A very quick preseason with the World Club championship competition only concluding last month. We enter another EPL season full of intrigue and promise. Hawkeye Sidekick looks ahead to the start of the league season.
A new look Liverpool enters title defense with questions to answer.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot last season to continued to leverage the excellent foundations built by former manager Jurgen Klopp.
Slot provided key managerial switches early in the league last season to bolster player
confidence in his stewardship. Liverpool never looked back as their title chasing rivals experienced hiccup after hiccup.
The off-season has seen notable change at the football club. Trent Alexander-Arnold departure to
Real Madrid irked the Liverpool fan base but Slot identified players who needed to leave.
Diaz and Nunez allowed to leave given the arrivals of Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike. Jerome
Frimpong will look to fill the wing back role to setup goal scoring opportunities.
Milos Kerkez impressed with AFC Bournemouth last season. The pressure though will increase with
this move. A player with a point to prove given the departures of Quansah and Alexander-Arnold
defensively.
With significant player personnel changes, it will take time for Liverpool to settle to the task this
season.
There are questions for each player arrival. A winning club culture led by van Djik and
Salah should see Liverpool challenging. Yet, this title race looks tighter this year.
The tragic passing of Diogo Jota during the summer will give extra motivation for the club
players to deliver silverware.
Can Arsenal get over the line and win silverware?
Arsenal was competitive last term, but a lack of striker and defensive options cost the club
silverware last term. Mikel Arteta provided with funds to bolster the squad.
Zubimendi and Norgaard added significant defensive midfield cover with Partey and Jorginho’s
departure.
Madueke and Gyokeres will need to hit the ground running and score goals. Both players
have massive points to prove.
Madueke looks an enigma for Chelsea. A player well capable of delivering the sublime but how does Arteta get the best out of the player?
Gyokeres is a good striker. His goal scoring record with Coventry City was standout before moving to Portugal.
EPL is unforgiving for strikers. This is a massive step up. It will be interesting to see if Gyokeres is suited to the style of play with Arsenal.
Is he the new main striker for the club? The jury is out on Arsenal once more. If no silverware this season, questions on Mikel Arteta’s future as manager will start to swirl?
Manchester City fighting battles on and off the pitch.
The elephant in the room for the EPL and Manchester City. The protracted 115 charges verdict
rumbles into the end of this year. The verdict will prompt a new era for the league.
If Manchester City are found guilty of these charges, what happens with their EPL place midway
through this season? If acquitted, big questions on the EPL governance will be asked. Their authority
will be undermined.
Manchester City struggled last season. Significant injuries exposed with Rodri’s layoff exploiting a
distinct lack of composure and pace in the midfield area.
City’s defensive unit under increasing pressure as the season progressed. Haaland failing to fully fire prompted Marmousch signing which had highs and lows.
No silverware for Manchester City. Can Pep Guardiola look to adapt, or will he stay convinced
that his team setup will overcome all challenges? It will be an interesting watch.
The arrivals to the football club have points to prove. Reijnders will give pace in a defensive unit
to replace Kyle Walker who has moved to Burnley permanently.
The wing back areas identified as a problem area so Ait-Nouri and Cherki performances early will be noted with interest. Nyman in central midfield will be a long-term prospect watch.
It is a new era at Manchester City with marquee player departures. Kevin de Bruyne, Kyle Walker
and Jack Grealish have contributed massively to the recent club success.
Big leadership has left the dressing room. Who fills the void? Questions raised with no clear-cut answers.
Chelsea looks poised for a significant title push.
A season where the EPL title push stalled midway through last season. The EFL Carabao Cup final miss increased pressure on Maresca and the team before securing an Europa Conference League success.
The team impressed massively in the inaugural World Club championship. Cole Palmer sensational
as Chelsea secured an emphatic win over Paris Saint Germain in the final.
Chelsea did not waste time in their summer transfer window deals. Liam Delap and Joao Pedro
secured without any fuss to complement Cole Palmer.
The club acknowledging more attacking support required given Cole Palmer’s blip in form midway through last season.
Maresca and management decisive in their player departure listing. All players departure were unable to
cement their place in the first team.
Wage bill cleared. Good outgoing business with transfer fees well over one hundred million collectively.
Chelsea should enter the season in good confidence. Their league fixture schedule looks kind in
comparison with their title rivals.
The London club will steal an early lead in the league. The bigger question will be their ability to stay in the league title race? A top three finish is a realistic ambition.
What of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur?
Last season’s UEFA Europa League finalists went with different approaches to their managerial
position.
Amorim remained at Manchester United while Postecoglou fired by Tottenham despite
securing silverware in his second year in charge.
Manchester United are hoping that Sesko and Cunha make immediate impact to help Bruno
Fernandes in the side. Sesko has the athletic attributes to excel in the EPL.
This though is a league where strikers often struggle in their debut season. Cunha has the ability but his temperament with Wolverhampton Wanderers last year left plenty to be desired.
Rashford exiled from the club while Antony and Garnacho looked destined for the exit door. Amorim
needs results early or he will be another managerial statistic at the football club. Pace and squad
depth issues aplenty; midtable at best for United.
Tottenham enter the season under Thomas Frank with optimism. They lost the Super Cup to Paris
Saint Germain this week. The team though was prepared to press and attack with pace and speed.
Kudus and Tel will need to deliver creativity and goals with the absence of James Maddison. Richarlison looked impressive against Paris Saint Germain. Palhinha is an astute signing and will give excellent midfield defensive cover.
Club departures kept quite low. Son Heung Min will be a loss in the dressing room along with
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Tottenham will impress but squad depth concerns defensively continue. Micky van de Veen is a quality centre back but if he goes down, who will step up?
Ireland links aplenty with Brentford
Brentford will be an interesting watch for anyone linked to Ireland. Thomas Frank’s managerial departure sees Keith Andrews take on the managerial reins. Nathan Collins is the club captain while Caoimhin Kelleher poised to be the first team goalkeeper.
It has been a summer of turbulence at the West London club. Frank’s departure seeing backroom
personnel departures. Brentford pride themselves on internal stability. Their data analytics in
identifying the right players, set piece edge is standout.
Keith Andrews will look to start the campaign on a positive footing despite losing Mbeumo,
Norgaard and Flekken. Wissa also looks unsettled. This situation presents a baptism of fire for Andrews. He must make sure that the side delivers on the football pitch. A close watch beckons.
If Brentford do struggle early, it will be interesting to see if the club hierarchy keep faith with Andrews. Andrews, as set piece coach, saw Brentford excel in attacking set pieces. An interesting campaign
beckons for the Bees.