiveness of his sides playing style. Ultimately an inexperienced manager coupled with a squad that lacks Premier League quality does not look like a good combination.
What do they still need: A centre-back with Premier League experience – Hector has been fantastic so far but has never played a Premier League game, an experienced partner would help not only him but also benefit Fulham’s defensive organisation as a whole.
Something to look out for: Scott Parker’s tie bars.
19. Newcastle United
The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia looked on the verge of making Newcastle United their latest exercise in soft power early this summer but the move fell through thanks to the Premier League’s steadfast defence of it’s broadcast rights and oh yeah.. the sanctity of human life. They now face another season of chronic mismanagement under Mike Ashley that will only further suck the life out of the club. An underwhelming playing squad, an unpopular manager, and an even more unpopular owner looks like a recipe for relegation.
Steve Bruce’s friends in the media were desperate to tell everyone how great a job the Newcastle-born manager was doing last season, but that just made people take notice of how poor his side actually were, despite a comfortable mid-table finish. Newcastle finished with the lowest expected goals and highest expected goals against of any team in the Premier League – they were lucky to be so far clear of the drop.
What Bruce did well was maintain the basic structure of the side established by Rafa Benitez. A back five that defended deep whilst looking to make the most of Jonjo Shelvey’s long passing to hit teams on the counter has been the Magpies modus operandi for the past three seasons now under both Bruce and Benitez. It helps to make up for a lack of quality in several areas of the squad but often makes Newcastle a hard watch.
There were attempts to move to a more adventurous 4-4-1-1 when safety had been secured, to get more out of exciting attackers Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-Maximin. It remains to be seen if Bruce will continue with a system that made his team noticeably more open at the back.
An injury to consistent performer Martin Dubravka has created a problem in goal at the start of the season. The likes of Jamal Lascelles (also injured) and Federico Fernandez are solid centre-backs and look comfortable in the back five. Their best defender, Fabian Schar, was often dropped by Bruce last season and is now injured as well. Jamal Lewis is an instant upgrade on the left-backs at the club, although there are still doubts about his defensive ability. There are plenty of bodies capable of playing right-back, but none of them play it very well.
The real problem is creating chances and scoring goals though. Andy Carroll, Dwight Gayle and Joelinton only managed six league goal between them which is obviously underwhelming, although it is not entirely their fault as the rest of the team provide hardly any chances for them. Saint-Maximin and Almiron both showed flashes of promise and need to be given greater freedom to get the best out of them.
Jeff Hendrick is a good pick-up on a free transfer but won’t transform the team. Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson arrive on the back of poor seasons at Bournemouth and whilst both had good spells in better times on the South Coast, I’m not sure they suit Bruce’s system. Wilson in particular may find it tough leading the line on his own with very little support when he was regularly part of a front two at Bournemouth.
There has been a real sense of apathy around St.James Park for years now but it seems to have somehow gotten even worse following the failed takeover bid. Whilst Ashley has put his hand in his pocket in the past week, this squad of players needed consistent replenishing over the last few windows as well. The new arrivals will make them better but with Bruce at the helm, it’s hard to see Newcastle getting as fortunate as they did in 2019/20.
What do they still need: A new owner that doesn’t have a history of human rights abuses – The Saudi dream had some nightmarish undertones, it would be nice to see someone buy Newcastle who isn’t directly responsible for public beheadings, imprisoning dissidents and murdering journalists, and simply cares about the club.
Something to look out for: Whatever Andy Carroll does next with his facial hair
18. West Bromwich Albion
The Baggies have ‘boing-ed’ their way back to the top tier after a record fifth promotion to the Premier League at the end of Slaven Bilic’s first season at The Hawthorns. Whilst not always entirely convincing – they failed to win any of their last four games in the Championship and only won promotion thanks to Brentford slipping up on the home straight – Bilic did well to galvanise a group of experienced campaigners who had fallen short in the play-offs the year before. Keeping them in the Premier League will be a far greater challenge though and gaps in key areas of the squad need addressing if West Brom are going to avoid a record-equaling fifth Premier League relegation.
Bilic did well to get them promoted but is yet to have much consistent success as a club manager. His intense honesty undoubtedly plays a part in creating a fantastic dressing room spirit everywhere he goes but his visible distress during the nervy final day draw with QPR, that just about snatched promotion, seemed to symbolize how the Croatian can let his emotions get the better of him and his teams. His time at West Ham deteriorated badly following the draining experience of Dimitri Payet refusing to play for the club. Bilic keeping his calm could go a long way to focusing the minds of his players.
Similar to Fulham, they were a side that often lacked fluency in their play and often relied on outstanding individual performances to bail them out. Semi Ajayi, Romaine Sawyers, Grady Diangana and especially Matheus Pereira had exceptional seasons in the second tier and it will be interesting to see how they adapt to the Premier League.
However, there are several areas of concern in the starting eleven. Sam Johnstone in goal has failed to replicate the form he showed at Aston Villa in 2017/18 in his two seasons on the west side of Birmingham. Nathan Ferguson looked great on either side of the defence in the first half of the campaign but has now departed for Crystal Palace, although fellow academy graduate Dara O’Shea was an adequate replacement. A greater concern is finding a consistent partner for Ajayi at centre-back. Neither Kyle Bartley nor Ahmed Hegazi convinced, but Cedric Kipre has been brought in for a knock-down fee from Wigan. The Frenchman impressed in his two seasons in the Championship, and for less than £1 million he could prove to be one of the best value for money signings in the league, but the Premier League is a very different beast.
Jake Livermore impressed with his work-rate and leadership last season and compliments Sawyers guile and creativity nicely in midfield. Ahead of them, Pereira and Diangana were the most enjoyable aspect of this West Brom side as they tore oppostion defences apart with their trickery and shared ability to drift past opponents as though they aren’t even there.
The biggest issue for this West Brom side though is there lack of a consistently good centre-forward. Hal Robson-Kanu and Charlie Austin both finished the season with 10 league goals but neither really made the starting spot their own and they don’t look likely to be able to score the goals to keep the Baggies up. Last summer’s big-money signing upfront should probably serve as a warning for their business in this market; Kenneth Zohore cost £8 million from Cardiff, scored only 3 league goals and was being left out of squads that included nine substitutes after lockdown. Callum Robinson returns after doing well on loan but it is unclear if he is capable of scoring goals in the Premier League.
Bilic is one of football’s good guys and it would be great to see him get the best out of the likes of Pereira and Diangana at the highest level but the problems with the squad that cropped up last season don’t appear to have been adequately fixed as of yet, particularly in terms of finding a goalscorer. This looks like being one of the most competitive seasons ever down the bottom of the league and not having someone who can get get into double figures for goals could be fatal.
What do they still need: A striker – Robson-Kanu isn’t clinical enough, Austin doesn’t seem fit enough to play Saturday-Tuesday anymore and Zohore is currently costing £2,666,666.66 per goal.
Something to look out for: Bilic having what must now be his fourth hair transplant
17. Burnley
Burnley under Sean Dyche have become a fantastic advert for the impact stability can have on a football club. Last season’s impressive 10th place finish came at the end of Dyche’s eighth season at the club with five of those being in the Premier League. However, cracks began to appear in the relationship between club and manager as Project Restart got underway. Dyche expressed clear frustration at the club’s inability to extend the contracts of several first-team players until the end of the elongated season, resulting in him putting two goalkeepers on the bench on several occasions. In the past he has also shown clear annoyance at the club’s lack of activity in the transfer market and as of yet Burnley have only added back-up keeper Will Norris in the window. A reported fallout with chairman Mike Garlick has led to suggestions that the former Chesterfield centre-back is looking to move on.
If Dyche stays, Burnley will stay up. He has created a side that will battle to the death for him regardless of perceived inferiority in terms of talent. Everyone knows how Burnley are going to play, they will sit on the edge of their own box when defending and look to make the most of their physicality in attack by getting the ball into the box regularly, but no-one has yet found a way to truly expose them. The spine of the team is incredibly strong with Nick Pope, Ben Mee, James Tarkowski, Ashley Westwood and Chris Wood all having brilliant seasons last time round.
It is not only their physicality that impressed last season though. Dwight McNeil brought an element of artistry to the wide areas and at only 20, you would think he will continue to get better in this campaign. His wonderful crossing ability brought 6 assists and made the likes of Wood and Ashley Barnes an even greater threat, it would be no surprise to see the big boys come calling for him soon.
The biggest issue Dyche has is the lack of depth in the squad. At the end of last season, four players left at the end of their contracts and back-up centre-back Ben Gibson has joined Norwich. Should Tarkowski or Mee suffer a serious injury, the only option to take their place is Kevin Long who has just over 100 career appearances at the age of 30. Josh Brownhill arrived from Bristol City back in January and looks a good replacement for the departing Jeff Hendrick, but Burnley need to be adding to their squad not simply replacing those who leave.
The window is still open for another month but there has been no real indication that they are looking to do a lot of business. The club have often prioritsed recruiting from within the UK and that comes at a premium compared to the gems that can be picked up from abroad with a talented recruitment structure in place.
If another Premier League job becomes available in the bottom half of the table, Dyche will surely be the bookies’ favourite to get it and losing him would be a disaster for Burnley. He has taken them up to the Premier League twice and even into Europe – he may feel it is time to challenge himself somewhere with more financial clout. Burnley need to evolve if they are going to match his ability as a coach.
What do they still need: More ambition in the transfer market – Their record transfer is the £15 million they spent on Gibson in 2018 and whilst the conservative model has served them well, it could cost them both Dyche and a place in the Premier League.
Something to look out for: So many long balls into channels.
16. Aston Villa
In theory, if Hawkeye hadn’t crashed during the first game of Premier League football following the enforced break, Aston Villa would be kicking off this season in the Championship. The technology failed to see that Villa keeper Orjan Nyland had fallen into his own goal with the ball in his hands and well over the line. The game ended 0-0 and Villa finished the season only a point above relegated Bournemouth and with a worse goal difference. Obviously there was a lot of football still to be played from that moment but Villa were a touch fortunate to survive after a difficult first season back in the top flight.
They conceded 65 goals in the 2019/20 season, only bottom of the table Norwich let in more. There was a clear improvement at the back after lockdown as boyhood Villa fan Dean Smith reverted to a back four after an unsuccessful experiment with an extra centre-back. There was also a real struggle to score and create goals if opponents managed to keep the mercurial Jack Grealish quiet, following a serious knee injury suffered by Brazilian striker Wesley on New Year’s Day. Strikers Keinan Davis, Mbwana Samatta and Borja Baston managed only one goal between them.
Injury to Tom Heaton and his back-up Jed Steer meant that Smith often changed goalkeepers between Nyland and January arrival Pepe Reina. Neither looked particularly convincing but with Heaton ruled out until at least October, picking one of the understudies and sticking with him could help bring some familiarity to the leaky back-line. In defence, Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings struck up a decent partnership and Matt Targett and new signing Matty Cash are great attacking full-backs but may need to improve defensively if Villa are going to stay up.
John McGinn returning from an ankle injury for the run-in helped massively as he provided an excellent foil for Grealish despite not quite getting back to his best form. A full season from the Scottish international affectionately known as ‘meatball’ should make Villa’s midfield a lot more durable. Next to him, Douglas Luiz steadily improved after some erratic early displays.
The squad looks to have a lot of potential in attacking areas but as of yet, Grealish is the only one to deliver on it. The fee they’ve paid for Ollie Watkins of Brentford has raised eyebrows but he is exactly what they needed, he will both create chances for himself and finish them off. He has worked with Dean Smith before and annihilated the Championship last year, he looks ready for the Premier League.
Last summer, Villa were accused of ‘doing a Fulham’ after spending over £100 million on new players following promotion. In truth, bodies were needed after several loans ended and contracts expired after victory in the play-off final but a lot of the recruitment turned out to be poor. The signings of Cash and Watkins look to be much smarter moves after both excelled in the Championship.
The pandemic helped get McGinn back for the run-in last season and looks like it has helped them to keep Grealish this season as talk of a big money move has quietened massively over recent weeks. He is a special player and Smith needs to continue to build the team around him if Villa are going to re-establish themselves as Premier League regulars. It was clear that his manager learned a lot in his first season at the top level and should be better for the experience, he just needs to be supported with better player recruitment and Villa should be fine.
What do they still need: Tom Heaton back – Villa now look strong in a lot of areas but in goal is not one of them. Reina is past his best and Nyland has failed to look convincing during his time at Villa Park. Heaton has established himself as a Premier League keeper and will improve the side when he returns.
Something to look out for: Jack Grealish’s calves continuing to develop at the same rate as his footballing ability.
15. Crystal Palace
Last season ended really poorly for Palace, they won only won game post-lockdown and that was the first one against soon to be relegated Bournemouth. This came on the back of a start to the season that saw them comfortably in mid-table despite limited investment in the playing squad. However, first round exits in both of the domestic cup competitions and an increasingly dour style of play under Roy Hodgson – Palace scored only 31 league goals last season – meant that an air of discontent began to spread among the supporters.
Hodgson deserves a lot of respect for what he has achieved at Palace, and in the game, but there seems to be a feeling around the club that a younger, more vibrant manager would be a better fit. A banner was put up outside Selhurst Park before the penultimate home game of the season against Man United that read ‘End the season by starting careers, play the youth.’ Youth prospects Tyrick Mitchell and Brandon Pierrick had found it hard to get opportunities as Hodgson continued to prefer seasoned pros like Patrick van Aanholt, James McArthur, Andros Townsend and Scott Dann despite there being very little to play for.
Hodgson has become renown for the exhaustive shape work he does in training to ensure his sides are always organised and hard to beat. It has served him well since he arrived at Palace back in September 2017, as he put a difficult spell as England manager behind him to secure three seasons of mid-table security for the club he grew up supporting. The problem seems to be that there is no great belief that he can either change the style to make them a more enjoyable team to watch or take them any higher up the table, and that often leads to calls for a change.
Palace almost always look solid at the back, Vicente Guaita has impressed in goal whilst Gary Cahill is perfect for the low block that Hodgson prefers. At times it seems as though it doesn’t really matter who plays in the back four as the whole squad is so well drilled that they all understand how to remain compact, and that was important as last season they had a spate of injuries in defence.
The midfield is probably both the reason that Palace struggle to create goal scoring opportunities and also why they are so difficult to break down. McArthur, James McCarthy, Cheikou Kouyate and Luka Milivojevic are all dilligent in their defensive work but lack creativity.
Wilfried Zaha had a difficult season following a failed move to Arsenal, scoring only 4 league goals, but his talismanic qualities remain as he showed when scoring a late equaliser against Brighton in the A23 derby. Christian Benteke continues to have a torrid time in front of goal (six goals in three seasons), but is not helped by the aforementioned lack of creativity behind him. Palace’s most impressive forward last season was Jordan Ayew, who managed nine league goals despite feeding on scraps for the most part and putting in a huge shift defensively.
The transfer business they have done is very exciting but does look as though it may be laying down the groundwork for Hodgson’s replacement. The 73 year-old’s contract expires at the end of this season and the arrival of Ebere Eze, on the back of nutmegging half of the Championship, suggests Palace are hoping to move towards a more adventurous style of play. Promising defender Nathan Ferguson has arrived from West Brom but will Hodgson play him ahead of the trusted old guard at the back?
Hopefully Eze will be given an advanced midfield birth to shine in rather than being pushed out to the wing and that in turn will make Palace more exciting. Hodgson can always revert to type if things don’t start well and will probably keep them up, but it does increasingly feel as though Palace are ready for a fist-pumping, thirty something manager from the continent in a tracksuit who plays high-pressing, aggressive football that captures the imagination of the Holmesdale Fanatics.
What do they still need: A new manager – This feels very much in ‘be careful what you wish for’ territory but Palace looked like they needed a new voice and fresh ideas at the end of last season.
Something to look out for: How Hodgson and assistant Ray Lewington spend a potential severance package – At Euro 2016, they were spotted taking a scenic boat-ride down the Seine.
14. West Ham United
West Ham continue to frustrate supporters as they spend big money on players that either don’t fit their system or are past their best, contributing to wildly inconsistent performances on the pitch. This single sentence review of last season could be applied to practically every season they’ve had under the ownership of Davids Sullivan and Gold. The move to the much maligned Olympic Stadium, an over-reliance on agents to identify transfer targets and failure to adequately upgrade the training facilities are just the start of the fans issues with the board and there appears to be even more vitriol coming there way after sanctioning the transfer of promising youngster Grady Diangana to West Brom.
David Moyes has, somewhat unfairly, become a byword for mediocrity and it says a lot that they improved massively when he returned for a second spell following the sacking of his replacement Manuel Pellegrini. He settled on a 4-2-3-1 that worked well thanks to the physicality of Declan Rice and January arrival Thomas Soucek in midfield and the remarkable form of Michail Antonio, who was used as an out-and-out centre-forward.
Lukas Fabianski is one of the best keepers in the league and has performed similar miracles in East London as he did for Swansea. He has had to as the defence in front of him has been consistently poor. The full-back areas look as though they could be improved on, although academy product Ben Johnson is pushing for a starting berth at right-back and could well be the answer to that problem. Angelo Ogbonna and Issa Diop formed a serviceable partnership at the back but both look to have a mistake in them, possibly explaining reports that Diangana has been sold in order to fund a move for a centre-back. Moyes did well to create a somewhat cohesive defensive unit with the tools at his disposal.
The midfield now looks settled as Soucek has been signed on a permanent deal following his loan and Rice is set to stay after being linked with Chelsea. Mark Noble was regularly used ahead of them and whilst he’s not getting any younger, his leadership, experience and love for West Ham helps keep an often tumultuous environment on the right side of utter chaos.
The signings the club have made in advanced midfield positions and upfront are the most frustrating aspect of West Ham’s recruitment. The jury is still out on Pablo Fornals, Sebastian Haller and Andriy Yarmolenko but Manuel Lanzini and Felipe Anderson have failed to deliver after promising starts to their West Ham careers. However, January arrival Jarrod Bowen looked increasingly effective after tearing up the Championship with Hull and Antonio surely deserves to keep his place upfront ahead of Haller.
Soucek aside, there have been no new arrivals. The Diangana sale kind of makes sense as it would be hard to find buyers for the likes of Lanzini and Anderson and they have a lot of bodies in that area of the pitch. Other departures – Jordan Hugill, Alban Ajeti, Pablo Zabaleta, Carlos Sanchez and particularly Roberto – are probably a good indication as to why the supporters have so little faith in the owners to spend the money wisely.
No doubt mid-table will be seen as not good enough at the end of the season and Moyes will be turfed out in favour of a more exciting name, only to be brought back when they’re in a relegation battle in 18 months time. This highly likely scenario sums up the issues at West Ham; the club isn’t moving in any clear direction, are they happy with mid-table or do they want to be challenging for Europe? Do they want to be playing attractive football or are they willing to win at all costs? Will the next signing be a promising Championship player making a step-up, like Bowen, or a fading star on the way down, like Anderson? Answering these questions will benefit West Ham massively in the long-term.
What do they still need: New owners – Every year it seems as though Sullivan, Gold and Karen Brady find a new way to antagonise the supporters. It doesn’t seem like it will be possible for them to ever recover their reputation at the club and a parting of the ways seems the best solution for all.
Something to look out for: The London Stadium going full on Mad Max when supporters are allowed to return, if Sullivan, Gold and Brady are still around.
13. Brighton and Hove Albion
There was something bordering on outrage last summer when ‘real football man’ Chris Hughton was unexpectedly sacked by Brighton owner Tony Bloom despite leading them to the top-flight in 2017 and keeping them there for two seasons. He was replaced by Graham Potter, who had just one season in British football under his belt with Swansea, finishing 10th in the Championship. The former Ostersunds coach was brought in to revolutionise the style of play as Brighton had become overly reliant on an organised defence.
Whilst much was made of the changes Potter made last season (they attempted almost 2,000 more passes than in Hughton’s final season), for the most part they simply became dull with the ball rather than dull without it, as they had been previously. Pottter is an interesting and innovative coach, and there were some standout wins over the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal, but Brighton really lacked any sort of pace or penetration in behind for large parts of the season.
There seemed to be an improvement in performances after the lockdown but ultimately they scored only 39 goals and continued to make errors playing out from the back that cost them dearly against the better sides. It may be strange to see them this high up in these predictions then, but Brighton’s transfer business, combined with Potter having more time to get his playing philosophy across, should serve them well.
The clear-out of stalwarts of the Hughton regime has continued – both Glenn Murray and Shane Duffy have departed – but more significantly, Ben White has been retained despite strong interest from Leeds and Adam Lallana could be a great pick-up if he can stay fit.
Matty Ryan has adapted well to being a goalkeeper that starts attacking moves from the back but it is the options at centre-back that standout. White, Lewis Dunk and Adam Webster are all good defenders and comfortable on the ball and should allow Potter to easily change between a back four and back three, as he did at times last season. Right-back Tariq Lamptey really impressed at times after joining from Chelsea in January and Potter’s experiment of playing centre-back Dan Burn at left-back worked fairly well.
The midfield was an issue for Brighton. Dale Stephens is perhaps not of the required level to become a deep-lying play-maker in the Premier League and the likes of Davy Propper and Pascal Gross have a lot of quality but lack physicality. The departure of Aaron Mooy was something of a surprise but replacing him with someone more dynamic should serve the team well. Yves Bissouma is developing into a great ball-winning midfielder and should be a regular this season.
Lallana will bring creativity to a side that sometimes lacked ideas, although Leandro Trossard and Neal Maupay showed promise last season and will hopefully continue to improve. There are a group of interesting young players at the club as well with Aaron Connolly, Steven Alzate and Alexis Mac Allister all breaking through under a coach who clearly puts faith in youth. This season could see young Irish midfielder Jason Molumby join their ranks after impressing on loan at Millwall.
There is clear faith within the club that the Potter project is for the long-term. He was given a contract extension until 2025 only months into the job last season and has shown he has a lot of talent as a coach. As the playing squad becomes more and more his own, Brighton look like a team that will only get better.
What do they still need: More pace in the side – Jose Izquierdo returning from a serious knee injury should give Potter an option to stretch teams but he was a hardly a consistent performer under Hughton. Should Dan James be made available for a loan by Man United, re-uniting with Potter on the south coast could be a beneficial move for all parties.
Something to look out for: There is a 34 centimetre height difference between full-back pairing Lamptey (1.64m) and Burn (1.98m).
12. Sheffield United
Last season, Sheffield United defied all expectations as they briefly flirted with European qualification before finishing in the top half after a stellar first season at this level for manager and boyhood supporter Chris Wilder. They were tactically impressive, ferociously committed and heartwarmingly honest as a group of players. A lot of them have been with the club since their time in League One, but looked at home in the Premier League. The second season is traditionally more difficult for promoted sides, but the Blades have the perfect man to see them through any problems that arise.
Wilder will continue to be tactically innovative. The overlapping centre-backs are now well known about, but last season they dropped back the number 10 from their 5-2-1-2 to create a 5-3-2. The main beneficiary was utility player John Lundstram who hadn’t been a regular in the Championship, but in this new role took the Premier League by storm, scoring 5 times and becoming a fantasy football legend.
Dean Henderson has returned to Old Trafford after two great seasons at Bramall Lane. Replacement Aaron Ramsdale may not be quite the same level but he has one of the best defensive units in the division in front of him. Chris Basham, John Egan and Jack O’Connell were all outstanding last season both defensively and providing support in attack. Their brilliance probably overshadowed the consistent excellence of wing-backs George Baldock and Enda Stevens who are vital for maintaining width.
Oliver Norwood, John Fleck and Lundstram in midfield were almost as impressive as the defensive trio as they more than dispelled lazy punditry that suggested Wilder’s side were a bunch of long-ball brutes. Norwood’s passing range and Fleck’s ability to wriggle out of tight spaces were particularly delightful. Sander Berge arrived for a club-record fee in January and provides a more physical option.
Much was made of David McGoldrick’s inability to break his Premier League duck (his first goal came in July against Chelsea), but his work-rate and tactical intelligence makes him invaluable to the system. Oli McBurnie and Lys Mousset top-scored for the Blades with only 6 each, and the team managed only 39 between them – highlighting just how impressive the defence was. McBurnie showed enough after lockdown to suggest he should be persisted with but a new option up-top would be useful.
Jayden Bogle and Max Lowe have arrived from Derby to provide cover in the wing-back roles. These seem like smart moves as Wilder’s side looked tired at times with so many games in a short space of time during Project Restart. Exceptional young Welsh defender/midfielder Ethan Ampadu has joined on loan for the season and you would imagine it will initially be hard for him to break into the side, but if he buys into the team spirit Wilder has created, he’ll be given chances to shine. Oli Burke has something to prove after so far failing to deliver on the potential he showed at Nottingham Forest, he has the perfect manager to help him do it.
A drop into the bottom half from the giddy heights of last season’s 9th place finish shouldn’t be seen as a failure. Despite spending big on Berge, the Blades are still working with a smaller budget than many of those who will finish below them. With Wilder at the helm and more smart buys in the window, Sheffield United look like a side who will be in the Premier League for years to come.
What do they still need: More goals – If they had someone who could reach double figures for goals, Sheff U would probably be in Europe this season. Rhian Brewster is reportedly available after tearing up the Championship and could make a great partner for McBurnie.
Something to look out for: Turn off the fake crowd noise and enjoy the soothing tones of Chris Wilder screaming ‘Billy! Billy! Billy!’ in the broadest of Yorkshire accents
11. Leeds United
You probably haven’t heard, but Leeds United are back in the Premier League. Despite all of the narrative of ending 16 years in the EFL wilderness, the return of the Manchester-Leeds rivalry and just how much everyone hates them, the real story is their remarkable improvement under Marcelo Bielsa. Leeds became a completely different side under the influential Argentine as he introduced a high-energy, fast-paced playing style that was too much for most of the Championship to handle. They are now back in the big time and it will probably not be quite so straightforward, but they look so well drilled under Bielsa and were a better side than a lot of Premier League teams last year.
The former Athletic Bilbao and Marseille manager arrived at Elland Road in June 2018 and immediately made the squad fitter. His infamous ‘murder ball’ sessions helped to make Leeds the most energetic and intense side in the Championship. They more than merited promotion in his first year in England, suggestions that his side burnt out are probably only partially true as it looked more like the pressure created by the supporters was a more detrimental factor. Last season, they bounced back magnificently and pulled away from the promotion chasing pack after lockdown, comfortably securing a return to the Premier League.
Bielsa’s preferred tactical set-up is the much mytholigised 3-3-1-3, it allows his side to run all over their opponents and I think it will help them catch teams by surprise at the start of this season. Illan Meslier looked comfortable in goal after taking Kiko Casilla’s place once the Spaniard was banned for racially abusing Charlton’s Jonathan Leko. He had very little to do in truth but never looked like cracking under pressure despite being only 20. Replacing Ben White will be quite the feat for new signing Robin Koch, although he arrives highly rated from Freiburg. It is also great to see Luke Ayling get a shot at the Premier League after his astronomic improvement under Bielsa.
The midfield is probably the most exciting element of this Leeds’ side as Kalvin Phillips was the best midfielder in the Championship last season, combining ball-winning and play-making from deep. Pablo Hernandez has been outstanding as well; creating chances, scoring vital goals and proving impossible for opponents to pick-up. Mateusz Klich is another who is more than worthy of an opportunity at the highest level after two good seasons as a goal-scoring midfielder.
New arrival Rodrigo is arguably the most impressive signing ever made by a newly-promoted side as the current Spain international has been linked with big moves for years now. It will be hard for him to break into the side though as Bielsa’s love for everything Patrick Bamford does, apart from scoring goals, meant he remained in the team all season long, despite scoring 16 league goals when his Xg suggests he should have got 35.
There is a chance Bielsa could simply walk away at any point as he did at both Lille and Lazio, but so far Leeds have done a great job of ensuring the manager has been given everything he needs to succeed. If they continue to play the way they did last season, relegation should not be a worry and if Rodrigo hits the ground running, the lofty heights of mid-table are more than achievable.
What do they still need: Patience – The whole club seems to have the capacity to enter a neurotic frenzy at the slightest hint of a problem. A poor result can often be painted as the sky falling and the supporters will need to be less expectant than they’ve been in the past, particularly on difficult days against the big boys. It could be a blessing in disguise that Elland Road will be empty for the opening weeks of the season.
Something to look out for: Bielsa treating us all to a Powerpoint explaining how he knows more about Frank Lampard’s Chelsea than Frank Lampard does.
10. Leicester City
If you can somehow cast your mind back to December 2019, you might just remember that Leicester City were in the title race at one point. A fast start to Brendan Rodgers’ first full season at the King Power Stadium saw them 7 points behind leaders Liverpool heading into a game with third-placed Manchester City on December 21st. They lost at the Etihad and then to Liverpool on Boxing Day and there season never fully recovered. The Foxes’ won only four of their final 17 games and dropped out of the Champion League spots with a final day defeat to Man United. The signs are still good for Leicester though as they have a season in Europe to look forward to, lots of good players and a manager who is always looking to better himself.
Despite the end to the season leaving a bitter taste in the mouth, a fifth place finish should be seen as a success for Leicester and in the first half of the campaign they played some great football. Rodgers has gone a long way to shedding the David Brent style of leadership that marred his time at Liverpool and is genuinely one of Britain’s best coaches. The use of James Maddison and Youri Tielemans in front of Wilfried N’didi in midfield made them exciting going forward before Christmas, but Rodgers seemed to run out of ideas when Maddison, Ricardo Pereira and Ben Chilwell were missing through injury in the run-in.
Jonny Evans and Caglar Soyuncu were imperious when the team was doing well but the young Turkish international particularly struggled when the results stopped arriving. Pereira is one of the best right-backs in the league and they will hope he can return before the New Year from an ACL injury. The signing of Timothy Castagne from Atalanta suggests they are better prepared for life without the Portuguese defender, although a replacement for Chilwell following his move to Chelsea is yet to be found. The versatile James Justin will probably fill in for him but it is unclear if he is ready for a full season in the Premier League.
The Maddison-Tielemans-N’didi triumvirate needs to re-find some form, more competition could perhaps help with that but the likes of Harvey Barnes, Kelechi Iheanacho, Ayoze Perez and Demarai Gray need to show a lot more consistency if Leicester are going to be challenging for Europe again. A lack of depth was a real issue across the season and looks to be Leicester’s biggest weakness.
Jamie Vardy is still banging the goals in upfront and will continue to do so, but he needs more support. With Leicester having the Europa League on top of a congested league campaign, Vardy will not be able to play every game, and with Iheanacho now re-invented as an attacking midfielder, he has no obvious understudy.
Rodgers is a good enough coach to learn from where things went wrong at the end of last season and that should see them get back to being somewhere near the level they were at at the start of last season. The Europa League should not be looked down upon as it could provide a backdoor into the Champions League for a side like Leicester. They need to get active in the transfer window though if they are going to make it back-to-back seasons in Europe.
What do they still need: An alternative to Vardy – Vardy is still brilliant and shows no signs of slowing down soon, he could do with some help though. A bigger, more physical forward option would bring something different to the Leicester attack and make them less predictable.
Something to look out for: Brendan Rodgers having a glowing tan despite one of the coldest Summers in living memory.
9. Everton
Everton are beginning their third ‘project’ of owner Farhad Moshiri’s time at the club but it is unclear how close they really are to finally competing with the top six. Carlo Ancelotti has three Champions League winners’ medals so would seem like a decent candidate to get them into the competition, but despite an initial improvement in results after replacing Marco Silva, the Toffees were incredibly underwhelming in the run-in. In the last week, Moshiri has pumped even more money in to give Ancelotti the midfield he desired and that should make them better than last season, although there are problems at both ends of the pitch.
Whilst Ancelotti has a sparkling CV, doubts remain about his ability to build something akin to Jurgen Klopp’s work across Stanley Park. He often comes in to ready-made sides and helps them win trophies through a combination of allowing attacking players to express themselves and impressive man-management. He introduced a 4-4-2 upon arriving at Goodison Park that allowed Richarlison to partner Dominic Calvert-Lewin upfront, but it was massively undermined by a porous midfield that did not look fit for purpose in the Premier League.
Jordan Pickford continues to make errors on a regular basis whilst neither Yerry Mina or Michael Keane have fully convinced next to Mason Holgate at the back. Lucas Digne is a good attacking threat but still looks like he struggles with the physicality of the Premier League at times whilst Seamus Coleman has never fully recovered from his horrific leg-break. Jonjoe Kenny could be a decent replacement for Coleman after a fairly good loan spell in Germany, but the defence needs just as much work as the midfield did a week ago.
New signings Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan should make a good midfield pairing. Allan will bring a tenacity that simply wasn’t there last season and Doucoure has been one of the most underrated players in the Premier League in recent years. Even more excitingly, James Rodriguez has arrived from Real Madrid. The Colombian has struggled to make an impact at the Bernabeu in recent years but clearly has a good relationship with Ancelotti and a lot of talent. A slight worry is that all of these signings are 29 and are clearly an attempt to build for now rather than the future. Offloading the likes of Fabian Delph, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Theo Walcott and Yannick Bolasie would probably be a good idea if Everton are going to stay on the right side of FFP.
Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison are a hard-working front two and cause a lot of problems at times with their directness and physicality. They managed 26 goals between them last season but will need to get more if contributions from Moise Kean, Alex Iwobi and Bernard remain so sparse.
Everton’s transfer business has probably increased their chances of doing well this season but there still remains too many doubts for them to truly challenge for continental qualification. Giving the keys to the castle to Ancelotti could be a canny move if another defender arrives and the likes of Pickford can find some consistent form, especially considering the Italians’ record in cup competitions. However, it would be no real surprise to see this project fail to get off the ground in the same way as Ronald Koeman’s and Marco Silva’s, leaving Moshiri looking for another manager in a year or so.
What do they still need: Chris Smalling – He became something of a joke at Man United but was one of their better defenders under both Van Gaal and Mourinho. He has just had an impressive season with Roma and could be a hit at Goodison as a man with something to prove, provided Ancelotti doesn’t ask him to play out from the back too often.
Something to look out for: Just how arched Ancelotti’s eyebrow can become when Pickford drops another clanger
8. Wolverhampton Wanderers
Back-to-back seventh place finishes have to be seen as a remarkable success for Nuno Espirito Santo and Wolves, especially considering they played 59 games in a 383 day season in 2019/20 with a fairly small squad. The backing of owners Fosun International coupled with agent Jorge Mendes’ contact book has helped the former Porto goalkeeper shape one of the most well-rounded, and well-drilled, starting elevens in the Premier League. They did the double over Man City last season, were unbeaten against Man United and secured a breath-taking 3-2 win at Tottenham, despite also going deep in the Europa League. They just missed out on European qualification on the last day but look in good shape to challenge the established top six once again.
Under Nuno, Wolves have been one of the biggest advocates of the back three in the football league. They rarely move away from the established system as there is clearly such great belief in its merits from three years of perfecting it at Molineux. They sit deep and invite teams on to them before springing on the break with raking diagonal passes from de-facto quarterback Conor Coady. It gets the best out of their dynamic forwards and there are few more dangerous midfielders for the ball to fall to on the edge of the box than Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho.
Rui Patricio is another of Mendes’ gifts to the club and is easily one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League and Coady, Willy Boly and Romain Saiss have become a solid defensive unit ahead of him. The sale of Matt Doherty to Spurs for a relatively small fee looks somewhat peculiar considering how much of an attacking threat the Irishman was from right wing-back, but it would be no surprise to see Mendes help to find an equally impressive replacement. Regular left wing-back Jonny Otto suffered a serious knee injury in the Europa League quarter-final loss to Sevilla and will be a big miss. New signing Marcal from Lyon can cover for him as well as at centre-back but it is hard to think Wolves won’t miss their two main wing-backs from last season.
Neves and Moutinho have a great partnership and control games with their passing, whilst Leander Dendoncker provides an athletic alternative. Moutinho is 34 now so finding an equally impressive replacement may seem a daunting task but will need to happen relatively soon. A problem Wolves can sometimes have is that they lack a more subtle lock-picking sort of player in advanced midfield positions, this was particularly evident when opponents would sit deep against them as Neves can only score so many 30-yard screamers a season (2 last season).
Adama Traore was one of the most improved players in the league last season as the speedboat finally found a driver. He links up with Raul Jimenez brilliantly – they combined for 10 goals in 2019/20 – and if they both continue to play at their current level, Nuno’s side will comfortably be in the top half. More support is needed from Diogo Jota, January arrival Daniel Podence and £35 million signing Fabio Silva if Wolves are going to challenge the Champions League places – the Old Gold’s 51 league goals last season was respectable but only the eighth highest tally in the league.
Wolves biggest worry is surely their small playing squad, they used only 21 players last season (the lowest number in the Premier League), despite having so many games. This season, there will be less games with no European football but the congested fixture list means that Nuno’s men will surely be at a disadvantage. The absence of Jonny and Doherty also removes one of their best defenders and one of their best attacking threats. Top half is still impressive for a side that was in the bottom half of the Championship not too long ago, but Wolves ambitious owners will need to continue investing heavily if they are going to bring Champions League football to the West Midlands.
What do they still need: Creativity in midfield – Several games last season highlghted Wolves inability to breakdown sides that did to them what they usually do to other teams. This was most evident in the 2-0 home defeat to Arsenal in July as Mikel Arteta matched up Wolves formation and sat off them as Wolves never really looked like scoring.
Something to look out for: Adama Traore’s baby-oiled arms
7. Southampton
By the end of last season, Southampton became one of the most enjoyable sides to watch in the Premier League as Ralph Hassenhuttl’s intense pressing game looked to have been fully instilled into his players. The same players had lost 9-0 to Leicester back in October (in case you hadn’t heard), yet only the two Manchester clubs picked up more points than the Saints after the restart. In fact, only six teams picked up more points after that hammering at St.Marys. A win over City and a draw at Old Trafford showed that this Southampton team is only going to get better and better.
Hassenhuttl had a fairly slow start to life on the South Coast as he secured a 16th place finish in his first half season before winning only two of the opening 13 league games in 2019/20. The defeat to Leicester looked like it could be the end for the Austrian, but there seemed to be a belief within the club that his methods would come good eventually. By the run-in, Hassenhuttl had implemented his 4-2-2-2 formation that brought him great success in Germany and, crucially, he had settled on a regular starting eleven that understood the intricacies of his pressing system.
Alex McCarthy took Angus Gunn’s place in goal after the poor start to the season and was generally solid despite a couple of high-profile errors. Ryan Bertrand is quietly one of the most consistent full-backs in the league and signing Kyle Walker-Peters on a permanent deal looks a solid piece of business. New arrival Mohammed Salisu was highly rated at Real Vallodolid but it will be hard for him to break the impressive partnership struck up between Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens at the heart of the defence.
The departure of Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg is significant thanks to his athleticism and aggression making him so effective in Hassenhuttl’s system. However, he had the captaincy stripped from him over lockdown and was marginalised after the restart as he publicly admitted he was looking to move on. James Ward-Prowse stepped up magnificently in his absence and Oriol Romeu provides more of a ball-playing alternative to the Dane. Youngster Will Smallbone made several appearances after the restart and could be a long-term replacement for Hojbjerg.
Nathan Redmond and Moussa Djenepo may need to improve their attacking output this season as not all teams will allow gift Southampton chances through pressing. More guile and creativity in attack could be crucial.
Danny Ings was one of the players of the season last year as he ended so many years of injury agony with 22 league goals and a recall to the England squad. His work-rate makes him perfect for Hassenhuttl’s side but the quality and consistency of his finishing is what made him standout – he looks set for another big season. Che Adams showed promise after the restart but will need to continue into this campaign to nail down a starting spot.
Southampton look they are back to the days of top-half finishes and exciting football they enjoyed under Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koeman after losing their way for a number of seasons. Hassenhuttl signing a new contract until 2024 in the Summer should mean they are set for a few successful seasons but they know better than most that losing managers and key players can be problematic. But for now, they look set to have a brilliant season with an exciting group of players and a fantastic manager.
What do they still need: Home comforts – Southampton had the second worst home record after Norwich last season, only winning six games at St.Mary’s. This needs to get better if they are going to establish themselves in the top-half.
Something to look out for: Hassenhuttl’s gloves – He looks ready to take McCarthy’s place in goal for much of the Winter.
6. Tottenham Hotspur
It’s fair to say Amazon got their moneys worth following Tottenham in the 2019/20 season. 6 months after leading Spurs to a first ever Champions League final, Maurico Pochettino’s five years at the club were brought to an end. The Argentine had struggled to replenish a squad that had grown old together and the miraculous run in Europe had papered over alarming league form (they went 10 months without an away win in the league). In came the Premier League’s Prince of Darkness, Jose Mourinho as chairman Daniel Levy desperately wanted Champions League football for his shiny new stadium. Mourinho led them from 14th to 6th and secured Europa League football for this season, but it was not all plain sailing. Jose’s second seasons have become almost mythical in terms of the success he’s had but he hasn’t got the same financial clout at Spurs as he’s had in the past and he’s already rubbing a few players up the wrong way.
Mourinho made Spurs hard to beat. After the restart, they lost only once despite being a hard watch for the most part and they only lost three times to sides outside of the top 4 under the Portuguese overall. He introduced a 4-2-3-1 that was both flexible and pragmatic, helping to eek out enough results to drag his side up the table. He struggled to cope with the hamstring injury Harry Kane picked up in January, in some games they were pumping long balls up to 5 foot 6 Lucas Moura, but the return of the England captain and Heung-Min Son in the summer made them a far more potent attacking unit.
Mourinho wowed pundits by introducing a pretty basic concept of having one very attacking full-back (Serge Aurier) and one full-back that tucked in to create a back three when attacking (Ben Davies). Matt Doherty looks like a significant upgrade on Aurier and if he carries on his Wolves form he could be one of the signings of the season. Jan Vertonghen has departed but rarely featured under the new manager, as Eric Dier stepped up to replace him well and Davinson Sanchez, Toby Alderweireld and Japhet Tanganga provide decent options at the back.
The midfield looks like a real area of concern for Spurs. Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg is another good, Premier League proven signing but is probably an indication that Mourinho will use this midfield to destroy rather than create. Giovanni Lo Celso steadily improved in his first year in England and does provide a creative spark but the likes of Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko probably aren’t good enough for a side with Champions League ambitions. Tanguy Ndombele is, but appears to be in Mourinho’s bad books – the manager suggested his side ‘didn’t have a midfield’ until he substituted the Frenchman at half-time of a 1-1 draw at Burnley in March.
Spurs attacking options are up there with the best in the league. Harry Kane is one of the best number nines in the world if he can keep fit, Son is a consistent threat from wide areas, Steven Bergwijn looked promising after arriving in January and Dele Alli was very good in the opening weeks of Mourinho’s reign. Kane looks an ideal forward for Mourinho with his combination of strength and clinical finishing, but another serious injury could really derail the season.
Mourinho looked to have evolved his footballing philosophy when he brought in talented Portuguese coach Joao Sacremento as his assistant at Spurs. After initially looking like a more positive, adventurous version of a Mourinho team, he reverted to type after a difficult run in the new year and they became a dour, yet effective, side. The problem is that it looks as though Mourinho’s style of management is now outdated in comparison to the top managers in England and abroad. He still focuses his coaching on defensive work and then encourages the forward players to work things out for themselves and that seems a world away from the intricate attacking moves of Man City and Liverpool. Spurs will probably continue to bludgeon their way to results and their quality upfront should secure European football.
What do they still need: Back up for Harry Kane – Every season Kane misses a chunk of the season through injury and last season it became more of an issue than ever. None of Tottenham’s other options look like they can lead the line for Mourinho so finding someone who is willing to sit on the bench for most of the season could be important. Has anyone got Fernando Llorente’s number?
Something to look out for: Mourinho giving up the friendly granddad routine now the Amazon cameras are gone and Ndombele finding out the true meaning of ‘confrontational leadership’.
5. Manchester United
Are the glory days finally on their way back for Manchester United? By the end of last season they were playing exciting attacking football, hammering the minnows and going toe-to-toe with the big boys. However, January arrival Bruno Fernandes’ imacculate form was probably a more significant factor in causing the upturn than the managerial prowess of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – Champions League football wasn’t secured until a final day win at Leicester.
The first half of the campaign had been wildly inconsistent with wins over Man City and Chelsea followed by defeats to the likes of Bournemouth, Watford, Newcastle and West Ham. They were unbeaten in the league from the end of January but persistent defensive issues turned wins into draws and saw them knocked out of all three cup competitions they were in at the semi-final stage. Solksjaer gave no real indication that he was capable of fixing these issues and as of yet, no defensive reinforcements have arrived.
Another issue for Solskjaer has been the form of David De Gea. One of the best goalkeepers in the world only a couple of years ago, De Gea cost his team goals on too many occasions last season. Dean Henderson is now back from Sheffield United and will surely be given De Gea’s place if the errors continue. De Gea isn’t helped by issues in front of him; Victor Lindelof hasn’t shown enough to suggest he is a good partner for Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw has struggled with both form and fitness since he arrived at Old Trafford.
Donny Van de Beek has been signed from Ajax but it’s not entirely obvious how he will fit into the side. A midfield of Van de Beek, Paul Pogba and Fernandes looks to have very little balance or defensive know-how, perhaps Solksjaer’s tactical mind will show itself by finding a system that suits them all. Fernandes scored 8 goals and picked up 7 assists despite having an Xg of only 6 and an expected assists of under 3, suggesting he will revert to the mean at some point. There is plenty of depth across the squad, which should help cope with a packed fixture list, but I’m not sure it’s backed up with a great amount of quality.
The forward players really looked like they clicked towards the end of the season. Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood all had good seasons but none of them have yet proved to be the type of player that can drag the rest of the team to results like a Kane, a Salah or an Aguero.
United can keep adding world-class players to their squad but they won’t win major titles again until they have a world-class manager. Their points tally last season of 66 would not have got them into the Champions League in most seasons and the transfer business so far hasn’t been overly impressive. They finished level on points with Chelsea last season, but have failed to strengthen to the same extent as Frank Lampard’s side and it could cost them dearly.
What do they still need: Mauricio Pochettino – Solskjaer achieved his objectives for last season but the same tactical issues dogged United for much of the season. For this side to truly be back among the best teams in the world, they need one of the best managers in the world.
Something to look out for: Solskjaer ending the season with a bright red nose, office full of wine and furious temper in a desperate attempt to bring back the glory days.
4. Chelsea
Chelsea were something of a fractured club under Maurizio Sarri despite the fact that he won the Europa League and secured a top four finish in his solitary season at Stamford Bridge. In came club legend Frank Lampard and he did a great job of repairing the relationship between the club and it’s supporters, replenishing the squad with young players in lieu of the ability to bring players in, whilst playing an adventurous brand of football in comparison to what Sarri had served up. Doubts remain about Lampard as a tactician, particularly defensively, but he has been heavily backed in this transfer market with quality players that undoubtedly make the squad better, although it remains to be seen if simply finishing in the top four will be enough for Roman Abramovich.
Lampard played a 4-3-3 for much of last season that got the best out of the likes of Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Olivier Giroud. There were a lot of difficult moments across last season, the opening day thumping they received at Old Trafford and a poor run over Christmas were particularly scarring, but Lampard showed some flexibility in terms of both tactics and personnel – using a back three at times and re-integrating Giroud to great success. This season they may well play with a number 10 to get the best out of new signing Kai Havertz but a lot is still up in the air as it’s unclear how many of the new signings will go straight into the team.
Kepa has caused Lampard even more problems than De Gea has Solskjaer. He looks unconvincing when the ball is played into the box and his save percentage of only 57% was the worst of any goalkeeper in the league. Those ahead of him hardly covered themselves in glory either, Kurt Zouma, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen all made numerous errors across the campaign and made the defence look like a far greater area of concern than the ones they have addressed. The 54 goals they conceded was the worst record in the top half as they looked vulnerable from every set-piece and counter-attack. Thiago Silva arrives with plenty of experience but is almost 36, he should at least make the defence more organised. Ben Chilwell is surely an upgrade on Marcos Alonso at left-back and Cesar Azpilicueta and Reece James are two good options on the right.
A lot of Chelsea’s midfielders have played well under Lampard. Mount was very good for most of the season, Mateo Kovacic was far more influential than he was under Sarri and Billy Gilmour had a couple of standout performances in his first steps in the professional game. However, Lampard failed to get a lot out of his best midfielder, N’golo Kante, as he didn’t seem to suit any of the formations that were used. If he fails to find a good balance in midfield, the defence may end up suffering even more.
Chelsea’s attack now looks very exciting. Timo Werner would have surely been one of the most sought after strikers in Europe in a normal window and Havertz and Hakim Ziyech should compliment him nicely. Giroud is still at the club, Pulisic had a great first season despite his injury problems and Tammy Abraham deserves to be persisted with after an up and down season. Last season’s total of 69 goals looks set to be improved on.
The signings may take time to bed in but they have too much quality to not come good at some stage this year. The outlay on players surely increases the pressure on Lampard to deliver, but he showed enough last season to suggest he can get the best out of quality attackers. The problems in defence are likely to persist unless he makes some tactical tweaks and brings in a better goalkeeper but Chelsea will certainly be a team worth watching. The real question is what are Abramovich’s expectations?
What do they still need: A goalkeeper – Kepa conceded so many soft goals last season and rarely inspired any confidence in the defence in front of him. Willy Caballero regularly took his place but Chelsea need a top-class goalkeeper in the mould of Allison or Ederson to compete with the best.
Something to look out for: Frank Lampard’s question answering technique of serious point-joke-serious point as highlighted by Adam Hurrey on Twitter.
3. Arsenal
Arsenal are about to enter a fourth season without Champions League football after being regulars in the competition for 19 years under Arsene Wenger. The club has generally been moving backwards since the latter years of the Frenchman’s reign, but in Mikel Arteta they have one of the brightest young coaches in world football and their FA Cup success at the end of last season showed there is significant potential for him to work with. They ended up finishing 8th in the Premier League but being so far off the Champions League chase allowed Arteta time to experiment and find a system that suited an imbalanced squad – late season wins over Liverpool, as well as against City and Chelsea in the FA Cup suggested he found it.
The 5-2-3 that Arsenal played towards the end of last season made a previously calamitous defence look positively formidable. David Luiz was transformed into a world-class centre back at the heart of it and Arteta’s decision to hand him a one-year contract extension now looks like a masterstroke. Pep Guardiola’s former assistant also created a culture of professionalism at the club that hadn’t seemed to be there since the days of The Invincibles. Mesut Ozil has been marginalised as Arteta looks to build a squad he believes to be fully committed to his vision for the club.
Unlike some of their rivals, Arsenal look settled in goal with Emi Martinez deputising fantastically after Bernd Leno picked up an injury two games in to Project Restart. New signings William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes arrive highly rated from their time in Ligue 1 and should slot in nicely next to Luiz in the back three. Kieran Tierney was sensational in both the FA Cup final and the Community Shield and will look to put an injury-hit first season behind him to establish himself as one of the best left-sided defenders in the league. Hector Bellerin looks to be getting back to his best form after a difficult few seasons and Ainsley Maitland-Niles provides great versatility.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Arteta’s reign has been the resurgence of Granit Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder reacted angrily to being boo-ed off in one of Unai Emery’s final games and many suggested he would never play for the club again. The new manager re-integrated him though and got him playing the best football of his time in England by simplifying his game. Dani Ceballos has returned on loan after steadily improving throughout last season, but central midfield looks like an area that could be strengthened. Matteo Guendouzi is supremely talented but looks to be another victim of Arteta’s ruthless standards.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is good enough to play for any side in this league so Arsenal being on the verge of extending his contract is excellent news. The Gabon international thrived from the left-wing either running in behind defences or cutting inside as he did in the Community Shield. Nicolas Pepe steadily improved in his first season and should be a threat from the other wing. Willian may be an expensive addition but he is more than proven in the Premier League and undoubtedly improves the squad. The options upfront also look good with Alexandre Lacazette looking nervously over his shoulder at the constantly improving Gabriel Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah.
A potential problem for Arsenal will be breaking down teams that sit deep against them. This was evident in the 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa towards the end of last season and Arteta adapting his tactics to overcome similar sides will be vital for securing a return to the Champions League. The tactical nous he has shown in his short career so far suggests this won’t be an issue for long.
Arsenal have been so impressive in the biggest games under Arteta and with their firepower upfront they should have no issues racking up goals. The strides made in defence is what will push them up the table though as Aubameyang finally has a solid platform to win games from. The club’s burgeoning relationship with agent Kia Joorabchian doesn’t look like being the most effective football administration structure but if he finds them an attacking midfielder that completes their side, I’m not sure many at The Emirates will be complaining.
What do they still need: Jack Grealish – He can breakdown teams that sit deep with a mazy dribble and an increasingly improving eye for a pass. He may be out of Arsenal’s price range for now, but if they can shift some fringe players it could be do-able.
Something to look out for: Mikel Arteta’s lego hair
2. Liverpool
Liverpool were sensational last season in ending a 30-year wait for a league title, racking up 99 points and blowing away all before them. It was even more impressive considering the disappointment they faced after finishing second with 97 points the season before. Jurgen Klopp’s side were relentless in their pursuit of glory – the 27 wins they picked up in their first 29 league games would have won them the league on it’s own. There was perhaps a sense of an opportunity missed as they crashed out of the Champions League and FA Cup in a matter of days in March and some lacklustre displays after lockdown prevented them breaking the 100 point barrier, but winning the title so convincingly, considering the quality of their opponents, should see Klopp’s Liverpool regarded as one of the Premier League’s greatest sides.
Having put two sensational campaigns together back to back, a third 95+ points total proved a step too far for Guardiola’s City last season and it’s hard to think this group of Liverpool players will have the same appetite to do it all over again. I don’t think the eventual champion will end up with more than 90 points this season, thanks to fixture congestion and inevitable tiredness at the end of the season, but Liverpool have struggled to replenish the squad once again and that could see City gain an edge over them. Now that this group of players have effectively climbed the mountain under Klopp, new faces would help to keep people on their toes.
They did well to get by despite Allison’s injury at the start of last season. He is the best goalkeeper in the league and his arrival has improved this side immeasurably. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are such important attacking weapons for this side but were also vital parts of the Premier League’s best defence in 2019/20. I don’t think there are any superlatives left to describe Virgil Van Dijk and it almost doesn’t matter who plays next to him at this point.
Links to Thiago Alcantara are interesting as it would change the composition of the Liverpool midfield entirely. At the moment it relies massively on the physicality of Fabinho combined with the energy of Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum. Thiago would make them far more menacing with the ball and could help to get more out of Naby Keita.
The forward line were fantastic once again last season. Regardless of any tension between Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, they managed 37 goals between them and Roberto Firmino performed the role of foil/mediator for them brilliantly, despite netting only 9 times himself. There are a group of exciting youngsters who could provide cover for the front three in the shape of Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Rhian Brewster, as well as Divock Origi, but this does feel like an area where Liverpool really could have used a sparkling new signing to create more variety in attack – their 85 goals last season was the lowest total for a champion since Leicester in 2015/16.
Another title challenge should be seen as a good season for Liverpool, the pandemic has clearly affected them more than their main rivals and playing with such intensity for a third season seems a tall order. The likes of Keita, Takumi Minamino and the young players will need to perform well when called upon if they are going to compete with City’s squad of superstars.
What do they still need: Timo Werner – Thiago would provide something different in midfield but Werner would have been a completely different option to Firmino upfront. Liverpool take on Chelsea in their second game of the season and the German will want to show Klopp what he’s missing.
Something to look out for: How many of the squad can pull off those shiny white veneers.
1.Manchester City
Last season was arguably the worst of Pep Guardiola’s storied managerial career. He won the Carabao Cup, as he now always does, but crashed out of the Champions League to unfancied Lyon and finished 18 points behind Liverpool in the league. Pep’s first season in Manchester finished trophy-less but that was a side in transition, the squad he had in 2019/20 had no excuses. Or maybe a couple of excuses, an injury to Aymeric Laporte severely hampered the defence in the first part of the season and an endless stream of individual errors and poor finishing undermined good performances. This year, Guardiola is entering his fifth season at a club for the first time and is surely only doing so because he believes this team can win it all.
A lot of his players now have something to prove after disappointing last season. Only Kevin De Bruyne was consistently brilliant throughout as others seemed to lose their edge after two seasons of sheer brilliance. Their pressing wasn’t as intense, Fernandinho being redeployed in defence created holes in midfield and anyone who played left-back found a way to let the team down. However, the disappointment of last season has surely created a hunger and drive to re-claim their crown by smashing this league apart once more.
Ederson was uncharacteristically inconsistent last season, a pair of errors at Old Trafford in a 2-0 defeat summing up his season, he remains a quality goalkeeper though and a stronger defence in front of him should help. The return of Laporte to form and fitness will make a massive difference. Nathan Ake has been signed but looks more like a back-up for Laporte than a starter, a genuinely top-class centre-back to replace Vincent Kompany and partner Laporte should be top of the shopping list. A left-back should also be a priority, although Ake can possibly play there. It’s surely time for the likes of Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones to be shown the door.
David Silva departing was always going to be a loss, although his pressing visibly became less intense last season and Phil Foden is more than ready to take his place alongside De Bruyne in midfield. Fernandinho could improve the solidity of the midfield although he is now 35, meaning Rodri needs to show his defensive awareness can match his passing ability. Keeping De Bruyne fit is vital.
Riyad Mahrez quietly had a good season last time round but Bernardo Silva was strangely inconsistent, new signing Ferran Torres should provide an interesting alternative. Raheem Sterling is now the real star of the the forward line and his 20 league goals last time round was an impressive tally, a similar haul will go a long way to securing City the title. Gabriel Jesus needs to become more clinical in front of goal as Sergio Aguero never looks likely to go a whole season without injury.
City’s squad of galacticos combined with Guardiola’s brillaint tactical mind should mean City are favourites for the title every season. The fact they are able to strenghten at a time that Liverpool can’t or won’t, combined with the hunger there must be at the club to make up for last season, should see them reclaim the title, just.
What do they still need: Kalidou Koulibaly – one of the few centre-backs in the world in the same league as Van Dijk. He has been great for Napoli for years now and has been ready to step up to a genuinely elite level club for almost as long. A partnership with Laporte looks formidable on paper.
Something to look out for: Just how many jumpers Guardiola can wear at once.
Awards/Milestones
Player of the season: Raheem Sterling (Man City)
Young player of the season: Phil Foden (Man City)
Top goalscorer: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
Manager of the season: Ralph Hassenhuttl (Southampton)
Signing of the season: Adam Lallana (Brighton)
First manager to be sacked/leave: Sean Dyche (Burnley)
Dan Evans 
Let’s hope it’s more than a two horse race, but look forward to welcoming Fulham, Newcastle and the Baggies bag to the Championship next season 🙂
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