SOCCER
Roundtable Reads — 2021/2022 English Premier League Preview
The English Premier League is raring to go and our writers are ready to share their takes for the upcoming season!
The English Premier League is about to start again. The competition looks tenser than ever. Every team has made at least one key signing to try to change the landscape of the league this season. We asked our editorial team to give their opinion on what will happen this season. Write your comments on the English Premier League’s new season down below or hit us up on Twitter or Instagram.
After Manchester City bought Jack Grealish, is there any team that can keep up with the reigning champions?
Petrick: Manchester United. The Red Devils were ranked 2nd last season with a half-fit Pogba and without Harry Maguire in the last weeks of the campaign. With blockbuster signings in Jadon Sancho and Raphaël Varane, I think United can mount a heavy challenge on Pep Guardiola’s City. Can they win their first league title since 2013? I’m not 100% convinced yet. But, if all of their big players can stay fit until May 2022, who knows?
Faiz: I expect the title contention will be open between four teams, with Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United closing their gap with Manchester City. Big match results between them will be important near the end of the season.
Raul: The acquisition of Jack Grealish might be overshadowed if Chelsea manage to pull off the signing of Romelu Lukaku. Under Thomas Tuchel’s guidance, the Blues have once again proven themselves to be a serious team, and I can see them being a major threat to Guardiola’s Manchester City this season as the German manager has maintained an excellent head-to-head record against his Spanish counterpart in three different competitions last season.
Ammar: It’s got to be their red neighbor. Manchester United had a solid run despite the doubts of fans and pundits alike, and they have bolstered their squad with important additions such as Jadon Sancho and Raphaël Varane. It’s a championship run or none for them.
Which teams are you most excited about this season?
Petrick: I’d love to say United again, but I think Chelsea can be very dangerous this season. Thomas Tuchel has done wonders so far with his inspiring tactics, and I believe his Chelsea team can go further if they get the players he wants. Be aware of more tactical brilliance from the lanky German coach.
Faiz: I am looking forward to seeing a new version of Manchester United this season. With the addition of Jadon Sancho and Raphaël Varane and also the improvement of Donny van de Beek, Solskjaer has all the ingredients to make United play more attacking football and be a legitimate title contender.
Raul: Looking forward to seeing Watford do well with Xisco Muñoz at the helm, a green manager at the age of 40. Both the club and the manager were undermined before the 2020/21 Championship season, but the Hornets have proven the doubters otherwise as they secured promotion to the Premier League after a year of absence.
Ammar: Leeds United joined the Premier League after a 16-year absence, and they have been one of the most entertaining sides I witnessed last season. Bielsa’s Peacocks will showcase high-octane, dynamic, fast-paced football and the Premier League should brace for impact.
Which teams might have a slow start to the season?
Petrick: Everton. They did really well in the opening stage of the 2020/21 season, but declined pretty quickly despite having stellar talents upfront. Their talisman Richarlison had an impressive summer with Brazil, but I don’t think he will join the squad before September. Not only that, James Rodriguez has also expressed his dissatisfaction with Carlo Ancelotti’s departure. New manager Rafael Benitez has a lot of homework in the next couple of weeks.
Faiz: I would not be surprised if the Manchester duo will start slow, which is quite similar to last season. Losing many players due to the late rounds of the Euro 2020 may create fitness issues for both teams. But Tottenham Hotspurs may struggle more than the Manchester duo at the start of the season. They made good signings in Christian Romero and Bryan Gil, but both of them are more like long-term prospects than ready-made players, especially Bryan Gil. Their new coach Nuno Espírito Santo may take more time to settle in and their issue with Harry Kane who is wanting to leave does not help them at all.
Raul: With the recent defeat against Leicester City in the Community Shield, this might be a foreshadow of how things will pan out on the blue side of Manchester. Apart from the headline-making summer signing in the form of Jack Grealish, Pep Guardiola’s side has yet to enforce key areas that have been a concern in the Manchester City camp.
With the absence of club legend and prolific goalscorer Sergio Agüero, it is expected that Harry Kane will fill in the void but as of this preview is written, it has been nothing but a gust of wind. In the midfield department, deep-lying playmaker Fernandinho has entered the latter half of his 30s, and Rodri’s performance as his designated, eventual replacement, has just been a fraction of the Brazilian.
It is also informed that some first team members such as Bernardo Silva and Benjamin Mendy, are subject to eviction from the Etihad Stadium. If the incumbent champion is slow in their revamp, they might as well have to endure a slow start to the season.
Ammar: The departure of Jack Grealish to Manchester City left a huge dent in Aston Villa. Villa ranked 11th last season with 55 points, 10 points away from Europa League qualifications. Should Grealish stay in his boyhood club, a top-6 run should be within reach. With him out of the question and £100 million in hand, Dean Smith would have to devise a plan to actually compete. And if he really found a fitting replacement and some additions to the current team, it would probably take five to eight gameweeks for the signings to gel and it wouldn’t be surprising if the slow start continues into a year-long relegation battle until the end of the season.
Which of the promotion teams is ready to compete in the Premier League and avoid relegation?
Petrick: I think Brentford can surprise us. They were astonishing in last season’s Carabao Cup, beating not one, not two, but four Premier League clubs before bowing out in the quarterfinals. But, they need to work well in this transfer window to make that happen. If, let’s say, they let Ivan Toney go and can’t find a proper replacement, it can be a tough campaign for the Bees.
Faiz: I fancy Thomas Frank’s Brentford as the most interesting one to follow than the other promotion teams. Backed with a good management structure, decent firepower like Ivan Toney and well-scouted signing like Kristoffer Ajer from Celtic F.C., I can see them escape relegation and even finish closer to mid-table.
Raul: As I mentioned earlier, I reckon that Watford will stay afloat in the top flight. With highly-coveted future starlets at their disposal, such as João Pedro, Imran Louza, Francisco Sierralta, and Liverpool’s invincible season killer, Ismaïla Sarr, I expect them to have their breakout seasons in England’s highest echelon of footballing showcase.
Ammar: I got Norwich City on top of my mind. They would have the experience of competing at the top level thanks to years of going in and out of the Premier League. Daniel Farke would have something to prove as one of Germany’s best managerial products, and hey, who’s not missing Pukki Party?
Which transfer do you like and dislike most?
Petrick: I was over the moon when United announced Varane’s signing. When was the last time they had an elite center back pairing? 2008? 2011? 2013? That’s a gazillion years ago, man! With all due respect to Victor Lindelöf and Eric Bailly, Varane is just a tier above them, in terms of quality and experience. On the opposite side, I’m surprised that Arsenal has let Joe Willock leave permanently for Newcastle United. He’s a real talent, and I think the Gunners could potentially regret this decision later on.
Faiz: Raphaël Varane may prove an important one as he will unlock Manchester United’s ability to play higher defensive lines and more intense pressing off the ball. But I like Leicester City’s signing the most. Patson Daka and Boubakary Soumaré will be other names to be included in the Foxes’ well-priced brilliant signings. On the other hand, I am not sure if Leon Bailey can be an instant hit in the Premier League for Aston Villa.
Raul: I am absolutely loving the fact that Aston Villa have been smart in spending their Grealish money on three different players who are not short of qualities in Emi Buendía, a creative outlet that is not afraid to take on his men, Leon Bailey, an explosive speedster that has been dubbed as one of Bundesliga’s biggest talents, and Danny Ings, who has redeemed himself as a reliable goal-getter at Southampton. These three will surely take out Dean Smith’s dependence on a sole figure.
Conversely, I am skeptical towards Liverpool’s acquisition of Ibrahima Konaté, instead of making a permanent move to sign Ozan Kabak. While it is regarded that Konaté is the better defender than Kabak, the fact that the former RB Leipzig defender has a concerning injury record might not be the wisest of moves, as it is ironic that Liverpool’s backline main issue in the past year has been fitness and injuries, yet the board deals with the problem by signing a ticking time bomb that can be costly for the team’s performance especially towards the end of the season.
Ammar: While Raphaël Varane’s move to Manchester United can be dubbed as a daylight robbery, I wouldn’t be surprised if people were scratching their heads over Ben White’s £50 million move to Arsenal.
What do you think of Rafael Benítez’s return to the Premier League to manage Everton?
Petrick: Ah, the man with the weirdest coaching résumé on earth. His most recent four jobs are Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Dalian Professional, and now Everton. Well, Benítez is quite interesting tactically despite his rather defensive nature. He does many squad rotations and is quite keen to inject youths into the senior side. I hope we can see some bright young stars shining at Goodison Park this season.
Faiz: I like this appointment since I feel that Rafael Benítez deserved a better team and owner than his last Premier League team, Newcastle United, and now he got one in Everton. Historically he always has a compact tactical setup that can squeeze out a good result against better teams. If Everton’s players buy into Benítez’s method, I will not be surprised if Everton finish higher than one or two Big Six teams this season.
Raul: Benítez is the kind of man that can turn the tides to his favor, evident from how he turned Newcastle United into a solid mid-table team for two consecutive seasons right after their promotion from the Championship, despite having little to no bargaining power in the transfer market due to the club owner’s frugality. Everton have had an uninspiring season despite being managed by Carlo Ancelotti, one of the grandest coaching figures in world football. However, Benítez’s conservative nature in choosing his tactics might be the key difference to Ancelotti’s more explorative and fluid style of play. This insinuates the threat that Everton will be able to exert against bigger teams due to the 61-year-old Spaniard’s defensive approach.
Ammar: As a Liverpool fan, I would never truly show my objective side on the appointment. Fans dubbed Benítez as a club legend, and many of us never imagined him standing on the other side of Stanley Park from where he stood before. Sentiments aside, Benítez is a great manager and he has the ability to turn Everton into a real top flight contender.
With Leicester City and West Ham United breaking the dominance of the “Big Six”, are the Big Six still relevant in the Premier League?
Petrick: Yes and no. Yes, in terms of global exposure and financial prowess. But, if we talk about recent results and tactical battles, there are four, five teams that fight evenly against the Big Six. And, because you haven’t mentioned a particular club, I just want to say, “don’t sleep on Aston Villa, my fellow brethren.” They have done serious business in this transfer window, and I believe Villa is capable of putting a serious challenge for the Champions League ticket.
Faiz: The Big Six is at a crossroads with the traditional teams in the group like Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspurs struggling to keep up with the others while Leicester City, Everton, and West Ham United are cutting the gap closer each year. I can see Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United strengthening their Big Four positions from the rest of the league.
Raul: I would consider Leicester City as one of the Big Six now as they have proven in the last couple of seasons by finishing fifth. This shows that the concept of Big Six is dynamic and it is only a matter of time before new potential entrants to the clan appear, just like how West Ham have shown everyone last year.
It is highly dependent on the competency of each club’s management; Leicester City have enjoyed significant investment from King Power so that they were able to sign high-caliber footballers such as Çaglar Soyunçu and Youri Tielemans. Sullivan-Gold & Co. also have not shied away from attempting to bring quality recruitments to London Stadium, with Tomáš Souček arguably being their best signing since Dimitri Payet.
The traditional members of the Big Six, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, somehow failed to secure their spot in that particular bracket last season, courtesy of mismanagement and irresponsible recruitments that did not satisfy the needs that each club had.
Ammar: At this rate, the continental cup competition within Premier League teams is alive and well. It’s up for grabs for everyone, not to mention promotion teams. Meanwhile, the same can’t be said in terms of the championship title race. As it stands, only last year’s top four would make the most sense to lift the trophy in May 2022.
Injuries always play a part during the season with Liverpool becoming the victim last season. Which teams do you think will be greatly affected by injuries this season?
Petrick: Chelsea can be in huge trouble if injuries hit their main midfield pairing, Jorginho and N’Golo Kanté. With all due respect, the likes of Mateo Kovačić, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Ross Barkley are nowhere near the Jorginho-Kanté partnership. If Liverpool could get hit by injuries to all of their center backs last season, why couldn’t this happen to Chelsea’s midfield personnel?
Faiz: Leicester City ended the last two seasons in touching distance of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. They added Patson Daka and Boubakary Soumaré to bring depth in the front and midfield but they have not brought any cover for the center back position yet. Starting the season with injuries to Wesley Fofana and 33-year-old Jonny Evans, injuries may put Leicester City at worse league positions than the last two seasons.
Raul: The lack of squad depth could be costly for Manchester City in entering the new Premier League season, as the club is eying for wholesale changes with numerous key personnels are rumored to depart from the Etihad Stadium. It is quite concerning that Pep Guardiola has yet to express his intention to bolster the City camp with new players even though the transfer window is drawing to a close.
Ammar: A few weeks into the preseason, we already witnessed Andy Robertson pick up a knock, damaging his ligament in a match against Osasuna on Sunday, [Aug. 8]. Looks like Liverpool’s injury woes will continue this season, and it will definitely hurt their chance to contend for the championship.
Which player will be under the microscope to improve their performance from the previous season?
Petrick: Anthony Martial. Basically, he is still the same player since joining United in 2015. He was lucky this didn’t get exposed because the main spotlight was on Zlatan Ibrahimović, Alexis Sánchez, and Romelu Lukaku when they were at the club. Then, Edinson Cavani came, and he rose to the occasion when Martial got injured for months. Now, he is fit and ready to get his place back. Will he show any improvement? I hope so.
Faiz: Anthony Martial is under pressure from Manchester United fans and media. The player who used to be a wonderkid when arriving from AS Monaco, rarely showed his full potential when wearing the United shirt. With the absence of Marcus Rashford due to shoulder injury and Edinson Cavani due to holiday after Copa America, there is no better time for Martial to prove his worth.
Raul: Donny van de Beek’s lack of appearance has been under scrutiny from fans and pundits alike, as it is quite difficult to determine whether it is the player that is not good enough to grace the pitch of Old Trafford or it is purely Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s incompetence in accommodating such talent. However, the 24-year-old Dutch midfielder has ended his pre-season with some aplomb, so I expect the likes of Fred and Scott McTominay to sweat over their long-term future in starting week in and week out in Manchester United’s midfield.
Ammar: All fingers are pointing towards Roberto Firmino. The veteran striker had a subpar season with only nine goals and seven assists. Advanced statistics won’t save him this time, as 0.41 npxG (non-penalty xG) and 0.20 assists per 90 minutes can be considered below his usual performance. It’s a redemption season for Firmino, and if he’s not stepping up his game, I won’t be surprised if Liverpool will look for a long-term replacement in the winter transfer window.
The season preview will not complete without predictions. What’s your prediction on the champion, player of the season, top scorer, and rising star (age 22 or younger) for this season?
Petrick:
Champion: Manchester United. This is biased, but I really think they can unsettle Manchester City massively.
Player of the Season: Jadon Sancho. Again, a biased opinion. But if United becomes the champion, I believe Sancho will play a huge part in it.
Top Scorer: Harry Kane. Who else?
Rising Star: Billy Gilmour. Norwich City will be a perfect soil for him to grow. This kid is really going places.
Faiz:
Champion: Liverpool.
Player of the season: Bruno Fernandes.
Top Scorer: If he moves to Manchester City, it should be Harry Kane but if not, Romelu Lukaku.
Rising star: Tariq Lamptey.
Raul:
Champion: Manchester United. In this business, I am backing Petrick.
Player of the season: Jadon Sancho. He will be this decade’s Eden Hazard.
Top Scorer: I can see Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku sharing the Golden Boot.
Rising Star: Bryan Gil.
Ammar:
Champion: Manchester City will be crowned Premier League champion once again.
Player of the Season: Pep will do wonders with Jack Grealish, and a trophy would definitely strengthen the case for the Englishman to win his Player of the Season award in May.
Top Scorer: Romelu Lukaku would want to replicate his exuberant Serie A performance with Chelsea. Thirty goals are within his reach.
Rising Star: I am looking forward to seeing Leon Bailey prove me wrong and enjoy a good campaign on his first season on English ground.
Welcome to our latest segment addition, Roundtable Reads! In this segment, our editorial team will answer intriguing questions about what’s going on in the world of sports, in turn, like they’re sitting in a roundtable.
Our current Soccer editorial team consists of:
- Ammarsha Rewindra Ridwan — Chief Editor
- Faiz Ramadhan — Head of Soccer Division
- Petrick Sinuraya — Soccer Writer
- Raul Adam — Soccer Writer
Stay tuned for more Roundtable Reads content from #TheAmateursID!
