The return of the English Premier League is just days away as the top 20 teams gear up for the big kick-off this weekend. Chelsea will be looking to follow-up their success from last season but it is likely to be a much stiffer challenge posed by the chasing pack. Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United have all strengthened over the summer and look significantly better-placed to give Jose Mourinho and his players more to think about this time around. This preview will take you through the battle for the title and hopefully identify the winners of the 2015/16 Premier League.
Last season
Chelsea won their first league title since 2010, breaking the dominance of both Manchester clubs in the process. The difference at the end of the campaign was a comfortable eight points to runners-up City, with the first half of the season proving to be where the title was really won. Chelsea have always proven to be difficult to peg back with a lead, under Mourinho, and that proved to be the case as they won 14 of their first 18 league games, losing only once. That consistency was too much for an out-of-sorts City team who failed to hit the same heights as the previous year when they won the title. Arsenal also started the season very slowly, winning just once of their first five, but they recovered and were the form side after Christmas – leading many people to think they are the biggest threats to Chelsea. Manchester United – under Louis Van Gaal for the first time – showed enough in stages, and obviously achieved their aim of finishing in the Champions a League spots, but even the most ardent of supporters will realise they have to improve significantly if they are to sustain a title challenge this time around.
Chelsea
Unsurprisingly for a club who cantered to the league title just a few months ago, it has been a relatively quiet summer in terms of transfers at Stamford Bridge. Radamel Falcao has arrived on a season-long loan from Monaco, and is the biggest of their additions, which also include Asmir Begovic from Stoke, and the Brazillian Nathan. Petr Cech, Didier Drogba and Filipe Luis are among the players who have left the club in search for more regular football. The biggest key to Chelsea is trying to keep Diego Costa fit, such is his importance to how Mourinho likes this team to play. The likes of Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas are most definitely the providers, but whilst Falcao and Loic Remy will chip in with their share of goals, it is Costa’s physical presence that Chelsea look to so often.
A fear I have with Chelsea is how laboured they looked in the second half of last season. They still managed to pick up plenty of points but were unable to match the quality of their play earlier in the campaign. With tougher competition expected from other clubs, they will have to be at their best throughout the whole season if they are to win successive league crowns.
Manchester City
This will be Manuel Pellegrini’s third season in charge at the Etihad and his record looks very similar to his predecessor, Roberto Mancini. After winning a league title, City failed to build on it and were far too inconsistent domestically, whilst failing to make any serious impact in Europe. If rumours are to be believed then this will be the final season for the Chilean, with Pep Guardiola widely tipped to replace him next summer. The clubs owners have nevertheless supported the current manager with Raheem Sterling and Fabian Delph both arriving from Liverpool and Aston Villa, respectively. Sterling in-particular should be the perfect signing for City, as they have lacked a quality wide player with out-and-out pace to compliment the qualities of David Silva and Yaya Toure. All three will support arguably the best striker in the division in the shape of Sergio Aguero, but their critics will point to the other end of the field and ask questions of the much-maligned defence.
Vincent Kompant turned in his most erratic season in a Manchester City shirt, in the last campaign, and it had a profound impact on the others in the back four. With Gael Clichy and Pablo Zabaleta all struggling to reach the standards they set previously. Their supporters will hope that with his first season out of the way, Eliaquim Mangala will be a more dependable centre half and provide greater stability in that backline.
Arsenal
The season is yet to kick-off but the noises coming from the North of London are very enthusiastic and positive. Arsenal have already taken the first piece of silverware having defeated Chelsea 1-0 in the Community Shield at Wembley. That will mean little come May, but it does at least end an unwanted record for Arsene Wenger, who recorded his first ever win over a Chelsea team managed by Jose Mourinho. As noted above, it comes on the back of what was a very impressive second half of the season where they won 13 of their last 18 and also won their second FA Cup in as many years.
One of the shrewdest pieces of business that any club have done in the summer could prove to be Arsenal’s signing of Petr Cech. The multiple league winning goalkeeper will provide not only quality, but essential leadership and experience to this Gunners outfit. He’s the only major signing as yet, but keeping the likes of Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain fit would be just as much of a boost of any further new faces.
Manchester United
The busiest of all the top teams this season as been Manchester United, which is not unexpected having finished fourth and still very much in a rebuilding phase under Van Gaal. Morgan Schneiderlin, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Memphis Depay have all came in and will likely play key roles throughout the course of the season. Angel Di Maria and Robin Van Persie are among the players who have left but neither contributed much last season so are unlikely to be missed. Although United look much stronger in midfield – an area they have severely lacked in the last couple of years – there are still questions over the other areas of the pitch. Wayne Rooney remains their only experienced striker and there remains doubts over the quality of their central defenders. That said, there remains the best part of a month left to bring in further reinforcements, and a couple of further quality signings could see them go close.
Premier League Betting Tips
For what it’s worth, I do not envisage any of these clubs winning the title by the same margin that Chelsea won it with last season. I fully expect the league to be much closer throughout, this season, and would not be surprised if we even go to the last game or two for it to be decided. In terms of other clubs, I simply cannot see Liverpool or Tottenham – or anybody else for that matter – coming close to the consistency required to win a title. Either of those teams will be doing well to finish in the top four, in my opinion.
Chelsea are the favourites to retain their title and it is difficult to see them out the frame such is the quality of Mourinho. There are enough doubts (the fitness of Costa, how they dropped off in the second half of the season, and their fixation with the Champions League) for me to leave them alone on this occasion.
Having won two of the last four titles, Man City certainly know what is required to get over the line and – for me – have the best attacking options of all the contenders which usually proves so important. Keeping Aguero fit will be crucial but the signing of Sterling is one that excites me hugely. He had to shoulder so much pressure whilst at Liverpool last season whereas now he can enjoy his football again with so many more experienced players at his new club.
Arsenal will finish closer, again, and look to be developing a more resilient streak recently. My main concern with them is the central striking position. Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott are the two players Wenger will deploy there more often than not, but I still think it’s a position they are short in to finish top. The noises are that Wenger will not bring in another before the window closes which I believe will prove to be their undoing.
United have the most to do out of last season’s top four to get close to the title this time around. They also look short in the striking department but are more likely to bring one in before the end of August. I have a feeling it is a year too early for them, and the extra commitment of European football will also stretch areas of their squad compared to last season.
At this stage, Manchester City stand out as the most likely winners. They have not panicked from last season but have maintained all their key players and added the exciting talent of Sterling. He will give them much more dynamism going forward, and although they were not anywhere near their best last season, they still finished second, and drew both matches with Chelsea.. With further improvement likely, I can see them winning their third league title in five years and five Pellegrini the perfect send-off if this is to be his final season in charge.
Manchester City 3/1 @ William Hill
