Elvis
Boring weekends are actually over... EPL is back!!! This has been the song on the lips of all football-loving fans all week...
Yes, the EPL is finally upon us and after a fascinating summer that saw many international competitions, Friday 16th August 2024 is D-day.
By the way, Congratulations to Argentina and Spain for their triumph and we can't wait to see their players bask in the europhia of their respective wins in the EPL.
Who is winning it this time? Will City continue their dominance or will Arsenal finally be able to do what they have so desperately tried to do for years? Will the new gaffers of Liverpool and Chelsea bring some more heat or will Man Utd regain their long-lost title as the kings of England?
ONLY TIME WILL TELL... Luckily, we have a lot of that on our hands so let's analyze the chances of the biggest teams winning it this time...
Manchester City
Is the Premier League now a farmer's league? That thought might begin to creep in if this Pep-Machine wins the EPL for a record 5th successive time. The statement was made after their first triumph at the Community Shield last week.
There may be some glimmer of hope since there has not been a major addition to the squad barring Savinho, but some young stars like the exciting Oscar Bobb and Rico Lewis are set to follow in the footsteps of the Player of Last Season, Phil Foden; breaking into the first team. There is also a balon d'or favorite, Rodri, and robogoal, Haaland, still in their ranks.
There have also been rumors of two top players, Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson, heading to the Saudi Pro League but if we are right about Pep, he always has contingencies in any case. Whatever the case, Man City is still a clear favorite, and consistency seems to be the watchword of this wonderfully assembled side.
Arsenal
Nearly does not kill a bird... or so the saying has gone for two seasons for the gunners. But if we are being honest, they are the only team who can genuinely challenge City for glory. But some key players like Odegaard and Saka may need some backup if they are to sustain a title charge to the end. Arteta has a plan; win 114 points and the league is ours. We can only wait to see how the dream manifests into reality. Will Havertz continue in the false 9 position or will Gabriel Jesus reinvent himself? What midfield combination will get the best out of Odegaard, Rice, Partey, and Jorginho? How many goals will a defense made of Raya, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, White, Timber, Tomiyasu, and Zinchenko concede? So many questions it may seem...
No major additions to the squad too except Calafiori, making first-choice keeper, Raya's deal permanent, and a few rumors like Osimhen, and some would say, why fix when it ain't broken, right? 2004 till now is a long time to wait so... Go get it, Gunners!!!
Liverpool
Having finished in the top 4 last season and losing Klopp, LFC has a real mountain to climb as pressure will surely mount on newcomer Arne Slot to get things going asap at Anfield. In reality, they still have the quality in players like Trent, VVD, Alisson, and Salah, who was rumored to be heading for the Saudi Pro League at the tail end of last season. Can Slot get the best out of the somewhat profligate Nunez and continue their tradition of trying to outscore their opponents or will there be a new team and tactic under the new manager?
Thiago is gone, and Matip and Diaz have one leg out the door, but we should have more faith in the replacements made by Klopp. One of the few teams to have wrestled glory from the grip of the Citizens, you can't bet against them doing it again, but this time, it may be a three-horse race... Arsenal.
Chelsea
Since Todd Boehly took over the reins, there have been lots of signings, and some awkward signings at that. Nothing seems to have changed with the different signings and even with the various coaches that have been brought in. Club Legend, Lampard, Graham Potter, and most recently, Pochettino have all tried with different sets of players but something is missing. Thiago Silva, the defensive stalwart may have created a deep hole at the back but is Enzo Maresca, a disciple of Pep, like Arteta, the man to turn that team of young raw talents into finished products? The team has Enzo, Latvia, Caicedo, Fofana, and Jackson, who need more work if he is to continue as the club's striker.
Let's not forget the season Ice Cold Palmer had... Even though he wasn't given a chance to replicate this form at the euros, we all have had a front-seat view of his talent and obvious potential in the league. In summary, Maresca has his work cut out for him as his first major task was to manage the dressing room after the racist problem incurred by Enzo Fernandes, which shook the team.
There were questions about his decisions and tactics if the pre-season friendlies were anything to go by, but as far as football goes, nobody knows the end until... the end!
Manchester United
“That is me [being creative in goal]. And I think it's what you're going to see this season because I will take a lot of risks. I can tell you in advance already — be prepared, because it's going to be [that way] this season, trust me,”. “The best team in the world takes risks”. These were the exact words of estranged Man Utd goalkeeper, Andre Onana, and it has sent a jolt of panic lightening into the hearts of the Utd faithful.
After Erik Ten Haag escaped being sacked last season, the INEOS board has renewed its faith in the Dutch tactician. To repay their faith, ETH has hired a lot of familiar backroom staff including cult heroes, Ruud Van Nistelroy and Darren Fletcher to help him cross the finish line.
There have been a few signings like Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt, Leny Yoro, and Noussair Mazraoui to bolster defense, and Joshua Zirkzee to help Hojlund with attacking solutions.
Youngsters Mainoo, Diallo, and Garnacho will continue to develop and Sancho seems to have buried the hatchet with his boss. The risk taker, Onana, remains in goal and there may still be some dead wood on the team but things may just be looking up for Utd at the moment.
It is expected that they do better than last season and try to climb back to the zenith of English football, a place that has looked like unfamiliar territory in recent times. A few more domestic trophies on the way won't hurt too...
Other teams
Tottenham, Everton, and West Ham have strengthened their squads significantly ahead of the new season, aiming to finish higher than their last positions, and we have not heard the last of Aston Villa, Brighton, and Newcastle after their strong showings in the last season.
Crystal Palace may have lost Michael Olise to Bayern, but Eberechi Eze and Jean Mateta have shown they can lead the attack as well.
Ivan Toney is back in Brentford after being strongly linked to Arsenal, and his support cast of Joane Wissa and Bryan Mbuemo is equal to the task. Wolves may have lost a few players but they still possess that uncanny ability to upset the big names.
Bournemouth, Fulham, and Nottingham Forest will try to avoid relegation as they look to improve on their performances from last season.
Leicester City is back on the prowl and one would flash back to 2016 when they took the EPL by storm. However, not many are remaining from that jaw-dropping team. One notable name is Jamie Vardy though and maybe a few others.
Ipswich Town and Southampton are back to the EPL after great individual and collective performances in the second division, but will they win enough points to avoid going back to where they came from?
EPL is back... EPL is back... EPL is back... Who will win? Join us as we find out together over the next nine months...
