The Premier League’s current season is hot with issues. In fact, several situations pertaining to top teams show the current state of affairs is as explosive as playing Fire in a Hole, it has to be said.
While many teams in the league have noteworthy issues, the main plate is served by the two giants, Chelsea and Manchester United. On a more positive note, there’s an impressive comeback from Liverpool and speculations about Tottenham’s fortune thanks to its manager Postecoglou’s incredible record.
In this article, we’ll detail what’s happening in the Premier League and what you can expect further down the road.
Chelsea’s Tough Beginning
There’s probably nothing more desperate in soccer than having your team not scoring goals. And this is what’s happening to Chelsea, with five games played and only five goals scored. This is one of their worst runs in a long time, but it’s not a novelty.
Last season, they only scored 38 goals in 38 games. It almost feels like a curse that perhaps would be lifted with the arrival of Christopher Nkunku. Unfortunately, he got injured before the season started. The other top signing, Nicolas Jackson, seems unable to find the net. He’s taken the sixth-most shots of any player but has scored just once.
Naturally, there are a lot of opinions on how to deal with this. For example, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink considers that players should embrace their individuality. Somebody should simply say: “I’m going to go by myself and I’m going to finish with a shot.”
Still, you won’t get many goals if you don’t have players. Currently, there are 12 critical players injured, Nkunku included. What’s more, six players were newcomers to the Premier League in the last game, which isn’t ideal for a team already in trouble.
Manchester United’s Struggles
Another top team having a rude awakening is Manchester United. Lately, things have been subpar at best. They won just two of five games and lost the other three. This is actually a new club low in the Premier League and is, when you’re betting on anticipated matches, something to certainly consider.
Coach Erik ten Hag insists there’s no crisis, but believing such statements isn’t easy. In fact, one star player, Jadon Sancho, has had a row with the coach and is out of the field. Last season’s captain, Harry Maguire, was taken off his captain duties, which apparently means you could play worse as a result.
On top of all this, protests remain over the running of the club, owned by the Glazer family.
Liverpool’s Amazing Comeback
Whatever Liverpool did to break their ‘curse’, others should follow suit. They played the early kick-off (12.30 pm) six times last season. The result? They didn’t win any games. What’s worse, from 83 shots, they scored a pathetic three times.
However, the tables have turned. Even with a disappointing first half, the team managed to beat Wolves. Some think the disastrous opening period was due to many players coming back just before the match, which reduced their performance.
Coach Jurgen Klopp is very vocal about the tight schedule of his players. For example, he claims there are players in South America that shouldn’t play in 24 hours. The early kick-off schedule for Liverpool is double the number of any team.
Tottenham’s Postecoglou Record
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou is probably celebrating an incredible feat: his various teams haven’t lost a single home game in 50 encounters. That’s almost three years with zero losses at home, a streak that started during his time at Yokohama F. Marinos, then Celitc, and now Tottenham.
Naturally, everybody expects this streak to continue, but it was in peril against Sheffield United, which was saved in the 100th minute. It was the latest comeback in Premier League history. It also put Tottenham second in the league.
Out of five games, the team won four. The other one was a draw. This is their best start in a top league since 1965 and raises enormous hope for fans.
Something Is Stirring
As can be seen, a wide array of issues are going on with top teams, making for an interesting case of predicting what may come from all this, especially when you want to bet on your favorite platform.
The first consideration is that some issues might be transitory. For example, nobody knows what can happen when Chelsea regains its injured players or if Manchester United’s Ten Hag and Sancho make amends. Since everything is unpredictable, it can be crucial for the outcome of the league.
If we take into consideration the current state of things, Manchester United and Chelsea are in dire straits. At the same time, Liverpool, Tottenham and other teams show their resilience and can become favorites fast.
It’s a given Chelsea will need to get their act together because the team’s poor performance is a long-standing issue. They risk becoming irrelevant, which is not good for the player’s morale or fans. If they strike the right strategy, it can result in a spectacular turn of events.
In the case of Liverpool, the team needs to deal with physical exhaustion and lack of preparation to confront their opponents. Klopp will likely continue his substitution strategy, using the previous comeback as inspiration. It can very well become the heroic feat of the season.
Whereas other teams such as Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Manchester City have their share of issues, they arguably aren’t as critical as the ones the mentioned clubs have. Still, they might have an ace or two under their sleeves that can be decisive as the season progresses.
Whatever the case, the Premier League again shows itself as both a football spectacle and a thrilling behind-the-scenes drama. It’s perhaps one of the reasons why, together with its unpredictability, it remains one of the most interesting and exciting leagues in the world.
As far as the season goes, all the evidence points to even more controversies, comeback stories, and perhaps the rise of a new football superstar as hot events that are beginning to happen.
After all, the future isn’t set in stone; it’s settled on the field.
