Time to kick off a special season

Hold onto your seats, it is time for kick off! There is top quality imported talent, new coaches and improved team strengths that make this one of the most anticipated and exciting seasons since the Premier League was founded in 1992. Liverpool are favourites to hold onto the title with their heavy spending and totally […]

Hold onto your seats, it is time for kick off! There is top quality imported talent, new coaches and improved team strengths that make this one of the most anticipated and exciting seasons since the Premier League was founded in 1992.

Liverpool are favourites to hold onto the title with their heavy spending and totally refreshed front line, and that is before the possibility of Alexander Isak joining. Florian Wirtz is a player everyone wants to see, as is Arsenal’s Viktor Gyrokeres, who brings his amazing goal-scoring record to the Emirates.

The bookmakers have already annoyed Mikel Arteta by penciling in Arsenal to once again finish as runners-up to Liverpool, with Manchester City finishing third and Chelsea grabbing the final Champions League spot in front of Newcastle.

Down at the foot of the table, expect the promoted clubs – Sunderland, Leeds and Burnley – to find the going very tough. Many of my colleagues think all three could go straight back down to the Championship as did the three promoted clubs last year, Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton.

Bournemouth, Brighton and Crystal Palace punched above their weight last year as did Nottingham Forest, but all four might not do so well this time around as coaches have had time to study their tactics and form.

So here we go – when the whistle blows this weekend – sit back and enjoy the spectacle.

 

Liverpool are the ones to beat again

Liverpool might have lost the Charity Shield to an unfancied Crystal Palace side, but I believe that from what I have seen so far on the training ground, they will set the Premier League alight with their new forward line and strengthened defence. Liverpool have assembled the most potentially perfect team for Arne Slot to take into battle this season. It is said that Florian Wirtz could dribble his way out of a shoe box with space to spare. A £116 million signing with magic dust in his boots. Someone who really admires Wirtz is the excellent new attacking wing-back signing Milos Kirkez.

This super confident young man has been dazzled watching Wirtz in training and says, “I was never nervous about joining in and I was really happy to be here and I couldn’t wait to get started. But it was so different to Bournemouth. The intensity, the quality and players who do not make many mistakes. It is the noise of the passes. The ball goes boom, boom, boom…it’s different.”

 

Savinho could give Spurs their dream attack

Thomas Frank could have his dream Tottenham lineup if the club can do a deal with Manchester City to bring in Savinho. The two clubs are talking, but a deal has not been done at the time of writing this column. Savinho can play on the left or right but Frank has options available on the right with Mohammed Kudus, Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski who Thomas Frank has confirmed will miss the opening game against Burnley. Odobert, Mathys Tel, Richarlison, Manor Solomon and Bryan Gil are his choices on the left, and if Savinho signed, he would only add to those options. That leaves the potentially brilliant idea of playing Savinho in Son Heung-min’s role now that James Maddision is out injured

 

How good will United be this season?

Ruben Amorim told Manchester United the players he wanted the club to sign during the summer and they have spent big bucks to give him his improved team. There is no doubt that Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have proved themselves in the Premier League but £74 million signing Benjamin Sesko has not. He had a reasonable strike rate in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig, but they let him leave and he has never played for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. The 22-year-old could find himself in hot water when he comes up against the likes of Van Dijk, Konate and Gabriel. He just needs to look at one of United’s previous big reputation imports, Rasmus Hojlund, to see what the Premier League can do to a player who arrives full of expectation only to find that goals are hard to come by in this company.

 

New season will be tough for Newcastle

Newcastle have experienced a difficult time preparing for the new season. They were beaten 2-0 by Atletico Madrid to complete their pre-season matches in which they lost four and drew two. In addition, the club’s recruitment team have pursued Joao Pedro, Hugo Ekitike and Benjamin Sesko and failed to gain one signature. Coach Eddie Howe is also tearing his hair out trying to cope with the Alexander Isak situation as his super striker has been left out of the team whilst the on-off transfer offers come in from Liverpool, and their leading goal-scorer last season says he wants to leave.

To add to Howe’s problems, Anthony Gordon, who is likely to replace Isak should he finally depart, injured his ankle at Villa Park. Howe said, “We hope he will be okay. The good news is: It is just a twist, so the initial feeling is that he will be able to start against Aston Villa on Sunday.”

 

Gyokeres to ‘destroy’ defences

Mikel Arteta says his new striker, Viktor Gyokeres will ‘destroy defences’ following his first goal for the Gunners in their final pre-season match, beating Atletico Bilbao 3-0.

Arteta said, “The first goal is always very important. He took it really well. Everything he does – his movement, his timing, knowing where the space is going to be – that’s the instinct he has. That is why he has scored so many goals. He pins down both centre backs. If you leave him with space one on one, he is going to destroy you.”

 

Between the posts at Chelsea

Chelsea have strengthened most positions in their squad with the exception of a new goalkeeper. They tried to sign the experienced AC Milan stopper, Mike Maignan, but the 30 year-year-old French No1, who has a lot of Champions League experience, did not join due to the two clubs failing to agree on his value.

Enzo Maresca says he is happy with 30-year-old Robert Sanchez and 23-year-old Filip Jorgensen as cover, which is the same combination as last season. Many credit Sanchez with winning the Club World Cup for Chelsea after some spectacular saves, but I noticed that Jorgensen has been given a lot of time between the posts in pre-season friendlies, which I believe is because Maresca will rotate his goalkeepers.

 

PUMA supply new Premier League balls

For the first time in 25 years Premier League matches will be played using a PUMA ball instead of Nike. PUMA tells me that the completely new ball, called the Orbita Ultimate PL, consists of 12 same size panels, which give it balance and a lighter more accurate feel for distribution.

 

Man United vs Arsenal

The big one given the amount spent on transfers and both coaches know they have to produce results this season. Ruben Amorim has to prove himself and Mikel Arteta must repay the Arsenal faithful supporters who are fed up finishing in second place.

United face four of the last season’s big winners in their first eight matches; and it is fortunate this one is at home.

All United eyes will be on Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbuemo and Viktor Gyrokeres for the Gunners. How Gyrokeres links up with Bukayo Saka and midfielders Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice will be crucial to this contest. He has demanded assists from all those players. I think he will take time to find his golden scoring touch in the Premier League; and this is a tough match to begin his Old Trafford career.