Let’s get our beaks wet
Football is back baby. The 2021/2022 Premier League starts on August 13th, 2021.
If you’re new to the Premier League here is a brief:
There are a total of 380 games between 20 teams, and it is a relegation and promotion style league.
The Top 4 teams qualify for next years Champions League Tournament and the bottom 3 teams get relegated down to the lower professional league in England
Manchester United are the winningest team in history with 20 Premier League Titles
Recently, the league has been dominated by Manchester City who have won 3 out of the past 4 years
The Premier League is big business. And it’s only getting bigger. Premier League Clubs generated £4.5 billion (~€5.9B) in 2019/2020. For perspective the NBA and MLB do around €7-9B per year.
Money has been flying around this offseason and transfer window. Just to name a few transfers: Manchester City recently paid Aston Villa £100m for Jack Grealish, Manchester United paid £73m to Borussia Dortmund for Jadon Sancho, and Chelsea is very close to signing Romelu Lukaku for £97.5M.
Will this season be another story of the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’?
Will smaller clubs make noise and break into the Top 4?
I don’t know, but here is my season preview.
King of the Hill
Manchester City
The defending champs have come back even better. Man City was already a winning side and now they have added Jack Grealish. I don’t see many teams beating them.
Even with the signing of Grealish, they haven’t stopped. They’re close to signing Harry Kane as well. If Man City can sign Harry Kane, FML.
This team has it all. They have the talent, the depth, and the leadership to win the league and win the Champion League. I think Man City has the ability to win the ‘Treble’ this year.
Prediction: Man City will have this wrapped up by January.
The Challengers
Manchester United
My team. I’m bias but United has an opportunity to steal the league from Man City. They made great signings with Jadon Sancho and Raphaël Varane.
Sancho brings creativity to push our attack even further this year, and Varane will bring stability and leadership to our back line. The center-back duo of Varane and Harry Maguire are the best tandem we’ve had since Ferdinand and Vidic.
Our attack is nasty and dangerous. With the likes of Rashford, Sancho, Greenwood, Fernandes, Cavani, and Paul Pogba, they will terrorize opposing defenses and create tons of goals.
The questions for the squad revolve around our center forward and our holding midfield position.
What formation are we going to play? And can we find harmony on our right flank?
How many games can Cavani play? And who is leading the front-line when Cavani can’t play?
Can Fred, Mctominay, or Matic step up in the holding midfield role?
Can Manchester United sign a center forward? Kane I am looking at you.
Verdict: Manchester United will contend, but I think we fight for second or third.
Chelsea
I love this Chelsea Team. They surprised everyone last year by winning the Champions League and they look to continue that momentum.
They improved their front line by signing Romelu Lukaku who will bring strength, pace, and finishing to their front line. Lukaku will give Chelsea huge flexibility up front and here is a breakdown of how their system looks.
With the likes of Kavertz, Ziyech, Kante, Werner, Pulisic, Jorginho, and now Lukaku, this team is going to score a lot of goals. They have the depth and talent to challenge for the title.
The only question I have is the backline:
Can Azpilicueta stay young at 31 years old?
Can Rüdiger cut down on unnecessary errors?
Can they find a stable goalkeeper in Mendy or Arrizabalaga?
Verdict: Chelsea is strong. Tuchel will find magic in this team and I wouldn’t be surprised of they are contending for the 1-2 spot all year long.
Liverpool
The glory days are over. Liverpool had a wonderful 2-3 year run, but it’s over. They were a mess last year and barely made the Top 4.
Liverpool won’t compete for a title and I don’t see them beating Chelsea, Man City or Man United. Klopp seems to have lost his magic and I think the front-line of Firmino, Sane, and Salah has been figured out by defenses.
In addition to their stale tactics, Liverpool didn’t make any major signings this offseason either.
Having Van Dijk come back healthy and at full strength will be huge for Liverpool. I think Thiago Alcântara will be fantastic this year, but losing Wijnaldum in midfield is huge.
Wijnaldum was the heart of Liverpool and I don’t think they recover well from that loss. Hendo is getting old and Matip will need to play constantly well in order to solidify the midfield.
I love Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson, but the spine of the team is looking shaky.
Verdict: Liverpool will look great for periods during the season, but they don’t have the depth to manage the length of the season and juggling multiple tournaments.
So Close
Leicester City
Leicester is an amazing story. From winning the league in 2015–16 to building on the momentum and fighting for Top 4 finishes. They’ve been in the Champions League in the last few years and now they are main stays at the top of the league.
Brendan Rodgers has found black magic with Leicester.
They’ve had a good transfer window signing the likes of Boubakary Soumaré and Patson Daka. Both of these players will have an immediate impact and help bring in depth for the long season.
The most important thing though is that Leicester has kept all of their main players: Schmeichel, Tielemans, Vardy, Maddison, and Ndidi all come back this season and they will be the spine of the team.
If Leicester can get large contributions from Kelechi Iheanacho, Ayoze Perez, and Harvey Barnes, they will contend for a Top 4 spot and challenge for Champions League qualification.
Verdict: They won’t win the league, but they will fight for a Top 4 finish.
Tottenham Hotspurs
It all hinges on Harry Kane. If he stays…they have a chance to stay in the Top 6. If he leaves, Tottenham quickly falls into the middle of the table and the club implodes. Son Heung-min is a stud, but he can’t save the club.
I think Everton, Arsenal, Leeds, and West Ham are all going to be fighting with Tottenham for a Top 6 finished.
Verdict: Will Harry Kane stay? He probably leaves for either Man United or Man City, and once he leaves Tottenham will crater.
Final Top 4 Prediction
Manchester City
Manchester United
Chelsea
Leicester City
I will leave you with this. The best goals fo the 2020/2021 season. Let’s fucking go.
Also, Messi is now with PSG. Things are moving fast: