Predicting the Premier League
The 30th Premier League season kick off Friday with Brentford beginning their top flight history with a home game against Arsenal, two teams who have mixed fortunes over the past 18 months. The next 9 months will be different to anything that has happened over the past 18, with fans finally being allowed back into the stadium. It’s clear that the teams like West Ham and Aston Villa benefitted from empty stadiums last term, but as Rangers are showing up in Scotland, having fans back isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.
Take a look at how each club has faired over the summer, and where they could finish for the 2021/2022 season.
Mikel Arteta has his work cut out this season, for a year now fans have urged for a clear out. Players such as Willian, Lucas Torreira, Granit Xhaka and Hector Bellerin have been criticised for much of the past season for their work load but all are still at the club. Ben White has made the move to North London from Brighton, and will finally look to solidify a defence that has been shaky for years. Arsenal will again become reliant on Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe this season and with the Gunners not being in European competition this year, they will need to turn their attention to a top 6 finish.
Predicted finish: 8th
It looks like Aston Villa have won the lottery this season. Even before Jack Grealish left for Man City for a British record transfer fee, they had spent £88m. Villa fans will be disappointed this season if they don’t improve on last years performance, but there is no reason why they can’t. Yes Grealish has gone but he is the only first team regular they have let go over the summer, and Emi Buendia and Leon Bailey have every trait to replace him. Accompanied by the Premier League experience of Danny Ings and Ashley Young, Villa can challenge this season. The only question remains whether Dean Smith is the man to get the best out of the players and get Villa back to where the fans know that they belong.
Predicted finish: 6th
Brentford will start the season as one of the favourites to be relegated, as all newly promoted teams usually are, but it’s hard to look past this. When they kick off against Arsenal on Friday, they will not have a single player in their squad who has played in the league before. Thomas Frank has built his team around his fellow countrymen, as he has 6 Danish players which is most likely a Premier League record. They will have the grit and determination for sure, but Brentford’s stint in the top flight could be a short one.
Predicted finish: 17th
Graham Potter at Brighton has been enough to steady the Brighton ship over the last season. In danger of going the wrong way down the ladder, Potter has strengthened in midfield and attack, where last season Brighton on average had more possession than anybody in the bottom half of the table last season. Hopefully for Seagulls fans this will be something that has changed for the upcoming season.
Predicted finish: 14th
Now Burnley aren’t a team that are going to break their record transfer fee every season, nor attract the greatest of players. Most would argue that the fact they’ve lasted this long in the Premier League is nothing short of a miracle, and Sean Dyche is the reason why. If last seasons bottom three weren’t so bad, Burnley would have been relegated. They haven’t strengthened their team apart from Nathan Collins from Stoke in defence, who has no Premier League experience, and not even Dwight McNeil can work wonders with this Burnley team.
Predicted finish: 18th
Chelsea will challenge Manchester City this season, that’s for sure. Thomas Tuchel worked wonders last season and he was only in charge for half of it, just think what he will do with a full season and Romelu Lukaku.
Predicted finish: 2nd
Crystal Palace under Patrick Viera on paper looks promising, and he looks to be swapping youth for experience with the summer business that has taken place. Gary Cahill, Patrick Van Aanholt and Andros Townsend have all been released, along with 5 other first team players. Bringing in the likes of Marc Guehi and Michael Olise who have never played a Premier League game. Palace’s lack of experience could lead to their downfall this year.
Predicted finish: 13th
Everton need a big season to wash away the disappointment of the last 6 months. After a disappointing end to last season and with Carlo Ancellotti escaping to Real Madrid, Rafa Benitez has a huge job this season. Not only has he got to win over a fan base that have hated him for the past 17 years, he’ll need to do it in a way that improves the fans outlook on a ridiculous amount of potential at Goodison Park. Adding exciting names like Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray to an attack that offers so much, fans will hope that they can supply enough fire power for Dominic Calvert Lewin to fire them into the top 6. Some support will probably be needed for DCL this season and fans will hope that Moise Kean doesn’t leave on loan again to provide it.
Predicted finish: 11th
This may well be Marco Bielsa’s last season at Leeds United, so they want to make a good one. Leeds were an exciting team to watch last season, and there’s no reason why this will change this season. Largely having the same squad than last season, fans will hope they can become more consistent with their results and that has to be Bielsa’s aim for the upcoming campaign. Watch out for Junior Firpo who signed from Barcelona for £12m to replace Alioski at Left Back.
Predicted finish: 12th
Leicester are riding a wave of success in cup competions after winning the FA Cup and the Community Shield, but Brendan Rodgers will be expected to improve on the last two seasons 5th place finishes. The teams togetherness is looking to be the driving factor, and bringing in the likes of Ryan Bertrand’s experience at Left Back could be a very good signing. Patson Daka has been signed to offer compeition to Vardy and Iheanacho but it will be interesting to see if the Zambian can establish himself in the best league in the world. Boubakary Soumare has been signed in defense in a deal that is said to have challenged Leicester’s transfer record. Here’s hoping he can help them finish in the Champions League spots by May.
Predicted finish: 5th
Liverpool have had a quiet summer and a mixed Pre-Season, but Jurgen Klopp still has the passion to lead a Liverpool team to success. Bringing in Ibrahima Konate at Centre Back for £35m won’t be enough to win them the title, but it would have been interesting to see them bring a player in up top to challenge Mane, Firmino and Salah but there’s no doubt this front three with Diogo Jota will be enough to bury themselves amongst the elite and finish top 4.
Predicted finish: 4th
Manchester City will most likely win the league again this season and they haven’t even changed much. Jack Grealish comes into a midfield that probably didn’t need him as much as they need Harry Kane, but don’t be surprised if he is soon pushing himself up the pecking order infront of Ferran Torres and Bernardo Silva. City aren’t invincible just yet, but if Harry Kane is let go by Spurs, they might just be on their way.
Predicted finish: 1st
Not much has changed at Old Trafford either, but unlike the other side of Manchester, there’s much to improve. United don’t have the depth that City and Chelsea (well in defense anyway) so they won’t challenge for the title, but they won’t be far off. Jadon Sancho coming in is exciting, and to see what he is capable of amongst the world’s elite will excite many at Old Trafford. The future of Paul Pogba is still uncertain, and if he goes, many will question if Fred and Scott McTominay have the quality that is necessary for a second consecutive season.
Predicted finish: 3rd
Newcastle fans and Mike Ashley haven’t seen eye to eye for a while now, and the fans won’t be thrilled to see that there isn’t much change in the squad for the upcoming season. It looks like they will secure Joe Willock on a permanent deal soon to help out the likes of Miguel Almiron, Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson. Newcastle have the depth and calibre in their squad to reflect a top ten finish. Perhaps a second season with a fully fit squad is what Bruce needs, but with a full stadium this season he will be under pressure as soon as the whistle blows in the season opener against West Ham on Sunday.
Predicted finish: 9th
Norwich returned to the Premier League at the first time of asking since relegation in 2020 and will look to improve on the 5 wins and 21 points that wasn’t enough to save them. Don’t be fooled by the stats though, off the pitch Norwich are in a good position. Keeping faith with a manager who has experienced a relegation isn’t something you see often but Daniel Farke will be given an opportunity to keep Norwich afloat in a league they hold the join relegations for. Many of the team experienced relegation two seasons ago which will make them favourites again for the drop. Norwich face Liverpool, Manchester City, Leicester and Arsenal in their first four games, so they could be rooted to the bottom as earlier as mid September.
Predicted finish: 20th
Southampton are another team that benefitted from Fulham, West Brom and Sheffield United having a terrible season last time out. After reaching the summit of the league only for a day last season, the saints swift decline saw them ship another 9 goal haul against Manchester United on the way to finishing 15th and conceding the second most goals in the league. Nobody saw Danny Ings leaving for Villa which would have caught even the Saints board off guard searching for a replacement. Saints fans will hope Adam Armstrong doesn’t have to wait as long as Che Adams did for his first Southampton goal but many will also know they may not be able to afford to wait either, as a season of consolidation looks on the cards.
Predicted finish: 16th
Spurs will look to build on a disappointing 7th place finish last season, but with Nuno Espirito Santo at the helm, Spurs should be leaning towards hope rather than expectation. The Harry Kane saga is distracting many, and Daniel Levy’s checkbook hasn’t bought in as many players as Nuno had hoped for, and if Kane goes to Man City they will be in trouble as they do not have a secondary striker that will fire them up the table.
Predicted finish: 10th
Watford will go into the season trying to avoid another relegation, along with Norwich they will be favourites to return to the Championship. The Hornets will have almost the same squad too that were relegated two seasons ago so they will all be out to prove any doubters wrong. The problem is, they’ve signed 10 players, but only Joshua King and Danny Rose have played in the Premier League before. Fans will hope for a little more consistency for them to cheer on under new manager Xisco Munoz.
Predicted finish: 19th
Under David Moyes, West Ham have gone from strength to strength and will play in the Europa League the season too. Fans will welcome this distraction but hoping they will maintain their league form too. The Hammers have only signed Alphonso Ariola who will most likely take the place of Lucasz Fabianski in goal, so strengthening the team may not have been a target over the summer. Similiarly the players released weren’t first team regulars. Owners Sullivan and Gold will be hoping for more success, but they may have needed to fund some arrivals considering the Hammers grueling European campaign.
Predicted finish: 7th
Wolves have some rebuilding to do and hope Bruno Lage is the man to do it. Raul Jimenez is back and that will please all Wolves fans, but he comes back in to a team that has been inconsistent over the last two seasons and struggling for goals. Losing the experienced Rui Patricio to Roma won’t help either, he has been replaced by Jose Sa who will be hoping to replicate his fellow countryman’s hero status at Molineux. Hopefully Adama Traore can rediscover some form and convert his stats into goals and assists this season.
Predicted finish: 15th