Post by deadbat on Aug 9, 2023 8:31:15 GMT
Premier League Season Preview & Predictions 23-24
It is that time of year again where everyone tries to predict the final standings come May 2024. You scan the football magazines, newspapers and various sites online and to date I have not seen one yet that has predicted a different champion to Manchester City. Sadly, I have also not seen any predicting the Blades to stay up. Time to ‘put the paper on the wall’ again?!
I will join the throng of uninformed idiots and put my neck on the line. I will discuss each team and my respective positional prediction, along with notes on the manager, key man and some trivia/thoughts that will bore and surprise in equal delight. The big question is will the one of the most negative Sheffield United fans around, have us anywhere but bottom?
Read on and you will find out…
*Transfer info correct as of 9am Thurs 9th August
1) Manchester City
It is really hard to put anyone but City here. I could have been edgy and gone with Arsenal, Liverpool or even their city rivals United, but it is not happening. They have actually lost a few players like Gundogan and Mahrez and only brought in Kovacic which feels like a Declan Rice consolation prize. However, they were better than anyone else in all the main competitions by some way. They’ve got the best keeper (Ederson), best defender (Dias), best midfielder (De Bruyne) and best striker (Haaland). Oh, and the best manager too. They have a deep squad full of talent and goals and can pass teams to death. No-one is getting close to them anytime soon. Their biggest challenge might be themselves as only boredom stops them winning it again. They have not signed many players with Gvardiol the big outlay, but they did not need to, and know if they want to add depth, they will simply bring someone in before the end of the window. City’s standards are now so high that Pep has them at a level that no one in world football can really live with. They were not close to their best in the Champions League final and still won it without too much concern. I do not see any of the teams below being at the level consistently they will hit to properly challenge.
Manager: Pep Guardiola – As with City, his main issue will be finding the motivation to do it all again. How can he top last season? Suppose he could win the quadruple?
In
Josko Gvardiol – RB Leipzig, £78m
Spike Brits - AFC Wimbledon, undisclosed
Yangel Herrera - Girona, undisclosed
Mateo Kovacic - Chelsea, £30m
Out
Riyad Mahrez – Al Ahli, £30m
Shea Charles - Southampton, £15m
Carlos Borges – Ajax, £17.3m
Josh McNamara - Southampton, undisclosed
Morgan Rogers - Middlesbrough, undisclosed
Cieran Slicker - Ipswich, undisclosed
Terrell Agyemang - Middlesbrough, free
Ilkay Gundogan - Barcelona, free
Benjamin Mendy - Released
Kian Breckin - Wycombe, loan
Yan Couto - Girona, loan
Liam Delap - Hull, loan
Callum Doyle - Leicester, loan
James Trafford - Burnley, £19m
Finley Burns – Stevenage, loan
Alex Robertson – Portsmouth, loan
Key Player: Erling Haaland – The complete striker playing in the team that creates the most chances. He might not score 52 goals (36 in the EPL) this time but he won’t be far off now he is properly settled in!
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: City became the first (and so far only) reigning English champions to be relegated at the end of their defence. They won the title in 1936/37 but went down the next season. Also in 37/38 they managed to be the only team ever to be relegated from England’s top division with a positive goal difference, even going as far as being the top scorers in the division. Almost predictably, Manchester United were promoted in their place!
Verdict: Champions. Probably by at least 10 points
2) Arsenal
There are two contrasting takes on the Gunners from last season. One is that they blew it after leading the league most of the way. The other is they actually had an excellent season winning 26/38 games and amassing 84 points. Without the City juggernaut, they win the league. Arsenal now have a resiliency and team spirit allied to a move towards lowering of the age of the squad. His recruitment has been really good with the likes of Odergaard, Saliba and Ramsdale all now established as top players. They have spent big this summer and increased numbers with the added games in the Champions League. Rice cost a lot of money but is a good player who can do a bit if everything. Havertz gives them extra creativity. Timber provides some strength at the back (geddit?!). Arsenal now will see themselves as a side that has shook off the shackles of the post Wenger days and seem to be spending again judging by the activities this summer. They have a depth that they did not have a few years ago and a nice mix of young players mixed with those entering their prime.
Manager: Mikel Arteta - Arteta was under pressure a few years ago after an indifferent start but is now firmly ensconced at the helm overseeing an evolution of the club. The season they had last time out maybe puts extra expectation on them but they are definitely heading in the right direction under his leadership.
In
Kai Havertz - Chelsea, £65m
Declan Rice - West Ham, £105m
Jurrien Timber - Ajax, £38m
Out
Granit Xhaka - Bayer Leverkusen, £21.4m
Pablo Mari - Monza, undisclosed
Nikolaj Moller - St Gallen, undisclosed
Mazeed Ogungbo - Barrow, undisclosed
Matt Smith - Wigan, free
Ainsley Maitland-Niles - Released
Mauro Bandeira - Colchester, loan
Billy Vigar - Eastbourne, loan
Tom Smith – Colchester, free
Austun Trusty – Sheffield United, undisclosed
Ainsley Maitland Niles, Lyon, free
Key Player: Martin Odegaard - He might not get the plaudits of Haaland, De Bruyne, Salah, Kate etc but Odergaard might be Arsenal’s best, and most important player. Technically good but he can do the dirty work as well as assist and score goals.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Arsenal are believed to be the only team in Champions League history to have fielded 11 players from different nationalities in their victory over Hamburger SV in 2006.
Verdict: Look stronger on paper but got a feeling they won’t start as well and the additional European games might be an issue but still seem the only ones who ‘might’ get close to City.
3) Liverpool
Last season was a disaster for the Reds after looking like it would be them and City ‘duking’ it out for years to come. A lot of critics have said that the team and much of its spine needed reinvigorating but that is easy to say in hindsight. Firmino moved on after Mane left last summer but we also saw long term players like Milner, Keita and Henderson depart. New signings have been limited but both Mac Allister and Szoboslai are midfielders; the area many fans identified as needing an overhaul. The young strikers Gakpo, Nunez and Diaz will hopefully show more consistency and stay fit. They have also started playing Alexander Arnold further forward which would surely help get the best out of him?
Manager: Jurgen Klopp – You wonder about his motivation and if he has it in him to get them moving again? He still seems to enjoy a moan about anything and everything. Despite this he is a charismatic leader that the fans still have full belief in.
In
Alexis Mac Allister - Brighton, £35m
Dominik Szoboslai - RB Leipzig, £60m
Out
Fabinho – Al Ittihad, undisclosed
Jordan Henderson – Al Ettifaq, £12m
Roberto Firmino - Al Ahli, free
Naby Keita - Werder Bremen, free
James Milner - Brighton, free
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – Released
Leighton Clarkson - Aberdeen, undisclosed
Anderson Arroyo - FC Andorra, loan
James Balagizi - Wigan, loan
Owen Beck - Dundee, loan
Fabio Carvalho - RB Leipzig, loan
Harvey Davies - Crewe, loan
Calvin Ramsay - Preston, loan
Sepp van den Berg - Mainz, loan
Rhys Williams - Aberdeen, loan
Layton Stewart – Preston, undisclosed
Max Woltman – Oxford, undisclosed
Key Player: Mohammed Salah – As he goes still do Liverpool. Still someone defences fear with his pace, ball carrying and finishing. He has lost his two pals so will be counted upon even more.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Current manager Jurgen Klopp has a diploma in sports science, but his thesis focused on racewalking, not football.
Verdict: I feel they still need more quality and City have pushed away from them significantly but they will fare better. Also don’t have the distraction of the Champions League this time out. You could argue for them, Man Utd or even Newcastle here but with Chelsea and Spurs in transition somewhat, they will have a better season this time out.
4) Manchester United
It seems finally they have some sense of direction on the pitch, even if they lack this clarity off the field. With the ownership situation still unresolved, Ten Hag has done well to finally ‘unite’ the fans. They made some significant steps in the field. Granted they did not win a trophy losing in the final stages of the Europa League and FA Cup. City’s treble will have more than grated but sensible Red Devils will point towards continual improvements and a sense of identity being established. There is an argument the side still lacks top quality players to properly compete yet but at least there is a consistency of performance we have not seen under previous managers. Transfer business has been minimal with Mason Mount the marquee signing and until the boardroom affairs are in order, further additions may have to wait.
Manager: Erik Ten Hag – They had to settle on a manager and a plan and stick to it. Ten Hag seems a no nonsense sort of bloke and not afraid to do it his way. At times they dug in but also could play with style not seen before. He showed that tactically he certainly knew what he was doing but now needs to just keep evolving and improving the side.
In
Andre Onana - Inter, £47.2m
Rasmund Hojlund, Atlanta, £72m
Jonny Evans - Leicester, free
Mason Mount - Chelsea, £60m
Out
Anthony Elanga – Nottingham Forest, £15m
Alex Telles – Al Nassr, undisclosed
Zidane Iqbal - Utrecht, undisclosed
Ethan Laird - Birmingham, undisclosed
Manni Norkett - Nottingham Forest, free
Ethan Galbraith - Leyton Orient, free
Di'Shon Bernard - Released
David De Gea - Released
Phil Jones - Released
Axel Tuanzebe – Released
Charlie Savage – Reading, free
Will Fish – Hibernian, loan
Di’Shon Bernard – Sheffield Wednesday, free
Nathan Bishop – Sunderland, undisclosed
Key Player: Marcus Rashford – Scored 30 goals in all competitions and finally found some consistency. He now has established himself as the main man up top for United.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: United have won 726 out of 1,190 games since the inception of the Premier League averaging 1.9 ppg. The Blades have won 53 out of 198 which equates to just over a point per game!
Verdict: Did really well to get Champions League and compete in other competitions too. Will struggle to go much higher with others improving more than they have.
5) Newcastle United
You expected that they would be upwardly mobile after the ownership change but the level of investment into the playing squad has been more modest and gradual than maybe many thought? The signings have been smart ones and provide depth and quality but not at a huge cost – at least in football terms. They were extremely strong at home and expect that to continue. Tonali and Barnes might not be as eye-catching as other transfers domestically but both will improve them. There is pressure to keep improving but they don’t lack the funds to do that. Be interesting to see how they fare in Europe too. The fans would love a trophy of any kind. Alexandar Isak and Callum Wilson will score plenty and Nick Pope is one of the more reliable keepers around. Look a solid side now and one that will just keep improving as the quality is increased each transfer window.
Manager: Eddie Howe – I have to say that when the Saudi’s came in, I felt Howe may only be in charge briefly but he has done really well. He was excellent in mist of his tenure at Bournemouth bit lost his way a bit but now seems to have restored his reputation. The toon fans are delighted with what Howe has done.
In
Sandro Tonali - AC Milan, £55m
Tino Livramemto – Southampton, £40m
Yankuba Minteh - Odense Boldklub, undisclosed
Harvey Barnes – Leicester, undisclosed
Out
Allan Saint-Maximin – Al Ahli, undisclosed
Chris Wood - Nottingham Forest, undisclosed
Karl Darlow – Leeds, undisclosed
Matty Longstaff - Released
Ciaran Clark - Released
Matthew Bondswell - Newport, loan
Yankuba Minteh - Feyenoord, loan
Kell Watts - Wigan, loan
Jamal Lewis - Watford, loan
Harrison Ashby – Swansea, loan
Max Thompson – Northampton, loan
Key Player: Bruno Guimaraes – Creative on the ball but can defend too. He is a complete midfielder and has embraced the Geordie culture too. With Tonali being able to do some of the defensive side, expect him to even flourish even more.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: In 1892, newly-formed Newcastle United wore the colours of their now hated rivals Sunderland, red and white.
Verdict: I sense they may bring a few more in before the end of the window. The one side that ‘may’ be able to eventually compete with City, on and off the field.
6) Chelsea
Chelsea have had a major overhaul after a disappointing season last time out where their approach to the managerial role seemed confusing? They brought in Potter for Tuchel and then scrapped this seemingly long term move quite quickly. Yes the ex-Brighton manager struggled but the changes to personnel would surely necessitate some struggles; whoever was in charge? Lampard’s return was even more disappointing than his first spell. Pochettino is a top manager but he will essentially have to build his own squad. Nearly 30 players gave left including a lot of senior players and incoming are few and far between but expect a flurry now between the end of the window. The bloated and under achieving squad needed restructure and it will take time but expect a top manager to get them organised and harder to beat. The evolution towards youth will continue and is the right strategy, even if fans will have to be patient.
Manager: Mauricio Pochettino - I always thought Spurs were way too hasty to get rid of him and their struggles since perhaps show it was a mistake. He is an excellent manager who should be able to move Chelsea back in the right direction but will need and probably get more time than the unfortunate Potter.
In
Lesley Ugochukwu – Rennes, £23.2m
Nicolas Jackson - Villarreal, £30.1m
Christopher Nkunku - RB Leipzig, £52m
Axel Diasi – Monaco, £38.8m
Kendry Paez - Independiente del Valle, £17.27m
Robert Sanchez - Brighton, £25m
Angelo Gabriel - Santos, undisclosed
Alex Matos - Norwich, undisclosed
Diego Moreira - Benfica, undisclosed
Ishe Samuels-Smith - Everton, undisclosed
Out
Kai Havertz - Arsenal, £65m
Mateo Kovacic - Manchester City, £30m
Ruben Loftus-Cheek - AC Milan, £17.18m
Mason Mount - Manchester United, £60m
Christian Pulisic - AC Milan, £18.8m
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - Marseille, free
Ethan Ampadu - Leeds, undisclosed
Kalidou Koulibaly - Al Hilal, undisclosed
Edouard Mendy - Al-Ahli, undisclosed
Derrick Abu - Southampton, free
Cesar Azpilicueta - Atletico Madrid, free
Nathan Baxter - Bolton, free
N'Golo Kante - Al-Ittihad, free
Baba Rahman - PAOK, free
Xavier Simons - Hull, free
Dujon Sterling - Rangers, free
Ethan Wady - Millwall, free
Prince Adegoke - Released
Tiemoue Bakayoko - Released
Juan Castillo - Released
Henry Lawrence - Released
Jayden Wareham - Released
David Datro Fofana - Union Berlin, loan
Dion Rankine - Exeter, loan
Teddy Sharman-Lowe - Bromley, loan
Charlie Webster - Heerenveen, loan
Sam McClelland – St Johnstone, free
Key Player: Enzo Fernandez – Fernández was just starting to adjust to life in the Premier League as the season ended. His overall transfer fee of 100m+ and the fact he signed an eight-and-a-half-year contract, points to what the Blues hierarchy think of him. The Argentine World Cup winner is your classic modern-day midfielder. Good on the ball, mobile, physical and can play in a variety of roles and formations.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Like many of the EPL American owners, Boehly (a former high school wrestling champion!) owns 20% stake in Baseball’s LA Dodgers and co-owns a 27% stake in Basketball’s LA Lakers franchise. Coincidentally Lakers player LeBron James has a 2% stake in Liverpool via the Fenway Sports Group owned by John Henry.
Verdict: I would not be shocked to see them finish 2 or 3 places lower or even a few spots higher. They look a long way short if competing for honours as they have changed so much but even with new ownership can spend to improve as shown this summer despite the funds generated from so many outgoings. At time of writing Mbappe, Caicedo and Elise all have been heavily linked and non of these would come cheap. If further additions come in, then they could push Liverpool, Newcastle and Man Utd harder.
7) Tottenham Hotspur
Like Chelsea, another London club where the fans seem less than happy and no sense of the direction the owner is taking them. They have also changed manager an awful lot without any real upturn or clear sense of a strategy. The dominating talk seems to continue to be around Harry Kane’s future. Without him Spurs don’t even come close to the European places and become somewhat irrelevant. Some will say they have won nothing either him and need to cash in or will lose him for nothing in a year but if he leaves now then this squad looks bereft of leadership and talent. Many players’ form has dropped off and experienced pros like Lloris and Son probably need a fresh challenge. A number of signings have not worked over the last few years and it is a side that lacks genuine quality down the spine. Maddison helps in the creativity side but he will have more pressure on him at a club with greater expectations. There is still some talent there but I am not sure the club have a clear plan on or off the pitch?
Manager: Ange Postecoglou – The Aussie comes in but like with Nuno Gomes when he got the job, it seemed like Spurs tried to get several other coaches from the continent first. You worry once again if they start badly, if the new man will carry the can again?
In
Dejan Kulusevski - Juventus, £25.6m
James Maddison - Leicester, £40m
Micky Van Den Ven – Wolfsburg, £34m
Guglielmo Vicario - Empoli, £17.2m
Manor Solomon - Shakhtar Donetsk, free
Ashley Phillips – Blackburn, £2m
Out
Harry Winks - Leicester, £10m
Lucas Moura - Released
Tom Bloxham - Blackburn, free
Key Player: Harry Kane – Still one of the best strikers in the world and will score goals wherever he plays. I am surprised he has remained , even though his loyalty is to be commended. He will not be winning any trophies anytime down if he remains at Tottenham. The club would probably prefer, if he went, to go to a foreign side rather than a Manchester United or Newcastle as that would alienate an already disgruntled fan base even more.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Guns N Roses and Tyson Fury all appeared at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the last year. Jay Z has been linked with buying the club! The NFL though is its big calling card now. They now want to take things even further and have bid for the Super Bowl! If their ambitious bid for the world showpiece gets the green light. Spurs already have a £40 million staging contract with the NFL that sees them hold two regular games per season, but this move would be the next step in that tie-up.
Verdict: If Kane goes and you can take at least 3 or 4 places off this but if he hangs around, he will always score enough to keep them around those clubs just in and around the top 4.
8) Aston Villa
To go from relegation contenders to European football was some turnaround for Villa. A change of manager was a huge reason for this as he got some previously under achieving players performing and made them hard to beat. Success of course means fans’ expectations rise and it will be tough to compete both domestically and overseas. The squad looks to lack numbers in terms of quality they can bring in to sustain both competitions but Emery has made a couple of smart captures in Tielemans and Diaby. The midfield looks very strong with Ramsey, Luiz, McGinn and Kamara now supported by the two new additions. Torres strengthens the back line too. If they can get some help for Watkins up top then see no reason why they should not be in the top half again and quietly continue their improvements.
Manager: Unai Emery – Disposed of very quickly at Arsenal, Emery may have had reservations about returning to the UK as he had returned to Spain to be incredibly successful again. However, he was able to completely turn Villa around in a relatively short amount of time. Maybe that showed up many of the shortcomings of his predecessor Steven Gerrard but it also proved what a good coach and tactician Emery is. The Villa fans cannot say enough about the job he did.
In
Moussa Diaby - Bayer Leverkusen, £52m
Pau Torres - Villarreal, £33m
Rico Richards - West Brom, free
Youri Tielemans - Leicester, free
Out
Wesley – Stoke, undisclosed
Jed Steer - Released
Brad Young - Released
Ashley Young - Everton, free
Kaine Kesler - Hayden - Plymouth, loan
Viljami Sinisalo - Exeter, loan
Marvelous Nakamba - Luton, undisclosed
Louie Barry – Stockport, loan
Finn Azaz – Plymouth, loan
Key Player: Ollie Watkins – Seems to have finally found some consistency and he now is the main goal scoring threat. I do feel he would benefit from a partner who can hold the ball up and allow him to be more of a finisher/on the end of things but he has shown he is increasingly adept at leading the line. Mobile, quick and plays on the shoulder, Watkins should benefit from more creativity that has been brought in this summer.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: The first match Aston Villa ever played after being established was against Aston Brook St. Mary, a rugby team. The match was unique because, during the first half, Aston Villa had to follow rugby rules. During the second half, the match had to be played using football rules.
Verdict: I am not sure many of the teams below (certainly those I have pegged as bottom half) can say they have as much momentum and belief as Villa – I put them right in that group with Brighton and Brentford as established sides that will not fear relegation.
9) Brighton and Hove Albion
Their recruitment has been nothing short of incredible. They seem to pick up players from all over the world relatively cheaply and then within a season or two are selling them for £50-£80 million. Whilst the likes of Cucurella, Bissouma, Trossard, Mac Alllister and now probably Caicedo will see them netting south of £250 million brought in (add in Ben White, a home-grown player and its nearer £300 million!), they keep finding more gems! The current squad is filled with them and they gave added with Verbruggen and Julian the two latest. Joao Pedro is more well known in the UK and will hope to get his promising career back on track after a wasted year in the Championship. They play a ‘no fear’ style as evidenced by huge results on the road last time out when they shocked the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea. The mix of British experience in the likes of Dunk, March and Wellbeck has been supplanted by the capture of James Milner. They’ve brought in Verbruggen to compete for the number one shirt and after they were priced out of bringing Levi Colwill back, Julian the Brazilian centre back solidifies thus area.
Manager: Roberto De Zerbi - When Potter left, many felt Brighton would drop off but the opposite happened as De Zerbi took them on even more! He evolved the style slightly but also was not afraid to play UK players and brought in exciting striker Ferguson and more surprisingly journeyman keeper Jason Steele. Both excelled given their chance. The recruitment helps of course but the manager still has to get the best out of them and De Zerbi maximises the most of an albeit talented squad.
In
Bart Verbruggen - Anderlecht, £16.3m
Igor Julian – Fiorentina, £14.5m
Mahmoud Dahoud - Borussia Dortmund, undisclosed
Joao Pedro - Watford, undisclosed
James Milner - Liverpool, free
Out
Alexis Mac Allister - Liverpool, £35m
Robert Sanchez - Chelsea, £25m
Taylor Richards - QPR, undisclosed
Antef Tsoungui - Feyenoord, undisclosed
Teddy Jenks - Forest Green Rovers, free
Haydon Roberts - Bristol City, free
Jack Spong - Queen's Park, free
James Beadle - Oxford United, loan
Kacper Kozlowski - Vitesse, loan
Kjell Scherpen - Sturm Graz, loan
Abdallah Sima - Rangers, loan
Fynn Talley – Peterborough, loan
Marc Leonard – Northampton, loan
Aaron Connelly – Hull, free
Ed Turns – Leyton Orient, loan
Key Player: Kaoru Mitoma – The Japanese player really excited in his first full season on the South Coast. He had been on loan at Union SG before being brought into the fold at the Falmer Stadium. Approaching his peak at age 26, he is quick with great dribbling ability. He also showed his eye for goal. Scored 7 in 33 last campaign and I expect him to better this as he becomes a key man this season.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: The club’s nickname was originally the Dolphins, and the club’s badge also included a dolphin, but in the 1975-76 league season, during a match between Brighton and its rival Crystal Palace, Crystal Palace fans started chanting “Eagles” and in response Brighton’s fans started chanting “Seagulls”. Mike Bamber liked the idea and changed the nickname to the Seagulls.
Verdict: A club that will never have the resources of the big clubs but proves good coaching allied with an excellent recruitment plan means you can be competitive. Caicedo will probably move on but there is plenty if raw tent that suggests Brighton will be nearer the top than bottom again.
10) Brentford
As with the case at Brighton, Brentford now seem an established Premier League club thanks to a clear plan that is built on an excellent coach using a proven system of recruitment. Brentford are now probably not even thought about when predictions are made on who might go down. They will have to play half a season without their leading scorer Ivan Toney after his ban for match betting. However, they like Brighton, seem to have a ‘next cab off the rank’ ethos and bring in unheralded signings each year that always surprise with how quickly they adapt to the Premier League. The side is largely settled though and full of underrated performers that play well individually but collectively have an organised approach to games that rarely sees them get properly taken apart. They seem to always stay in games and of course continue to shock so called bigger clubs. They now can start spending a bit more being established at this level. Nathan Collins capture was a real eye opener as they took a player that a few years ago you would have expected the route to be the other way round? They also have allegedly been linked with Brennan Johnson at Forest for eye watering amounts. The other business was more understated but have a contingency plan in the goalkeeping department in case Raya moves on as expected – with Flekken signed as cover. German Schade is a quick winger that has now signed permanently after showing some promise on loan.
Manager: Thomas Frank - Quietly become one of the best coaches at this level and one of the managers that seems well liked by the Bees’ fans and in a position of real comfort in terms of his role. He has slowly evolved Brentford as they have still shown they can play possession stuff but also mix it up.
In
Nathan Collins - Wolves, £23m
Romeo Beckham - Inter Miami, undisclosed
Ethan Brierley - Rochdale, undisclosed
Mark Flekken - Freiburg, £11m
Ji-Soo Kim - Seongnam, undisclosed
Kevin Schade - Freiburg, £20m
Out
Mads Bidstrup - Red Bull Salzburg, undisclosed
Halil Dervisoglu - Galatasaray, undisclosed
Alex Gilbert - Middlesbrough, free
Pontus Jansson - Malmo, free
Joel Valencia - Zaglebie Sosnowiec, free
Tariqe Fosu - Released
Saman Ghoddos - Released
Daniel Oyegoke - Bradford, loan
Fin Stevens - Oxford, loan
Ryan Trevitt - Exeter, loan
Matthew Cox - Bristol Rovers, loan
Tristan Crama - Bristol Rovers, loan
Paris Maghoma, Bolton, loan
Aaron Pressley, Stevenage, Undisclosed
Key Player: Bryan Mbeumo - Mbeumo seems to have been around for ages (did sign for Brentford back in 2019) but will only just turn 24 at the start of this forthcoming season. A versatile performer, he can operate in a number of positions but will be expected to up his goal tally significantly (did get 9 goals his most in the Premier League - last season) to help fill the Toney-hole to start the season.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Brentford scored 16 goals from set plays last season. This was the 2nd most (joint with Spurs) to Liverpool.
Verdict: Toney will be missed but expect a goals by committee approach until he returns. They have a lot of very underrated players all over the field. Many just know their job and do it. Another solid season awaits.
11) Bournemouth
I realise many have tipped Bournemouth to go down but I think they have picked up a really good manager who excelled at an underdog side previously. I also believe they made some underrated signings in January and have continued this in the off season. Traore comes in permanently and Faivre is highly thought of but will remain on loan this season at Lorient. Kluivert (son of Patrick) is another pace option and the this side will be very good on the counter attack and will pick up some surprise results on the road. They played some good stuff at times post Xmas but were not a soft touch either. They have a physicality with the likes of Senesi, Billing, Solanke and Moore but also have creativity too. Be interior see how David Brooks fares in his first season back after recovering from Hodgkin lymphoma.
Manager: Andoni Iraola – He nearly went to Leeds last year but remained at Rayo Vallecano. He took them to an 11th place finish and they upset both Real Madrid and Barcelona. A club in a small stadium with limited resources, Iraola will not have been able to spend like he did this summer, when in La Liga. His appointment was a bit of a coup meaning that the decision not to carry on with Gary O’ Neil does not seem as harsh perhaps?
In
Romain Faivre - Lyon, £12.8m
Justin Kluivert - Roma, £9.5m
Hamed Traore - Sassuolo, £20m
Milos Kerkez - AZ Alkmaar, undisclosed
Out
Siriki Dembele - Birmingham, undisclosed
Ben Pearson - Stoke, undisclosed
Christian Saydee - Portsmouth, undisclosed
Jefferson Lerma - Crystal Palace, free
Jack Stacey - Norwich, free
Jordan Zemura - Udinese, free
Junior Stanislas - Released
Will Dennis - Kilmarnock, loan
Romain Faivre - Lorient, loan
Mark Travers – Stoke, loan
Brooklyn Genesini – Swindon, free
Key Player: Phillip Billing – Billing is someone I always am impressed with when I watch the Cherries. Mobile, strong and can get forward, he seems to be a player that is a linchpin in their side. He scored 7 goals in 36 starts (1 more than main striker Dominic Solanke!) after scoring double figures in the Championship promotion season the year before.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: In joining Bournemouth on a two-year contract, Iraola became the fourth Basque manager in the Premier League, alongside Unai Emery, Julen Lopetegui and Mikel Arteta. “It is something strange because it is not a big area,” Iraola said.
Verdict: I think due to them being picked to go down last year and surprising by staying up with a bit to spare, it is easy to tip them again. However, the coaching appointment and the recruitment on the outside looking in, appears really sound.
12) West Ham United
This may seem a high placement considering they finished 14th and lost their best player in the summer. However, I feel the Hammers massively underachieved last time out and of course had the long and ultimately successful Europa conference league run alongside league play. They now play in the better ranked Europa League! Many are probably shouting at their phones now saying, ‘So they’ve got the same distraction/potential extra games again?!’ I get this argument but feel they now are more experienced at coping with the twice weekly games often thrust at them. Weirdly Rice going might help in the sense the long running distraction of, ‘Will he/Won’t he go?’ is now done with. Moyes now knows there is no pressure on him and the team will carry on this relaxed, care free way of playing. Expect some of the signings they have made over the last few years to step up now they are settled too.
Manager: David Moyes – As solid a manager/coach as you could ask for at this level. Not flashy but he is tactically quite astute and his teams can dig in but play at times as the European campaign evidenced. Likeable chap that gets criticised but been successful wherever he has gone save for that spell at Old Trafford which was going to be difficult whoever took over from Sir Akex Ferguson.
In
Sean Moore - Cliftonville, undisclosed
Out
Declan Rice - Arsenal, £105m
Arthur Masuaku - Besiktas, undisclosed
Manuel Lanzini - Released
Armstrong Oko-Flex - Released
Nathan Trott - Vejle, loan
Krisztian Hegyi – Stevenage, loan
Freddie Potts – Wycombe, loan
Kamarai Swyer – Crawley, loan
Gianluca Scamacca – Atalanta, undisclosed
Key Player: Lucas Paqueta – Showed flashes but lacked consistency. Expect the Brazilian to step up thus year as he wears the number 10 shirt vacated by the departing Manuel Lanzini.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Declan Rice made history once when he helped guide West Ham to the Europa Conference League title, becoming the youngest player at 24 years and 144 days to captain an English team to victory in a major UEFA competition since fellow Hammers skipper Bobby Moore in the 1965 Cup Winners’ Cup final.
Verdict: They will finish higher as they underachieved last season. Moyes is still a very solid manager and the league is arguably weaker too.
13) Fulham
Really surprised everyone to finish 10th and ahead of local neighbours Chelsea – something you would have got long odds on at the start of last season. Many thought they’d go down again continuing a ‘yo yo’ few years but Marco Silva did a remarkable job. His signings were astute and Leno, Palhinha, Pereira and Willian down the spine were all excellent. Mitrovic was their talisman and finally came good in the top flight proving he can do it at the top level. His future now seems in doubt though with quotes circulating that he’d never play for them again amid rumours of a move to Saudi Arabia. With his status for next season up in the air, Fulham signed Jimenez from Wolves – a player that never looked the same after a serious head injury. They will hope he can regain his goal scoring touch. Fulham won nearly as many (7) on the road as at home (8) showing they could grind out wins but when they were at their best, they played positive attacking football and took it to opponents. This approach saw them play attractive but also winning football – a combination they struggled to unite in previous forays at this level.
Manager: Marco Silva – Like Mitrovic and so many others, been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia but is still in situ for now. He has restored his reputation in the Premier League after a tricky spell at Everton. Credit to him for an excellent job in getting Fulham up but then taking them to a mid table position. The speculation over his job and then his leading scorer’s will not have helped preparation but will have his own confidence restored that he can do very well at this level after his early success at Hull and Watford.
In
Raul Jimenez – Wolves, £5m
Calvin Bassey – Ajax, £19.3m
Out
Sylvester Jasper - Portimonense, compensation
Taye Ashby-Hammond - Stevenage, free
Joe Bryan - Millwall, free
Shane Duffy - Norwich, free
Paulo Gazzaniga - Girona, free
Ziyad Larkeche - QPR, free
Steven Sessegnon - Released
Sonny Hilton - Released
Neeskens Kebano - Released
Luca Ashby-Hammond - Crawley, loan
Ibane Bowat - TSV Hartberg, loan
Kieron Bowie - Northampton, loan
Key Player: Joao Palhinha – Along with Kenny Tete and Andreas Pereira, Palhinha gave Fulham physicality in midfield but all three can play too. Palhinha amassed 14 bookings but also his ability to recover the ball and carry it, made him a player bigger clubs started to be linked with.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Mitrovic scored 14 goals but missed four penalties and eight games, after a ban for shoving a referee.
Verdict: The Mitrovic situation complicates any forecasts but Fulham have enough savvy and know there us nothing to fear at this level. They will have a bit of a second season drop off but won’t be too worried about relegation.
14) Burnley
The media darlings of the Football League due to Kompany. Perhaps deservedly so as they romped to the title. What was impressive was that Kompany not only had them winning most weeks, but he evolved the style from Dyche’s more methodical and direct approach to an easier on the eye approach. Burnley played attacking football and broke at pace. They did rely on a plethora of loans and not all have returned but seem to have recruited well. Cullen and Brownhill in midfield will give them the work ethic but mobility to ensure they are competitive most games. There is a slight concern over goals especially if Tella does not return although expect Scott Twine to feature more after an injury hit first season at Turf Moor. They will continue to play their expansive style and seems the best way to win games but showed at times towards the end of last season, they could be resilient too and won a number of games on the road 1-0.
Manager: Vincent Kompany – After a mixed time at Anderlecht, Burnley maybe took a chance on Kompany and it paid off massively. The worry now is that if he does well in the Premier League, then the big clubs will come calling and you can see a Spurs or a West Ham being attractive to him .
In
Luca Koleosho - Espanyol, £2.6m
Jacob Bruun Larsen – Hoffenheim, loan
Zeki Amdouni - Basel, undisclosed
Jordan Beyer - Borussia Monchengladbach, undisclosed
Michael Obafemi - Swansea, undisclosed
Dara O'Shea - West Brom, undisclosed
Lawrence Vigouroux - Leyton Orient, free
James Trafford - Man City, £19m
Nathan Redmond - Besiktas, free
Out
Ashley Barnes - Norwich, free
Lukas Jensen - Lincoln, free
Will Norris - Portsmouth, free
Lewis Thomas - Harrogate, free
Matthew Lowton - Released
Michael Mellon - Morecambe, loan
Bobby Thomas – Coventry, undisclosed
Luke McNally – Stoke, loan
Benn Ward – Swindon, loan
Key Player: Manuel Benson – The best player I saw against United last season where he gave Enda Stevens a torrid time at the Lane. Quick, direct and with a terrific shot, Benson looks the sort of player that can comfortably step up to a higher level.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Burnley FC are one of only five sides to have won all four professional divisions of English football, along with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Preston North End, Sheffield United and Portsmouth.
Verdict: Seen some predictions placing them half way or just beneath but they don’t have many players with experience of this level. They will shock some teams with their approach and cavalier style but may get some ‘batterings’ too. They will have enough to stay up and sadly do seem a step up from other two promoted sides in terms of creativity.
15) Crystal Palace
If Hodgson had not come back for one last hoorah (in the same way Warnock is doing in the Championship for Huddersfield) I’d have had Palace right near those bottom three and maybe even one that might ‘go.’ However, Hodgson In the same vein as Moyes and Dyche, has the nous and motivational skills to keep them away from troubled waters. Zaha going is a blow but Elise and Eze are two fantastic midfielders on the rise. They have not really been particularly active in the summer with ins and outs but return enough experience to still be competitive, especially at home. There are maybe concerns who provides the goals as Edouard is never going to be prolific. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi did really well at Charlton on loan – he might be the next one to come through.
Manager: Roy Hodgson- A steady pair of hands, Hodgson’s love for the game continues unabated. Be interesting to see what happens if they struggle early? Will he still hang around?
In
Jefferson Lerma - Bournemouth, free
Out
Rob Street - Cheltenham, undisclosed
Jack Butland - Rangers, free
James McArthur - Released
Luka Milivojevic - Released
Kofi Balmer - Port Vale, loan
Malachi Boateng - Dundee, loan
Owen Goodman - Colchester, loan
Laurie Shala - Wycombe, free
Luke Plange – Carlisle, loan
Key Player: Ebere Eze – Being linked with others clubs, Eze finally was given a clearly defined role and run of games to end the season.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Roy Hodgson will be 76 years when Palace play at the Lane. This makes him by some way, the oldest ever to manage in the Premier League. The only other four managers that were 70 or older were Sir Bobby Robson 71 years, 192 days, Sir Alex Ferguson 71 years, 139 days, Neil Warnock 70 years, 162 days and Claudio Ranieri 70 years, 93 days.
Verdict: They finished 11th last season as Hodgson’s expertise halted a slide under Patrick Viera’s leadership. They have a good UK core; actually, it’s an all-London spine with Mitchell, Guehi, Eze and Olise. They will miss Zaha but there is enough here to stay away from any real bother
16) Nottingham Forest
They did well to stay up of course despite spending a lot of money. Lots will point to the stats and XG (for and against) last season but Forest have survived that all important first season. Cooper is an excellent manager and now they won’t have to sign a million players for the new season. They proved they were incredibly tough to beat at the City Ground last time out and I expect that to remain strong with a fervent fan base. They will improve a dreadful away record I feel too. They have brought in Elanga which seems a big upgrade on the disappointing Jesse Lingard, an expensive experiment that did not work. Young talent like Johnson and Gibbs White adapted very well to regular games at this level and they will continue to improve. If they can shore up the defence (keeping situation still seems to need resolving – will Dean Henderson return permanently?) and start better, then I do not think they will be one of those teams looking over their shoulders.
Manager: Steve Cooper – Seems like he was close to losing his job last season despite for the most part keeping Forest competitive. He rightly remained and is incredibly popular at the City Ground. I expect him to take Forest on a bit more now he and the squad know what it takes to compete at the highest level.
In
Anthony Elanga – Manchester United, £15m
Manni Norkett – Manchester United, free
Chris Wood – Newcastle, undisclosed
Ola Aina – Torino, free
Out
Riley Harbottle – Hibernian, undisclosed
Will Swan – Mansfield, undisclosed
Andre Ayew – Released
Cafu – Rotherham, free
Adnan Kanuric – Released
Jack Colback – Released
Jesse Lingard – Released
Jordan Smith – Released
Lyle Taylor – Released
Finley Back – Carlisle, loan
Dale Taylor – Wycombe, loan
Jack Colback – QPR, free
Josh Bowler – Cardiff, loan
Oli Hammond – Cheltenham, loan
Key Player: Morgan Gibbs White – Hard to type this but I think we all knew when they signed him for a fee that could rise to £40m, that he would show why he is worth it. After a slow start, he became Forest’s best player and main creative threat. Works hard and scores goals (will better 5 this season you think?), he will wrongly get some pelters when United play Forest but he seems a great lad who if things had aligned differently (us going up instead of them and having a wealthy owner like them!) then he’d have been a permanent Blades signing. Hard to watch him doing so well for Forest.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Mull of Kintyre always seemed an odd song as Forest’s anthem to me with its origin north of the border and the artist being from Liverpool! The song has though been a Forest anthem ever since the glory days when the Reds were champions of Europe. Made famous by Paul McCartney and Wings, the song was released in late 1977 before being adopted by the Forest faithful during the season they won the First Division in 1978. Reds supporters changed the lyrics as the mist often rolled in from the Trent, and included a range of words about their travels up and down the country. No, I still don’t get it either. Suppose you could say the same about our connection with John Denver’s Annie’s Song or Stoke’s with Tom Jones’ Deliah?!
Verdict: I see at least three worse teams than then this season and think they will start better and not be in the mix for the relegation spots come the season end.
17) Luton
Most predictions I have seen have them to finish rock bottom which you can understand but also seems somewhat lazy too. I think they will surprise and the first couple of months have some winnable games particularly at Kenilworth Road. Of course, they must play their first two games away as their home ground is not ready yet due to the improvements needed to play in the Premier League (as an aside why is this allowed to happen without significant fines, point deductions or even results being awarded to opponents? It seems teams in the non leagues often befall such sanctions where more stringent measures are applied here than the most lucrative league in world football). Luton are very direct and physical but this will cause problems, especially at their tight home ground. They bring with them a number of players who gave been on the journey but made some underrated signings in Chong, Ogbene, Giles and Nakamba (permanent now). Be interesting to see if likes of Morris and Adebayo will score enough goals as they will of course have far fewer opportunities. They will work hard as a team but lack depth and I worry that the power and pace of attacks at this level will be too much for the likes of Lockyer and new signing Anderson at times. A lot of Blades will say how can I have them below us but their recruitment on the surface has been better (more proven UK players – granted the level below and that did not work for us last time) and I just feel their up and at ‘em approach may yield more success as whilst not the best to watch will cause some problems for teams.
Manager: Rob Edwards – Watford definitely gave up on him way too early but then they do that with most managers! He went to their rivals and got them promoted of course! A bright young manager who bounced back really well last season.
In
Mads Andersen - Barnsley, undisclosed
Tahith Chong - Birmingham, £4m
Chiedozie Ogbene - Rotherham, free
Marvelous Nakamba - Aston Villa, undisclosed
Issa Kaboure - Man City, free
Ryan Giles – Wolves, undisclosed
Thomas Kaminsky – Blackburn, undisclosed
Out
Harry Isted - Charlton, free
Josh Neufville - AFC Wimbledon, free
Sonny Bradley - Derby, free
Henri Lansbury - Released
Elliot Thorpe - Shrewsbury, loan
Jack Walton - Dundee United, loan
Fred Onyedimna – Rotherham, loan
Joe Taylor – Colchester, loan
Key Player: Carlton Morris – A bit of a journeyman, he found a home at the ‘Kenny’ but remains to be seen if his work ethic and physicality will translate at the highest level.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Despite many reports to the contract, Luton will not have the smallest stadium in the Premier League. Kenilworth Road had a capacity of 10,356, but chief executive Gary Sweet said work to rebuild the Bobbers Stand would increase seating beyond Bournemouth's 11,307 Vitality Stadium. He did not reveal the new capacity, but said it would "start with an eleven".
Verdict: I’m not all aboard the ‘guaranteed relegation’ train that many have jumped on for the Hatters. Their approach and work ethic allied to a high pressing game, will see them cause more than a few surprises. The squad lacks quality in numbers and once the initial euphoria wears off, they will suffer some difficult days. I do think they will go right to the wire in terms of the relegation fight and the final 5 games seem as favourable as their opening fixtures; giving them a chance. It could be an unlikely story continues as minnows Luton survive over giants Everton
18) Everton
Survived by the skin of their teeth. Dyche did just about enough but there remains so much uncertainty at this proud club. Their last season at Goodison Park seems set to be played amidst continued boardroom issues. The squad is still full of expensive failures and lacks quality and a goal scorer. Dyche will get them organised, even if it means sacrificing style but at this stage fans surely just want to see a winning team regardless? The strategy seems bewildering as they have flitted back and forth between young up and coming managers with experienced old hands. Farhad Moshiri is still here but the fans are not happy and the infighting continued well into the summer. Money is tight due to previous overspending and the imminent relocation. They have some experience in Pickford, Tarlowski and Keane but further up field a reliance on midfielders like McNeil, Iwobi and Gray for goals could be their undoing. Calvert Lewin cannot stay fit and the days of him being one of the top strikers in the league seems a long time ago now.
Manager: Sean Dyche – Talks a good game and straight as they come in terms of his dealings with the fans and media. Fans seem mixed in their opinions of him. He is inextricably linked with a direct style but he was very successful at Burnley. A couple of mid table seasons at this point would probably be taken from the long-suffering Toffees fans.
In
Ashley Young – Aston Villa, free
Arnaut Danjuma – Villareal, undisclosed
Out
Niels Nkounkou – St Etienne, undisclosed
Ellis Simms – Coventry, undisclosed
Ishe Samuels-Smith – Chelsea, undisclosed
Isaac Price – Standard Liege, free
Tom Davies – Released
Asmir Begovic – Released
Yerry Mina – Released
Andros Townsend – Released
Harry Tyrer – Chesterfield, loan
Lewis Gibson – Plymouth, free
Stanley Mills – Oxford, loan
Key Player: Jordan Pickford – Maligned in the past, Pickford still does make mistakes but for the most part he is a reliable kernel now for club and country. Without him last season, they probably would be playing in the Championship.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Everton’s new stadium at Bramley Dock will see supporters be as close to the action as Premier League regulations permit, which is five meters (16.4ft). This was specifically put into the plans to try and restore some of the intimacy and atmosphere that Goodison Park creates.
Verdict: I would not be shocked if they finally went and I certainly see another season of struggle. The squad is bereft of quality and depth. The lack of goals and a wretched away record means if they drop off at home and the fans frustrations see them turn on the team, they will be in big trouble. The game at Goodison versus United on May 11th may have a fair bit riding on it for both clubs. This could be the season they go.
19) Wolves
Putting a relatively established Premier League club to finish 2nd bottom may seem a bold prognosis but I will try and give evidence for my pick. They finished 13th last season and 7 points clear but at times flirted with the drop zone. They changed managers again and they have seen key men move on. Neves, Moutinho and Jimenez departed and have not really been replaced. I have felt each year that the quality they have put out has deteriorated and this season looks even more so. They have ended up relying on experienced players like Dawson and Costa. Adama Traore has moved on with his namesake, Boubacar Traore comes in as does old favourite Matt Doherty but a scan over who has left the club, has me raising my eyebrows. I could be wrong and they could finish just below mid table but I see a season of struggle.
Manager: Gary O’Neil – Did well at Bournemouth and maybe harshly sacked? With Lopetegui departing right on the eve of the season, he comes in to try and bring some stability to what seems a bit of a mess. The growing financial issues are where the problems surely emanate, if Wolves struggle but normally its the managers who carry the can- often wrongly. I expect another change here before the season is done.
In
Matt Doherty - Atletico Madrid, free
Boubacar Traore - Metz, £9.5m
Tom King - Northampton, free
Out
Raul Jimenez – Fulham, £5m
Conor Coady - Leicester, £7.5m
Nathan Collins - Brentford, £23m
Ruben Neves - Al Hilal, £47m
Adama Traore - Released
Ryan Giles – Luton, undisclosed
Hayao Kawabe - Standard Liege, undisclosed
Dion Sanderson - Birmingham, undisclosed
Diego Costa - Released
Luke Matheson - Released
Joao Moutinho - Released
Taylor Perry - Released
Michael Agboola - Released
Lee Harkin - Released
Jack Hodnett - Released
Jack Scott - Released
Theo Corbeanu - Grasshoppers, loan
Nigel Lonwijk - Grasshoppers, loan
Louis Moulden - Rochdale, loan
Tyler Roberts - Doncaster, loan
Jackson Smith - Walsall, undisclosed
Chiquinho – Stoke, loan
Ki-Jana Hoever – Stoke, loan
Ollie Tipton – Notts County, loan
Matija Sarkic – Millwall, Undisclosed
Luke Cundle – Plymouth, loan
Key Player: Mario Lemina – The Gabonese midfielder was instrumental in Wolves form that allowed them to move away from the lower reaches of the table. He has already played for Juventus, Marseille, Galatasaray, Nice and Fulham & Southampton in this country but seems to have found some consistency. A box-to-box midfielder but he also is probably more suited to the physical demands in England than overseas where suspensions were an issue.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Two of Wolves last three managers have been goalkeepers. Nuno Espirito Santo played for a number of clubs including Porto, whereas most recent outgoing manager Lopetegui played for both Real Madrid and Barcelona between the sticks.
Verdict: Finishing this low may seem a big call but just feel they will be the ‘established’ side whose time is up as funds have dried up and experienced players have departed.
20) Sheffield United
I’m known as a pessimist by nature but it is hard to see us staying up as we lack quality, goals, and pace/athleticism in the key areas of the field at this level. It is disappointing that we get back within two seasons and yet seem badly organised and prepared off the field and thus it has left us scrambling around for foreign bargains hoping some will pay off. The Ndiaye sale was an absolute killer blow to us having any chances of staying up I feel. Now it seems Berge is going too – to a promotion/relegation rival. I get we have little money and of course not been able to attract a new owner/investment but fans can still be frustrated and feel it is an opportunity wasted. Some will say do not over spend/we cannot spend money we do not have but losing your best players a week before the season seems an incredible plan. They may say we need to maximise what funds we can get for players out of contract but why not just keep those players or how about this, do whatever you can to keep/extend your better players? I am not sure what the answer is as we cannot spend what we do not have but it is worrying we have not (yet) utilised the loan market for two solid UK players – yes I know dominoes may fall end of the window but we were playing for snookers by that time last time we were at this level. Can we afford to wait as a better start is imperative? We have been promoted since mid April and here we are 4 months later scrambling around to fill a side, let alone squad.
The things you can be optimistic about is that promotion was gained with a minimum of fuss and the players will have confidence of winning games, at least to start with. Some of the squad will want to prove themselves after the disastrous way they went down last time. The new lads are an unknown commodity and so teams may not know what to expect. There is also a move towards signing younger players and reducing the age of the squad and the profile of the player we sign (ones with a potential sell on value). I also feel the passionate Blades fans can have an impact and the Covid season really negated a big factor in United’s armoury. When the Lane is rocking, it can be a real advantage for us and you hope this can help us pick up points and wins we did not last time – recall lots of narrow defeats early on last time out? We also have a manager that will want to prove himself too at this level.
The ‘big’ flip side is that this is worse than the side that went up and probably on a par with the one that went down meekly a few years ago (Ahmedhodzic is here but we had a better keeper in Ramsdale and more experienced striking depth probably back then in McGoldrick and even Sharp/Mousset – the latter was rarely fit granted). The lack of goals in the side is a real worry and we lack creativity to hurt teams – Burnley can counter and Luton can go physical in contrast. We seem to be a functional side but the areas we struggled with last time at this level– pace and athleticism – not sure we have upgraded significantly. I am concerned that at the end of the last campaign, our main tactic seemed to be get it to Iliman and McAtee. Both are now not here. The general approach to creating goals was an issue last time we were in the Premier League and we had no real plan. I hope I am wrong but the likes of Foderingham, Robinson, Norwood, Fleck and even the youngsters Jebbison/Osula are not really Premier League players (at least not yet in the case of the latter two) in my opinion. Hope I am proved wrong but a lot depends on one or two of the newcomers adapting very quickly and being starters every week. We have some solid performers in Egan, Baldock and Ahmedhodzic but the other 8 places we lack players who could confidently say are ‘Premier League.’ McBurnie was hit and miss last time and the others I have discussed were part of a side that could barely muster a win. Slimane, Larouci and Traore are yet to prove themselves at this level too. Trusty did well at Birmingham and gives us depth. United must start better than last time and ensure we make the Lane an important place – much like Forest did last season – and then anything we get on the road can be seen as a bonus but it’s going to be a long hard slog. The reality is there can not be many sides as under prepared and lacking in quality – after losing their 4 best players (2 permanent and 2 loans returning).
Manager: Paul Heckingbottom – Began his managerial career very well at Barnsley but made little impact at Leeds and Hibs and I felt when he was recruited to head up the Blades academy, that he conceded he would probably be more in a coaching role, than a number one again. Yet after he did ok in his caretaker spell, he was brought back after the Jokanovic experiment did not work. He was so close to taking us up in his first season after steering us away from nearer the bottom and then was so effective last season and did it with little fuss. A likeable guy but now a whole new test awaits him. He will come under scrutiny when we inevitably go on losing runs, from the national media and his own fans, but needs to stay calm and ensure that the players stay together as at times when struggles occur. I worry he will carry the can if we are right at the bottom and not winning games when clearly he has been given an almost impossible task. It was going to be hard before we sold our star man but now it seems unthinkable we can survive doesn’t it?
In
Anis Ben Slimane – Brondby, undisclosed
Benie Traore – BK Hacken, undisclosed
Yasser Larouci – Troyes, loan
Austun Trusty – Arsenal, undisclosed
Out
Iliman Ndiaye – Marseille, undisclosed
George Broadbent – Doncaster, undisclosed
Zak Brunt – Barnet, undisclosed
Jake Eastwood – Grimsby, undisclosed
Enda Stevens – Stoke, free
Theo Williams – Fleetwood, free
Kyron Gordon – Released
Jack O’Connell – Released
Billy Sharp – Released
Oliver Arblaster – Port Vale, loan
Harry Boyes – Wycombe, loan
Finley Potter – Barnet, loan
Dylan Wharton – Gainsborough Trinity, loan
Key Player: I had Ndiaye...then Berge! Now? No idea. Anel remains but the rest of the team is miles off other than a couple of solid pros. The fans are probably the best chance United have of staying up. What a cop out!
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: We are still the only English league side to field a starting XI made up of full England internationals. In 1904, United’s starting X1, from keeper to striker, had an England international in every position.
Verdict: I hope I am wrong and everyone comes back at the end of the season and says ‘You idiot! You should have believed in your team!’ I just struggle to see the creativity and us being able to score enough goals we need to stay up. We are devoid of quality. The left side of defence also worries me and teams will exploit this. It is so frustrating we have not moved forward in the ownership situation. Without significant funds to upgrade half the side that is not quite Premier League level, it is going to be a long hard slog and many fans go into the season with trepidation rather than excitement. Granted we may have a few in by the end of the window but can we afford to wait and throw away a month and get off to such a bad start again.
Other competitions + leagues...
FA Cup – Arsenal
League Cup – Newcastle United
Champions League – Real Madrid
Europe League - Liverpool
Europa Conference League - Fiorentina
Championship
Promoted: Leicester, Southampton and Sunderland
Playoffs: Stoke, Leeds and Millwall
Relegated: Rotherham, Cardiff and QPR
League One
Promoted: Bolton, Reading and Blackpool
Relegated: Port Vale, Cheltenham, Stevenage and Northampton
League Two
Promoted: Notts County, Stockport, Gillingham and MK Dons
Relegated: Sutton and Harrogate
---
Regards,
Deadbat – deadbat_DB
It is that time of year again where everyone tries to predict the final standings come May 2024. You scan the football magazines, newspapers and various sites online and to date I have not seen one yet that has predicted a different champion to Manchester City. Sadly, I have also not seen any predicting the Blades to stay up. Time to ‘put the paper on the wall’ again?!
I will join the throng of uninformed idiots and put my neck on the line. I will discuss each team and my respective positional prediction, along with notes on the manager, key man and some trivia/thoughts that will bore and surprise in equal delight. The big question is will the one of the most negative Sheffield United fans around, have us anywhere but bottom?
Read on and you will find out…
*Transfer info correct as of 9am Thurs 9th August
1) Manchester City
It is really hard to put anyone but City here. I could have been edgy and gone with Arsenal, Liverpool or even their city rivals United, but it is not happening. They have actually lost a few players like Gundogan and Mahrez and only brought in Kovacic which feels like a Declan Rice consolation prize. However, they were better than anyone else in all the main competitions by some way. They’ve got the best keeper (Ederson), best defender (Dias), best midfielder (De Bruyne) and best striker (Haaland). Oh, and the best manager too. They have a deep squad full of talent and goals and can pass teams to death. No-one is getting close to them anytime soon. Their biggest challenge might be themselves as only boredom stops them winning it again. They have not signed many players with Gvardiol the big outlay, but they did not need to, and know if they want to add depth, they will simply bring someone in before the end of the window. City’s standards are now so high that Pep has them at a level that no one in world football can really live with. They were not close to their best in the Champions League final and still won it without too much concern. I do not see any of the teams below being at the level consistently they will hit to properly challenge.
Manager: Pep Guardiola – As with City, his main issue will be finding the motivation to do it all again. How can he top last season? Suppose he could win the quadruple?
In
Josko Gvardiol – RB Leipzig, £78m
Spike Brits - AFC Wimbledon, undisclosed
Yangel Herrera - Girona, undisclosed
Mateo Kovacic - Chelsea, £30m
Out
Riyad Mahrez – Al Ahli, £30m
Shea Charles - Southampton, £15m
Carlos Borges – Ajax, £17.3m
Josh McNamara - Southampton, undisclosed
Morgan Rogers - Middlesbrough, undisclosed
Cieran Slicker - Ipswich, undisclosed
Terrell Agyemang - Middlesbrough, free
Ilkay Gundogan - Barcelona, free
Benjamin Mendy - Released
Kian Breckin - Wycombe, loan
Yan Couto - Girona, loan
Liam Delap - Hull, loan
Callum Doyle - Leicester, loan
James Trafford - Burnley, £19m
Finley Burns – Stevenage, loan
Alex Robertson – Portsmouth, loan
Key Player: Erling Haaland – The complete striker playing in the team that creates the most chances. He might not score 52 goals (36 in the EPL) this time but he won’t be far off now he is properly settled in!
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: City became the first (and so far only) reigning English champions to be relegated at the end of their defence. They won the title in 1936/37 but went down the next season. Also in 37/38 they managed to be the only team ever to be relegated from England’s top division with a positive goal difference, even going as far as being the top scorers in the division. Almost predictably, Manchester United were promoted in their place!
Verdict: Champions. Probably by at least 10 points
2) Arsenal
There are two contrasting takes on the Gunners from last season. One is that they blew it after leading the league most of the way. The other is they actually had an excellent season winning 26/38 games and amassing 84 points. Without the City juggernaut, they win the league. Arsenal now have a resiliency and team spirit allied to a move towards lowering of the age of the squad. His recruitment has been really good with the likes of Odergaard, Saliba and Ramsdale all now established as top players. They have spent big this summer and increased numbers with the added games in the Champions League. Rice cost a lot of money but is a good player who can do a bit if everything. Havertz gives them extra creativity. Timber provides some strength at the back (geddit?!). Arsenal now will see themselves as a side that has shook off the shackles of the post Wenger days and seem to be spending again judging by the activities this summer. They have a depth that they did not have a few years ago and a nice mix of young players mixed with those entering their prime.
Manager: Mikel Arteta - Arteta was under pressure a few years ago after an indifferent start but is now firmly ensconced at the helm overseeing an evolution of the club. The season they had last time out maybe puts extra expectation on them but they are definitely heading in the right direction under his leadership.
In
Kai Havertz - Chelsea, £65m
Declan Rice - West Ham, £105m
Jurrien Timber - Ajax, £38m
Out
Granit Xhaka - Bayer Leverkusen, £21.4m
Pablo Mari - Monza, undisclosed
Nikolaj Moller - St Gallen, undisclosed
Mazeed Ogungbo - Barrow, undisclosed
Matt Smith - Wigan, free
Ainsley Maitland-Niles - Released
Mauro Bandeira - Colchester, loan
Billy Vigar - Eastbourne, loan
Tom Smith – Colchester, free
Austun Trusty – Sheffield United, undisclosed
Ainsley Maitland Niles, Lyon, free
Key Player: Martin Odegaard - He might not get the plaudits of Haaland, De Bruyne, Salah, Kate etc but Odergaard might be Arsenal’s best, and most important player. Technically good but he can do the dirty work as well as assist and score goals.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Arsenal are believed to be the only team in Champions League history to have fielded 11 players from different nationalities in their victory over Hamburger SV in 2006.
Verdict: Look stronger on paper but got a feeling they won’t start as well and the additional European games might be an issue but still seem the only ones who ‘might’ get close to City.
3) Liverpool
Last season was a disaster for the Reds after looking like it would be them and City ‘duking’ it out for years to come. A lot of critics have said that the team and much of its spine needed reinvigorating but that is easy to say in hindsight. Firmino moved on after Mane left last summer but we also saw long term players like Milner, Keita and Henderson depart. New signings have been limited but both Mac Allister and Szoboslai are midfielders; the area many fans identified as needing an overhaul. The young strikers Gakpo, Nunez and Diaz will hopefully show more consistency and stay fit. They have also started playing Alexander Arnold further forward which would surely help get the best out of him?
Manager: Jurgen Klopp – You wonder about his motivation and if he has it in him to get them moving again? He still seems to enjoy a moan about anything and everything. Despite this he is a charismatic leader that the fans still have full belief in.
In
Alexis Mac Allister - Brighton, £35m
Dominik Szoboslai - RB Leipzig, £60m
Out
Fabinho – Al Ittihad, undisclosed
Jordan Henderson – Al Ettifaq, £12m
Roberto Firmino - Al Ahli, free
Naby Keita - Werder Bremen, free
James Milner - Brighton, free
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – Released
Leighton Clarkson - Aberdeen, undisclosed
Anderson Arroyo - FC Andorra, loan
James Balagizi - Wigan, loan
Owen Beck - Dundee, loan
Fabio Carvalho - RB Leipzig, loan
Harvey Davies - Crewe, loan
Calvin Ramsay - Preston, loan
Sepp van den Berg - Mainz, loan
Rhys Williams - Aberdeen, loan
Layton Stewart – Preston, undisclosed
Max Woltman – Oxford, undisclosed
Key Player: Mohammed Salah – As he goes still do Liverpool. Still someone defences fear with his pace, ball carrying and finishing. He has lost his two pals so will be counted upon even more.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Current manager Jurgen Klopp has a diploma in sports science, but his thesis focused on racewalking, not football.
Verdict: I feel they still need more quality and City have pushed away from them significantly but they will fare better. Also don’t have the distraction of the Champions League this time out. You could argue for them, Man Utd or even Newcastle here but with Chelsea and Spurs in transition somewhat, they will have a better season this time out.
4) Manchester United
It seems finally they have some sense of direction on the pitch, even if they lack this clarity off the field. With the ownership situation still unresolved, Ten Hag has done well to finally ‘unite’ the fans. They made some significant steps in the field. Granted they did not win a trophy losing in the final stages of the Europa League and FA Cup. City’s treble will have more than grated but sensible Red Devils will point towards continual improvements and a sense of identity being established. There is an argument the side still lacks top quality players to properly compete yet but at least there is a consistency of performance we have not seen under previous managers. Transfer business has been minimal with Mason Mount the marquee signing and until the boardroom affairs are in order, further additions may have to wait.
Manager: Erik Ten Hag – They had to settle on a manager and a plan and stick to it. Ten Hag seems a no nonsense sort of bloke and not afraid to do it his way. At times they dug in but also could play with style not seen before. He showed that tactically he certainly knew what he was doing but now needs to just keep evolving and improving the side.
In
Andre Onana - Inter, £47.2m
Rasmund Hojlund, Atlanta, £72m
Jonny Evans - Leicester, free
Mason Mount - Chelsea, £60m
Out
Anthony Elanga – Nottingham Forest, £15m
Alex Telles – Al Nassr, undisclosed
Zidane Iqbal - Utrecht, undisclosed
Ethan Laird - Birmingham, undisclosed
Manni Norkett - Nottingham Forest, free
Ethan Galbraith - Leyton Orient, free
Di'Shon Bernard - Released
David De Gea - Released
Phil Jones - Released
Axel Tuanzebe – Released
Charlie Savage – Reading, free
Will Fish – Hibernian, loan
Di’Shon Bernard – Sheffield Wednesday, free
Nathan Bishop – Sunderland, undisclosed
Key Player: Marcus Rashford – Scored 30 goals in all competitions and finally found some consistency. He now has established himself as the main man up top for United.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: United have won 726 out of 1,190 games since the inception of the Premier League averaging 1.9 ppg. The Blades have won 53 out of 198 which equates to just over a point per game!
Verdict: Did really well to get Champions League and compete in other competitions too. Will struggle to go much higher with others improving more than they have.
5) Newcastle United
You expected that they would be upwardly mobile after the ownership change but the level of investment into the playing squad has been more modest and gradual than maybe many thought? The signings have been smart ones and provide depth and quality but not at a huge cost – at least in football terms. They were extremely strong at home and expect that to continue. Tonali and Barnes might not be as eye-catching as other transfers domestically but both will improve them. There is pressure to keep improving but they don’t lack the funds to do that. Be interesting to see how they fare in Europe too. The fans would love a trophy of any kind. Alexandar Isak and Callum Wilson will score plenty and Nick Pope is one of the more reliable keepers around. Look a solid side now and one that will just keep improving as the quality is increased each transfer window.
Manager: Eddie Howe – I have to say that when the Saudi’s came in, I felt Howe may only be in charge briefly but he has done really well. He was excellent in mist of his tenure at Bournemouth bit lost his way a bit but now seems to have restored his reputation. The toon fans are delighted with what Howe has done.
In
Sandro Tonali - AC Milan, £55m
Tino Livramemto – Southampton, £40m
Yankuba Minteh - Odense Boldklub, undisclosed
Harvey Barnes – Leicester, undisclosed
Out
Allan Saint-Maximin – Al Ahli, undisclosed
Chris Wood - Nottingham Forest, undisclosed
Karl Darlow – Leeds, undisclosed
Matty Longstaff - Released
Ciaran Clark - Released
Matthew Bondswell - Newport, loan
Yankuba Minteh - Feyenoord, loan
Kell Watts - Wigan, loan
Jamal Lewis - Watford, loan
Harrison Ashby – Swansea, loan
Max Thompson – Northampton, loan
Key Player: Bruno Guimaraes – Creative on the ball but can defend too. He is a complete midfielder and has embraced the Geordie culture too. With Tonali being able to do some of the defensive side, expect him to even flourish even more.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: In 1892, newly-formed Newcastle United wore the colours of their now hated rivals Sunderland, red and white.
Verdict: I sense they may bring a few more in before the end of the window. The one side that ‘may’ be able to eventually compete with City, on and off the field.
6) Chelsea
Chelsea have had a major overhaul after a disappointing season last time out where their approach to the managerial role seemed confusing? They brought in Potter for Tuchel and then scrapped this seemingly long term move quite quickly. Yes the ex-Brighton manager struggled but the changes to personnel would surely necessitate some struggles; whoever was in charge? Lampard’s return was even more disappointing than his first spell. Pochettino is a top manager but he will essentially have to build his own squad. Nearly 30 players gave left including a lot of senior players and incoming are few and far between but expect a flurry now between the end of the window. The bloated and under achieving squad needed restructure and it will take time but expect a top manager to get them organised and harder to beat. The evolution towards youth will continue and is the right strategy, even if fans will have to be patient.
Manager: Mauricio Pochettino - I always thought Spurs were way too hasty to get rid of him and their struggles since perhaps show it was a mistake. He is an excellent manager who should be able to move Chelsea back in the right direction but will need and probably get more time than the unfortunate Potter.
In
Lesley Ugochukwu – Rennes, £23.2m
Nicolas Jackson - Villarreal, £30.1m
Christopher Nkunku - RB Leipzig, £52m
Axel Diasi – Monaco, £38.8m
Kendry Paez - Independiente del Valle, £17.27m
Robert Sanchez - Brighton, £25m
Angelo Gabriel - Santos, undisclosed
Alex Matos - Norwich, undisclosed
Diego Moreira - Benfica, undisclosed
Ishe Samuels-Smith - Everton, undisclosed
Out
Kai Havertz - Arsenal, £65m
Mateo Kovacic - Manchester City, £30m
Ruben Loftus-Cheek - AC Milan, £17.18m
Mason Mount - Manchester United, £60m
Christian Pulisic - AC Milan, £18.8m
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - Marseille, free
Ethan Ampadu - Leeds, undisclosed
Kalidou Koulibaly - Al Hilal, undisclosed
Edouard Mendy - Al-Ahli, undisclosed
Derrick Abu - Southampton, free
Cesar Azpilicueta - Atletico Madrid, free
Nathan Baxter - Bolton, free
N'Golo Kante - Al-Ittihad, free
Baba Rahman - PAOK, free
Xavier Simons - Hull, free
Dujon Sterling - Rangers, free
Ethan Wady - Millwall, free
Prince Adegoke - Released
Tiemoue Bakayoko - Released
Juan Castillo - Released
Henry Lawrence - Released
Jayden Wareham - Released
David Datro Fofana - Union Berlin, loan
Dion Rankine - Exeter, loan
Teddy Sharman-Lowe - Bromley, loan
Charlie Webster - Heerenveen, loan
Sam McClelland – St Johnstone, free
Key Player: Enzo Fernandez – Fernández was just starting to adjust to life in the Premier League as the season ended. His overall transfer fee of 100m+ and the fact he signed an eight-and-a-half-year contract, points to what the Blues hierarchy think of him. The Argentine World Cup winner is your classic modern-day midfielder. Good on the ball, mobile, physical and can play in a variety of roles and formations.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Like many of the EPL American owners, Boehly (a former high school wrestling champion!) owns 20% stake in Baseball’s LA Dodgers and co-owns a 27% stake in Basketball’s LA Lakers franchise. Coincidentally Lakers player LeBron James has a 2% stake in Liverpool via the Fenway Sports Group owned by John Henry.
Verdict: I would not be shocked to see them finish 2 or 3 places lower or even a few spots higher. They look a long way short if competing for honours as they have changed so much but even with new ownership can spend to improve as shown this summer despite the funds generated from so many outgoings. At time of writing Mbappe, Caicedo and Elise all have been heavily linked and non of these would come cheap. If further additions come in, then they could push Liverpool, Newcastle and Man Utd harder.
7) Tottenham Hotspur
Like Chelsea, another London club where the fans seem less than happy and no sense of the direction the owner is taking them. They have also changed manager an awful lot without any real upturn or clear sense of a strategy. The dominating talk seems to continue to be around Harry Kane’s future. Without him Spurs don’t even come close to the European places and become somewhat irrelevant. Some will say they have won nothing either him and need to cash in or will lose him for nothing in a year but if he leaves now then this squad looks bereft of leadership and talent. Many players’ form has dropped off and experienced pros like Lloris and Son probably need a fresh challenge. A number of signings have not worked over the last few years and it is a side that lacks genuine quality down the spine. Maddison helps in the creativity side but he will have more pressure on him at a club with greater expectations. There is still some talent there but I am not sure the club have a clear plan on or off the pitch?
Manager: Ange Postecoglou – The Aussie comes in but like with Nuno Gomes when he got the job, it seemed like Spurs tried to get several other coaches from the continent first. You worry once again if they start badly, if the new man will carry the can again?
In
Dejan Kulusevski - Juventus, £25.6m
James Maddison - Leicester, £40m
Micky Van Den Ven – Wolfsburg, £34m
Guglielmo Vicario - Empoli, £17.2m
Manor Solomon - Shakhtar Donetsk, free
Ashley Phillips – Blackburn, £2m
Out
Harry Winks - Leicester, £10m
Lucas Moura - Released
Tom Bloxham - Blackburn, free
Key Player: Harry Kane – Still one of the best strikers in the world and will score goals wherever he plays. I am surprised he has remained , even though his loyalty is to be commended. He will not be winning any trophies anytime down if he remains at Tottenham. The club would probably prefer, if he went, to go to a foreign side rather than a Manchester United or Newcastle as that would alienate an already disgruntled fan base even more.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Guns N Roses and Tyson Fury all appeared at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the last year. Jay Z has been linked with buying the club! The NFL though is its big calling card now. They now want to take things even further and have bid for the Super Bowl! If their ambitious bid for the world showpiece gets the green light. Spurs already have a £40 million staging contract with the NFL that sees them hold two regular games per season, but this move would be the next step in that tie-up.
Verdict: If Kane goes and you can take at least 3 or 4 places off this but if he hangs around, he will always score enough to keep them around those clubs just in and around the top 4.
8) Aston Villa
To go from relegation contenders to European football was some turnaround for Villa. A change of manager was a huge reason for this as he got some previously under achieving players performing and made them hard to beat. Success of course means fans’ expectations rise and it will be tough to compete both domestically and overseas. The squad looks to lack numbers in terms of quality they can bring in to sustain both competitions but Emery has made a couple of smart captures in Tielemans and Diaby. The midfield looks very strong with Ramsey, Luiz, McGinn and Kamara now supported by the two new additions. Torres strengthens the back line too. If they can get some help for Watkins up top then see no reason why they should not be in the top half again and quietly continue their improvements.
Manager: Unai Emery – Disposed of very quickly at Arsenal, Emery may have had reservations about returning to the UK as he had returned to Spain to be incredibly successful again. However, he was able to completely turn Villa around in a relatively short amount of time. Maybe that showed up many of the shortcomings of his predecessor Steven Gerrard but it also proved what a good coach and tactician Emery is. The Villa fans cannot say enough about the job he did.
In
Moussa Diaby - Bayer Leverkusen, £52m
Pau Torres - Villarreal, £33m
Rico Richards - West Brom, free
Youri Tielemans - Leicester, free
Out
Wesley – Stoke, undisclosed
Jed Steer - Released
Brad Young - Released
Ashley Young - Everton, free
Kaine Kesler - Hayden - Plymouth, loan
Viljami Sinisalo - Exeter, loan
Marvelous Nakamba - Luton, undisclosed
Louie Barry – Stockport, loan
Finn Azaz – Plymouth, loan
Key Player: Ollie Watkins – Seems to have finally found some consistency and he now is the main goal scoring threat. I do feel he would benefit from a partner who can hold the ball up and allow him to be more of a finisher/on the end of things but he has shown he is increasingly adept at leading the line. Mobile, quick and plays on the shoulder, Watkins should benefit from more creativity that has been brought in this summer.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: The first match Aston Villa ever played after being established was against Aston Brook St. Mary, a rugby team. The match was unique because, during the first half, Aston Villa had to follow rugby rules. During the second half, the match had to be played using football rules.
Verdict: I am not sure many of the teams below (certainly those I have pegged as bottom half) can say they have as much momentum and belief as Villa – I put them right in that group with Brighton and Brentford as established sides that will not fear relegation.
9) Brighton and Hove Albion
Their recruitment has been nothing short of incredible. They seem to pick up players from all over the world relatively cheaply and then within a season or two are selling them for £50-£80 million. Whilst the likes of Cucurella, Bissouma, Trossard, Mac Alllister and now probably Caicedo will see them netting south of £250 million brought in (add in Ben White, a home-grown player and its nearer £300 million!), they keep finding more gems! The current squad is filled with them and they gave added with Verbruggen and Julian the two latest. Joao Pedro is more well known in the UK and will hope to get his promising career back on track after a wasted year in the Championship. They play a ‘no fear’ style as evidenced by huge results on the road last time out when they shocked the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea. The mix of British experience in the likes of Dunk, March and Wellbeck has been supplanted by the capture of James Milner. They’ve brought in Verbruggen to compete for the number one shirt and after they were priced out of bringing Levi Colwill back, Julian the Brazilian centre back solidifies thus area.
Manager: Roberto De Zerbi - When Potter left, many felt Brighton would drop off but the opposite happened as De Zerbi took them on even more! He evolved the style slightly but also was not afraid to play UK players and brought in exciting striker Ferguson and more surprisingly journeyman keeper Jason Steele. Both excelled given their chance. The recruitment helps of course but the manager still has to get the best out of them and De Zerbi maximises the most of an albeit talented squad.
In
Bart Verbruggen - Anderlecht, £16.3m
Igor Julian – Fiorentina, £14.5m
Mahmoud Dahoud - Borussia Dortmund, undisclosed
Joao Pedro - Watford, undisclosed
James Milner - Liverpool, free
Out
Alexis Mac Allister - Liverpool, £35m
Robert Sanchez - Chelsea, £25m
Taylor Richards - QPR, undisclosed
Antef Tsoungui - Feyenoord, undisclosed
Teddy Jenks - Forest Green Rovers, free
Haydon Roberts - Bristol City, free
Jack Spong - Queen's Park, free
James Beadle - Oxford United, loan
Kacper Kozlowski - Vitesse, loan
Kjell Scherpen - Sturm Graz, loan
Abdallah Sima - Rangers, loan
Fynn Talley – Peterborough, loan
Marc Leonard – Northampton, loan
Aaron Connelly – Hull, free
Ed Turns – Leyton Orient, loan
Key Player: Kaoru Mitoma – The Japanese player really excited in his first full season on the South Coast. He had been on loan at Union SG before being brought into the fold at the Falmer Stadium. Approaching his peak at age 26, he is quick with great dribbling ability. He also showed his eye for goal. Scored 7 in 33 last campaign and I expect him to better this as he becomes a key man this season.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: The club’s nickname was originally the Dolphins, and the club’s badge also included a dolphin, but in the 1975-76 league season, during a match between Brighton and its rival Crystal Palace, Crystal Palace fans started chanting “Eagles” and in response Brighton’s fans started chanting “Seagulls”. Mike Bamber liked the idea and changed the nickname to the Seagulls.
Verdict: A club that will never have the resources of the big clubs but proves good coaching allied with an excellent recruitment plan means you can be competitive. Caicedo will probably move on but there is plenty if raw tent that suggests Brighton will be nearer the top than bottom again.
10) Brentford
As with the case at Brighton, Brentford now seem an established Premier League club thanks to a clear plan that is built on an excellent coach using a proven system of recruitment. Brentford are now probably not even thought about when predictions are made on who might go down. They will have to play half a season without their leading scorer Ivan Toney after his ban for match betting. However, they like Brighton, seem to have a ‘next cab off the rank’ ethos and bring in unheralded signings each year that always surprise with how quickly they adapt to the Premier League. The side is largely settled though and full of underrated performers that play well individually but collectively have an organised approach to games that rarely sees them get properly taken apart. They seem to always stay in games and of course continue to shock so called bigger clubs. They now can start spending a bit more being established at this level. Nathan Collins capture was a real eye opener as they took a player that a few years ago you would have expected the route to be the other way round? They also have allegedly been linked with Brennan Johnson at Forest for eye watering amounts. The other business was more understated but have a contingency plan in the goalkeeping department in case Raya moves on as expected – with Flekken signed as cover. German Schade is a quick winger that has now signed permanently after showing some promise on loan.
Manager: Thomas Frank - Quietly become one of the best coaches at this level and one of the managers that seems well liked by the Bees’ fans and in a position of real comfort in terms of his role. He has slowly evolved Brentford as they have still shown they can play possession stuff but also mix it up.
In
Nathan Collins - Wolves, £23m
Romeo Beckham - Inter Miami, undisclosed
Ethan Brierley - Rochdale, undisclosed
Mark Flekken - Freiburg, £11m
Ji-Soo Kim - Seongnam, undisclosed
Kevin Schade - Freiburg, £20m
Out
Mads Bidstrup - Red Bull Salzburg, undisclosed
Halil Dervisoglu - Galatasaray, undisclosed
Alex Gilbert - Middlesbrough, free
Pontus Jansson - Malmo, free
Joel Valencia - Zaglebie Sosnowiec, free
Tariqe Fosu - Released
Saman Ghoddos - Released
Daniel Oyegoke - Bradford, loan
Fin Stevens - Oxford, loan
Ryan Trevitt - Exeter, loan
Matthew Cox - Bristol Rovers, loan
Tristan Crama - Bristol Rovers, loan
Paris Maghoma, Bolton, loan
Aaron Pressley, Stevenage, Undisclosed
Key Player: Bryan Mbeumo - Mbeumo seems to have been around for ages (did sign for Brentford back in 2019) but will only just turn 24 at the start of this forthcoming season. A versatile performer, he can operate in a number of positions but will be expected to up his goal tally significantly (did get 9 goals his most in the Premier League - last season) to help fill the Toney-hole to start the season.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Brentford scored 16 goals from set plays last season. This was the 2nd most (joint with Spurs) to Liverpool.
Verdict: Toney will be missed but expect a goals by committee approach until he returns. They have a lot of very underrated players all over the field. Many just know their job and do it. Another solid season awaits.
11) Bournemouth
I realise many have tipped Bournemouth to go down but I think they have picked up a really good manager who excelled at an underdog side previously. I also believe they made some underrated signings in January and have continued this in the off season. Traore comes in permanently and Faivre is highly thought of but will remain on loan this season at Lorient. Kluivert (son of Patrick) is another pace option and the this side will be very good on the counter attack and will pick up some surprise results on the road. They played some good stuff at times post Xmas but were not a soft touch either. They have a physicality with the likes of Senesi, Billing, Solanke and Moore but also have creativity too. Be interior see how David Brooks fares in his first season back after recovering from Hodgkin lymphoma.
Manager: Andoni Iraola – He nearly went to Leeds last year but remained at Rayo Vallecano. He took them to an 11th place finish and they upset both Real Madrid and Barcelona. A club in a small stadium with limited resources, Iraola will not have been able to spend like he did this summer, when in La Liga. His appointment was a bit of a coup meaning that the decision not to carry on with Gary O’ Neil does not seem as harsh perhaps?
In
Romain Faivre - Lyon, £12.8m
Justin Kluivert - Roma, £9.5m
Hamed Traore - Sassuolo, £20m
Milos Kerkez - AZ Alkmaar, undisclosed
Out
Siriki Dembele - Birmingham, undisclosed
Ben Pearson - Stoke, undisclosed
Christian Saydee - Portsmouth, undisclosed
Jefferson Lerma - Crystal Palace, free
Jack Stacey - Norwich, free
Jordan Zemura - Udinese, free
Junior Stanislas - Released
Will Dennis - Kilmarnock, loan
Romain Faivre - Lorient, loan
Mark Travers – Stoke, loan
Brooklyn Genesini – Swindon, free
Key Player: Phillip Billing – Billing is someone I always am impressed with when I watch the Cherries. Mobile, strong and can get forward, he seems to be a player that is a linchpin in their side. He scored 7 goals in 36 starts (1 more than main striker Dominic Solanke!) after scoring double figures in the Championship promotion season the year before.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: In joining Bournemouth on a two-year contract, Iraola became the fourth Basque manager in the Premier League, alongside Unai Emery, Julen Lopetegui and Mikel Arteta. “It is something strange because it is not a big area,” Iraola said.
Verdict: I think due to them being picked to go down last year and surprising by staying up with a bit to spare, it is easy to tip them again. However, the coaching appointment and the recruitment on the outside looking in, appears really sound.
12) West Ham United
This may seem a high placement considering they finished 14th and lost their best player in the summer. However, I feel the Hammers massively underachieved last time out and of course had the long and ultimately successful Europa conference league run alongside league play. They now play in the better ranked Europa League! Many are probably shouting at their phones now saying, ‘So they’ve got the same distraction/potential extra games again?!’ I get this argument but feel they now are more experienced at coping with the twice weekly games often thrust at them. Weirdly Rice going might help in the sense the long running distraction of, ‘Will he/Won’t he go?’ is now done with. Moyes now knows there is no pressure on him and the team will carry on this relaxed, care free way of playing. Expect some of the signings they have made over the last few years to step up now they are settled too.
Manager: David Moyes – As solid a manager/coach as you could ask for at this level. Not flashy but he is tactically quite astute and his teams can dig in but play at times as the European campaign evidenced. Likeable chap that gets criticised but been successful wherever he has gone save for that spell at Old Trafford which was going to be difficult whoever took over from Sir Akex Ferguson.
In
Sean Moore - Cliftonville, undisclosed
Out
Declan Rice - Arsenal, £105m
Arthur Masuaku - Besiktas, undisclosed
Manuel Lanzini - Released
Armstrong Oko-Flex - Released
Nathan Trott - Vejle, loan
Krisztian Hegyi – Stevenage, loan
Freddie Potts – Wycombe, loan
Kamarai Swyer – Crawley, loan
Gianluca Scamacca – Atalanta, undisclosed
Key Player: Lucas Paqueta – Showed flashes but lacked consistency. Expect the Brazilian to step up thus year as he wears the number 10 shirt vacated by the departing Manuel Lanzini.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Declan Rice made history once when he helped guide West Ham to the Europa Conference League title, becoming the youngest player at 24 years and 144 days to captain an English team to victory in a major UEFA competition since fellow Hammers skipper Bobby Moore in the 1965 Cup Winners’ Cup final.
Verdict: They will finish higher as they underachieved last season. Moyes is still a very solid manager and the league is arguably weaker too.
13) Fulham
Really surprised everyone to finish 10th and ahead of local neighbours Chelsea – something you would have got long odds on at the start of last season. Many thought they’d go down again continuing a ‘yo yo’ few years but Marco Silva did a remarkable job. His signings were astute and Leno, Palhinha, Pereira and Willian down the spine were all excellent. Mitrovic was their talisman and finally came good in the top flight proving he can do it at the top level. His future now seems in doubt though with quotes circulating that he’d never play for them again amid rumours of a move to Saudi Arabia. With his status for next season up in the air, Fulham signed Jimenez from Wolves – a player that never looked the same after a serious head injury. They will hope he can regain his goal scoring touch. Fulham won nearly as many (7) on the road as at home (8) showing they could grind out wins but when they were at their best, they played positive attacking football and took it to opponents. This approach saw them play attractive but also winning football – a combination they struggled to unite in previous forays at this level.
Manager: Marco Silva – Like Mitrovic and so many others, been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia but is still in situ for now. He has restored his reputation in the Premier League after a tricky spell at Everton. Credit to him for an excellent job in getting Fulham up but then taking them to a mid table position. The speculation over his job and then his leading scorer’s will not have helped preparation but will have his own confidence restored that he can do very well at this level after his early success at Hull and Watford.
In
Raul Jimenez – Wolves, £5m
Calvin Bassey – Ajax, £19.3m
Out
Sylvester Jasper - Portimonense, compensation
Taye Ashby-Hammond - Stevenage, free
Joe Bryan - Millwall, free
Shane Duffy - Norwich, free
Paulo Gazzaniga - Girona, free
Ziyad Larkeche - QPR, free
Steven Sessegnon - Released
Sonny Hilton - Released
Neeskens Kebano - Released
Luca Ashby-Hammond - Crawley, loan
Ibane Bowat - TSV Hartberg, loan
Kieron Bowie - Northampton, loan
Key Player: Joao Palhinha – Along with Kenny Tete and Andreas Pereira, Palhinha gave Fulham physicality in midfield but all three can play too. Palhinha amassed 14 bookings but also his ability to recover the ball and carry it, made him a player bigger clubs started to be linked with.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Mitrovic scored 14 goals but missed four penalties and eight games, after a ban for shoving a referee.
Verdict: The Mitrovic situation complicates any forecasts but Fulham have enough savvy and know there us nothing to fear at this level. They will have a bit of a second season drop off but won’t be too worried about relegation.
14) Burnley
The media darlings of the Football League due to Kompany. Perhaps deservedly so as they romped to the title. What was impressive was that Kompany not only had them winning most weeks, but he evolved the style from Dyche’s more methodical and direct approach to an easier on the eye approach. Burnley played attacking football and broke at pace. They did rely on a plethora of loans and not all have returned but seem to have recruited well. Cullen and Brownhill in midfield will give them the work ethic but mobility to ensure they are competitive most games. There is a slight concern over goals especially if Tella does not return although expect Scott Twine to feature more after an injury hit first season at Turf Moor. They will continue to play their expansive style and seems the best way to win games but showed at times towards the end of last season, they could be resilient too and won a number of games on the road 1-0.
Manager: Vincent Kompany – After a mixed time at Anderlecht, Burnley maybe took a chance on Kompany and it paid off massively. The worry now is that if he does well in the Premier League, then the big clubs will come calling and you can see a Spurs or a West Ham being attractive to him .
In
Luca Koleosho - Espanyol, £2.6m
Jacob Bruun Larsen – Hoffenheim, loan
Zeki Amdouni - Basel, undisclosed
Jordan Beyer - Borussia Monchengladbach, undisclosed
Michael Obafemi - Swansea, undisclosed
Dara O'Shea - West Brom, undisclosed
Lawrence Vigouroux - Leyton Orient, free
James Trafford - Man City, £19m
Nathan Redmond - Besiktas, free
Out
Ashley Barnes - Norwich, free
Lukas Jensen - Lincoln, free
Will Norris - Portsmouth, free
Lewis Thomas - Harrogate, free
Matthew Lowton - Released
Michael Mellon - Morecambe, loan
Bobby Thomas – Coventry, undisclosed
Luke McNally – Stoke, loan
Benn Ward – Swindon, loan
Key Player: Manuel Benson – The best player I saw against United last season where he gave Enda Stevens a torrid time at the Lane. Quick, direct and with a terrific shot, Benson looks the sort of player that can comfortably step up to a higher level.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Burnley FC are one of only five sides to have won all four professional divisions of English football, along with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Preston North End, Sheffield United and Portsmouth.
Verdict: Seen some predictions placing them half way or just beneath but they don’t have many players with experience of this level. They will shock some teams with their approach and cavalier style but may get some ‘batterings’ too. They will have enough to stay up and sadly do seem a step up from other two promoted sides in terms of creativity.
15) Crystal Palace
If Hodgson had not come back for one last hoorah (in the same way Warnock is doing in the Championship for Huddersfield) I’d have had Palace right near those bottom three and maybe even one that might ‘go.’ However, Hodgson In the same vein as Moyes and Dyche, has the nous and motivational skills to keep them away from troubled waters. Zaha going is a blow but Elise and Eze are two fantastic midfielders on the rise. They have not really been particularly active in the summer with ins and outs but return enough experience to still be competitive, especially at home. There are maybe concerns who provides the goals as Edouard is never going to be prolific. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi did really well at Charlton on loan – he might be the next one to come through.
Manager: Roy Hodgson- A steady pair of hands, Hodgson’s love for the game continues unabated. Be interesting to see what happens if they struggle early? Will he still hang around?
In
Jefferson Lerma - Bournemouth, free
Out
Rob Street - Cheltenham, undisclosed
Jack Butland - Rangers, free
James McArthur - Released
Luka Milivojevic - Released
Kofi Balmer - Port Vale, loan
Malachi Boateng - Dundee, loan
Owen Goodman - Colchester, loan
Laurie Shala - Wycombe, free
Luke Plange – Carlisle, loan
Key Player: Ebere Eze – Being linked with others clubs, Eze finally was given a clearly defined role and run of games to end the season.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Roy Hodgson will be 76 years when Palace play at the Lane. This makes him by some way, the oldest ever to manage in the Premier League. The only other four managers that were 70 or older were Sir Bobby Robson 71 years, 192 days, Sir Alex Ferguson 71 years, 139 days, Neil Warnock 70 years, 162 days and Claudio Ranieri 70 years, 93 days.
Verdict: They finished 11th last season as Hodgson’s expertise halted a slide under Patrick Viera’s leadership. They have a good UK core; actually, it’s an all-London spine with Mitchell, Guehi, Eze and Olise. They will miss Zaha but there is enough here to stay away from any real bother
16) Nottingham Forest
They did well to stay up of course despite spending a lot of money. Lots will point to the stats and XG (for and against) last season but Forest have survived that all important first season. Cooper is an excellent manager and now they won’t have to sign a million players for the new season. They proved they were incredibly tough to beat at the City Ground last time out and I expect that to remain strong with a fervent fan base. They will improve a dreadful away record I feel too. They have brought in Elanga which seems a big upgrade on the disappointing Jesse Lingard, an expensive experiment that did not work. Young talent like Johnson and Gibbs White adapted very well to regular games at this level and they will continue to improve. If they can shore up the defence (keeping situation still seems to need resolving – will Dean Henderson return permanently?) and start better, then I do not think they will be one of those teams looking over their shoulders.
Manager: Steve Cooper – Seems like he was close to losing his job last season despite for the most part keeping Forest competitive. He rightly remained and is incredibly popular at the City Ground. I expect him to take Forest on a bit more now he and the squad know what it takes to compete at the highest level.
In
Anthony Elanga – Manchester United, £15m
Manni Norkett – Manchester United, free
Chris Wood – Newcastle, undisclosed
Ola Aina – Torino, free
Out
Riley Harbottle – Hibernian, undisclosed
Will Swan – Mansfield, undisclosed
Andre Ayew – Released
Cafu – Rotherham, free
Adnan Kanuric – Released
Jack Colback – Released
Jesse Lingard – Released
Jordan Smith – Released
Lyle Taylor – Released
Finley Back – Carlisle, loan
Dale Taylor – Wycombe, loan
Jack Colback – QPR, free
Josh Bowler – Cardiff, loan
Oli Hammond – Cheltenham, loan
Key Player: Morgan Gibbs White – Hard to type this but I think we all knew when they signed him for a fee that could rise to £40m, that he would show why he is worth it. After a slow start, he became Forest’s best player and main creative threat. Works hard and scores goals (will better 5 this season you think?), he will wrongly get some pelters when United play Forest but he seems a great lad who if things had aligned differently (us going up instead of them and having a wealthy owner like them!) then he’d have been a permanent Blades signing. Hard to watch him doing so well for Forest.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Mull of Kintyre always seemed an odd song as Forest’s anthem to me with its origin north of the border and the artist being from Liverpool! The song has though been a Forest anthem ever since the glory days when the Reds were champions of Europe. Made famous by Paul McCartney and Wings, the song was released in late 1977 before being adopted by the Forest faithful during the season they won the First Division in 1978. Reds supporters changed the lyrics as the mist often rolled in from the Trent, and included a range of words about their travels up and down the country. No, I still don’t get it either. Suppose you could say the same about our connection with John Denver’s Annie’s Song or Stoke’s with Tom Jones’ Deliah?!
Verdict: I see at least three worse teams than then this season and think they will start better and not be in the mix for the relegation spots come the season end.
17) Luton
Most predictions I have seen have them to finish rock bottom which you can understand but also seems somewhat lazy too. I think they will surprise and the first couple of months have some winnable games particularly at Kenilworth Road. Of course, they must play their first two games away as their home ground is not ready yet due to the improvements needed to play in the Premier League (as an aside why is this allowed to happen without significant fines, point deductions or even results being awarded to opponents? It seems teams in the non leagues often befall such sanctions where more stringent measures are applied here than the most lucrative league in world football). Luton are very direct and physical but this will cause problems, especially at their tight home ground. They bring with them a number of players who gave been on the journey but made some underrated signings in Chong, Ogbene, Giles and Nakamba (permanent now). Be interesting to see if likes of Morris and Adebayo will score enough goals as they will of course have far fewer opportunities. They will work hard as a team but lack depth and I worry that the power and pace of attacks at this level will be too much for the likes of Lockyer and new signing Anderson at times. A lot of Blades will say how can I have them below us but their recruitment on the surface has been better (more proven UK players – granted the level below and that did not work for us last time) and I just feel their up and at ‘em approach may yield more success as whilst not the best to watch will cause some problems for teams.
Manager: Rob Edwards – Watford definitely gave up on him way too early but then they do that with most managers! He went to their rivals and got them promoted of course! A bright young manager who bounced back really well last season.
In
Mads Andersen - Barnsley, undisclosed
Tahith Chong - Birmingham, £4m
Chiedozie Ogbene - Rotherham, free
Marvelous Nakamba - Aston Villa, undisclosed
Issa Kaboure - Man City, free
Ryan Giles – Wolves, undisclosed
Thomas Kaminsky – Blackburn, undisclosed
Out
Harry Isted - Charlton, free
Josh Neufville - AFC Wimbledon, free
Sonny Bradley - Derby, free
Henri Lansbury - Released
Elliot Thorpe - Shrewsbury, loan
Jack Walton - Dundee United, loan
Fred Onyedimna – Rotherham, loan
Joe Taylor – Colchester, loan
Key Player: Carlton Morris – A bit of a journeyman, he found a home at the ‘Kenny’ but remains to be seen if his work ethic and physicality will translate at the highest level.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Despite many reports to the contract, Luton will not have the smallest stadium in the Premier League. Kenilworth Road had a capacity of 10,356, but chief executive Gary Sweet said work to rebuild the Bobbers Stand would increase seating beyond Bournemouth's 11,307 Vitality Stadium. He did not reveal the new capacity, but said it would "start with an eleven".
Verdict: I’m not all aboard the ‘guaranteed relegation’ train that many have jumped on for the Hatters. Their approach and work ethic allied to a high pressing game, will see them cause more than a few surprises. The squad lacks quality in numbers and once the initial euphoria wears off, they will suffer some difficult days. I do think they will go right to the wire in terms of the relegation fight and the final 5 games seem as favourable as their opening fixtures; giving them a chance. It could be an unlikely story continues as minnows Luton survive over giants Everton
18) Everton
Survived by the skin of their teeth. Dyche did just about enough but there remains so much uncertainty at this proud club. Their last season at Goodison Park seems set to be played amidst continued boardroom issues. The squad is still full of expensive failures and lacks quality and a goal scorer. Dyche will get them organised, even if it means sacrificing style but at this stage fans surely just want to see a winning team regardless? The strategy seems bewildering as they have flitted back and forth between young up and coming managers with experienced old hands. Farhad Moshiri is still here but the fans are not happy and the infighting continued well into the summer. Money is tight due to previous overspending and the imminent relocation. They have some experience in Pickford, Tarlowski and Keane but further up field a reliance on midfielders like McNeil, Iwobi and Gray for goals could be their undoing. Calvert Lewin cannot stay fit and the days of him being one of the top strikers in the league seems a long time ago now.
Manager: Sean Dyche – Talks a good game and straight as they come in terms of his dealings with the fans and media. Fans seem mixed in their opinions of him. He is inextricably linked with a direct style but he was very successful at Burnley. A couple of mid table seasons at this point would probably be taken from the long-suffering Toffees fans.
In
Ashley Young – Aston Villa, free
Arnaut Danjuma – Villareal, undisclosed
Out
Niels Nkounkou – St Etienne, undisclosed
Ellis Simms – Coventry, undisclosed
Ishe Samuels-Smith – Chelsea, undisclosed
Isaac Price – Standard Liege, free
Tom Davies – Released
Asmir Begovic – Released
Yerry Mina – Released
Andros Townsend – Released
Harry Tyrer – Chesterfield, loan
Lewis Gibson – Plymouth, free
Stanley Mills – Oxford, loan
Key Player: Jordan Pickford – Maligned in the past, Pickford still does make mistakes but for the most part he is a reliable kernel now for club and country. Without him last season, they probably would be playing in the Championship.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Everton’s new stadium at Bramley Dock will see supporters be as close to the action as Premier League regulations permit, which is five meters (16.4ft). This was specifically put into the plans to try and restore some of the intimacy and atmosphere that Goodison Park creates.
Verdict: I would not be shocked if they finally went and I certainly see another season of struggle. The squad is bereft of quality and depth. The lack of goals and a wretched away record means if they drop off at home and the fans frustrations see them turn on the team, they will be in big trouble. The game at Goodison versus United on May 11th may have a fair bit riding on it for both clubs. This could be the season they go.
19) Wolves
Putting a relatively established Premier League club to finish 2nd bottom may seem a bold prognosis but I will try and give evidence for my pick. They finished 13th last season and 7 points clear but at times flirted with the drop zone. They changed managers again and they have seen key men move on. Neves, Moutinho and Jimenez departed and have not really been replaced. I have felt each year that the quality they have put out has deteriorated and this season looks even more so. They have ended up relying on experienced players like Dawson and Costa. Adama Traore has moved on with his namesake, Boubacar Traore comes in as does old favourite Matt Doherty but a scan over who has left the club, has me raising my eyebrows. I could be wrong and they could finish just below mid table but I see a season of struggle.
Manager: Gary O’Neil – Did well at Bournemouth and maybe harshly sacked? With Lopetegui departing right on the eve of the season, he comes in to try and bring some stability to what seems a bit of a mess. The growing financial issues are where the problems surely emanate, if Wolves struggle but normally its the managers who carry the can- often wrongly. I expect another change here before the season is done.
In
Matt Doherty - Atletico Madrid, free
Boubacar Traore - Metz, £9.5m
Tom King - Northampton, free
Out
Raul Jimenez – Fulham, £5m
Conor Coady - Leicester, £7.5m
Nathan Collins - Brentford, £23m
Ruben Neves - Al Hilal, £47m
Adama Traore - Released
Ryan Giles – Luton, undisclosed
Hayao Kawabe - Standard Liege, undisclosed
Dion Sanderson - Birmingham, undisclosed
Diego Costa - Released
Luke Matheson - Released
Joao Moutinho - Released
Taylor Perry - Released
Michael Agboola - Released
Lee Harkin - Released
Jack Hodnett - Released
Jack Scott - Released
Theo Corbeanu - Grasshoppers, loan
Nigel Lonwijk - Grasshoppers, loan
Louis Moulden - Rochdale, loan
Tyler Roberts - Doncaster, loan
Jackson Smith - Walsall, undisclosed
Chiquinho – Stoke, loan
Ki-Jana Hoever – Stoke, loan
Ollie Tipton – Notts County, loan
Matija Sarkic – Millwall, Undisclosed
Luke Cundle – Plymouth, loan
Key Player: Mario Lemina – The Gabonese midfielder was instrumental in Wolves form that allowed them to move away from the lower reaches of the table. He has already played for Juventus, Marseille, Galatasaray, Nice and Fulham & Southampton in this country but seems to have found some consistency. A box-to-box midfielder but he also is probably more suited to the physical demands in England than overseas where suspensions were an issue.
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: Two of Wolves last three managers have been goalkeepers. Nuno Espirito Santo played for a number of clubs including Porto, whereas most recent outgoing manager Lopetegui played for both Real Madrid and Barcelona between the sticks.
Verdict: Finishing this low may seem a big call but just feel they will be the ‘established’ side whose time is up as funds have dried up and experienced players have departed.
20) Sheffield United
I’m known as a pessimist by nature but it is hard to see us staying up as we lack quality, goals, and pace/athleticism in the key areas of the field at this level. It is disappointing that we get back within two seasons and yet seem badly organised and prepared off the field and thus it has left us scrambling around for foreign bargains hoping some will pay off. The Ndiaye sale was an absolute killer blow to us having any chances of staying up I feel. Now it seems Berge is going too – to a promotion/relegation rival. I get we have little money and of course not been able to attract a new owner/investment but fans can still be frustrated and feel it is an opportunity wasted. Some will say do not over spend/we cannot spend money we do not have but losing your best players a week before the season seems an incredible plan. They may say we need to maximise what funds we can get for players out of contract but why not just keep those players or how about this, do whatever you can to keep/extend your better players? I am not sure what the answer is as we cannot spend what we do not have but it is worrying we have not (yet) utilised the loan market for two solid UK players – yes I know dominoes may fall end of the window but we were playing for snookers by that time last time we were at this level. Can we afford to wait as a better start is imperative? We have been promoted since mid April and here we are 4 months later scrambling around to fill a side, let alone squad.
The things you can be optimistic about is that promotion was gained with a minimum of fuss and the players will have confidence of winning games, at least to start with. Some of the squad will want to prove themselves after the disastrous way they went down last time. The new lads are an unknown commodity and so teams may not know what to expect. There is also a move towards signing younger players and reducing the age of the squad and the profile of the player we sign (ones with a potential sell on value). I also feel the passionate Blades fans can have an impact and the Covid season really negated a big factor in United’s armoury. When the Lane is rocking, it can be a real advantage for us and you hope this can help us pick up points and wins we did not last time – recall lots of narrow defeats early on last time out? We also have a manager that will want to prove himself too at this level.
The ‘big’ flip side is that this is worse than the side that went up and probably on a par with the one that went down meekly a few years ago (Ahmedhodzic is here but we had a better keeper in Ramsdale and more experienced striking depth probably back then in McGoldrick and even Sharp/Mousset – the latter was rarely fit granted). The lack of goals in the side is a real worry and we lack creativity to hurt teams – Burnley can counter and Luton can go physical in contrast. We seem to be a functional side but the areas we struggled with last time at this level– pace and athleticism – not sure we have upgraded significantly. I am concerned that at the end of the last campaign, our main tactic seemed to be get it to Iliman and McAtee. Both are now not here. The general approach to creating goals was an issue last time we were in the Premier League and we had no real plan. I hope I am wrong but the likes of Foderingham, Robinson, Norwood, Fleck and even the youngsters Jebbison/Osula are not really Premier League players (at least not yet in the case of the latter two) in my opinion. Hope I am proved wrong but a lot depends on one or two of the newcomers adapting very quickly and being starters every week. We have some solid performers in Egan, Baldock and Ahmedhodzic but the other 8 places we lack players who could confidently say are ‘Premier League.’ McBurnie was hit and miss last time and the others I have discussed were part of a side that could barely muster a win. Slimane, Larouci and Traore are yet to prove themselves at this level too. Trusty did well at Birmingham and gives us depth. United must start better than last time and ensure we make the Lane an important place – much like Forest did last season – and then anything we get on the road can be seen as a bonus but it’s going to be a long hard slog. The reality is there can not be many sides as under prepared and lacking in quality – after losing their 4 best players (2 permanent and 2 loans returning).
Manager: Paul Heckingbottom – Began his managerial career very well at Barnsley but made little impact at Leeds and Hibs and I felt when he was recruited to head up the Blades academy, that he conceded he would probably be more in a coaching role, than a number one again. Yet after he did ok in his caretaker spell, he was brought back after the Jokanovic experiment did not work. He was so close to taking us up in his first season after steering us away from nearer the bottom and then was so effective last season and did it with little fuss. A likeable guy but now a whole new test awaits him. He will come under scrutiny when we inevitably go on losing runs, from the national media and his own fans, but needs to stay calm and ensure that the players stay together as at times when struggles occur. I worry he will carry the can if we are right at the bottom and not winning games when clearly he has been given an almost impossible task. It was going to be hard before we sold our star man but now it seems unthinkable we can survive doesn’t it?
In
Anis Ben Slimane – Brondby, undisclosed
Benie Traore – BK Hacken, undisclosed
Yasser Larouci – Troyes, loan
Austun Trusty – Arsenal, undisclosed
Out
Iliman Ndiaye – Marseille, undisclosed
George Broadbent – Doncaster, undisclosed
Zak Brunt – Barnet, undisclosed
Jake Eastwood – Grimsby, undisclosed
Enda Stevens – Stoke, free
Theo Williams – Fleetwood, free
Kyron Gordon – Released
Jack O’Connell – Released
Billy Sharp – Released
Oliver Arblaster – Port Vale, loan
Harry Boyes – Wycombe, loan
Finley Potter – Barnet, loan
Dylan Wharton – Gainsborough Trinity, loan
Key Player: I had Ndiaye...then Berge! Now? No idea. Anel remains but the rest of the team is miles off other than a couple of solid pros. The fans are probably the best chance United have of staying up. What a cop out!
Deadbat’s pointless trivia: We are still the only English league side to field a starting XI made up of full England internationals. In 1904, United’s starting X1, from keeper to striker, had an England international in every position.
Verdict: I hope I am wrong and everyone comes back at the end of the season and says ‘You idiot! You should have believed in your team!’ I just struggle to see the creativity and us being able to score enough goals we need to stay up. We are devoid of quality. The left side of defence also worries me and teams will exploit this. It is so frustrating we have not moved forward in the ownership situation. Without significant funds to upgrade half the side that is not quite Premier League level, it is going to be a long hard slog and many fans go into the season with trepidation rather than excitement. Granted we may have a few in by the end of the window but can we afford to wait and throw away a month and get off to such a bad start again.
Other competitions + leagues...
FA Cup – Arsenal
League Cup – Newcastle United
Champions League – Real Madrid
Europe League - Liverpool
Europa Conference League - Fiorentina
Championship
Promoted: Leicester, Southampton and Sunderland
Playoffs: Stoke, Leeds and Millwall
Relegated: Rotherham, Cardiff and QPR
League One
Promoted: Bolton, Reading and Blackpool
Relegated: Port Vale, Cheltenham, Stevenage and Northampton
League Two
Promoted: Notts County, Stockport, Gillingham and MK Dons
Relegated: Sutton and Harrogate
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Regards,
Deadbat – deadbat_DB
