Premier League 2021-2022

[IthacaMatt]

Arsenal U-23 team just lost 6-0 to West Ham today.
Their future players aren’t much better.

Didn't Arsenal hire the player recruitment guy from Juventus, who has done such a great job over the last 10 years?

 

[IthacaMatt]

I honestly despite the show at the end of the season believe that Pep has never been a huge Aguero fan.

Totally agree. Makes little sense to me, although Aguero has suffered a lot of injuries the last couple seasons.

 

[cusefan88]

Didn't Arsenal hire the player recruitment guy from Juventus, who has done such a great job over the last 10 years?

Whoever they signed suck. I think they're recruitment and spending has been pretty bad. Selling Martinez and keeping Leno (maybe also buying Ramsdale). Partey was not great last year. Pepe is inconsistent. Bought some random CM's. New contract for Xhaka.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Whoever they signed suck. I think they're recruitment and spending has been pretty bad. Selling Martinez and keeping Leno (maybe also buying Ramsdale). Partey was not great last year. Pepe is inconsistent. Bought some random CM's. New contract for Xhaka.

Yeah, few of them seem like "League Winners" to me.
That's what you start with. The Premier League is VERY competitive, very fast and physical.

Can you handle that, and still have composure on the ball, and the ability to make a pass and close down an opponent.

Arsenal, for a handful of years, have seemed to have half a roster of guys who were good enough to be on a championship squad. But their midfields were always lightweight, and they were sketchy at the back.

Sometimes you sign the wrong guys - Chelsea have done that, Manchester United, Syracuse basketball. But do you have a good process? Are you making progress? That part - the accountability - is essential.

 

[creatorsgam]

Klopp, just shut the hell up already.

Most unlikable; we get it, you manage a small club. Now get on with it…

 

[orangenauburn]

Lukaku. That was quick

 

[OrangeFoo]

Klopp, just shut the hell up already.

Most unlikable; we get it, you manage a small club. Now get on with it…

What did he say? All I saw yesterday was him calling out Burnley for a lot of physical play off and on the ball… fwiw I agree with him Burnley had some nasty challenges and didn’t even get a yellow card. Liverpool Is clicking and next week they will take down Chelsea.

However l don’t think they have the depth to keep up with City either in the front three or midfield. Can’t rely on Elliott or Jones for the full season, Keita and Henderson are very injury-prone, Silva and Fab are tremendous, and then there is Milner who is an emergency starter these days. Needed one more forward and midfielder to realistically challenge for the title.

 

[creatorsgam]

What did he say? All I saw yesterday was him calling out Burnley for a lot of physical play off and on the ball… fwiw I agree with him Burnley had some nasty challenges and didn’t even get a yellow card. Liverpool Is clicking and next week they will take down Chelsea.

However l don’t think they have the depth to keep up with City either in the front three or midfield. Can’t rely on Elliott or Jones for the full season, Keita and Henderson are very injury-prone, Silva and Fab are tremendous, and then there is Milner who is an emergency starter these days. Needed one more forward and midfielder to realistically challenge for the title.

Talking about the transfer window and complaining about other clubs spending $… like he manages a League 1 team with no budget.

 

[creatorsgam]

Lukaku. That was quick

Think he is going to absolutely feast in London.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Lukaku. That was quick

Holy Crap, that is a whole new Chelsea. Having the big physical striker as your focal point, with talented guys swarming around him; talented midfield, excellent defense.

This team reminds me of the kind of squad Chelsea had back in 2010, when I first became a fan. Very talented team, deep bench, capable of playing different ways, capable of imposing their will on the opponent, big and fast and physical.

Four teams can win the title. Chelsea is clearly one of them. Next week against Liverpool is suddenly a HUGE game.

Honestly, there are about ten teams who could make Top 4 (or at least compete for European places), if they got the breaks.

What a season this is going to be!

 

[creatorsgam]

Holy Crap, that is a whole new Chelsea. Having the big physical striker as your focal point, with talented guys swarming around him; talented midfield, excellent defense.

This team reminds me of the kind of squad Chelsea had back in 2010, when I first became a fan. Very talented team, deep bench, capable of playing different ways, capable of imposing their will on the opponent, big and fast and physical.

Four teams can win the title. Chelsea is clearly one of them. Next week against Liverpool is suddenly a HUGE game.

Honestly, there are about ten teams who could make Top 4 (or at least compete for European places), if they got the breaks.

What a season this is going to be!

Chelsea definitely improved their squad, no question… and they are the European Champions. Title contenders for sure, domestic and Europe.

You really think 10 teams can compete? You may be right, the season is a long one and the EPL schedule is a grind, but it feels like a clear top-4 and everybody else.

Arsenal better wake up. I think Brentford next week (maybe?) and if they don’t get 3 points they will be finding themselves in quite a hole with the run of matches they have upcoming.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Chelsea definitely improved their squad, no question… and they are the European Champions. Title contenders for sure, domestic and Europe.

You really think 10 teams can compete? You may be right, the season is a long one and the EPL schedule is a grind, but it feels like a clear top-4 and everybody else.

Arsenal better wake up. I think Brentford next week (maybe?) and if they don’t get 3 points they will be finding themselves in quite a hole with the run of matches they have upcoming.

If we consider the 6 (or sometimes 7) spots for Euro League, and that new one they just introduced, then I think you have something like this:

TIER ONE - TITLE CONTENDERS

Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.

TIER TWO - COULD CRASH TOP FOUR

Leicester City, West Ham (if they sign another striker), Tottenham (if they keep Kane)

TIER THREE - COMPETING FOR EUROPE

Everton (if you keep James Rodriguez into it, and you add another couple players), Aston Villa (need another offensive player - winger or striker), Arsenal has too much talent not to be in the hunt for 6-10th place, Wolves have sold a little too much, but they still have a pretty good team, Leeds and even Newcastle, could compete for the scraps at the end of the European buffet table.

Newcastle has a very underrated roster. Mike Ashley may be the worst owner in sports, but they have put together some pretty good talent if they can stay fit.

Bielsa makes Leeds a wildcard. Has the league figured them out this year? Bamford gives them a quality striker, they have a couple very good midfielders.

I think there are 13 or 14 teams with a balance of offensive and defensive talent, who can truly compete in the Premier League and the Cup competitions, for certain.

 

[orangenauburn]

If we consider the 6 (or sometimes 7) spots for Euro League, and that new one they just introduced, then I think you have something like this:

TIER ONE - TITLE CONTENDERS

Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.

TIER TWO - COULD CRASH TOP FOUR

Leicester City, West Ham (if they sign another striker), Tottenham (if they keep Kane)

TIER THREE - COMPETING FOR EUROPE

Everton (if you keep James Rodriguez into it, and you add another couple players), Aston Villa (need another offensive player - winger or striker), Arsenal has too much talent not to be in the hunt for 6-10th place, Wolves have sold a little too much, but they still have a pretty good team, Leeds and even Newcastle, could compete for the scraps at the end of the European buffet table.

Newcastle has a very underrated roster. Mike Ashley may be the worst owner in sports, but they have put together some pretty good talent if they can stay fit.

Bielsa makes Leeds a wildcard. Has the league figured them out this year? Bamford gives them a quality striker, they have a couple very good midfielders.

I think there are 13 or 14 teams with a balance of offensive and defensive talent, who can truly compete in the Premier League and the Cup competitions, for certain.

I like Leicester this year to make that push

 

[creatorsgam]

If we consider the 6 (or sometimes 7) spots for Euro League, and that new one they just introduced, then I think you have something like this:

TIER ONE - TITLE CONTENDERS

Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.

TIER TWO - COULD CRASH TOP FOUR

Leicester City, West Ham (if they sign another striker), Tottenham (if they keep Kane)

TIER THREE - COMPETING FOR EUROPE

Everton (if you keep James Rodriguez into it, and you add another couple players), Aston Villa (need another offensive player - winger or striker), Arsenal has too much talent not to be in the hunt for 6-10th place, Wolves have sold a little too much, but they still have a pretty good team, Leeds and even Newcastle, could compete for the scraps at the end of the European buffet table.

Newcastle has a very underrated roster. Mike Ashley may be the worst owner in sports, but they have put together some pretty good talent if they can stay fit.

Bielsa makes Leeds a wildcard. Has the league figured them out this year? Bamford gives them a quality striker, they have a couple very good midfielders.

I think there are 13 or 14 teams with a balance of offensive and defensive talent, who can truly compete in the Premier League and the Cup competitions, for certain.

I love watching Leeds. Their style… feast or famine, seemingly never a dull match.

 

[Alsacs]

I like Leicester this year to make that push

Brandan Rodgers will go Brandan Rodgers that will do Leicester in.

West Ham is the dark horse team I could see competing for top 4.

 

[creatorsgam]

I like Leicester this year to make that push

Perhaps. They lean so hard on Vardy. At 34 he’s going to slow down at some point. Obviously not as deep as the top clubs but if they stay healthy they will compete for a spot in Europe and maybe win a piece of silverware this season.

 

[creatorsgam]

Brandan Rodgers will go Brandan Rodgers that will do Leicester in.

West Ham is the dark horse team I could see competing for top 4.

Jesse Lingard was so good for the Hammers on loan from Manchester United. I expect them to sell, his value will never be higher and the Red Devils don’t really have a place for him. Regular first team football and if he finds that form, Southgate will give him that England call-up.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I like Leicester this year to make that push

There's a lot of good young talent on that team. They have bought very well when they have moved on players to cash in.

Guys like James Madison, Youri Tielemanns, Harvey Barnes, Wilfred Ndidi, and Soyuncu are already turning into stars.

Then you have even more talented young guys like Wesley Fofana, this new striker Patson Daka, Daniel Amartey, Verstergaard the defender from Norway, Soumare the French midfielder, and even Choudhury, the kid who started out with Arsenal.

That's an outstanding bunch of talent, and we didn't even mentioned vetertans like Vardy, Schmeical and Johnny Evans. Ihenacho seems like he's on the verge of being a regular contributor, Napalmys Mendy - still pretty young, I love this squad.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Jesse Lingard was so good for the Hammers on loan from Manchester United. I expect them to sell, his value will never be higher and the Red Devils don’t really have a place for him. Regular first team football and if he finds that form, Southgate will give him that England call-up.

Put him back at West Ham and they maybe won't Mikhail Antonio into the ground. Definitely try to get Lindgaard back.

I think they (and West Ham) made a mistake by not paying the 40M for Tammy Abraham when they had the chance earlier this summer. I easily see him scoring 20 in all comps in England with a team that uses him well and has some talented attacking players around him.

 

[creatorsgam]

Put him back at West Ham and they maybe won't Mikhail Antonio into the ground. Definitely try to get Lindgaard back.

I think they (and West Ham) made a mistake by not paying the 40M for Tammy Abraham when they had the chance earlier this summer. I easily see him scoring 20 in all comps in England with a team that uses him well and has some talented attacking players around him.

They needed a striker, had a chance, and passed.

A Millwall fan must run their club.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Perhaps. They lean so hard on Vardy. At 34 he’s going to slow down at some point. Obviously not as deep as the top clubs but if they stay healthy they will compete for a spot in Europe and maybe win a piece of silverware this season.

They are assembling some pretty good talent around him. As long as they don't sell Maddison or Harvey Barnes, the new center forward Patson Daka, and Keheleci Ihenacho (sp?) give them some pretty good threat. I think they also have Ayoze Perez in their attack.

That's a lot of guys who are good at combining on the ball. I think Vardy's maybe got 1 more year after this one. They seem like they will be ready. Rogers has them playing very attractive football.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I love watching Leeds. Their style… feast or famine, seemingly never a dull match.

We'll see if they have a follow up season like Sheffield United, whose unorthodox style of over-lapping center backs (??) flummoxed some teams, along with their manic workrate.

Bielsa will need to adjust tactically this year, now that everybody has film of his style. Sheffield failed to have a Plan B. Leeds, at least, has some goal threat. Sheffield not so much.

 

[creatorsgam]

They are assembling some pretty good talent around him. As long as they don't sell Maddison or Harvey Barnes, the new center forward Patson Daka, and Keheleci Ihenacho (sp?) give them some pretty good threat. I think they also have Ayoze Perez in their attack.

That's a lot of guys who are good at combining on the ball. I think Vardy's maybe got 1 more year after this one. They seem like they will be ready. Rogers has them playing very attractive football.

Ihenacho (yeah not even trying to spellcheck that) is option 1B and reliable.

You are right, they play an attractive style. Hard to root against the Foxes unless they are playing vs. my club.

 

[creatorsgam]

We'll see if they have a follow up season like Sheffield United, whose unorthodox style of over-lapping center backs (??) flummoxed some teams, along with their manic workrate.

Bielsa will need to adjust tactically this year, now that everybody has film of his style.

Losing Dean Henderson didn’t help Sheffield, but I agree.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Ihenacho (yeah not even trying to spellcheck that) is option 1B and reliable.

You are right, they play an attractive style. Hard to root against the Foxes unless they are playing vs. my club.

From year to year, you see teams build up chemistry and start putting together a threatening roster. Sometimes it comes together, sometimes it doesn't.

I always love watching those kinds of teams on the rise - Wolves their first year or two back up, Leicester, West Ham last year, I used to like watching Crystal Palace, Southhampton (before they crossed the line with too many sales ...).

Even Newcastle had a great season under Allen Pardew, must have been 8 years ago. Harry Redknapp had a couple fun teams at Tottenham. And on it goes!